VisitDallas defends against audit, Texas House strengthens sexual harassment investigations: Your Thursday morning roundup

 [Morning roundup]( 01/10/2019 By Nataly Keomoungkhoun and Carla Solórzano Good morning! Here is a look at the top headlines as we start the day. 🌥️ Weather: Mostly cloudy and cool. High of 50 degrees. 🔎 Prefer the online view? It's [her]( Mark Woelffer, VisitDallas Board Chair and General Manager at Sheraton Dallas Hotel, speaks during a press conference. (Ryan Michalesko/Staff Photographer) DALLAS [VisitDallas deploys troops to defend convention, visitors bureau from negative audit]( A small army of VisitDallas executives, board members and supporters stood at a lectern Wednesday to take turns [defending the convention and visitors bureau]( against a [recent Dallas City Hall audit that the mayor called "concerning."]( Phillip Jones, VisitDallas' president and CEO, said he and other officials "take this audit very seriously" but insisted there are already policies and procedures in place to "protect the integrity" of the city and his organization. "At the end of the day we're very proud of our work and the accomplishments we've achieved," Jones said, wrapping up 27 minutes of explanations, defenses and felicitations before opening the news conference to questions. Mayoral runoff: [Here are the candidates running for Dallas mayor.]( Canceled investigation: Dallas police are [no longer investigating a woman's claim]( that singer R. Kelly intentionally gave her a sexually transmitted disease. ADVERTISEMENT POLITICS [Texas House beefs up probes of sexual harassment complaints against members, employees]( The House on Wednesday [strengthened its procedures on sexual harassment]( and gave a panel already armed with sweeping investigative powers the job of ensuring that the chamber offers "a safe and professional environment." By votes of 142-0, members approved House rules and housekeeping measures for this year's session that are "moving this body forward on sexual harassment policy," said Speaker Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton. Bonnen acknowledged that his predecessor, former GOP speaker Joe Straus of San Antonio, launched the effort last year by naming a 10-member working group after news reports about how lewd comments and unwelcome groping were a longstanding problem around the Legislature. The Senate has not signaled if it might make a move similar to the House's. The chamber [adopted a new policy last year]( but there's been a renewed focus on sexual harassment procedures after allegations again Sen. Charles Schwertner. The Georgetown Republican was accused of sending inappropriate texts and photos to a University of Texas graduate student. He denied sending the messages, and [an investigation by the school could not determine who did](. Battle of the beards: [Beto O'Rourke has a beard]( too, as well as Ted Cruz. 'End that rumor': Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says he hasn't been asked, but [he won't be taking a job in the Trump administration.]( Texas Tracker: [Keep up with all the]( from Austin with our Texas Tracker]( where subscribers can customize their feeds. Political Points: We're introducing [a newsletter for North Texans about Austin, Dallas and Washington politics](. SPORTS [Report: Matt Rhule indicates he's staying at Baylor in text to coaching staff]( After a second straight offseason of NFL head coaching rumors circling around Baylor head coach Matt Rhule, [he is still staying in Waco.]( SportsDay's Chuck Carlton reports that Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades confirmed that Rhule is staying with the university. This comes after NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Rhule sent a text to his coaching staff indicating that he is staying in school. Cowboys: Are the Cowboys really a young dynasty in the making? [Our experts weigh in on Tony Gonzalez's big claim.]( Rangers: Here's why Nolan Arenado could be [the perfect investment for the Rangers]( when they move into their new stadium, writes Evan Grant. EDITORS' PICKS - See something, say something: Following [a string of coyote attacks on both humans and pets in Frisco]( the city has launched an interactive map to help track the animals. - Health: [Dallas County reported its first two flu deaths]( of the 2018-2019 season on Wednesday. - Texas politics: Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday criticized the Tarrant County GOP's efforts to vote out a Muslim vice chair, [saying the undertaking is contrary to the principle of religious freedom](. Representative Ana-Maria Ramos, right, is sworn in on opening day of the 86th Texas legislature on Tuesday at the Texas state capital in Austin. (Ashely Landis/Staff Photographer) FINALLY [20 years of dramatic change: Dallas County's delegation reflects community’s diversity]( In 1999 the Dallas County delegation to the Texas Legislature was composed of mostly white men, with a few minorities from southern Dallas districts. [Twenty years later, the faces of the delegation are dramatically different](. Demographic shifts and a broader pool of Democratic and Republican candidates have led to a diversified delegation, making it more reflective of the county’s population. On Tuesday, Dallas County lawmakers who took the oath of office included whites, African-Americans, Latinos, Asian-Americans and lesbians. At no time in the history of the county has the delegation had that sort of a mix. The House and Senate leaders, eight of them brand new, will impact the policies and bills lawmakers produce during the 86th legislative session. 👋 That's all for this morning! For up-to-the-minute news and analysis, check out [DallasNews.com](. 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