State

State Archive

Taxpayer Advocate Recommends Reforms to Rein In Local Governments

As Texas lawmakers begin preparing legislation for next year’s session, a grassroots advocate for Texas taxpayers testified to state senators about reforms that would protect citizens from out-of-control local taxing entities. The Senate Committee on Local Government...

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Says School Choice Is His Top Priority

Texas Senate leader Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says his top policy priority for the upcoming legislative session is school choice, after multiple pro-school choice Texas House candidates won their seats.  “Since 2015, the Senate has passed school choice five times. It died...

Texas Lottery Commission’s Action Risks Massive Gambling Expansion

The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas informed the Texas Senate that if it didn’t rein in the online sales of Texas Lottery tickets, the tribe would pursue full-blown casino gambling in the state. Though the tribe omitted it from their correspondence, recent legal...

Texas Senators Continue to Mull Reforms to Property Tax Code

As Texas draws closer to the upcoming legislative session, lawmakers continue to hold hearings on how best to address adjusting or overhauling the state’s tax code. The Senate Committee on Local Government, chaired by State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, held a...

Texas Democrat Party Chair to Resign After Major Electoral Losses

The Texas Democrat Party Chairman, Gilberto Hinojosa, has announced his resignation after a significant statewide electoral defeat in Tuesday’s election. Hinojosa, a South Texas lawyer first elected to the role in 2012, has overseen a period marked by Democrat losses,...