State news in Texas
State
Donald Trump Warns Texas House on School Choice: ‘I Will Be Watching Them Closely’
The president offers strong praise for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the Texas Senate.
State Rep. Harrison Calls Out House Leadership for ‘Protecting’ DEI in Universities
New legislation by State Rep. Cody Harris would allow for DEI courses in degree programs that focus on “racial, ethnic, or gender studies.”
State Sen. Creighton Slams Anti-School Choice ‘Rhetoric’
Creighton, with help from other Republicans, attempted to correct the record on taxpayer-funded lobbying, per-pupil funding, and other topics related to school choice.
UT-Austin Offers Core Math Classes Focused on ‘Racial Inequality’
The university offers the courses Numbering Race and Measuring Racial Inequality.
State Archive
Lawmakers Grill Texas Municipal League Over Opposition to Ending Forced Annexation
Two city officials and their taxpayer-funded lobbyist who is paid by the cities were the only three people to testify against citizens having a say on whether or not their land is annexed by a city. During the Texas House Committee on Land and Resource Management’s...
Ballot Review Bill Gets Hearing
In an effort to prohibit misleading ballot language going on voters’ ballots, one lawmaker filed legislation to force a review of the language by an administrative judge. State Sen. Joan Huffman (R–Southside Place) filed Senate Bill 323, which had its first hearing in...
Commentary: Texans Deserve Responsible Government
While the vast majority of Texans applaud the attention being given to the curse of property taxes, the extent of damage that has been done begs the analogy of catching the horse once he is out of the barn. The escalation of property taxes over the last decade truly...
House Proposes $6.3 Billion in New Education Spending, $2.7 in Tax Relief
Faced with a surplus of state funds this biennium, and flanked by Democrat and Republican lawmakers, State Rep. Dan Huberty (R–Kingwood) announced House Bill 3, the chamber’s plan for school finance reform and property tax relief.Dubbed “The Texas Plan” in...
Texas Senate Passes First Bill of the Session: A Teacher Pay Raise
With just 84 days left in the 140-day legislative session, the Texas Senate has passed its first piece of legislation. No, it’s not property tax reform, ending taxpayer-funded lobbying, or any other legislative priority of the Republican Party of Texas. Instead, the...
Mayors Continue Opposition to Voter Approval of Taxes
A letter addressed to Texas House Committee on Ways and Means’ Chairman Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock) from a group of city mayors outlines the staunch and uncompromising nature of local officials’ opposition to lowering the rollback rate to 2.5 percent. Local...
Commentary: An Open Letter to Chairman Burrows
Dear Chairman Burrows, I was in attendance at the Ways and Means Committee meeting on Wednesday at the Reagan Building. My four colleagues and I left Ft. Worth at 4:30 a.m., arrived at the Capitol at about 8:30 and registered to testify in support of HB 2. We had been...
Creighton Advances Bill to Protect Businesses, Preempt Local Ordinances
With the midpoint of the session almost upon us, lawmakers in both chambers of the Texas Legislature are finally moving legislation to the floor for a vote, including one proposal that would sharply curtail the power of local governments to interfere with private...
Kolkhorst Files Conscience Protections for Healthcare Professionals
Legislation protecting the religious freedom of Texans, a Republican Party of Texas priority, could soon make its way through the Texas Senate. Senate Bill 1107, filed by Republican State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (Brenham) this week, seeks to protect the right of...