State news in Texas
State
AG Ken Paxton Blocks Biden Admin from Auctioning Border Wall Materials
The Biden administration agreed to an order preventing them from illegally selling border wall segments for the next 30 days.
Analysis, State, Year in Review
A Year of Controversy and Scrutiny for the Texas Lottery
The Texas Lottery Commission’s latest scandals include rigged jackpots, online ticket sales, and questionable foreign ties.
Meet the Freshmen: Matt Morgan
Morgan has identified several priorities for the upcoming session, including border security, property tax relief, government spending, and insurance reform.
Texas on Track To Crack Down on Chinese Influence
Gov. Abbott has already been addressing foreign influence in the state, and lawmakers are expected to take additional action.
State Archive
Pay Raise For Politicians
Apparently the Texas “Ethics” Commission thinks taxpayers are feeling generous, because they voted to give legislators a 15 percent pay raise heading into the spring legislative session. Texans didn’t vote to make the Texas “Ethics” Commission the regulators and...
Complaint Against Empower Texans Officially Dismissed
After staff members at the Texas Ethics Commission recommended dismissing all actions against Empower Texans last month, the commissioners made it official today. By a vote of 7-0, with Straus appointee Steve Wolens abstaining, the TEC dismissed its complaints against...
TEC Considering Pay Raise for Lawmakers
At their meeting Friday in Austin, the Texas Ethics Commission will consider increasing lawmakers’ compensation, a move that will also make it easier for lobbyists to wine and dine them. The TEC is debating an increase in the per diem, a daily stipend that lawmakers...
GOP Caucus Again Betrayed by Straus
Ever since the failure of House Speaker Joe Straus' plan to appoint a far-left extremist to the Texas Ethics Commission the pressure has been on the Texas House Republican Caucus to hold him accountable for his choice. But instead of stepping up to the plate, there...
TPPF: Protect the ESF
With spend-happy politicians already clamoring to use the state’s upcoming budget shortfall as an opportunity to drain the state’s savings account, the Texas Public Policy Foundation is reminding lawmakers of the importance of saving for emergencies. In a white paper...
Steady Drumbeat to Spend State Savings
With many anticipating a budgetary shortfall when lawmakers return to Austin, many liberal legislators have been advocating for tapping the state’s Economic Stabilization Fund – commonly referred to as the “rainy day fund.” Just last month House Speaker Joe Straus...
SEC Dismissal Latest Evidence of Bogus Paxton Prosecution
A federal judge Friday tossed out a Securities and Exchange Commission case that had been brought against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. This is the latest evidence that criminal indictments against Paxton stemming from the same allegations are a bogus political...
Agency ‘Haughty’ and ‘Arrogant’
A state senate committee was highly critical of the Texas Ethics Commission during the course of a five-hour hearing this week. One lawmaker called the agency “arrogant” while citizens invited to testify spoke against an agency that is more interested in enforcing its...
Senator to TEC: ‘Do Americans have a right to free speech?’
At a Texas Senate hearing on ethics laws, an official with the Texas Ethics Commission crumbled in the face of basic questions about Texans’ constitutional rights. State Sen. Van Taylor (R–Plano) opened by asking TEC Executive Director Natalia Ashley if Americans have...