State

Federal Government Stretches Conservation Arm to Snatch More Private Land in Texas
As part of the since-rebranded “30×30” initiative, the Biden administration is attempting to take hundreds of thousands of acres of Texas land.

Patrick: Documentation Proves Biden Lied About Granting Major Disaster Declaration
White House documentation shows that President Biden ended the Major Disaster Declaration required for FEMA aid the same day he granted it.

Poll: Trump, Cruz Continue to Lead Democrat Opponents
A University of Houston poll shows Trump is leading President Biden by nine points and Cruz is ahead of U.S. Rep. Allred by three points.

Texas Installs New Anti-climb Barriers in El Paso With Help From Georgia
Georgia’s National Guard soldiers joined the Texas Army National Guard to install the barriers along the Rio Grande.
State Archive
Save Texas Students
Education in Texas is at a crossroads. Now, more than ever, we have an opportunity to make systemic reforms that will impact students for decades to come. Before joining Empower Texans, I worked for two years as a public school teacher in Houston ISD, where I saw...
Playing On Your Dime
It’s a harmless tradition, Texas lawmakers taking off a few hours to play football. Yes, they do it during the work-day and on your dime. Still, think of it this way: that’s one day they won’t be raiding the rainy day fund, sneaking into your pocket, or regulating...
Justice Department Sides with German Homeschooling Policy
This is some jaw-dropping news: In a political asylum case involving a German family that fled to the United States to be able to homeschool their children, the U.S. Justice Department is arguing that the freedom to choose to educate one’s own children is not a...
Birdwell, Hughes Seek Greater Taxpayer Protection
Two of the state’s Taxpayer Champions are proposing greater protections against tax hikes at the state level. Senator Brian Birdwell and Rep. Bryan Hughes have both proposed amending the state constitution to require a two-thirds majority for the legislature to...
Chartering Better Education
For all the talk about education reform, one of the best options can be found in the state's unsung academic heroes: the charter schools. Correctly utilized, they provide meaningful opportunities for driving improvement by increasing the options available to parents,...
The Side Effects of Medicaid Expansion
With Gov. Perry and Lt. Gov. Dewhurst both on record in opposition, Medicaid expansion in Texas seems unlikely at best. But with increased chatter about it spreading throughout the Austin political machine like a contagion, a reminder of all the fiscal side effects...
A ‘Sweet’ Reform for SNAP
With entitlement spending set to sour the state’s budget without some meaningful reform, one Democrat has a sweet proposal to help eliminate wasteful spending—by prohibiting sweets and junk food from being purchased with welfare handouts. HB 751 by Rep. Richard...
Better Government Through Better Information
Legislation filed today would increase government transparency, requiring greater information be available to taxpayers about public debt while ensuring the state’s pensions are making their actuarial data more readily available. The legislation was inspired by the...
The Art of Wasting Money
The Texas Commission on the Arts is seeking to double its budget for the 2014-15 biennium, after the legislature cut back on this non-essential function last session. Given the health of the state’s $4.6 billion arts industry, taxpayers should be asking their...