State news in Texas
Statewide Texas News
Paxton Investigates Texas Lottery Over Suspicious Wins
An investigation by the attorney general’s office is the latest development in the scandal-plagued Texas Lottery Commission.
A Conversation on School Choice
With both the Texas House and Senate considering ESA legislation, two conservatives argue the merits of school choice.
$113K Funneled Into Legislator’s Pocket Via Taxpayer-funded Lobbying Payouts?
Democrat State Rep. Mary Gonzalez is the executive director of the School Board Members for Latino Equity, which is reportedly funded with taxpayer dollars from the Texas Association of School Boards.
State Sen. Kolkhorst: New Measures Seek To Bring MAHA to Texas
Senate Bill 25 will be considered by the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Wednesday.
State Archive
House Leadership Suffering From Attrition
With primary elections in the rear view mirror, the chief question on many capitol observer’s minds is whether the obstructionist coalition of Democrats and liberal Republicans in the Texas House will hold in 2017. With roughly six months until the Texas Legislature...
The Need for Real Budget Reform
Texas hasn’t kept spending as tightly controlled as some lawmakers would have taxpayers believe. A new study shows that total state spending has risen nearly 12 percent faster than would be necessary to keep pace with the growth of population and inflation. Unless the...
Taxpayer Guide to Property Taxation
The simple truth about property taxes is that local officials—not appraisal boards—control how much your tax bill increases. Unless they vote to lower tax rates every September to adequately offset rising property values, Texans will pay higher taxes. When governments...
Local Government Hydra Threatens Texas Liberties
With the return of the Texas Legislature only six months away, many are already gearing up for a fight that will define the session and the role of government for years to come. A battle is brewing between the multi-headed monster of local governments and some in...
Carpetbagging Company Joins the Crony Cartel
With many conservatives calling for the Texas Legislature to pre-empt local ordinances on ridesharing and de-regulate the industry, one company is claiming it likes the regulations, and that the state should do more, not less. At a hearing of the House Business and...
Lavish Spending by Lobby Exposes Need for Real Ethics Reform
When not fighting to suppress citizens’ 1st amendment rights, the Texas Ethics Commission is looking to do a favor for the lobby cartel it was originally chartered to keep in check. According to the San Antonio Express-News, the TEC is looking to reign in lavish...
State Leaders Order Agencies to Stop Abusing Emergency Leave
Following a brewing controversy over state agencies issuing “emergency leave” as a form of severance to outgoing employees, state leaders are taking action. On Wednesday, Gov. Abbott and Comptroller Glenn Hegar issued a directive banning state agencies from using...
TEC Seeks to Institutionalize the Paxton Treatment
Tomorrow the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC) will vote whether to institutionalize the biased approach it took when dealing with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. At its bi-monthly meeting, the unelected agency tasked with enforcing the state’s so-called “ethics laws”...
Half of Ethics Commissioners Act Despite Expired Terms
In a letter sent to Texas' governor, lieutenant governor and House speaker, six of the state's largest conservative organizations called on them to "cure a very important deficiency" at an agency setting itself up as the de facto regulator of political speech and...