State news in Texas
Statewide Texas News
Gov. Abbott Pushes $10 Billion in Property Tax Relief, $4 Billion More Than Legislature
The tax relief proposal also includes increasing the business personal property tax exemption and closing loopholes exploited by local jurisdictions to raise taxes.
AG Paxton Blocks 3 Texas Doctors From Administering Cross-sex Drugs to Minors
Attorney General Ken Paxton highlighted the fact that prescribing harmful “gender transition” drugs to minors violates state law.
Analysis: Maybe the Dallas Mavericks Will Move to China?
The Mavericks majority owner, a Chinese casino operator, infuriated Texas fans.
New Measure Would Protect Businesses From Ideological Discrimination
The legislation aims to prevent financial discrimination based on ESG scores, DEI standards, and religious beliefs or affiliations.
State Archive
Senate State Affairs Improves Public Integrity
Voting along partisan lines, the Senate’s State Affairs Committee voted 7-2 on Monday to move the ironically named Public Integrity Unit out of the Democrat-controlled Travis County District Attorney’s Office, instead placing the authority under the state Attorney...
Springer Sponsors One Way Tax Deals
UPDATE: After further inspection of HB 1987, I have to lend a bit of a mea culpa to Rep. Drew Springer. Under the current provisions of Chapter 313, school districts are allowed to "waive" the jobs requirement for projects receiving tax abatements. This current...
Zerwas: The ObamaCare Republican
Two years ago, State Rep. John Zerwas was a relentless zealot for imposing ObamaCare on Texas. Conspiring with House Democrats, the Simonton Republican used parliamentary tricks and floor confusion to sneak an amendment into the budget that would have pulled Texas...
Who Do You Serve?
With religious liberty under near constant assault in Houston, Plano, and other Texas cities legislation was needed to protect the rights of business owners. Originally filed by State Rep. Jason Villalba (R-Dallas), HJR 55 would do exactly that. If passed the bill...
Hall Monitor on Duty
Abortion advocates rallied at the Texas Capitol on Wednesday to lobby the legislature for increased access and taxpayer funding for themselves as part of Planned Parenthood Lobby Day. In advance of the event, Texas Right to Life distributed signs saying, “Former...
Haste at the Expense of Diligence
On Wednesday, the full body of Texas Senate moved to approve Gov. Abbott’s recent nominations to the University of Texas Board of Regents in the face of resistance from some of its conservative members. After an unprecedented five hour-long vetting process in the...
TPPF, Burton Propose the Liberty City
Most reform efforts aimed at restricting a city’s authority occur long after it’s incorporation, either by adopting new charter amendments or by citizen-led petition drives that force ballot referendums. But freshman State Sen. Konni Burton (R-Colleyville) is...
Franchise Tax in Creighton’s Crosshairs
State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) presented his three bills to the Senate Finance Committee last week that aim to provide relief from the state's franchise tax, also known as the gross margins tax. In his testimony, Creighton observed how the free economic...
Strengthening the Spending Cap
At a press conference Tuesday, State Sen. Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick unveiled new legislation that would dramatically improve Texas' constitutional spending cap. Under the Texas Constitution, the current cap constrains the...