State news in Texas
Statewide Texas News
Texas Students’ Test Scores Shrink as Spending Grows
An economic analysis shows declining returns on investment for states’ increasing education dollars.
Texas Officials Criticize Proposed $500 Million in Corporate Welfare to Movie Industry
The pushback follows the release of a commercial featuring Matthew McConaughey and other actors advocating more funding for the industry.
Texas Joins Fight Against Taxpayer-funded Gender Mutilation Surgeries for Criminals
Alongside 23 other states, Texas is attempting to prevent a mandate forcing taxpayers to fund the surgeries.
New Order From Abbott Seeks to End DEI in State Agencies
Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest directive mirrors a similar order by President Donald Trump issued last week.
State Archive
Straus to Whistleblower: Resign or be Indicted
In a stunning revelation of potentially illegal influence peddling, House Speaker Joe Straus promised that an indictment effort and other actions against whistleblowing UT Regent Wallace Hall Jr. could be stopped if Hall just resigned office and dropped his...
How Straus Secretly Killed Campus Carry
In Austin, as it is in Washington, DC, there is an overriding, cynical culture that suggests campaign promises are merely a tool one uses to get elected, to be tossed aside at the first convenience. But while those who are more interested in self-promotion than...
When Moderates Win, Democrats Win
Democrats are lamenting their setbacks in a recent election that witnessed a clear mandate for conservative leadership. One of their biggest complaints: the loss of moderate Republicans. A major example outside of Texas sheds light on how Democrats rely on...
Speech Regulation at the Eleventh Hour
During the most recent legislative session, lawmakers passed a bill – SB 1773 – requiring a joint committee of senators and state representatives to examine our state’s so-called ethics laws and determine whether they are fulfilling their purposes or in need of...
An End to Government by Sleight of Hand
The contrasting words and actions of two establishment moderates and two rising conservative stars surrounding Monday’s meeting of the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) perfectly summed up our current legislative zeitgeist: Texans are experiencing an end to government by...
Time to End the Two-Thirds Rule
An infamous parliamentary procedure historically ingrained into the rules of the Texas Senate, the two-thirds rule is used in modern times as a political tool to stifle good legislation. Instead of members of the majority passing bills advancing commonsense reform,...
Spending Cap Sophistry
With the 84th session of the Texas Legislature still over a month away, big-spending politicians are already scheming on how to massively expand the next state budget, all while claiming fiscal discipline. The main obstacle to the grow-government crowd is our...
Straus Creates More Border Insecurity
Continuing his pattern of undermining conservatives and deceiving voters, House Speaker Joe Straus is poised to unravel the state’s border security operations on Dec. 1, while giving Democrats a political tool to use against conservatives. Due to Straus’ opposition,...
The Joe Straus Record
At the beginning of the upcoming Texas Legislative Session, members of the Texas House will decide who the state's third-ranking constitutional officer will be for the current biennium. Texans should be informed about who their representatives are supporting --...