State news in Texas
State
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Leading Senate Initiative to Ban All THC Products in Texas
The measure will be carried by State Sen. Charles Perry, who introduced a previous measure legalizing the commercial sale of hemp in 2019.
Aggie Scorecard, Investigations, State
TAMU Class Explores ‘Systemic Racism’ in American Politics
“Race and Politics in the United States” is a class from the Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M.
Legislation Filed Mandating Texas Counties Follow Federal Immigration Law
State Rep. Nate Schatzline says the measure is meant to help the Trump administration deport illegal aliens.
Another Blow to Phelan: Trent Ashby Endorses David Cook for Speaker
Ashby praised Cook’s ability to work collaboratively with other statewide leaders to achieve conservative goals.
State Archive
Flag This Play
No issue is too small, apparently, for legislative intervention. That's about the only conclusion you can draw from lawmakers wanting to insert themselves' in the dust-up between the NFL and the cable industry. One thing's is for sure, if the Legislature does get...
Maybe We Can Just Walk To Work?
A friend of Empower Texans and TFR today passed along the "newsletter" that accompanies his water bill in the City of Taylor. The newsletter brags about a $574,000 grant from the Texas Transportation Commission to the Taylor Independent School District for the...
TPPF Commentary – Schools Can’t Break Addiction to Higher Taxes
Remember the big school property tax cut you were supposed to get? Your local school district might be about to take it away. Last year, the Legislature passed a plan that used the state’s new business tax and part of the state’s $14 billion budget surplus to buy...
Constitutional Propositions
My friends at the Plano-based Free Market Foundation have produced a fantastic summary of the statewide constitutional ballot, with "pro" and "con" arguments for each. (You can view their work here.) Remember, your local ballot will probably have additional questions...
Republicans In Name
House Speaker Tom Craddick put voice this week to what conservative voters have been depressed about for several years: there are some Republican legislators who work against the conservative agenda. Here's what Speaker Craddick said in the Midland Reporter-Telegram:...
Running Right
While in Temple this week to guest-host a radio show, I had the opportunity to meet Michael Pearce. Hopefully you'll get to know him, too. A Marine veteran and former classroom teacher, Pearce is running for the open House District 55 seat in the Texas Legislature....
Is Lege’s School Rate Cut Driving Higher School Taxes?
It's an inconvenient truth, but not only did the legislature's effort to buy-down school property tax rates not result in lower tax bills (because they left the appraisal process untouched), but it has lead to higher school taxes. At least one elected official is...
Proposition 2 Shows the Problems with Higher Education Finance
In 2003, the State Legislature passed the tuition deregulation plan which gave university systems the ability to raise their own tuition rates. Previously, the tuition rates for state universities were controlled by the State Legislature. We were assured by university...
Subprime Crisis Solution – Reduce Runaway Texas Foreclosures by Reducing Property Taxes
With increasing warnings of an economic meltdown due to the subprime crisis, the best thing Texas government entities could do is provide property tax relief, especially since Texas has the 5th highest foreclosure rate in the nation, which is increasing at a...