Most Tuesday mornings, the Texas Minute—our weekday email publication—includes the One-Click Survey. It’s almost always a question about policy or politics, oftentimes tinged with a bit of humor. We ask readers to not only “click” an answer, but to then reply with...
With U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert eyeing a bid to be the next attorney general of Texas, East Texas’ political landscape could soon be upended in 2022. An odds-on contender to replace Gohmert in Congress would be the popular state senator from Mineola, Bryan Hughes. Seen...
On Tuesday, former State Rep. George Lavender announced on Facebook he would be seeking re-election to his former seat for Texas House District 1, challenging the incumbent Republican State Rep. Gary VanDeaver (New Boston). In his announcement, he said: We desperately...
Update: State Sen. Larry Taylor (R–Friendswood) and State Rep. Lyle Larson (R–San Antonio) confirmed to the Dallas Morning News that they were among the lawmakers in attendance. While citizens are being told to stay home and contend with shutdowns and mandates in...
NOTE: Since this article was published, yet another Republican –Geanie Morrison of Victoria – reportedly filed for the speakership. It has been updated. What GOP insiders hoped would be a quiet race for Speaker of the Texas House got suddenly heated on Thursday, with...
Dear Reader, I want to share with you our New Year’s Resolutions at Empower Texans. Communications experts say you should never repeat an accusation that is made against you. I hold to that as a good practice, but let me this one time repeat the accusation many in the...
Republican lawmakers should be very concerned. Come November 2020, Texans will be showing up to vote for the greatest promise-keeping politician in modern U.S. history. Love him or hate him, President Donald Trump has been a man of his political word. Taxes cut,...
While Republican lawmakers are advancing legislation to grant Texans a greater say in property tax rates, Texas House Democrats are pushing a plan to move Texas in the opposite direction by granting school districts the ability to raise taxes without voter approval....
A number of Texas House Republicans won’t rule out supporting the Democrat Party’s choice for Speaker next January according to Texas GOP officials. Two dozen incumbent lawmakers have thus far failed to sign the party’s form or speak on the record of the matter...
We’ll be releasing the 2017 Fiscal Responsibility Index this week. While the public release is set for 2pm on Wednesday, we thought we’d share the “top-lines” with you today. All votes included on the Index were announced in advance, and focus – as the name implies –...
Attempts to raid the Rainy Day Fund fell short last week after conservative Texas House lawmakers outmaneuvered Speaker Joe Straus and his allies. Authored by liberal Republican State Rep. Sarah Davis of West University Place, House Bill 25, as written, was a bad bill...
On the 140th day of the legislative session, the last day for work to be completed under Texas’ constitution, we generally start gearing up for the release of the Fiscal Responsibility Index, which measures lawmakers’ records on fiscal and governance issues. Not this...
With just hours left in the 85th regular session of the Texas Legislature, lawmakers will be heading home with tales of their governing prowess. For members of the Texas House, that’s exactly what it will be: tall tales. The House failed to deliver on key reforms...
This week the Texas House approved legislation to tackle the latest growing area of lawsuit abuse—hailstorm litigation. In the latest swing of the Whack-a-Mole mallet, lawmakers voted 91-55 to approve House Bill 1774 by State Rep. Greg Bonnen (R–League City) which...
Despite Texas voters’ clamoring for property tax relief, the Texas House is moving to make taxpayer burdens even worse by overriding the chamber’s Republican majority to advance legislation that will result in even higher taxes. And if taxpayers don’t speak up, the...
Early this year, the state’s Republican leaders came out strongly for the passage of legislation expanding parental choice in education and demanding the Texas House vote on the issue. Last week, lawmakers in the lower chamber finally gave advocates a vote, but chose...
The Texas House today is set to vote on a bill that would allow tax-hiking schools districts to escape future accountability from voters. Predictably, the entire public education lobby has lined up to support the measure. Currently, voter-approval is required for any...
On Wednesday, the Democrat-coalition that governs the Texas House overrode Republican opposition to expand welfare in the state. At issue was HB 132 by State Rep. Ina Minjarez (D–San Antonio) which would significantly expand the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families...
In a stunning move, the Texas House voted overwhelmingly to support Democrat efforts to hamstring the state’s economy by raising the minimum wage. Earlier today, State Rep. Hugh Shine (R–Belton) moved to suspend the rules and fast track a proposed constitutional...
In East Texas, a liberal Mayor who boasts of being part of the “establishment” is seeking a promotion to the House of Representatives. Mayor Jay Dean is running for HD 7, a seat left open when David Simpson announced for Senate. Dean is facing David Watts, a local...
