State 977
‘Texas Teacher Bill of Rights’ With Pay Raises Filed in Senate
Gov. Greg Abbott made a point of talking about teacher pay raises in his 2025 State of the State address, and now the Texas Senate has filed legislation to address the issue. Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), who also filed the upper chamber’s school choice proposal, has proposed Senate Bill (SB) 26, otherwise known as the […]
Texas Proposes Land Ownership Ban for Certain Foreign Entities
The Texas Senate has wasted no time tackling priority legislation during the 89th Legislature Session, the latest being a bill to “protect key and natural resources” by restricting who can own land in Texas. “Stopping Foreign Adversaries’ Land Grabs” or Senate Bill (17) is a piece of legislation, proposed by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) and […]
Dan Patrick, Matthew McConaughey Want $500 Million for Film Incentives, Texas House Less Keen
In a unique moment in legislative history, the names Matthew McConaughey, Dennis Quaid, Woody Harrelson, Billy Bob Thornton, Renee Zellwegger, and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick are colliding in an effort to usher in a new era for the Texas film industry with the help of public dollars. A Texas Senate priority bill hopes to set […]
Texas Lawmaker Proposes Requiring Insurance to Cover ‘Detransition’ Services
Health insurance companies would be required to cover medical gender transition reversal services, per a new proposal introduced in the Texas Senate, tapping back into one of last session’s hottest debates. State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) introduced Senate Bill (SB) 1257 on February 13, one of the first of its kind in the state intended […]
Texas Senate Bill Filed to Ban Taxpayer-Funded Expenditures on Abortions
A state senator has introduced legislation that would prohibit government organizations from assisting abortion providers — whether logistically or monetarily through taxpayer funds — and tighten the reins against government-funded abortion-related travel. Senate Bill (SB) 730, introduced by Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels), expands the definition of an “abortion assistance entity” to include anyone that […]
Elon Musk Petitions Texas House to Pass School Choice, Speaker Says ‘We Will’
School choice in Texas is one of the most significant issues facing lawmakers during the 89th Legislative Session, and now the world’s richest man — who is also a Texas resident — has come out in favor of it. In the early hours of Friday morning, Elon Musk posted on social media his endorsement of […]
Legislators File ‘Atomic Texas’ Act to Spark Nuclear Power ‘Renaissance’
Gov. Greg Abbott called for forging a “nuclear power renaissance” in Texas during his 2025 State of the State address, two legislators have filed legislation intended to make the concept a reality. State Rep. Drew Darby’s House Bill (HB) 2678 would create the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Authority and a low-interest loan fund to go […]
Texas Lawmakers Call for Transparency on Dismissed Criminal Cases, Unelected Hearing Officers
As part of a reform package that would include changes to criminal bail bond policies in Texas, Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston) has proposed adding a layer of transparency in cases where charges are dismissed for a “lack of probable cause.” Under current code, even after the local district attorney’s office accepts charges, a hearing officer […]
Sen. Cruz Letter to Speaker Burrows ‘Encourages’ Passing School Choice This Session
Pressure to pass school choice during the 89th Legislative Session has begun to mount from all levels of government as U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) has now published a letter to “encourage” support for education savings accounts (ESA). Cruz penned the letter this week to Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) to make clear that […]
Texas Senate Priority Bill Would Increase Parental Involvement in Children’s School Library Materials
The Texas Senate has filed a number of priority bills since the start of the 89th Legislative Session, the latest being one that aims to increase parental involvement in what books appear in public school libraries. Sen. Angela Paxton (R-McKinney) has filed Senate Bill (SB) 13 to change how school district library collections and catalogs […]
Texas Senate Promises ‘Hardball’ With House Over Bail Reform Package
Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston) and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick put the Texas House on notice during a press conference Wednesday that a failure to enact proposed bail reforms could result in special sessions. “As far as I’m concerned, if these bills do not pass the House, I see no reason for us not to go […]
Abbott Urges DEI ‘Purge’ of Schools in 2025 State of the State Address
Gov. Greg Abbott laid out a number of emergency items during the 2025 State of the State address, including property tax relief, infrastructure, and school choice. He also made the announcement that he will seek to “purge” diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) “from every corner” of Texas schools. “Last session we banned DEI in universities,” […]
