88th TXLege

News88th TXLege

Fourth Special Session Concludes With an Unresolved School Choice Saga

The Texas Legislature wrapped up the fourth special legislative session on Tuesday and one of the most contentious issues remained unresolved: school choice. Despite Governor Greg Abbott’s push, the proposal to allow for Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) ultimately failed to…

News

The Ginn Economic Brief: Texas Economic Situation – November 2023

Texas lost jobs in October and faces major headwinds with a weak U.S. economy and a poor performance by this year’s 88th Legislature. There is a better way. Free-market capitalism is the best path to let people prosper, as it…

News

House Takes Up Vaccine and Border Bills, But School Choice Still in Limbo

With more than half of the special session already over, on Wednesday, the Texas House finally took up and considered four bills on the Floor for debate.  Two House bills and two Senate bills considered included: SB 7 by Senator…

News

Texas Senate Pushes Border Security, While Texas House Lags Behind

We are now ten days into the third Special Session of the Texas Legislature. While school choice has been a focal point of the session thus far, another major area of concern is the ongoing border crisis and illegal immigration. …

NewsState

Understanding Texas’ Financial Health: Takeaways from a 2023 State Report

Recently, Truth in Accounting (TIA), a fiscal watchdog organization, published a report titled “Financial State of the States 2023” shedding light on the perceived fiscal health of all 50 states in the United States based on key factors. According to…

News

ROUND 3: The Third Special Session Has Begun

The third special session of the year has officially started, with the Texas House and Texas Senate both convening this afternoon.  Tensions between the two chambers and members of leadership are high after a strained regular session, two special sessions,…

Commentary

Last Call for School Choice: Third Special Session in Texas

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is again promoting what could be universal school choice during the third special session in Texas that starts on Oct. 9th. That would be among the best actions Texas can make, the other being eliminating…

News88th TXLege

Texas House Lawmakers Join the Call for Audit of Impeachment Investigation

Friday, three Texas House lawmakers called on both the Texas House Speaker, Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) and State Rep. Andrew Murr (R-Junction) to conduct a “complete audit and providing an itemized account of taxpayer funds spent on the impeachment investigation and…

News

Abbott Officially Announces Third Special Session

Rumors had abounded for months that Governor Abbott was going to call a third special session to address so-called “school choice.” The third special session of the year has officially been called by Governor Abbott, with the State Legislature to…

Explainers

Understanding School Choice: A Comprehensive Guide

In the realm of education, the term “school choice” has become a buzzword, sparking discussions, debates, and policy changes across the globe. But what exactly is school choice, and why is it significant? Let’s delve into the concept and explore…

Commentary

Texas Two Step in Dallas: Property Tax Relief but Excessive Spending by State and Localities

This commentary was originally published at The Center Square here. It is being republished with permission from the author. If you live in Texas, then your property taxes are skyrocketing. This has made housing less affordable, especially for the neediest among…

News88th TXLege

Property Tax Bills About to Hit Mailboxes

It is that time of year again! When Texas taxpayers are reminded that they, in fact, do NOT own their homes, but rather pay perpetual rent to the government via the property tax. That’s right, soon property tax bills will…

Statements

TFR Calls for Third Special Session to “Ax the Tax”

Today, Texans for Fiscal Responsibility sent a letter to Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) requesting that he immediately call a third special legislative session, to address a host of pressing issues affecting all Texas taxpayers and families.  It is already…

News88th TXLege

Pushing Back Against Compromise School Choice Efforts

The Texas Legislature is widely expected to convene in yet another special legislative session in the coming weeks. This time they will reportedly focus on education freedom and parental choice or school choice and salary increases for government school teachers….

News88th TXLege

Dan Patrick Demands Audit on Failed House Impeachment Attempt

After this exciting weekend, there is no doubt that you have heard that the Texas House Board of Managers’ attempt to impeach Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has failed. On Saturday Paxton was acquitted on all charges and able to…