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As the 2024 General Election enters its final weeks, our attention shifts toward the upcoming 89th Legislative Session, which begins in January 2025. The major political narratives for the session are starting to take shape. In just a few weeks, lawmakers will begin prefiling bills, interim committees will conclude their work, and the legislative landscape will quickly come into focus.
All of that and more in this week’s newsletter.
For Liberty, For Texas
Jeramy D. Kitchen
President, Texas Policy Research
Featured
Paxton Sues City of Austin Over Taxpayer-Funded Abortion Travel
In the latest clash between Texas state officials and the City of Austin, Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit accusing the city of illegally using taxpayer money to fund abortion-related travel. The lawsuit, filed in a Travis County district court, claims that Austin’s newly approved 2024-2025 budget includes a $400,000 “Reproductive Health Grant,” designed to cover travel expenses for residents seeking out-of-state abortions. Paxton’s lawsuit aims to stop what he calls an “illegal abortion-procurement scheme,” escalating a legal battle that could set a precedent for other cities in Texas and beyond.
Other Recent Content
Fiscal Watchdog Releases 2024 State of the States Report
- Texas ranked 24th of 50 in the 2024 “Financial State of the States” report, with a Taxpayer Burden of $900, reflecting financial challenges like underfunded pensions and healthcare liabilities for public employees.
- The report emphasizes that Texas needs to adopt more transparent accounting practices to address these liabilities and avoid burdening future generations with higher taxes or reduced public services.
Texas Stock Exchange: Challenging Wall Street
- The Texas Stock Exchange (TXSE), announced in June 2024, aims to challenge Wall Street by creating a trading platform that aligns with Texas’ energy, technology, and healthcare industries.
- The TXSE aims to emphasize free-market principles and lower regulatory burdens, offering companies an alternative to traditional exchanges like the NYSE and NASDAQ, with support from Governor Greg Abbott and former Energy Secretary Rick Perry.
School Vouchers vs. Education Savings Accounts: Key Differences Explained
- In Texas, recent legislative and political efforts have centered around implementing ESAs. However, many media outlets and opponents of school choice conflate the issues, often using the term “voucher” when referring to these proposals. Understanding the difference is crucial in today’s debate over education reform.
- School vouchers provide families with public funds that can only be used for private school tuition, while Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) allow more flexibility by letting families use the funds for various educational services beyond tuition.
Estimated $50 Billion Cost to Texas’ First State Flood Plan
- Texas’ first State Flood Plan is estimated to cost $50 billion, addressing flood risks across 15 flood planning regions with a variety of structural and non-structural solutions like levees and nature-based projects.
- Funding challenges persist, as the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) calls for increased investment from state lawmakers, far surpassing current allocations to prevent future costly flood disasters.
Legislative Countdowns
2024 General Election: 24 Days
Prefiling Legislation Begins: 30 Days
89th Legislative Session Begins: 94 Days
Bill Filing Deadline: 153 Days
89th Legislative Session Ends: 233 Days
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