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State lawmakers began pre-filing legislation ahead of the upcoming 89th Legislative Session. In the first day alone, over 1,500 pieces of legislation were filed in both the Texas Senate and House of Representatives. Those bills cover a plethora of policy areas. Rest assured, our team has already started reviewing them, preparing vote recommendations for lawmakers using our five liberty principles. We included a post in this week’s newsletter that highlights several of the most notable ones filed.
Plus, with elections behind us, the policy priorities of our state’s leaders are starting to become more in focus.
Catch all this and more in this week’s newsletter!
For Liberty, For Texas
Jeramy D. Kitchen
President, Texas Policy Research
Featured
Some Legislative Highlights From The First Few Days of Prefiling
Texas lawmakers have filed over 1,800 bills total. These bills span a wide range of topics, reflecting the diverse priorities of the Legislature. However, we’ve chosen to spotlight a few that align closely with the emerging political narratives shaping discussions in and around the Texas Capitol. Subjects like Property Tax, School Choice and Education, Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying, Civil Asset Forfeiture, Foreign Purchase of Land, Occupational Licensure, and Firearms.
Other Recent Content
Governor Abbott Moves to Mitigate Tuition Increases at Texas Public Universities
- Governor Greg Abbott has proposed extending the current tuition freeze at Texas public universities through the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 academic years, aiming to alleviate the financial burden on students and families.
- Both the Republican and Democratic parties in Texas have expressed support for measures to control tuition costs, reflecting a shared commitment to making higher education more accessible and affordable
Lt. Governor Patrick Names School Choice as His Highest Legislative Priority
- Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has declared school choice his foremost legislative focus for the upcoming Texas session, emphasizing parental control over children’s education.
- Implementing Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) could allow parents to allocate state funds for various educational expenses, potentially saving Texas billions by optimizing educational spending and reducing the strain on public schools.
Senate Committee Examines Solutions for
Property Tax Relief and Housing Affordability
- Experts recently advocated for measures such as stricter fiscal caps on local government spending, utilizing the state’s budget surplus to reduce Maintenance & Operations (M&O) property tax rates, and expanding homestead exemptions to alleviate the financial burden on homeowners.
- Some highlighted restrictive zoning regulations and prolonged permitting processes as key factors contributing to Texas’s housing affordability crisis. He recommends easing zoning restrictions, streamlining permitting, and reassessing development fees to increase housing supply and make homeownership more accessible.
Governor Abbott’s Executive Order Targets
Chinese Communist Party’s Harassment in Texas
- Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order directing the Texas Department of Public Safety to identify and prosecute individuals harassing or coercing Chinese dissidents in Texas on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
- The order specifically targets “Operation Fox Hunt,” a CCP initiative aimed at repatriating Chinese nationals abroad through coercive means, including threats and intimidation.
Texas Court Blocks Biden Administration’s “Parole in Place” Policy:
A Win for Border Security
- A Texas federal court has blocked the Biden administration’s “Parole in Place” policy, ruling that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) exceeded its statutory authority by attempting to allow undocumented individuals already in the U.S. to adjust their status without leaving the country.
- The court’s decision underscores the necessity for immigration policies to align with Congressional mandates, emphasizing that broad executive actions cannot replace legislated procedures. States like Texas argued that such policies could incentivize illegal immigration and strain state-funded services, including healthcare and education.
Texas Dementia Research Institute: Costly Legislative Priority
or Strategic Investment?
- Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has announced a legislative initiative to establish DPRIT, modeled after the Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), aiming to attract leading researchers and companies focused on dementia prevention and treatment.
- Similar to CPRIT, DPRIT would require approval through a constitutional amendment and is expected to involve significant state funding over a decade, raising concerns about its alignment with Texas’ immediate fiscal priorities.
Legislative Countdowns
89th Legislative Session Begins: 52 Days
Bill Filing Deadline: 111 Days
89th Legislative Session Ends: 191 Days
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