2025 fiscal responsibility index
HOLD TEXAS LAWMAKERS ACCOUNTABLE
The Fiscal Responsibility Index measures how lawmakers perform on size and role of government issues. The Index grades legislators on hundreds of votes, revealing who fights for lower taxes, less government waste, pro-family reforms, and more liberty, so you can ensure your tax dollars are spent wisely.
See all the details below:
HOW IT WORKS
For nearly 20 years TFR has produced the Fiscal Responsibility Index, a tool we use to measure legislators’ commitment to fiscal responsibility and limited government.
Though legislators take thousands of votes during the session, only a small percentage of them highlight this commitment. The Fiscal Responsibility Index reflects hundreds of hours analyzing over 1,000 bills and amendments during the legislative session, compiling vote recommendations, sending out vote notices to taxpayers and legislators, and grading lawmakers on their voting record.
WHICH CHAMBER PRIORITIZES
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY?
Both legislative chambers passed pro-taxpayer and anti-taxpayer legislation during the 89th session. However, priorities such as reduced government spending, property tax relief and reform, and banning taxpayer funded lobbying, were either neglected or outright ignored.
WHAT PARTY FIGHTS MORE FOR
TEXAS TAXPAYERS?
Compare both Democrat and Republican caucus average scores on the 2025 Index.
HISTORIC TRENDS
Review the historic averages and trends of both chambers over the years.
TAXPAYER CHAMPIONS
How many legislators are championing pro-taxpayer reforms?
89th LEGISLATIVE SESSION
TEXAS SENATE
THE 89th TEXAS SENATE
The Texas Senate, made up of 31 Senators, each representing roughly 1 million Texans, is the upper chamber of the Texas Legislature. Currently led by the President of the Senate, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the Senate’s fiscal responsibility scores have varied greatly over the years.
THE RESULTS
The 89th Texas Senate saw the highest average score in recent years, reaching a 67, just shy of their highest score of 71 in 2017.
OVERALL PARTISAN SPLIT
DEMOCRAT CAUCUS SCORE AVERAGE
REPUBLICAN CAUCUS SCORE AVERAGE
89th LEGISLATIVE SESSION
TEXAS HOUSE
THE 89th TEXAS HOUSE
The Texas House, made up of 150 Representatives, each representing roughly 200,000 Texans, is the lower chamber of the Texas Legislature. The chamber is currently led by the Speaker of the House, Rep. Dustin Burrows. The 89th Texas House saw over 30 freshman representatives, one of the largest classes of newcomers to the chamber in recent history.
THE RESULTS
The 89th Texas House saw an average score of 58, its highest average score in the last four sessions, driven largely by a conservative, pro-taxpayer freshman class.
OVERALL PARTISAN SPLIT
DEMOCRAT CAUCUS SCORE AVERAGE
REPUBLICAN CAUCUS SCORE AVERAGE
