88th Legislative Session
2026-27 Frozen Texas Budget: Reining in Unsustainable Spending
Overview Introduction Recently, the Texas Legislative Budget Board released the Fiscal Size-Up 2024-25 Biennium report with the latest estimated or budgeted amounts in the prior 2022-23 budget and the appropriated 2024-25 budget. The results from the 88th Texas Legislature’s efforts…
It’s Time to Relieve Texas Families
Texas families are facing an affordability crisis that is being exacerbated by property taxes: a never-ending tax that, fundamentally, serves as a form of perpetual rent to the government. While the Legislature has taken steps recently to address the rising…
A Powerful Tool to Hold Lawmakers Accountable
As we enter election season, many voters across the State of Texas are looking to find information about candidates and the voting records of their sitting elected officials, in order to make informed decisions at the ballot box. Thankfully, Texans…
New Property Tax Numbers Prove Relief Was Not the Largest in Texas History
Texans are upset that their property tax relief is less than the Texas Legislature promised last year. While Texans for Fiscal Responsibility wrote about how we should expect this outcome, the reporting and claims about this relief were that it…
Texas Can Have More Tax Relief if the Legislature Stops its Out-of-Control Spending
This commentary was originally published at The Center Square here. It is being republished with permission from the author. In 2023, Texas led the U.S. on many fronts: job growth, economic expansion, energy production, and a record surplus of $33 billion. This…
Public Service or Personal Gain?
2023 was a year of legislative disappointments: mediocre property tax relief, wasteful spending, and fiscal irresponsibility; however, there was another egregious example of legislative impropriety that may have flown under the radar for some. While you were struggling under the…
Year-in-Review: Texas Mired in Fiscal (Ir)Responsibility
Explore a pivotal year in Texas politics, featuring a historic budget surplus, the largest spending increase, complex property tax cuts, corporate welfare debates, and the unresolved school choice saga. This comprehensive review sheds light on the major legislative decisions and their implications for the future of Texas.
Impeachment Price Tag: Texas House Spends Millions of Tax Dollars on Impeachment
After months of delay following Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s call for a financial audit of the effort to impeach and remove Attorney General (AG) Ken Paxton this year, new revelations about the actual cost to taxpayers surfaced last week. These…
I Want School Choice in Texas, But Not Like This
This commentary was originally published at The Center Square here. It is being republished with permission from the author. A record number of states have passed universal school choice so far this year, but it seems Texas won’t be among them. Given…
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…
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…
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. …
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,…
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…
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…