Gov. Greg Abbott touted Texas’ robust economic system in his State of the State tackle Sunday, additionally laying out an inventory of priorities he needs Texas lawmakers to give attention to within the months forward. These embrace creating a college voucher-like program and decreasing Texans’ property taxes.
“Texas is essentially the most highly effective economic system in America. Ranked as the perfect state for doing enterprise for 20 years, Texas is primary for essentially the most new jobs, primary for financial growth, and primary as the perfect state to begin a brand new enterprise,” stated Abbott, talking from Arnold Oil Firm in Austin.
The speech, which the governor offers each two years within the early days of Texas’ biennial legislative session, marks the third time Abbott delivered the tackle from someplace apart from the state Capitol.
It was additionally Abbott’s final State of the State earlier than he’s up for reelection in 2026. The governor, who first assumed workplace in 2015, spent a lot of his time recounting what he considered as his — and the state’s — most spectacular accomplishments throughout his decade in workplace, together with its efforts on expertise, innovation and border safety.
“Texas is the blueprint for America’s future,” the governor stated.
Probably the most consequential side of the tackle was Abbott’s official announcement of his “emergency objects” for the 89th Legislative session. Below the Texas Structure, state lawmakers can solely vote on payments associated to the governor’s emergency objects throughout the first 60 days they’re in session.
On condition that the legislature’s common conferences are solely 140 days each two years, Abbott’s emergency objects present a preview of what Texans may count on popping out of the Statehouse within the subsequent a number of weeks.
In all, Abbott introduced seven emergency objects in his State of the State tackle.
Abbott calls for added “property tax aid” for Texans
Property taxes had been Abbott’s first merchandise on the docket in his checklist of emergency objects, much like what he instructed lawmakers to work on in his 2023 precedence checklist.
This time round, although, he is setting his sights on $10 billion in tax aid.
“We all know that many Texans face an affordability disaster,” he stated. “Final session, we slashed your property taxes. However for a lot of Texans, these cuts had been worn out by native taxing authorities that hiked your property taxes much more. That should finish this session.”
A invoice that handed throughout a 2023 particular legislative session was aimed toward offering considerably decrease payments for property homeowners. The invoice additionally raised the homestead exemption for owners from $40,000 to $100,000.
However on Sunday, Abbott stated the state’s previous efforts did not go far sufficient. He pointed to Harris County, which Abbott stated used “loopholes” to offset the tax aid Texans had been imagined to see.
“Loopholes that improve your property taxes have to be banned,” he stated. “No taxing entity ought to have the ability to elevate your property taxes with no two-thirds approval by voters.”
Emphasis on trainer pay and creating a college voucher-like plan for Texas
As anticipated by most watchers of Texas politics, Abbott made what he referred to as college alternative an emergency merchandise, instructing lawmakers to move laws creating Schooling Financial savings Accounts, or ESAs. This voucher-like program would offer Texas households with public funds to subsidize the price of personal training.
“Authorities-mandated faculties can not meet the distinctive wants of each scholar,” Abbott stated. “However Texas can present households with selections to satisfy these wants.”
This was additionally an emergency merchandise for Abbott throughout the legislature’s final session in 2023. However resistance from Texas Democrats and some rural Republicans stalled the proposal within the common session and several other particular periods. In response, Abbott backed pro-voucher candidates within the 2024 election, and now says he has the votes to move an ESA invoice.
The Texas Senate already handed Senate Invoice 2, its model of a voucher plan, out of committee final week, which suggests the laws may clear the complete Senate within the days forward.
Abbott additionally acknowledged what Texas academics have been saying for years – they are not making as a lot as they need to – and declared “trainer pay” an emergency merchandise.
“We should fund and prepare the perfect academics. That begins with giving our academics a pay elevate this session,” he stated. “Moreover, we should reward the perfect academics by placing them on a path to earn a six-figure wage.”
Abbott additionally referred to as for curriculum enhancements, “high-level” instruction and an emphasis on fundamentals.
“Nonetheless, faculties should not push woke agendas on our youngsters. Colleges are for training, not indoctrination,” Abbott stated.
A “generational funding” in water
Abbott is trying to “Texas-size” final session’s billion-dollar funding to water infrastructure. The governor spoke of the burgeoning water shortage throughout the state — citing the problem for farmers within the Rio Grande Valley and West Texas to water their crops.
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“We’ll make the biggest funding in water within the historical past of Texas,” he stated. “We’ll faucet into new water provides and restore pipes to save lots of billions of gallons of water every year.”
With collaboration between the 2 chambers in Sen. Charles Perry and Rep. Cody Harris, Abbott intends on securing Texas water for the subsequent 50 years by tapping into new water provides.
Jeremy Mazur, the director of infrastructure and pure sources coverage for Texas 2036, referred to as the 2023 legislative session “profitable” and anticipated the emphasis of water infrastructure once more this time round.
In a latest dialog with Texas Normal, Mazur stated addressing Texas’ proclivity to drought means extra funding put aside to create extra wells and reservoirs. He referred to as the $1 billion invested final session a “drop within the bucket.”
Bail reform, profession coaching and creating Texas Cyber Command are additionally emergency objects
Abbott’s further emergency objects coated a variety of subjects, together with some he’s addressed earlier than.
Final session, he made “ending ‘revolving door’ bail” an emergency merchandise, and the governor continued his give attention to that concern, making “bail reform” an emergency merchandise for lawmakers in 2025.
“We should deny bail to criminals charged with capital homicide and different heinous violent crimes. Unlawful immigrants who’re arrested must be thought-about a flight threat, denied bail, and turned over to ICE,” Abbott stated.
He additionally admonished “activist judges” who he stated had an excessive amount of discretion on who may obtain bail.
Selecting up on his emphasis on training, the governor additionally made “profession coaching” an emergency merchandise.
“Very important to training is increasing profession coaching. Most of the most in-demand jobs are careers like welders, plumbers, and electricians,” Abbott stated. “To arrange college students for these careers, excessive faculties should present extra profession coaching packages so college students can go from commencement straight right into a good-paying job.”
Moreover, Abbott referred to as on lawmakers to “create Texas Cyber Command” in collaboration with the College of Texas at San Antonio, citing town’s massive focus of cybersecurity professionals.
“We should harness these belongings to guard in opposition to threats from China, Iran, Russia, and different overseas enemies,” he stated. “They might cripple our energy, water, and communications with cyberattacks. We should use cutting-edge capabilities to safe our state.”
