Texas Political Spotlight

SB 1 Passes Unanimously

Texas Senate’s budget for the 2026-2027 biennium, passed unanimously in the chamber following extensive committee review and deliberation. The $336 billion budget reflects a 0.9% increase from the previous biennium and allocates funding for a range of state priorities, including public education, teacher pay raises, school safety, and infrastructure improvements. Lawmakers emphasized maintaining fiscal responsibility while addressing critical needs.

The Senate Finance Committee, chaired by Senator Joan Huffman, conducted a detailed markup of SB 1 before its final passage, making adjustments to funding levels for various state programs. The budget includes but is not limited to $330.8 million for county law enforcement grants, $75 million for rural hospital funding, and $78.8 million to expand mental health bed capacity. Additional appropriations were made for border security, electrical grid stability, and a newly proposed Dementia Prevention & Research Institute. Some requested funding items, including additional support for disabled veterans and family legal representation, were placed in Article XI, which outlines potential expenditures should additional resources become available.

The Texas House filed a nearly identical budget proposal to the initially filed Senate version, allocating more than $330 billion in total spending, including a similar $1 billion for school choice. House Speaker Dustin Burrows emphasized the alignment between the two chambers as a sign of collaboration and a shared commitment to fiscal conservatism.

The House budget, led by Appropriations Committee Chair Greg Bonnen, prioritizes property tax relief, public education, border security, and infrastructure investments, while also considering additional resources for teacher pay and tax relief. Burrows stated that the House will move forward with budget discussions as soon as possible, aiming to balance efficiency with funding key priorities. Once the House passes a budget bill, both chambers will reconcile any differences before sending a final budget to the governor. With a nearly $24 billion surplus, lawmakers face decisions on how much to allocate to new initiatives versus returning funds to taxpayers.

Texas Water Plan: Will Lawmakers Prioritize Growth or Maintenance?

Texas lawmakers are considering how to allocate up to $1 billion annually from the Texas Water Fund to address the state’s ongoing water crisis. SJR 66 and HJR 7, along with their companion bills, SB 7 and HB 16, propose investments in both new water sources and infrastructure repairs. State Sen. Charles Perry’s plan directs 80% of the funds toward developing new water supplies, such as desalination and wastewater treatment, while 20% would go toward repairing aging infrastructure. State Representative Cody Harris’ proposal leaves the funding structure up to the Texas Water Development Board, giving the agency discretion to prioritize projects.

The debate surrounding the bills focuses on how to best balance the need for new water sources with the pressing issue of deteriorating infrastructure. Perry Fowler, executive director of the Texas Water Infrastructure Network, emphasized that both new water supplies and infrastructure repairs are necessary, but noted that aging pipes must be addressed immediately to prevent further water loss (Watch Perry Fowler’s Testimony Here). Sarah Kirkle of the Texas Water Association also expressed support for the House Joint Resolution, arguing that allowing the Texas Water Development Board to prioritize funding would give communities flexibility to meet both new growth needs and infrastructure upgrades (Watch Sarah Kirkle’s Testimony Here). With Texas facing significant challenges in both maintaining aging infrastructure and expanding water sources, lawmakers will need to find a way to balance these priorities to secure the state's water future.

Abbott Talks School Choice

Yesterday, March 25th, Governor Greg Abbott held a press conference at the Texas Capitol to discuss the state's school choice initiative. Joined by former Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and Speaker Dustin Burrows, Abbott highlighted the ongoing efforts to pass education savings accounts, which aim to provide more educational options for Texas families. The Senate has already approved its version of the school choice bill, which now awaits approval from the House Public Education Committee before reaching the full House for a vote. Speaker Burrows spoke confidently in his vision that the House will pass a school choice bill. Abbott reiterated that his goal is for Texas to become number one in educating its children, emphasizing that the state can fully fund public education while offering school choice to families.

» View Full Press Conference Here

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