Capital Highlights

The chief of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas told state lawmakers recently that the state’s power demand could nearly double in just six years. The reasons: population growth, new requests for grid connections, and a rise in requests from data centers and other heavy users.

Texas House Democrats are urging Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session to increase public school funding, while Abbott is criticizing them for opposing legislation last year that tied increased funding to his pet project — school vouchers. The Austin American-Statesman reported the Democrats sent a letter, written by Rep. Jon Rosenthal, D-Houston, calling for a 30-day special session focused on both increasing per-student funding and investing more in school safety.

The on-again, off-again state immigration law is once more on hold while the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals considers its constitutionality.

After the Texas Legislature spent much of 2023 in session, a bevy of new laws go into effect on New Year’s Day, though some have been delayed by lawsuits challenging their constitutionality.

The ink was barely dry on a law signed by Gov.

Capital Highlights

Capital Highlights

Capital Highlights

House Democrats’ tax plan would help renters Texas House Democrats unveiled a $20.9 billion plan for property tax relief that drops tax rates, increases the homestead exemption, gives annual rebates to renters, and includes pay raises for teachers, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

Senate passes tax bill as second special session begins The Texas Senate on the first day of the Legislature’s second special session unanimously passed a tax bill last Wednesday that increases the homestead exemption and includes a pay hike for teachers, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

Capital Highlights

Capital Highlights

Capital Highlights

House lawmakers defy Abbott on vouchers A key House education committee adjourned last week without voting on a school voucher bill that is Gov. Greg Abbott’s top priority this session, the Houston Chronicle reported. Barring some unforeseen maneuver in the last week of the regular legislative session, the bill is effectively dead for now.

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