AUSTIN- Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Government Reform and Oversight Coalition (GROC) has unveiled their full policy agenda for the 2027 90th Texas Legislature. This coalition will advocate for policies to combat the forces that are driving runaway local spending, undermining property tax relief, and protecting an unaccountable education cartel that profits at taxpayers’ expense.
“Bad actors have developed a sophisticated system that relies on apathy, waste and corruption to funnel taxpayer dollars into entities that do not have taxpayer’s best interests in mind,” said GROC Senior Fellow Mandy Drogin. “This education cartel has helped local governments waste billions of taxpayer dollars on expensive facilities, high-priced consulting and lobbying contracts, and preferred ideological and political projects.”
“The government hides information from the public and intentionally makes it difficult to get answers. Texas must improve transparency and integrity by strengthening the guardrails that protect the public from waste, grift, and corruption,” said GROC Campaign Director Jose Melendez.
The full Liberty Action Agenda for the Government Reform and Oversight Coalition includes:
End Taxpayer Funded Lobbying: Bans local governments from using taxpayer funds for lobbying activities or paying dues to lobbying associations.
Dismantle Education Cartel: Prevents school districts from using cooperatives and investing in pools run by nonprofit associations engaged in lobbying.
Ban Ranked Choice Voting: Codifies a ban on ranked-choice voting to prevent cities from adopting it and protect one-person-one-vote integrity.
Preempt Progressive Policy: Texas should build upon the Texas Regulatory Consistency Act to further curtail big government activity in cities and counties grossly inconsistent with Texas’ vision of conservative governance.
Texas Equality Act / Local Government DEI Ban: Bans local government DEI offices, quotas, preferences, and trainings to enforce colorblind and viewpoint-neutral governance.
Texas Public Information Act Amendments: Reforms the Public Information Act to improve access, reduce fees, and enhance parental rights to inspect educational materials.
Minimum Threshold Criteria Necessary to Support a Political Subdivision: Establishes population and fiscal criteria for the consolidation or elimination of local government entities that cannot sustain core functions.
Remove Red Tape to Increase Housing Supply: Builds upon existing reforms to remove outdated zoning barriers and allow the free market to deliver more homes to Texans.
Prohibit the Collection of Public Employee Union Dues by the State: Ends automatic payroll deduction of union dues for state employees to reduce union political influence.
Prohibit ISD Electioneering: Increases penalties for school district officials using taxpayer resources for political campaigning.
Trustee Reform: Return trustee training to the Texas Education Agency and reaffirm that the superintendent is subordinate to the board of trustees.