AUSTIN— The Texas Public Policy Foundation applauds the Department of Justice’s letter notifying the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that it agrees with the trial court’s ACA decision. “The Department of Justice has determined that the district court’s judgment should be affirmed,” the letter reads. U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor ruled in December that the...
Press Release March 26, 2019AUSTIN—The Texas Public Policy Foundation commends President Trump’s executive order which protects the freedom of speech on college campuses by tying First Amendment protections to federal funding. Tom Lindsay, Ph.D., director of the Center for Innovation in Education, who attended the signing ceremony for the executive order, made the following statement: “President Trump’s executive order regarding free...
Press Release March 25, 2019AUSTIN – Today, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released state-level labor market data for February 2019. Vance Ginn, Ph.D., senior economist and director of the Center for Economic Prosperity at the Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following statement: “Texas continues to lead the nation in job creation, which has been a common theme for...
Press Release March 22, 2019AUSTIN—Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation published the paper Toward Strengthening Civic Education in Texas. “It has been said that ‘the philosophy of the classroom in one generation becomes the philosophy of government in the next,’” said Tom Lindsay, Ph.D., director of the Center for Innovation in Education at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “If...
Press Release March 21, 2019AUSTIN—Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Right on Crime initiative published the paper Oklahoma District Attorney Supervision: An Unpopular Patchwork Policy. “District attorney supervision is unique to Oklahoma and creates several issues pertaining to effectiveness, conflicts of interest, and appropriate funding of the prosecutorial branch of the judicial system,” said Joe Griffin, communications and policy...
Press Release March 20, 2019AUSTIN—Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation launched a second statewide, six-figure radio and digital campaign within a week. This new campaign calls for the end of massive corporate tax breaks for solar and wind projects that threaten the reliability of the electric grid through Chapter 312 agreements. The buy includes major media markets across the...
Press Release March 20, 2019AUSTIN— Today, the House Committee on Public Education unanimously advanced HB 3, a $9 billion school finance and property tax reform bill. Kara Belew, senior education policy advisor with the Texas Public Policy Foundation, made the following statement: “In a historic move, HB 3 requires that school boards can only hold tax increase elections after they have conducted...
Press Release March 19, 2019AUSTIN— Yesterday, the House Committee on Land and Resource Management voted to move HB 347 out of committee and on to the full House. “The reforms enacted by the last Texas Legislature were commendable; however, forced annexation still remains a problem,” said Shelby Sterling, policy analyst with the Center for Local Governance at the Texas...
Press Release March 19, 2019AUSTIN—Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation launched a statewide, six-figure radio and digital campaign to promote real property tax relief. The radio buy includes major media markets across the state. TPPF has been a leading voice in fighting for property tax cuts, including promoting a plan that would provide real relief for Texans while protecting...
Press Release March 18, 2019AUSTIN—Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation published the policy perspective Physician Dispense Makes Sense. “Forty-five states allow physicians to dispense medications out of their offices to some extent, while Texas only allows the practice in limited situations,” said Jennifer Minjarez, policy analyst with the Center for Healthcare Policy. “Physician dispense can make prescription-filling more convenient and...
Press Release March 14, 2019AUSTIN— Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation announced former Texas State Representative Ron Simmons has joined the Foundation as a distinguished senior fellow. Simmons will head up Right on Work, a new initiative of the foundation to ensure workers develop the skills needed to attain quality jobs and to encourage the private sector to lead...
Press Release March 14, 2019AUSTIN— Today, a coalition of conservative groups called on the Texas legislature to support measures that would significantly limit or eliminate the ability of local governments to use taxpayer dollars to pay for lobbyists. In the last session, local Texas governments spent some $41 million of taxpayer money on contract lobbyists. A poll taken last December...
Press Release March 13, 2019