AUSTIN– Today, the full Texas Senate passed House Bill 347 which promises to end the practice of forced annexation in Texas. The bill now heads back to the Texas House where representatives can decide whether to concur with Senate amendments. “Last session, the Texas Legislature took a major step toward ending forced annexation by granting...
Press Release May 9, 2019AUSTIN—Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Center for Effective Justice published the policy perspective Results-Oriented Solutions for Probation Funding. “While overcrowding in prisons and jails receive the lion’s share of scrutiny from the reform-minded, it is actually those in community supervision that form the largest population in most corrections systems,” said Michael Haugen, policy analyst with...
Press Release May 7, 2019AUSTIN— The Texas Public Policy Foundation filed a brief urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit to uphold the U.S. District Court decision declaring Obamacare unconstitutional. “For millions of Americans like our clients Neill Hurley and John Nantz, the Affordable Care Act has led to skyrocketing costs, rationed care, and loss of health care freedom,”...
Press Release May 2, 2019AUSTIN— Today, the Texas Committee on Ways & Means passed House Joint Resolution 3, which would cut school districts’ maintenance and operations (M&O) property taxes with every dollar generated from raising the state sales tax rate from 6.25 percent to 7.25 percent. This legislation would need to be passed by both chambers and then approved...
Press Release May 1, 2019AUSTIN— Today, the full Texas House preliminarily passed Senate Bill 2, the Property Tax Reform & Relief Act of 2019. The bill lowers the rollback tax rate, now called the “no-new-revenue tax rate,” from 8 percent to 3.5 percent for cities, counties, and some special districts. It also imposes a rollback rate of 2 percent for...
Press Release April 30, 2019AUSTIN— The Texas Public Policy Foundation commends the Texas House of Representatives for the passage of HB 2100, relating to free speech at Texas public universities. Thomas Lindsay, Ph.D., director of the Center for Innovation in Education at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, said the following: “The Texas House of Representatives is to be applauded...
Press Release April 30, 2019AUSTIN— Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation published the policy perspective Expanding the College Pricing Revolution: 2019 Update on the Texas Affordable Baccalaureate Program. “In the seven years following then-Gov. Rick Perry’s State of the State Address in which he called for the creation of affordable bachelor’s degree programs, Texas’ public universities have risen to...
Press Release April 25, 2019AUSTIN— Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation published the policy perspective The Cost of Renewable Energy Subsidies in Texas. “Texas consumers and taxpayers are paying billions of dollars to support corporations who are relying on subsidies to profit from an otherwise profitless endeavor—generating electricity from the wind and sun,” said Bill Peacock, vice president of...
Press Release April 23, 2019AUSTIN— With HJR3 recently being heard in the House Ways and Means Committee, the Texas Public Policy Foundation released numerous options for giving Texans real property tax cuts without having to increase the burden on taxpayers in other areas. “Our legislators should be commended for asking the right question: how do we deliver real property tax...
Press Release April 18, 2019AUSTIN— Today, the Texas Public Policy Foundation published the research paper Purpose-Driven Economic Development: A Guide to Reforming Chapters 312 and 313. “In the last few legislative sessions, Texans have risen up to demand greater transparency in local government,” said Jess Fields, senior researcher with the Texas Public Policy Foundation. “One notable area that lacks...
Press Release April 18, 2019AUSTIN—The Texas Public Policy Foundation applauds the Texas Senate for passing the two remaining employment freedom bills (SBs 2486 and 2488) that will protect employers’ and employees’ right to operate freely in the marketplace. If enacted, this legislative package will preempt onerous local regulations. “Today, the Texas Senate maintained a strong and clear stance on local control. State leaders will...
Press Release April 16, 2019AUSTIN— Today, the full Texas Senate approved the passage of Senate Bill 2, the Property Tax Reform & Relief Act of 2019. Among other things, the bill lowers the rollback tax rate, now called the “no-new-revenue tax rate,” from 8 percent to 3.5 percent for cities, counties, and special districts. It also imposes a rollback rate of...
Press Release April 15, 2019