This week, a series of high-level state reports sparked by testimony at the House Public Education Committee have highlighted a…
Education
Rising Out-of-State Tuition Creates Financial Barrier at Texas Universities
A comparison of historical and projected university data indicates that rising out-of-state tuition rates are increasing financial barriers for non-resident students at Texas institutions.
Education
Texas Schools Face 76,000-Student Exodus: Chairman Brad Buckley on the Future of Texas Classrooms and AI
In a recent episode of the Texas Talks podcast, House Public Education Committee Chairman Brad Buckley (R-Killeen) reports that the state’s traditional public schools saw an enrollment decline of approximately 76,000 students for the 2025–2026 school year.
Agencies
TPWD Names Brady Stanford 2025 ShareLunker Guide of the Year
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s (TPWD) Toyota ShareLunker Program announced on May 15 that fishing guide Brady Stanford of Millersville has been selected as the 2025 American Fishing Tackle Company (AFTCO) Guide of the Year.
Agencies
TPPF Highlights Early Impact of ‘Texas DOGE’ Regulatory Rollbacks
A commentary published by the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) on May 15 highlighted the early progress of the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office (TREO), a state division nicknamed "Texas DOGE" by the policy analysts.
Under The Dome
TPPF Proposes Shifting Child Support Requirements to Begin at Conception
The Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) published a commentary on May 14, arguing that Texas should reform its child support laws to require financial contributions from fathers beginning at the moment of conception.
Agencies
Texas Launches AI-Integrated “TREO” Website to Simplify State Regulations
Governor Greg Abbott announced the launch of a new AI-integrated website for the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office (TREO) on May 15, 2026, intended to streamline how residents and business owners navigate the state's complex regulatory landscape.
Local Government
Williamson County Set to Vote on $135 Million in Financing for $600 Million Justice Complex
Williamson County commissioners are scheduled to vote May 19, 2026, on $135 million in debt financing for a planned justice complex, a project officials estimate could eventually reach $600 million.
Profiles of Texans
Avik Roy and Charles Miller: Can a Healthy Market Solve the $27,000 Health Care Problem?
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Analysis: The Enrollment Contraction—Texas Public Education at a Crossroads
Analysis: The Texas Summer Camp Safety Crisis
Last week, the state of Texas saw a series of rapid developments that placed the future of its summer camp…
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The Day Texas Lost a Child to the Comanche — and Gained a Legend
In the first weeks of the new Texas Republic, a Comanche-led war party descended on an isolated stockade and carried off a nine-year-old girl who would become one of the most contested figures in the state's history.
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High Housing Costs Creating “Structural Barriers” to Texas Family Formation, New Study Finds
Policy analysts Ben Crockett and Hannah Bruck of the Texas Public Policy Foundation released a new report this month titled "Womb & Board," which analyzes how housing affordability impacts family formation in Texas. The report examines the correlation between rising
Texas School Districts Seek $11.6 Billion in New Debt Amid Growing Interest Costs
Voters in nearly 60 Texas counties will decide on 109 individual school bond propositions in the May 2026 election cycle, totaling $11.6 billion in requested principal debt. According to a report by the Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) released on
Sean Dobson Says Housing Affordability Crisis is Driven by Policy, Not Investors
Housing affordability has reached crisis levels in many areas of the United States, including some places in Texas. Policymakers at every level are debating solutions, from restricting institutional investors to expanding supply, though disagreement remains over the root causes. Sean
Mayor Mattie Parker and A.J. Rodriguez on ensuring the Texas Miracle for Texas families
As Texas approaches its bicentennial in 2036, the state’s economic and population growth are no longer just numbers on a spreadsheet; they are the backdrop of everyday life for 31.7 million residents. In a candid installment of the Future of
Texas first-time homebuyers remain near all-time low, report finds
According to a new report by the Texas Realtors, first-time buyers accounted for 21% of all homebuyers in Texas in 2025, near the all-time low of 20% recorded the previous year. The report, Texas Homebuyers and Sellers Report, was released
Energy News
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Growing Coalition of Lawmakers Urge “Pause” on Permian Basin Transmission Plan, Citing Grid Reliability Concerns
A coalition of 25 Texas state legislators has formally requested that the Public Utility Commission (PUC) pause a proposed $33 billion transmission expansion in the Permian Basin, according to a May 13 newsletter sent by Representative Ellen Troxclair (R-Fredricksburg). In
The Global Engine: How the Permian Basin Powers the Texas Miracle and Beyond
In a recent episode of the Future of Texas series, Tracee Bentley, CEO of the Permian Strategic Partnership, and Jordan Wat of Texas 2036 highlighted the Permian Basin's role as a primary stabilizer for both the domestic and global energy
Commissioner Wayne Christian Highlights Record Oil Exports, Texas’ Stabilizing Role Amid Global Conflict
Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian praised the state’s energy sector on May 6. He pointed to a surge in oil production and record-breaking port activity as key buffers against global supply disruptions. Christian said that as instability in the Middle
Texas Lawmakers Urge Pause on Central Texas Transmission Project
A group of five Central Texas legislators sent a letter to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) on May 5, requesting a meeting to discuss their concerns with a proposed high-voltage transmission line in Bell County. The project is part of
Governor Abbott Inaugurates First Texas Energy Fund Power Plant in Fairfield
Texas Governor Greg Abbott inaugurated the new Pin Oak power plant in Fairfield on May 5. The 460-megawatt (MW) natural gas peaking facility is the first project funded by the voter-approved Texas Energy Fund (TEF). "Texas is America's energy leader,
Health Care News
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Avik Roy and Charles Miller: Can a Healthy Market Solve the $27,000 Health Care Problem?
A new number is keeping CEOs and policymakers awake at night as the Texas economy expands: $27,000. That is the average annual cost to insure a family on an employer-sponsored health plan today. As Texas moves toward its 2036 bicentennial,
Texas Health Officials Urge Doctors to Test for Cyclospora Parasite as Seasonal Risk Rises
The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) issued a health advisory on May 1 to increase laboratory testing for cyclosporiasis. The intestinal illness is caused by the Cyclospora parasite and is transmitted through the consumption of contaminated food or
Texas Opioid Recoveries Surpass $3B with Purdue Pharma Settlement
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced on May 5 that a $7.4 billion national settlement with Purdue Pharma Inc. and its owners, the Sackler family, has become effective. As a result, Texas will receive $286.5 million, a sum that pushes
The $27,000 Crisis: Why Texas Healthcare Now Costs More Than Property Taxes
A recent discussion on the Texas Talks podcast warned that employer-sponsored family healthcare coverage is reaching $27,000 annually, with out-of-pocket costs for Texas families averaging $10,000. Avik Roy (FREOPP) and Charles Miller (Texas 2036) said that healthcare affordability has now
Texas Announces $56M in Grants to Modernize Rural Healthcare Infrastructure
Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) announced on May 1 the availability of $56 million in federal funding for rural healthcare providers to modernize equipment and infrastructure. The "Infrastructure and Capital Investments for Rural
Education News
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Rising Out-of-State Tuition Creates Financial Barrier at Texas Universities
A comparison of historical and projected university data indicates that rising out-of-state tuition rates are increasing financial barriers for non-resident students at Texas institutions. While state leadership has utilized legislative tuition freezes to maintain affordability for resident undergraduates, out-of-state sticker
Texas Schools Face 76,000-Student Exodus: Chairman Brad Buckley on the Future of Texas Classrooms and AI
In a recent episode of the Texas Talks podcast, House Public Education Committee Chairman Brad Buckley (R-Killeen) reports that the state’s traditional public schools saw an enrollment decline of approximately 76,000 students for the 2025–2026 school year. Attributing the drop
Analysis: The Enrollment Contraction—Texas Public Education at a Crossroads
This week, a series of high-level state reports sparked by testimony at the House Public Education Committee have highlighted a historic shift in the landscape of Texas education. As state leaders celebrate the rollout of Texas' new school choice program,
TEA Implements First Expansion of “Do Not Hire” Registry for Non-Teaching Staff
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) added 21 non-certified school employees and outside contractors to its "Do Not Hire" registry on May 8, 2026, marking what agency records indicate is the first major public implementation of a 2025 law that allows
TEA Suspends Connally ISD Board, Appoints New Leadership Following Campus Failures
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath suspended the elected board of trustees of Connally Independent School District (ISD) on May 6. They were replaced by a state-appointed three-member Board of Managers and a new superintendent to lead the McLennan County district.