Of Interest to Veterans and Chapters
We will post political links that may be useful to Vietnam Vets.
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Handy Tool To Find Your State Legislature
https://directory.texasscorecard.com/
7/30/25
Texas Democrats Fundraising for Another Quorum Break
- As redistricting hearings continue taking place in the Texas Legislature, a new report reveals that Democrats are already preparing to flee the state … again. Brandon Waltens has the latest.
- According to a leftwing news blog, House Democrats are privately raising funds from major donors to finance another quorum break. This would be a repeat of their 2021 walkout in which they left for Washington, D.C., in an unsuccessful effort to block election integrity legislation. This time, their goal would be to block congressional redistricting.
- If Democrats leave the state to block the Legislature from conducting business, they would face $500-per-day fines under current House rules passed in 2023. That rule change came after there were no consequences for the 2021 quorum breakers. Reportedly, deep-pocketed Democrat donors are pledging to cover those fines, removing a key deterrent and emboldening Democrats who might otherwise hesitate.
- Democrats would need just over $1 million per month to sustain a walkout, a large amount on its own but small compared to the money raised by Democrat donors and organizations.
Comptroller Announces $24 Billion Surplus.
- Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar has released his office’s 2026-2027 Biennial Revenue Estimate this week, telling lawmakers there will be close to $24 billion of surplus money. The comptroller’s estimate serves as a starting point for the state budget and limits the Legislature’s general-purpose spending.
- Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick quickly issued a statement saying he would focus on cutting property taxes, increasing teacher salaries, and making some one-time expenditures.
- Economist Vance Ginn echoed that sentiment, noting that the constitutionally mandated rainy day fund will exceed its cap. This, Ginn said, should translate into lawmakers cutting taxes and returning the money to Texans.
Updated January 15, 2025
Directory of Legislators for 89th TX Legislature
Updated January 15, 2025
https://directory.texasscorecard.com
Rep. Dustin Burrows voted Texas House speaker in blow to insurgent GOP movement.
Burrows defeated Rep. David Cook with a coalition of Republican and Democratic votes.
BY JANUARY 144, 20252:46 PM CENTRAL
Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, was voted speaker of the Texas House on Tuesday, elevating him to one of the most powerful positions in state government.
Burrows’ win marks a disappointing defeat for the insurgent wing of the party, which has been working since the last legislative session to oust establishment Republicans from power. Those Republicans, who wish to push the chamber further to the right, picked up over a dozen seats in the most recent election cycle and saw this speaker race as their best chance in years to oust the current House leadership.
But while Burrows’ predecessor, Rep. Dade Phelan of Beaumont, was forced to give up the gavel, the elevation of his close ally signals a similar power structure will likely remain in place.
Burrows won the speaker’s race by a vote of 85-55, edging out Rep. David Cook of Mansfield, who had nine members present but did not vote. He won with a coalition of 36 Republicans and 49 Democrats.
Burrows’ support from Democrats will likely become significant ammunition for his Republican critics, who are aligned with the party’s right wing and have warned that a majority of GOP votes should choose the new speaker.
It’s unlikely that Republicans will completely unite behind Burrows despite his win. Many of his critics have promised to go after Republicans who supported Burrows in the primary, and the Republican Party of Texas has vowed to censure those members who broke from Cook.
The House Speaker position is a crucial legislative role. They appoint committee leaders and manage the flow of legislation through the chamber. Along with the governor and lieutenant governor, the speaker is part of the “Big Three” state government leaders, who each have considerable sway in shaping and passing laws. If relationships among that group are good, legislative sessions can go pretty smoothly. But if the bonds are strained, significant pieces of legislation can grind to a halt.
Those relationships were strained in the last session. Lawmakers had to return to Austin for a record four special sessions after disagreeing on legislation to cut property taxes, restrict immigration, boost teacher pay, and enact a school voucher program.
Lawmakers are not expected to work as many overtime sessions this time. Gov. Greg Abbott, whose priority school voucher legislation tanked last session, spent millions of his campaign dollars in last year’s primaries to oust members of his party who had not supported his signature bill. With Abbott now touting 79 “hardcore school choice proponents” in the House, voucher supporters are bullish that their success at the ballot box generated enough political will to get a voucher package across the finish line.
Burrows, a school voucher supporter, told the Tribune last month that he believes “the political winds have shifted, and the votes are there” for vouchers. He made clear he would not stand in the way of voucher legislation supported by “the will of the House.”
Jasper Scherer and Renzo Downey contributed to this report.
Key Players in 89th TX Legislature
updated January 14, 2025
Texas lawmakers will have $194.6 billion to spend for the next budget, the comptroller projects
The estimate includes $23.8 billion leftover from the current budget cycle.
JANUARY 13, 20252:03 PM CENTRAL TEXAS TRIBUNE E-NEWSLETTER
Texas is projected to have $194.6 billion available in general revenue to fund the business of the state over the 2026-2027 biennium, a slight decrease from the last budget cycle, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said Monday in his biennial revenue estimate to state lawmakers and leaders.
The estimate comes one day before the Texas Legislature convenes on Tuesday for the start of the 2025 legislative session. During the 140-day session ending on June 2, lawmakers are constitutionally required to pass a balanced budget, one that spends no more than what is estimated to be available.
This year’s estimate reflects a 1.1% drop from the amount of funds available during the 2024-25 biennium, when lawmakers were flush with a “once-in-a-lifetime” cash balance, Hegar said. The drop is attributable to a smaller beginning balance than the previous budget cycle, not a drop in state revenue. Tax collections are projected to rise, and for the first time, the state’s Economic Stabilization Fund — also known as the rainy day fund — is expected to exceed its constitutional cap. As a result, lawmakers have more money than is typical for general-purpose spending.
Still, Hegar said lawmakers should make thoughtful financial decisions focusing on improving Texans’ lives.
“Despite positive economic numbers, many of our residents continue to feel the higher cost of groceries, housing, and other necessities. And the lingering impacts of persistently rising prices mean many are struggling to ensure a bright future for their children,” Hegar said in a Monday statement accompanying the budget estimate.
The estimate includes an anticipated $176.4 billion in new revenue, most of which comes from sales and energy tax collections and can only be spent in the upcoming budget cycle. Sales tax collections are projected to increase by 9% from the previous two-year period, reaching $94.2 billion in the next two years.
The estimated funds also include $23.8 billion, which is expected to be a leftover from the 2024-25 biennium. Part of those leftover dollars includes $4.5 billion that were earmarked for public education and education savings accounts but were not used because lawmakers failed to reach a compromise to enact a voucher-like program.
This year, lawmakers are expected to prioritize passing a private school voucher program that uses taxpayer dollars to help pay for students’ private schooling. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Texas Senate, has called on Gov. Greg Abbott to declare school vouchers an emergency item to give lawmakers a jumpstart on pushing the bill through the Legislature. Lawmakers cannot pass any bills within the first 60 days of the session unless the governor has labeled them an emergency item.
Monday’s estimate could change as economic forecasters receive new information. Weather-related disasters, the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, China’s financial activities, and changes in federal policy could all cause economic disruption, Hegar said.
“Absent an economic crisis, however, I project our economy will continue to grow at a rate consistent with historical norms following the profound disruption of the pandemic, the dramatic recovery when COVID restrictions were lifted, and the high inflation that accompanied booming economic growth,” Hegar said in a Monday statement.
State revenue from all sources and for all purposes is expected to reach $362.2 billion. Part of that includes $115 billion the state is likely to collect in federal funds, which go toward dedicated purposes such as Medicaid and other federal programs, including disaster assistance. The state will also collect about $70.7 billion in other fees reserved for specific purposes.
Texas Legislature 101
1/13/2025, Update
Texas Legislature 101: How bills become laws — and how you can participate in the process
Thanks to John Miterko – Government Affairs Co-Chair, for providing the above information.