State of Texas
Recent News About State of Texas
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Texas 2036 executive: ‘Native Texans’ need to ‘have the skills and credentials necessary’ to fill future jobs’
John Hryhorchuk, the senior vice president of policy and advocacy at Texas 2036, said Texas needs to ensure its native workforce has the skills to fill future jobs while addressing key infrastructure challenges like energy and water to sustain long-term economic growth and affordability. Hryhorchuk was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
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Rep. Spiller: ‘There's nothing targeted’ in property restrictions
Texas State Rep. David Spiller said property restrictions are not limited to agricultural land or dual citizens but can include minerals, leases, and other interests, with complexities in determining entity ownership through public records. Spiller was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks podcast.
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Texas 2036 executive: ‘We've been involved in a lot of bills that have become law’
John Hryhorchuk, senior vice president of policy at Texas 2036, said they've supported over 100 bills, including reforms to the school fund, pension system, and infrastructure, saving taxpayers billions. Hryhorchuk was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
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Rep. Spiller: ‘There are so many terrorists pouring into our country’
Texas State Rep. David Spiller said the country faces a significant threat from open borders, with human trafficking and terrorists entering at record levels, warning that another 9/11-scale attack could happen due to the unchecked influx. Spiller was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks podcast.
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Texas 2036 executive: Texans need the ‘bolder concept that it's [prosperity] not just a miracle’
John Hryhorchuk, the senior vice president of policy and advocacy at Texas 2036, said the organization uses data to address Texas' challenges and develop solutions aimed at ensuring the state's prosperity through its bicentennial and beyond, and that there is a need for a bold vision of sustained growth. Hryhorchuk was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
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Rep. Spiller: SB 4 is 'the strongest border security bill in state' and nation
Texas State Rep. David Spiller said he carried and passed HB 4 and SB 4, the strongest border security bills in state and national history, and remains committed to addressing border security and foreign land ownership issues due to his experience as a practicing attorney. Spiller was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks podcast.
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Fort Capital CEO: ‘The one thing that makes markets better is the cost of living’
Chris Powers, Fort Capital CEO and The Fort podcast host, said that lowering the cost of living is key to improving markets, urging politicians to ease housing development regulations to make homes more affordable and address the long-term issues caused by unaffordable housing. Powers was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
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The Other Ones Foundation ED: Right now ‘our restricted funding comes from contracts or government agencies’
Chris Baker, executive director at The Other Ones Foundation, said their program relies on various funding sources, but as they enter the next fiscal year, the city of Austin has withdrawn funding, leaving them to rely on contracts and government agencies while nearing the end of American Rescue Plan support. Baker was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
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Fort Capital CEO: ‘We live in arguably one of the best economies’
Chris Powers, CEO of Fort Capital and host of The Fort podcast, said the U.S. economy offers everything from strong infrastructure and border trade to a growing population, Fortune 500 relocations, advanced medical systems in Houston, space industry growth, and a booming oil and gas sector. Powers was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
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The Other Ones Foundation ED: The Housing First philosophy is ‘not how it shakes out 'in practice'
Chris Baker, executive director at The Other Ones Foundation, said the Housing First philosophy is sound in theory, aiming to remove barriers to resolving housing crises, but it has shifted from a flexible approach to a one-size-fits-all solution that doesn’t align with actual practice. Baker was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
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Fort Capital CEO: We buy spaces ’servicing the more small to medium sized businesses’
Chris Powers, Fort Capital CEO and The Fort podcast host, said Class B building are often located in older, now-central neighborhoods, serve dense trade areas, and are hard to replace, while Fort Capital focuses on smaller industrial spaces catering to small and medium-sized businesses. Powers was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
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The Other Ones Foundation ED: I 'believe firmly in people having access to dignified resources’
Chris Baker, executive director of The Other Ones Foundation, said they formed the organization in 2017. Since then it has grown to offer non-congregate shelter, workforce training, and daily work opportunities for its residents at the Esperanza Community, what Baker calls "dignified resources." Esperanza is currently offering 100 cabins in southeast Austin, soon expanding to 200 cabins with further growth planned.
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Lieutenant Game Warden: ‘We have to adapt’ to combat poaching
Lieutenant Game Warden Aaron Sims, a public information officer for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said poaching has evolved to include unauthorized hunting and transnational trafficking, often using advanced technology like night vision goggles, requiring game wardens to adapt and keep pace with these developments. Sims was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
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TASB Division Director: There is ‘a plateau with the most recent scores’ due to an inconsistent ‘assessment system’
Dax Gonzalez, the governmental relations division director at the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), said that state-mandated accelerated instruction helped improve test scores initially, but recent data shows a plateau in student performance, partly due to changes in the assessment system. Gonzalez was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
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Lieutenant Game Warden: ‘The majority of our contacts involve compliance checks’
Lieutenant Game Warden Aaron Sims, a public information officer for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said game wardens mainly conduct compliance checks and rely on respectful relationships with hunters, especially given the limited number of wardens covering large areas. Sims was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
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TASB Division Director: ‘A lot of that [state funding] money isn't classroom-dedicated money’
Dax Gonzalez, the governmental relations division director at the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), said that much of the state funding for education was allocated to reduce property taxes rather than increasing classroom resources, with only minor adjustments for school safety funding. Gonzalez was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
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Lieutenant Game Warden: All game wardens have ‘their own interesting tale’
Lieutenant Game Warden Aaron Sims, a public information officer for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said his interest in the outdoors began in elementary school and led him to earn a bachelor's degree and secure a game warden position. Sims was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
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TASB Division Director: ‘We provide services that help them [school districts] cut their costs’
Dax Gonzalez, the governmental relations division director at the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB), said that the organization helps school districts reduce costs and enhance services and that larger districts like Austin have unique needs compared to smaller rural districts. Gonzalez was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
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Rep. Vasut: Accuracy of bill background statements is ‘immaterial’ and ‘who cares’
Texas State Rep. Cody Vasut said that debates over the accuracy of bill background statements, like those for SB 14, should not complicate rule changes and that simpler explanations should be sufficient. Vasut was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.
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Rep. Plesa: The state's cannabis ‘program needs to become more accessible’
Texas State Rep. Mihaela Plesa said the state's cannabis program needs to be more accessible and effective, especially as access expands to include conditions like chronic pain, cancer, and PTSD. Plesa was a guest on a recent episode of the Texas Talks Podcast.