Greg Abbott

University of Texas System regents approved a rule change on May 21, 2026, that expanded the authority of campus presidents to cut academic programs and eliminate associated faculty positions. The new rule removed the requirement for formal faculty review and eliminated professors' ability to appeal a president's decision to eliminate an entire academic program. Previously, faculty members had held a formal role in reviewing academic programs and certain jobs before elimination.

In October, Paxton filed a lawsuit in Panola County state court against pharmaceutical companies Johnson & Johnson, Kenvue Brands, and Kenvue Inc., alleging they marketed Tylenol to pregnant mothers without disclosing links to autism and ADHD in children. The suit was filed in Panola County, a rural community of 23,000 residents on the Louisiana border with a single Republican state district judge, rather than in Austin or larger counties with established experience handling complex litigation. Lawyers representing the defendants accused Paxton's office of forum shopping by selecting a court deemed favorable to the plaintiff rather than the courts most commonly handling such cases.

Attorney General Paxton filed a lawsuit in Collin County against Texas American Muslim University, three individuals associated with the organization, and its use of the "TexAM" name, alleging the group operated without state approval from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and misled prospective students. The lawsuit sought to enjoin the organization from operating as a private university in Texas and from using names or branding similar to Texas A&M University, along with civil penalties exceeding one million dollars under the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act and Texas Education Code. The organization's founder stated that the group had already complied with a cease-and-desist letter issued by the coordinating board on May 6 and had ceased using the university name and offering graduate classes.

Abbott filed a lawsuit seeking to remove Houston Representative Gene Wu from office after Wu participated in a group departure of more than 50 Democratic lawmakers from the state in August 2025 to prevent passage of a redistricting map. The Texas Supreme Court rejected Abbott's request on May 15, 2026, ruling that the court should not intervene in disputes between the legislative and executive branches when those branches could resolve the matter themselves. The court determined that because the Legislature had secured a quorum and completed its business without judicial involvement, the case was not appropriate for court review.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced a settlement with Texas Children's Hospital requiring the hospital to establish a clinic providing medical care to patients who received gender transition procedures, with services funded by the hospital at no cost to patients for five years. The settlement also required Texas Children's Hospital to pay $10 million to the state. The action followed an investigation by Paxton's office that began in 2023 into the hospital's provision of transgender care to minors.

Governor Abbott threatened to withhold $530,000 in public safety grants from the city of Grand Prairie unless it canceled a planned Muslim-only celebration event at a municipal water park scheduled for June 1, 2026. Abbott characterized the event as religious discrimination and set a May 11 deadline for the city to cancel it and commit to preventing similar events. Grand Prairie canceled the Epic Eid event within hours of the threat, marking the fourth instance in less than four weeks in which Abbott used financial threats tied to public safety grants to compel compliance from Texas cities on matters typically under local jurisdiction.

Texas began distributing award notices for its education savings account program in May 2026, with nearly 96,000 students receiving notifications of eligibility by May 6 according to Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock. The first tier of awards went to students with disabilities and their siblings whose families earned up to 500% of the federal poverty level, followed by a second tier of over 51,000 students from families at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Families had until July 15, 2026 to confirm enrollment in a private school or homeschooling program to finalize their participation in the education savings accounts.

Rep. Menefee introduced the Special Election Timeliness Act, which would require states to hold special elections for House vacancies within 180 days of the seat becoming open. Menefee's Texas 18th Congressional District remained vacant for 334 days following the March 2025 death of Rep. Sylvester Turner, with Gov. Abbott calling the special election for November 2025 and a subsequent runoff extending the vacancy through January 2026. Under Menefee's proposed legislation, the special election would have been required to take place by September 2025.

The Texas Supreme Court lifted temporary injunctions on April 24, 2026 that had blocked child abuse investigations by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services into parents who provided gender-affirming care including puberty blockers and hormone therapy to transgender minors. The court ruled the injunctions were no longer necessary because DFPS had permanently closed investigations into the three families who sued and one child had reached the age of majority. The ruling followed a 2022 legal opinion by Attorney General Ken Paxton concluding that gender-affirming medical care for minors constitutes child abuse under Texas law.

Abbott threatened to withhold approximately $2.5 million in state public safety grants from Austin unless the city revised its police department policy on cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Austin announced revised general orders on Friday that clarified how officers should handle administrative warrants from ICE, including contacting federal immigration agents when operationally feasible and determining the validity of warrants before proceeding. The policy change followed similar revisions by Houston and Dallas, which faced threats of losing over $110 million and $32 million in state grants respectively.

Abbott's office threatened to cut state funding to Houston, Dallas, and Austin if the cities did not fully cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. The threat represented an escalation in the ongoing dispute between the state government and Texas's largest cities over various policy matters. The action prompted responses from city officials regarding their relationship with federal immigration authorities.

Governor Abbott threatened to withhold $110 million in state public safety grants from Houston unless the city's police department agreed to fully cooperate with federal immigration authorities in detaining and reporting undocumented immigrants encountered during police operations. Abbott's office negotiated amended language to the city's ordinance limiting ICE cooperation, which Houston City Council approved 13-4 in April 2026. Following Abbott's continued assertion that the Houston Police Department had not achieved full compliance with the grant agreement terms, the department issued a new directive on Thursday addressing the governor's specified requirements.

Abbott's office threatened to withdraw approximately $200 million in state public safety grants from Houston, Dallas, and Austin over local policies that limit police cooperation with federal immigration enforcement officials. The governor's letters, sent in April 2026, cited ordinances in these cities that direct police officers not to prolong detention of individuals during encounters for Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Abbott's office stated the policies violate Senate Bill 4, a state law prohibiting local governments from adopting measures that "materially limit" immigration enforcement.

Houston City Council, with support from Mayor Whitmire, ratified an ordinance to minimize Houston Police Department cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Texas Attorney General's office launched an investigation into the city following passage of the ordinance. The Governor's office notified Houston that the city faces potential loss of over 100 million dollars in state funding due to the ordinance's violation of state grant agreements.

Abbott's office threatened to withdraw $110 million in public safety grants from Houston if the city did not repeal an ordinance adopted in April 2026 that limited local police cooperation with federal immigration agents and required quarterly reports on ICE coordination. The ordinance, passed by the Houston city council on April 8, 2026, directed local law enforcement to wait 30 minutes for federal agents to arrive when encountering people with administrative immigration warrants during situations like traffic stops. In response to the state funding threat, Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced the city would reconsider the ordinance, with a city council meeting scheduled for April 22, 2026 to address the measure.

Rep. Gonzales faced potential expulsion from Congress in April 2026 following allegations of sexual misconduct involving current and former staffers, including reports of an affair with a staffer who later died by suicide and text messages showing he requested explicit photos from an aide. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández announced she would introduce a resolution to expel Gonzales, with the expulsion motion requiring a two-thirds majority vote. Gonzales was under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for violations of House rules prohibiting sexual relationships between members and their employees.

Abbott created the Office of the Ombudsman within the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board through gubernatorial appointment to investigate whether public universities violate state laws regarding diversity, equity and inclusion programs and faculty involvement in curriculum and discipline decisions. The office began accepting complaints in late 2025 but has not published written policies detailing how investigations will be conducted, the standards of proof applied, or the procedures for appealing findings, despite state law requiring such documentation be provided to complainants and subjects of complaints. The ombudsman has authority to recommend cutting state funding to universities that fail to remedy violations within specified timeframes.

Texas enacted sweeping regulatory and legal changes that limited occupational licenses, vehicle registration and commercial driver's licenses, and in-state tuition eligibility for undocumented immigrants and DACA recipients. The changes, implemented outside the typical legislative process, affected approximately 1.7 million undocumented people in Texas as well as tens of thousands of refugees and DACA recipients, with more than 6,400 individuals losing commercial driver's licenses. State officials indicated that additional restrictions targeting undocumented students' access to public K-12 education under Plyler v. Doe were being considered.

A federal judge granted Attorney General Paxton's request to withdraw from representing the Comptroller's office in a lawsuit alleging religious discrimination in the state's school voucher program. The withdrawal became possible once the Comptroller's office secured new legal representation, with the judge scheduling the transition to be completed before the next hearing on April 24. The withdrawal followed a public disagreement between Paxton and acting Comptroller Hancock over the legal strategy in the case involving whether Islamic schools could receive voucher funds.

Texas announced on March 31, 2026, that it would launch its own clinical trials for ibogaine, a psychedelic substance, after failing to secure a drug company partner to develop it for FDA approval. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows stated that Texas would use $50 million allocated by the Legislature the previous year and partner with statewide medical researchers to conduct the research program. The state's effort received federal support when President Donald Trump signed an executive order on April 18, 2026, that included at least $50 million to support state investments in psychedelic drug research for treating serious mental health illnesses.

Education Commissioner Mike Morath initiated a state takeover of Fort Worth ISD in 2025, appointing a new superintendent and board after the district received multiple failing accountability ratings. Morath appointed Peter Licata, former superintendent of Broward County Public Schools in Florida, to replace Superintendent Karen Molinar. The takeover was authorized under a state law enacted more than a decade earlier that permits the Texas Education Agency to assume control of districts exhibiting patterns of consistently low performance across multiple campuses.

In November 2024, Abbott ordered Texas hospitals to begin asking patients about their citizenship status, with responses tracked and reported to Texas Health and Human Services. Following the implementation of this directive, reported hospital visits by undocumented immigrants declined by 32 percent between November 2024 and August 2025, while visits by patients legally present in the United States increased by 14 percent during the same period. Public health experts attributed the decrease in hospital utilization among undocumented immigrants to heightened concerns about immigration enforcement resulting from the citizenship status inquiry requirement.

Governor Abbott ordered an investigation into child care spending in Texas following allegations of fraud in Minnesota's child care scholarship program. The Texas Workforce Commission and Texas Health and Human Services Commission conducted the review and found that less than half a percent of federal money spent on child care scholarships in Texas was classified as improper payments. Improper payments in the Texas system include any payment made in an incorrect amount or payments determined to be fraudulent.

Senior Cpl. Scott Jay of the Dallas Police Department received a three-day suspension following a departmental internal affairs investigation that found he used unnecessary and inappropriate force against a citizen. The suspension came after Jay was arrested on an aggravated assault charge related to striking a fleeing robbery suspect with his patrol vehicle, though a grand jury declined to indict him on the felony charge. The Dallas Police Association stated disagreement with the disciplinary action, contending that Jay's actions reflected appropriate judgment in response to a dangerous situation.

Texas House Speaker Burrows released interim charges for the 2027 legislative session that directed lawmakers to study the secession of one or more contiguous New Mexico counties to Texas and the process required to accomplish such an annexation. Burrows' priorities also included studies on data center development, property tax relief, water resources, foreign threats, and government accountability. The speaker created three new House committees focused on governmental oversight, health care affordability, and general aviation to prepare for the upcoming session.

U.S. District Judge Alan Albright issued an order blocking Texas State University from terminating the employment of philosophy professor Idris Robinson, who had been notified his contract would not be renewed following an off-campus talk titled "Strategic Lessons from the Palestinian Resistance" delivered at an anarchist book fair in North Carolina in June 2024. Albright ordered the university to maintain Robinson's employment contract, pay, and university affiliation for one year or until the case is resolved. Robinson filed suit alleging the university violated his First Amendment rights by punishing him for speech made in an off-campus setting.

The Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation unanimously adopted a new rule on March 24, 2026, requiring proof of legal immigration status for professional licenses including electricians, dog breeders, and other licensed professions, with implementation set for May 1, 2026. The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation stated the requirement aligns with the federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 and cited goals of combatting fraud, labor exploitation, and human trafficking. The rule permits certain noncitizens meeting specific federal eligibility criteria, such as those granted asylum or admitted as refugees, to obtain licenses with appropriate documentation.

Attorney General Paxton withdrew his office as legal counsel for Comptroller Kelly Hancock's office in a lawsuit alleging religious discrimination in the state's school voucher program. Paxton cited concerns that Hancock jeopardized the state's legal defense by leaking a separate letter to the media that Hancock had sent to the Attorney General's office regarding the litigation strategy. The withdrawal followed Paxton's public criticism of Hancock and calls for his removal from office.

Abbott filed an amicus brief to the Texas Supreme Court criticizing Paxton's lawsuit challenging Harris County's five-year-old immigration legal aid fund for undocumented immigrants, which Paxton had filed late the previous year. Abbott's lawyers argued that the rushed timeline for the case, with Paxton requesting expedited review within 15 days at the 15th Court of Appeals, compressed the review process and contributed to the lower court's decision against Paxton. Abbott stated in the brief that while supporting Paxton's legal position, the accelerated schedule predictably resulted in shortcomings in the lower court's analysis.

Governor Abbott vetoed legislation passed by the Texas Legislature in summer 2025 that would have banned smokeable hemp products. Instead, Abbott directed the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and the Texas Department of State Health Services to increase regulations on hemp-derived THC products. New rules issued by state health officials took effect on March 31, 2026, establishing a 0.3% total THC limit, raising licensing fees for manufacturers from $258 to $10,000 per facility and retail registrations from $155 to $5,000, and implementing requirements for child-resistant packaging, labeling, testing, and bookkeeping.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 379 into law as part of Texas's "Make America Healthy Again" initiative, which took effect on April 1, 2026. The law prohibits the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to purchase sweetened beverages containing five grams or more of added sugar per serving, beverages containing any artificial sweetener, and candy products. Abbott stated that the legislation aligns SNAP benefits with healthier food options.

In October 2025, Governor Abbott issued a directive ordering Texas cities to remove decorative crosswalks, specifically targeting rainbow-painted designs in public roadways and characterizing them as nontraffic messaging. Dallas city officials requested an exemption from the state in December, arguing that the artistic crosswalks presented no safety risk, but the state denied the request in January 2026. Dallas began removing the crosswalks in late March 2026, with city officials planning to remove 30 total crosswalks by April 28, 2026, including rainbow markings in the Oak Lawn neighborhood and "All Black Lives Matter" intersections in South Dallas.

The Texas Education Agency issued written guidance directing all public schools in the state to remove mentions of Cesar Chavez from lesson plans following sexual abuse allegations against the labor leader. The agency also ordered school districts to cancel or redirect events and activities planned for Cesar Chavez Day on March 31, extending Governor Abbott's directive that the state not observe the optional holiday. The TEA stated that teaching about Chavez would conflict with Texas Education Code provisions regarding widely debated and controversial issues, and noted that failure to teach student expectations focused on Chavez would not constitute non-compliance with statutory requirements.

Following sexual assault allegations against labor leader Cesar Chavez reported by The New York Times, the Texas Education Agency issued guidance directing school districts to cancel or redirect events planned for Cesar Chavez Day on March 31 and to remove lessons about Chavez from their curriculums. The TEA stated that districts would not be considered out of compliance with state standards if they removed Chavez-related instruction while the State Board of Education rewrites social studies standards, which are unlikely to include lessons focusing specifically on Chavez. The guidance followed Governor Abbott's announcement that Texas would no longer observe Cesar Chavez Day and his stated intention to request that state lawmakers remove the holiday from state law.

Abbott announced that Texas will no longer observe César Chavez Day and will consider removing it completely following allegations of sexual abuse against the late farm labor leader. This decision came after labor rights activist Dolores Huerta publicly disclosed in March 2026 that she and other women had been sexually abused by Chávez decades earlier. Abbott's action reflected responses from multiple state officials who reconsidered commemorations of Chávez in light of the allegations.

Governor Abbott announced a property tax plan for the coming legislative session that includes imposing municipal spending limits, requiring two-thirds voter approval for tax increases, and capping appraisal growth. The plan would restrict the revenue and spending authority available to cities like Dallas to cover their expenses. Abbott's proposed measures come as Dallas faces financial challenges including lower-than-expected sales tax revenue and rising pension obligations.

Governor Abbott requested that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Lavaca-Navidad River Authority fast-track permits and relax regulations to help Corpus Christi secure additional water supplies during a drought. The TCEQ subsequently issued a permit allowing the city to pump water from newly drilled wells in Nueces County, which began producing 4.5 million gallons per day. Abbott also asked for approval to allow continued pumping from Lake Texana even when water levels fell below the threshold that normally triggers automatic reductions in available water.

Following a report detailing allegations of sexual abuse against labor leader Cesar Chavez, Dallas Farmers Market owner Brian Bergersen ordered the removal of a statue of Chavez from the market on Thursday. Workers dismantled and removed the statue after initial removal attempts on Wednesday failed. The removal prompted Dallas City Council members to call for reconsidering the city's recognition of Chavez, including the possible renaming of Cesar Chavez Boulevard.

Governor Greg Abbott pardoned Daniel Perry in 2024, a former Army sergeant who had been convicted of murder in 2023 for fatally shooting Garrett Foster during a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Austin in 2020. Perry subsequently returned to court in 2026 for a separate misdemeanor trial focused on traffic violations alleged to have occurred before the shooting, including texting while driving and driving into a crowd of protesters. The misdemeanor trial proceeded without revisiting the shooting itself, which had been the subject of the original murder conviction.

Governor Abbott announced on March 19, 2026, that Texas will no longer observe Cesar Chavez Day as a state holiday and stated he plans to ask lawmakers to remove the holiday from state law. The decision followed sexual abuse allegations against the late labor leader, including accounts from Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers, who disclosed decades-old incidents of abuse. The move prompted similar reconsideration of Chavez honors in Dallas and other Texas cities, including discussion of renaming César Chávez Boulevard in downtown Dallas.

Texas Governor Abbott announced that the state will not observe Cesar Chavez Day on March 31 following a New York Times investigation publishing allegations that Chavez sexually assaulted and abused women and girls. Abbott stated he intends to work with the Legislature to remove the holiday from state law during the 2027 legislative session. The Mexican American Legislative Caucus indicated readiness to lead efforts to remove the holiday and called for its replacement with observance of another labor leader.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 379 into law as part of Texas' "Make America Healthy Again" initiative, which took effect on April 1, 2026. The legislation prohibits the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to purchase sweetened beverages and candy, affecting approximately 3.5 million Texans who receive food stamp assistance monthly. Abbott stated the restrictions were intended to align SNAP benefits with healthier food options and encourage better nutrition among program recipients.

Senate Bill 2024, which took effect in September, bans the marketing, advertising, sale or offering of certain e-cigarette products that clearly target minors or pose serious risks, including vapes disguised as everyday items, products tied to celebrity names, devices made in foreign countries, and products mixed with cannabinoids or other substances. The law carries Class A misdemeanor penalties including fines up to $4,000 and possible jail time for violations. Governor Abbott issued an executive action targeting retailers selling illegal THC and related products disguised as legitimate businesses.

The Texas Department of State Health Services adopted finalized regulatory rules aligned with Governor Abbott's executive order that effectively ban the sale of smokable hemp and certain extracts by implementing a new "total THC" measurement standard that includes THCA, a non-intoxicating cannabinoid, in delta-9 THC calculations. The regulations, set to take effect by March 31, 2026, also impose annual licensing fees of $5,000 per retail location and $10,000 per manufacturing facility. The changes follow a public comment period during which hundreds of industry participants submitted objections to counting THCA toward the delta-9 threshold.

Governor Abbott threatened state intervention in Corpus Christi's municipal operations following warnings that the city's water supply could fall below demand as soon as June 2027. Abbott stated at a press conference that if local leadership did not take immediate action to address the water shortage, the state of Texas would need to assume control of the city to ensure adequate water service to residents and businesses. The city has approximately $1 billion in water infrastructure projects underway, though most are not scheduled to become operational until later in 2026 or 2027.

In 2024, Abbott issued an executive order directing Texas public universities to sever existing ties with the Chinese government and other foreign adversaries, citing national security concerns. The order followed broader Washington efforts to increase oversight of United States research collaborations with Chinese entities, though the specific mechanisms for implementation regarding faculty research, travel, contracts, and resident status remained unclear at the time of issuance. Abbott's directive aligned with congressional scrutiny of federal research funding at institutions maintaining research partnerships with entities linked to Chinese military and defense programs.

Governor Abbott announced on March 3, 2026 that Texas would implement restrictions on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program purchases beginning April 1, 2026, following passage of Senate Bill 379 by the Texas Legislature and federal approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The restrictions prohibit SNAP recipients from purchasing candy, gum, sweetened beverages containing 5 or more grams of added sugar or any artificial sweetener, and certain candied or chocolate-coated snack products using their Lone Star Cards. Texas officials stated the policy change applies to approximately 3.3 million Texans receiving SNAP benefits and aims to align program purchases with healthier food options.

In 2025, Texas lawmakers passed Senate Bill 2, establishing a school voucher program with $1 billion in funding overseen by the Comptroller's office. Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock requested an Attorney General opinion on whether schools with alleged ties to entities designated as "foreign terrorist organizations" could be excluded from the program, and Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion permitting such exclusions under an "other relevant law" clause. Governor Abbott designated the Council on American-Islamic Relations a terrorist organization in the same period, resulting in the exclusion of Islamic schools from the voucher program while hundreds of other private schools, including Christian schools, received approval.

Texas launched the Education Freedom Account program, which began accepting applications in February 2026 and provides $2,000 per student annually to homeschooling families for expenses including curriculum purchases, instructional materials, and homeschool co-op tuition. The program represents a state-funded education savings account option for families choosing homeschool instruction. Families enrolling children in private schools through the program receive more than $10,000 in funding.

The Texas Comptroller's office announced a program to sell commemorative coins and notes featuring Texas imagery, which prompted Texas Precious Metals LLC to file a lawsuit in state District Court against acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock and depository administrator Macy Douglas. The company alleged the state depository violated its federal trademarks and exceeded its statutory authority, which the Legislature had limited to storing precious metals rather than producing coins and notes for sale. The case was subsequently removed to federal court in Austin.

Travis County District Attorney José Garza closed his office's review of three Austin police officers who fatally shot mass shooter Ndiaga Diagne on March 2, 2026, determining that no charges would be filed against them. Garza's Civil Rights Unit conducted a review of video evidence, scene documentation, and coordination with the Austin Police Department's Special Investigations Unit before reaching the conclusion. In a letter to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, Garza stated that the officers were responding to an active shooting in a mass casualty situation and that the subject was actively using unlawful deadly force at the time he was shot.

Travis County District Attorney José Garza announced that his office would not refer police officers involved in a downtown Austin mass shooting to a grand jury, deviating from his established policy of submitting all officer-involved shootings for grand jury review. The officers had responded to a shooting on West Sixth Street that killed three people and injured 13 others before they fatally shot the gunman. Garza stated in a written statement that his office would not seek charges against the officers, characterizing them as heroes.

Governor Abbott endorsed Nate Sheets in the Republican primary race for Texas agriculture commissioner, calling Sheets to congratulate him on his victory over three-term incumbent Sid Miller on March 4, 2026. Abbott publicly stated in January that Miller had been "an utter failure" as agriculture commissioner and referenced character flaws. Sheets, a first-time candidate and former CEO of a national raw honey company, defeated Miller in the primary and will face Democrat Clayton Tucker in the general election.

Governor Abbott stated on social media that he would have final authority over the fate of three Austin police officers involved in a fatal shooting incident, referencing his pardon powers in response to online claims that Travis County District Attorney José Garza would seek charges against them. Abbott's statement came after Garza issued a clarification that his office would not seek criminal charges against the officers, whom Garza characterized as heroes. The exchange occurred amid a mass shooting incident in downtown Austin on the preceding Sunday.

Texas Governor Abbott announced the activation of Texas Military Department service members under Operation Fury Shield following a mass shooting at a bar in Austin that killed three people and injured fourteen others. Abbott directed increased patrols and surveillance in downtown Austin's 6th Street District in response to the incident. The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force joined local authorities in investigating the shooting, which resulted in the death of the gunman during an exchange of fire with police.

The Texas comptroller's office began sending award notices on April 22, 2026, to more than 42,600 students for participation in the state's education savings accounts program. The first group of awardees included children with disabilities and their siblings from families earning up to 500 percent of the federal poverty level. The comptroller's office scheduled a lottery for the week of April 27 to determine which additional students from families at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level would receive award notices.

Governor Abbott signed legislation in 2024 establishing the Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, a state investment fund controlled by the Texas Comptroller's Office that uses public dollars to purchase cryptocurrency assets. The comptroller's office made its first purchase of approximately $5 million in a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund in late November 2024, followed by a second $5 million purchase on December 15, 2024. As of early 2026, the state's $10 million cumulative investment had declined in value to approximately $7.8 million due to declines in Bitcoin's market price.

President Donald Trump endorsed former state Senator Don Huffines for Texas comptroller and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller for reelection on his Truth Social platform on Friday, describing each as a "MAGA warrior." Governor Greg Abbott had spent millions in advertising to support competing candidates Kelly Hancock for comptroller and Nate Sheets for agriculture commissioner, creating a split endorsement in the final days before the Texas Republican primary election. The competing endorsements tested Abbott's influence with the party's base while Trump publicly praised Abbott as "one of the great governors" at a separate event in Corpus Christi the same day.

Governor Abbott signed House Bill 4211 in fall 2025, which his office described as banning Sharia compounds in Texas. The legislation was presented as a measure to restrict certain religious practices and community arrangements within the state. The bill represents one of several recent state-level actions addressing Islamic religious law and practices in Texas.

Travis County District Attorney José Garza joined Fight Against Federal Overreach (FAFO), a coalition of elected prosecutors from cities and counties across the country formed in response to concerns about federal immigration enforcement tactics including warrantless entries and unlawful detentions. Garza traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with the coalition and help finalize a list of demands directed at Congress regarding Department of Homeland Security funding negotiations. The coalition states it plans to coordinate investigations, share legal resources, and collect evidence about alleged misconduct by federal agents in their jurisdictions, arguing that federal law enforcement officers should be subject to the same standards and accountability as local law enforcement.

The University of Texas Board of Regents did not sign President Donald Trump's "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education" in October, allowing the deadline to pass without formal adoption. However, the university subsequently consolidated several ethnic and women's studies programs into a new Department for Social and Cultural Analysis Studies, instituted disciplinary measures against students who participated in a November sit-in at the provost's office, and implemented a policy restricting discussion of "controversial topics" deemed not germane to course subjects. Governor Greg Abbott, who appoints all nine UT regents, had previously stated that Texas must "purge" diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives from public universities.

Hays County commissioners postponed action on a proposed 30-day moratorium on water-intensive developments including data centers, citing concerns that such action exceeded the county's legal authority under state law. The commissioners called on Governor Abbott to convene a special legislative session to grant counties regulatory authority over zoning, development approvals, and utilities related to data center projects. Abbott did not announce a response to the request for a special session as of the article's publication date.

Governor Abbott directed cities in October to remove decorated road markings from public roadways or face the loss of state funding, characterizing such markings as expressions of political ideology. The city of Austin subsequently painted over three aesthetically treated crosswalks in February 2026, including a rainbow crosswalk at Morrow and Watson streets in the Crestview neighborhood and two additional decorated intersections in East Austin, citing compliance with the federal directive to restore standard road markings. The removal occurred without advance notice to residents in the affected neighborhoods.

Abbott signed House Bill 1393, known as "Texas Time," in June 2025, which would keep Texas on daylight saving time year-round and eliminate the twice-yearly clock adjustment. The law cannot take effect unless Congress changes federal law to allow states to adopt permanent daylight saving time. Supporters of the measure argue that consistent time year-round would reduce confusion, improve safety, and help productivity.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 12 in June 2025, legislation that banned diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in Texas K-12 public schools and took effect September 1, 2025. A federal judge temporarily blocked three school districts—Houston, Katy, and Plano—from enforcing four major provisions of the law, including a ban on student clubs focused on sexual orientation or gender identity and a mandate to discipline employees engaged in diversity-related efforts. The ruling followed a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas and the Transgender Law Center arguing that SB 12 violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments and the Equal Access Act.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Austin-based Anzu Robotics, alleging the company sells rebranded drones manufactured by Chinese company DJI in violation of a federal ban on DJI products. The state claims Anzu markets and sells products that are identical to DJI drones except for cosmetic changes and an American label, and that the company failed to disclose its relationship with DJI. The suit seeks an injunction and civil penalties against the company.

The University of Texas System Board of Regents voted unanimously on February 19, 2026, to adopt new teaching restrictions that limit how "controversial topics" can be presented in classroom instruction across its 14 institutions. The policy requires faculty to present differing viewpoints on "unsettled issues," omit controversies not relevant to courses, and directs university officials to determine whether controversial material is necessary for degree requirements and to modify general education courses to reduce exposure to "unnecessary controversial subjects." The policy does not define what constitutes a "controversial" topic or explicitly prohibit specific subjects from instruction.

In October 2024, the City of Austin installed three decorative crosswalks as part of a Federal Highway Administration research project, two painted with rainbow patterns and one with a brick design. In February 2026, following a directive from federal officials to terminate the experiment and restore the sites to their previous conditions, Austin removed the three crosswalks by the end of Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The removals occurred after Governor Abbott directed cities in October 2025 to remove what he characterized as "political ideologies" from streets or face funding cuts, and after the Texas Department of Transportation issued an order requiring the removal of decorative crosswalks.

Governor Greg Abbott threatened sanctions against students and schools involved in ICE-related walkouts, including stripping funding from districts, decertifying teachers, and replacing elected trustees with state-appointed boards of managers. Attorney General Ken Paxton joined Abbott in warning of state takeovers against schools that facilitated student protests. The threatened actions created tension between school administrators' obligations to uphold First Amendment rights and pressures from state leadership to suppress the demonstrations.

Governor Abbott froze new H-1B visa applications from public universities and state agencies in February 2026. H-1B visas allow specialized foreign employees to work in the United States and have become a subject of scrutiny in North Texas, with various data sources circulating online regarding visa numbers and applications. Publicly available H-1B data sources measure raw changes in visa numbers but do not reliably indicate the actual scale or impact of H-1B workers in Texas at any given time.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against Children's Health system and Dr. Jason Jarin, a Dallas-area physician, alleging violations of Texas's ban on gender-affirming care for minors that took effect in September 2023. The lawsuit represents the fourth enforcement action Paxton's office has initiated under the state's restriction, which prohibits treatments including puberty blockers and hormone therapies for transgender youth. This is the third lawsuit filed by Paxton's office that specifically names Children's Health and a Dallas-area doctor in connection with the gender-affirming care ban.

Less than three years after Abbott announced the creation of the Texas Advanced Nuclear Reactor Working Group, Texas became one of the primary testing grounds in the United States for small modular nuclear reactors. The state's electric grid is projected to see demand nearly triple by 2050 due to data centers, electric vehicles, and electrification of oil fields, prompting officials to explore small nuclear reactors as a potential source of reliable electricity. Several small modular reactor projects in Texas are moving beyond the study phase, with multiple projects scheduled to undergo significant tests in the summer following the article's publication date.

Attorney General Paxton filed a lawsuit in Collin County against Double R Municipal Utility District No. 2A and affiliated board members, alleging actions designed to evade state oversight and unlawfully expand the district's boundaries in support of The Meadow, a planned 402-acre mixed-use development in Collin and Hunt counties formerly called EPIC City. The development is being overseen by Community Capital Partners, a for-profit group formed by members of the East Plano Islamic Center, and is planned to include over 1,000 homes, a school, mosque, and various commercial and community facilities. This marks Paxton's second lawsuit filed regarding the project.

Texas Attorney General Paxton initiated an investigation into Dallas ISD, Manor ISD, and North East ISD following student walkouts in February 2026 protesting federal immigration enforcement activities. As part of the investigation, Paxton demanded that the three districts produce records including policies on student absences, unexcused absence procedures, and internal communications related to the walkouts. The investigation followed a similar inquiry into Austin ISD after student walkouts occurred in the previous month.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced investigations into Manor ISD, Dallas ISD, and Northeast ISD following student-led walkouts protesting federal immigration policy, claiming the districts had "taken little to no action to ensure the safety of students." Paxton demanded the districts provide information on their policies regarding excused absences, security protocols, and internal communications related to the protests. Manor ISD's superintendent stated the district followed standard protocol and Texas Education Agency guidance during the walkout days.

Abbott endorsed Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock in the March 3 Republican primary for comptroller and political newcomer Nate Sheets in the agriculture commissioner primary, departing from his longstanding practice of remaining neutral in down-ballot races during election years. Abbott actively campaigned for both candidates, appearing in Hancock's television and digital advertisements and inviting Sheets to accompany him on a trip to the southern border with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. A University of Houston poll released in February 2026 showed Abbott's preferred candidates trailing their Republican primary opponents despite the governor's public support.

Governor Abbott signed House Bill 1393, known as "Texas Time," in June 2025, which would keep Texas on daylight saving time year-round and eliminate the twice-yearly clock adjustment. The law cannot take effect unless Congress changes federal law to allow states to adopt permanent daylight saving time. As of 2026, daylight saving time remains in effect in Texas, with the clock change occurring on March 8, 2026.

Abbott endorsed Kelly Hancock for the Texas comptroller's office in 2025, a position that will oversee the governor's school voucher program. Hancock suspended a decades-long minority- and women-owned contracting program and pledged to eliminate remaining diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts within the comptroller's office. Hancock faced competition in the March 3 Republican primary from former state senator Don Huffines and Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development initiated an investigation into EPIC Real Properties, Inc., and Community Capital Partners regarding whether their North Texas master-planned community, The Meadow, discriminated based on religion or national origin in its housing practices. The investigation followed a complaint filed by the Texas Workforce Commission alleging the developers engaged in a pattern of religious discriminatory conduct. HUD Secretary Scott Turner announced the probe on Friday, stating the department would ensure the community remained open to all residents.

Governor Abbott and the Texas Education Agency issued a directive in February 2026 outlining consequences for student walkouts, warning that school districts facilitating such protests would be subject to investigation and sanction, including potential appointment of a monitor, conservator, or board of managers. The directive was issued following walkouts by Dallas Independent School District students protesting the federal government's immigration enforcement actions. The action marked a departure from prior practice in which district administrators had addressed student protests with primary concern for student safety while recognizing their educational value.

Governor Abbott signed legislation in June 2025 that created a $50 million grant program for ibogaine research in Texas. The University of Texas at Austin and UT San Antonio's Health Science Center are using these funds to conduct a two-year collaborative clinical trial studying the effects of ibogaine, a psychoactive compound derived from an African plant, on conditions including PTSD and opioid use disorder. Ibogaine is among several previously illicit psychoactive substances being investigated for potential mental health treatment applications.

Texas Attorney General Paxton's office filed a petition to intervene in a lawsuit brought by Dr. Mary Talley Bowden against the Texas Medical Board in February 2026. Bowden was seeking to overturn a reprimand issued by the board in October 2025 after she prescribed ivermectin to a COVID-19 patient at a Fort Worth hospital where she did not have clinical privileges. The Texas Medical Board responded by stating it would vigorously defend its disciplinary action and accused Paxton's office of making inaccurate statements about the case.

Abbott issued a statewide disaster declaration on January 29, 2026, in response to the potential spread of the New World screwworm fly from Mexico and Central America into Texas. The declaration authorized the Texas NWS Response Team to utilize all state government prevention and response resources to prevent the parasitic fly from establishing in the state. On February 10, 2026, Abbott joined U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to introduce a new sterile screwworm fly release facility at a former Air Force base near Edinburg, which will distribute millions of sterile male flies to prevent wild infestations in livestock and wildlife.

Texas lawmakers passed House Bill 229 during the previous legislative session, which defines man and woman based on a person's reproductive organs at birth and applies these definitions to state records. Intersex Texans expressed concern that the law will create barriers to obtaining or changing gender markers on government documents such as passports and driver's licenses when their gender identity does not match their original medical records. Members of the intersex community also stated concerns that the law could increase surgical interventions on intersex children to conform them to a single gender classification.

Governor Abbott ordered state investigations into school districts where students organized walkouts protesting federal immigration enforcement and threatened to strip school funding or initiate state takeovers in more than two dozen districts across Texas. The student protests occurred peacefully and involved students demonstrating against immigration enforcement actions that resulted in deportations and injuries. Abbott's actions followed his recent support for establishing Club America, a conservative student organization designed to encourage student activism and grassroots engagement.

In response to student protests at Austin Independent School District, Governor Abbott and Attorney General Paxton ordered investigations into the demonstrations, directing the Texas Education Agency to announce sanctions against school districts where students engage in what TEA characterized as "inappropriate political activism." TEA threatened to revoke teachers' certifications or assume control of entire districts found to have supported such activism. The announcement represents the first instance of Texas state education authorities proposing to use district takeover authority as a consequence for student speech rather than for academic underperformance or financial mismanagement, criteria previously specified in the Texas Education Code.

Abbott issued a statewide disaster declaration on January 29 in response to the potential northward spread of the New World screwworm parasite from Mexico. The declaration authorized the Texas NWS Response Team to utilize state government resources for prevention and response efforts. Abbott attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Domestic New World Screwworm Sterile Fly Production Facility in Edinburg, which opened to disperse sterile flies as part of the containment effort.

The Texas Education Agency appointed Levi Fuller, a former Republican staffer who previously worked under Attorney General Ken Paxton, to serve as inspector general overseeing teacher conduct investigations. Fuller's appointment came as the agency was investigating over 350 complaints about teachers' comments on social media, primarily following conservative activist Charlie Kirk's assassination, and as the TEA issued directives regarding student walkouts over immigration enforcement. Fuller stated his role would focus on prosecuting cases brought to administrative hearings based on violations of law or statute, while also prioritizing investigations into sexual assault cases.

Abbott ordered the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Animal Health Commission to form a screwworm response team to address the New World Screwworm fly threat to Texas livestock. The governor issued a disaster declaration to enable the response team to access all available state prevention and response resources. Abbott visited the Rio Grande Valley with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to celebrate the opening of a sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg.

Governor Abbott announced a one-year pause on new H-1B visa petitions at Texas universities, requiring state-level investigation into the program's use. Texas institutions were directed to provide detailed information about petition numbers, worker nationality, job duties, and evidence that U.S. workers had reasonable opportunity to apply for the positions. The pause applies to universities and their affiliated medical institutions across the state.

Abbott attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony on February 9, 2026, for the opening of the Domestic New World Screwworm Sterile Fly Production Facility near Edinburg, Texas, a federal facility designed to disperse sterile male screwworm flies to prevent the flesh-eating parasite from crossing the Mexican border. The facility, located on a former Air Force base, will allow the dispersal of millions of sterile flies bred in Mexico or Panama on both sides of the border to control the pest that threatens the American cattle industry. Abbott characterized the facility as a short-term solution while the U.S. Department of Agriculture constructs a larger $750 million breeding facility expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration in response to the resurgence of New World screwworm in northern Mexico, which borders Texas and threatens the state's cattle industry. The declaration authorized the activation of state resources for screwworm response efforts as the pest, which was eradicated in the 1970s, has recently escaped containment in a Mexican state adjacent to Texas. The screwworm poses significant economic risk to the $130 billion U.S. cattle industry, which has already faced strain from record-low herd numbers and rising operational costs.

Governor Abbott called for investigations into student-led demonstrations in Austin and Hays County following a walkout at Round Rock Early College High School in which approximately 100 students participated in a peaceful, planned protest regarding Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions. The student walkout took place during school hours on February 6, 2026, with participants gathering on campus to express concerns about immigration policy. Abbott's calls for investigations brought statewide attention to youth-led activism organizing across Texas public schools.

Governor Greg Abbott endorsed Jennifer Balido in the Republican primary for Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Place 9, an open seat on the state's highest criminal court. Balido, who has presided over three courts in Dallas County and served as chief of the Dallas County district attorney's appellate division, is competing against John Messinger for the position in November 2026. The Court of Criminal Appeals consists of nine judges who serve staggered six-year terms, with three seats up for election that year.

Abbott called for investigations into student-led demonstrations in Austin and Hays County protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions. The governor's calls for investigation brought statewide focus to a growing movement of youth activism, with students across Texas organizing walkouts to voice concerns about immigration policy. Abbott's action occurred amid a series of student-organized walkouts, including a peaceful demonstration at Hutto High School where hundreds of students left class to march to city hall in protest of ICE enforcement actions.

Governor Abbott appointed Dallas attorney Ashley Wysocki to fill a judicial vacancy on the 301st District Court in Dallas County in January 2026, marking the fourth appointment of Wysocki to a Dallas County judicial position in seven years. The previous appointments came in 2019, 2021, and 2023 to family law and civil court benches. Wysocki will complete the term of retired Judge Mary Brown, who stepped down in January with approximately one year remaining in her term.

A Travis County judge ruled against a legal challenge to the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute, a $3 billion dementia research fund approved by Texas voters in November 2025 as Proposition 14. Despite the court ruling in favor of the fund's validity, Governor Abbott stated he will not certify the election results until the entire lawsuit is resolved, keeping the fund from going into effect. The plaintiffs claimed voting machines in 251 of Texas's 254 counties were improperly tested, though the Secretary of State's office disputed this assertion.

Texas Attorney General Paxton filed a lawsuit seeking to shut down the Council on American-Islamic Relations' Texas branch and block the advocacy group from owning property in the state or recruiting members. The lawsuit followed Governor Abbott's designation of CAIR as a terrorist organization in the previous year, based on alleged ties to Hamas. CAIR denied involvement in terrorist activity and stated it would defend itself in court, characterizing the lawsuit as frivolous and unconstitutional.

Attorney General Paxton filed a lawsuit in Collin County state court in February 2026 seeking a court declaration that the Council on American-Islamic Relations is a foreign terrorist organization and transnational criminal organization and requesting that the organization be prohibited from operating in Texas, including being cut off from fundraising. The lawsuit named both CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as defendants, alleging they work in concert as a radical terrorist organization. CAIR stated it would continue to operate in Texas and noted previous legal victories against state officials.

Governor Abbott signed legislation creating the Texas Education Freedom Accounts, a school voucher-like program that state lawmakers established to provide families with public funds for education-related expenses including private school tuition and homeschooling costs. The program began accepting applications on Wednesday, receiving more than 42,000 applications on the first day and over 47,000 applications by Thursday morning, according to the Texas Comptroller's Office. The program prioritizes students with disabilities and those from low- to middle-income families, with applications accepted through March 17.

Governor Abbott ordered the Texas Education Agency to investigate Austin Independent School District's role in student-led protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement that occurred across multiple campuses in January 2026, directing no similar inquiry into other districts where students also participated in walkouts. Three days later, Attorney General Paxton issued a separate demand for Austin ISD to provide information on attendance, absences, security policies, and staff communications regarding the walkouts, similarly selecting only Austin ISD for investigation among all districts affected by student protests. Neither official publicly specified what alleged wrongdoing prompted their inquiries or explained why Austin ISD was singled out for investigation while other districts with comparable student protests were not.

Gov. Abbott announced a $100 million investment in the University of Texas School of Civic Leadership in May 2025, which subsequently established the Ackerman Program on Jewish and Western Civilization. The program, funded by a $12.5 million donation and launching in Fall 2026, will offer courses on the Hebrew Bible, Jewish thought, Israeli grand strategy, and the roots of modern antisemitism. The initiative includes dedicated faculty positions, a conference series, a study abroad program in Israel, and scholarships for students majoring in the School of Civic Leadership.

The Texas Education Agency issued a statewide bulletin on Tuesday stating it will investigate and sanction teachers who encourage or facilitate student participation in protests during school hours. The bulletin specified that school officials and teachers cannot facilitate disruption or neglect students released onto public streets, and that teachers found to have encouraged protest activity will be referred to the State Board for Educator Certification for disciplinary action. The directive followed a wave of student walkouts across Texas protesting immigration enforcement actions and came after Governor Abbott called for accountability measures against schools permitting such demonstrations.

Gov. Abbott signed legislation in May 2025 establishing the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, a $1 billion school choice initiative that provides vouchers to help families pay for private school tuition and related educational expenses. The program, which began accepting applications on February 4, 2026, offers eligible Texas families vouchers of approximately $10,500 annually for private school tuition, $2,000 for homeschooling costs, and up to $30,000 for children with disabilities in private prekindergarten or kindergarten programs. The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts administers the program, which prioritizes funding for students with disabilities and those from lower-income households if applications exceed available funding.

Texas Tech University Chancellor Brandon Creighton issued a December 1 memo restricting how faculty across the system's five universities could discuss race, gender, and sexuality in classrooms, directing instructors to refrain from advocating that individuals are inherently racist or sexist based on identity, to recognize only two sexes, and to disclose course content related to these topics for administrative review. The memo warned that noncompliance could result in disciplinary action. Within days of the memo's release, two upper-level psychology courses with combined enrollment of 139 students were canceled, and faculty reported uncertainty about implementation due to limited administrative guidance on what constitutes prohibited content.

Governor Abbott called for an investigation into student walkouts occurring in Fort Worth-area and Austin school districts in protest of federal immigration enforcement actions. The Texas Education Agency subsequently issued guidance to school districts warning that those facilitating walkouts could face investigations, sanctions including appointment of monitors or conservators, and potential loss of funding. The guidance also stated that teachers who encourage or assist students in walking out could face investigation and potential revocation of teaching certificates, though students participating would receive unexcused absences rather than disciplinary action.

The Texas Education Agency issued guidance on February 3, 2026, warning school districts and educators that those who encourage or assist student walkouts during instructional hours could face professional sanctions, including reports to the State Board for Educator Certification. The guidance specified that school districts failing to enforce attendance laws or maintain student supervision risk state investigations or takeovers. The warning followed student protests across Texas related to Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions and calls from state leaders for investigations into the Austin Independent School District's handling of student walkouts.

Texas Attorney General Paxton demanded information from Austin Independent School District on Monday regarding the role of district staff in student-led walkouts that occurred the previous week protesting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The demand followed student demonstrations in which hundreds of students from Pflugerville, Hendrickson, Connally, and Weiss high schools walked out of class and marched to the Pflugerville Justice Center. Paxton's action came after Governor Abbott called on the Texas Education Agency to investigate the district following reports of district vehicles near the protesting students.

Governor Abbott vetoed legislation that would have banned all THC products in Texas. At Abbott's direction, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and the Department of State Health Services began working together to develop industry rules and regulations for cannabis products. State lawmakers indicated they would likely address comprehensive cannabis market regulation in 2027.

Abbott announced a directive to freeze new H-1B visa applications for skilled foreign workers until the end of the 2027 legislative session for all Texas public universities and state agencies. The directive was announced in response to concerns that the H-1B program had been used to fill positions that could be filled by Texas residents rather than for truly specialized and unmet labor needs. The freeze applies to all new visa applications processed through Texas public institutions during the specified timeframe.

Governor Abbott issued an order in October 2025 targeting decorative road markings, calling rainbow crosswalks and similar designs "distractions" that promote political messages. After Dallas lost its appeal to the state, the city agreed to remove its rainbow, Black Lives Matter, and other decorative crosswalks within 90 days to comply with Texas Department of Transportation standards requiring plain white markings. City officials stated they would explore alternative community art initiatives to reflect neighborhood identity while meeting state standards.

Texas A&M University terminated its women's and gender studies degree program and modified hundreds of course syllabi across campus to enforce a policy restricting the teaching of race and gender ideology in core curriculum courses. The policy was established by the university's Board of Regents, whose members are appointees of Governor Abbott, and was narrowed in December 2025 before implementation in spring 2026. During a comprehensive review of approximately 5,400 course syllabi, the university granted 48 exemptions out of 54 courses submitted for final approval to teach such material outside the core curriculum when deemed germane to the subject.

Governor Abbott condemned a walkout by Austin Independent School District students protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions and directed the Texas Education Commissioner to investigate the matter. Abbott stated in a social media post that school resources funded by taxpayers should be used for state-required instruction rather than activities he characterized as "political indoctrination." The walkout occurred as part of a national demonstration following the fatal shootings of two civilians by federal immigration enforcement officials in Minneapolis.

Governor Abbott issued an order prohibiting public universities and state agencies in Texas from filing new H-1B visa applications, effective immediately through May 31, 2027, unless granted written permission from the Texas Workforce Commission. Abbott directed all public universities, including those in the University of Texas System, and state agencies to submit detailed reports on both new and existing H-1B visa applications to facilitate a comprehensive review. The H-1B visa program, which allows employers to hire specialized foreign workers, is typically administered by the federal government, though Abbott's directive restricts state entities' participation in initiating petitions under the program.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 4, Senate Bill 23, and House Bill 9 into law on June 16, 2025, as part of a $10 billion property tax relief package. Abbott stated his goal of eliminating property taxes for schools in Texas. The legislation was signed at a bill signing event in Denton attended by House Speaker Dustin Burrows and other state officials.

Governor Abbott endorsed beekeeper and businessman Nate Sheets in the March 3, 2026 Republican primary for Texas Agriculture Commissioner against incumbent Sid Miller, who was seeking a fourth term. In making his endorsement, Abbott alluded to what he characterized as Miller's "corruption" and questioned the commissioner's honesty during a radio appearance. Abbott's endorsement was joined by former Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs, the Texas Farm Bureau's political arm, and several state senators backing Sheets.

State Senator Paul Bettencourt authored property tax legislation that Governor Greg Abbott prioritized in his reelection campaign, with the stated goal of eliminating school property taxes. Bettencourt predicted the new property tax law would return approximately eighteen billion dollars to Texas taxpayers through substantial cuts in school property taxes. Bettencourt serves as the state's primary property tax expert and continues to write bills that establish the rules governing property tax policy in Texas.

Gov. Abbott sent a letter to Attorney General Ken Paxton requesting that the state move to revoke the nonprofit corporate charter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations' Texas branch, which Abbott designated as a foreign terrorist organization in the previous year. Abbott stated in the letter that CAIR cannot use its nonprofit status to shield activities he characterized as sponsoring terror and advancing what he called radical Islamism in Texas, and urged Paxton to use his authority to examine the organization's records and strip its charter. The action represented an escalation of Abbott's campaign against CAIR, which has contested the terrorist designation as unconstitutional and defamatory.

Abbott issued a directive on January 26, 2026, requiring all public universities and state agencies in Texas to freeze new H-1B visa petitions without written permission from the Texas Workforce Commission through the end of the 2027 legislative session. The directive also required affected institutions to submit detailed reports to the commission documenting H-1B visa petitions filed in 2025, current visa holders by job title and country of origin, and evidence of recruitment efforts to hire qualified Texas residents for positions filled by H-1B visa holders. Abbott stated the action was intended to ensure that employment opportunities funded with taxpayer dollars are filled by Texas residents.

Attorney General Paxton issued a non-binding opinion stating that the state comptroller has the authority to block or remove private schools from Texas's education savings account voucher program if they violate state laws, including those related to support of transnational criminal networks or terrorist activity. Paxton declined to make specific determinations about which schools should be disqualified, stating that such factual determinations fell solely within the comptroller's statutory authority. The opinion was issued in response to Comptroller Kelly Hancock's request for guidance on whether certain schools with alleged ties to foreign governments or designated organizations could be excluded from the program.

Texas Attorney General Paxton issued an opinion stating that the state comptroller may exclude private schools from the state voucher program if they violate federal laws banning material support for foreign terrorist organizations or restrict certain foreign ownership. The opinion responded to a question from Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock regarding whether schools that hosted events for the Council on American-Islamic Relations or had alleged ties to the Chinese government could be barred from participation. Paxton declined to determine which schools should be excluded, instead leaving the investigation and eligibility determination to the comptroller's office.

Governor Abbott endorsed Nate Sheets, a political newcomer and honey business owner, in the Republican primary race for Texas agriculture commissioner on January 23, 2026, breaking with incumbent Sid Miller who has held the position since 2015. Abbott stated his endorsement was based on Sheets being committed to fighting for Texas agriculture interests, upholding the rule of law, and restoring integrity to the office. Abbott cited the need for an agriculture commissioner with zero tolerance for criminality, in reference to scrutiny Miller faced during his tenure including his rehiring of an aide who pleaded guilty to commercial bribery related to hemp licensing.

Governor Abbott issued an executive order directing state agencies to regulate consumable hemp products, which was implemented after the Texas Legislature passed a bill to ban such products that Abbott vetoed in summer 2025. The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission approved permanent regulations on January 20, 2026, establishing age restrictions and ID verification requirements for hemp product sales by TABC-licensed retailers. The rules prohibit sales to persons under 21 years old and require valid government-issued photo identification for all purchases, affecting approximately 60,000 license holders including convenience stores, restaurants, and liquor stores.

State Rep. Curry authored House Bill 2715, which modifies the process for removing elected officials accused of misconduct by routing removal petitions to regional administrative judges rather than local prosecutors. Under the law, citizens can file complaints with a district clerk, who forwards them to a presiding regional administrative judge that appoints a district court judge to examine evidence and potentially convene a civil jury trial. The legislation affects removal procedures for district attorneys, county attorneys, county judges, county commissioners, county clerks, district clerks, treasurers, sheriffs, tax assessors, constables, justices of the peace, and school board members.

Governor Abbott issued a disaster declaration for more than 130 Texas counties in advance of an arctic winter storm expected to impact the state from Friday evening through early the following week. Abbott stated at a press conference that the northern two-thirds of Texas, from the Panhandle potentially south to the San Antonio region, would experience the most severe conditions, though he characterized the storm as less severe than Winter Storm Uri five years prior. State officials and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas projected that the power grid would remain functional overall, though local outages were possible if ice or fallen tree branches damaged power lines.

Governor Abbott signed a redistricting plan in 2025 that redrew Texas' 38 congressional boundaries after House Democrats temporarily left the state to break quorum and delay the vote. The redistricting effort, initially pushed by President Donald Trump, was enacted into law by Abbott following the Democrats' return after more than two weeks. The congressional map was subsequently altered by California voters in November through a new redistricting plan designed to offset potential Republican gains from Texas' redrawn districts.

Abbott activated state emergency response resources on Tuesday in preparation for an incoming winter storm expected to bring dangerously cold temperatures and frozen precipitation to North and Central Texas from Friday through Sunday. The activation was issued as the National Weather Service forecast moderate to heavy accumulations of snow, sleet, or ice, with wind chills dropping as low as 5 to -10 degrees from late Saturday through Monday morning. ERCOT, the electrical grid operator for most of Texas, issued a weather watch for Saturday through Tuesday and stated it anticipated sufficient generation capacity to meet demand during the storm.

Governor Abbott endorsed Nate Sheets in the Republican primary race for Texas Agriculture Commissioner, announcing his support through a social media statement on January 21, 2026. Abbott stated that Texans deserve an Agriculture Commissioner focused on promoting Texas agriculture with zero tolerance for criminality. The endorsement came after incumbent Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller hired political consultant Todd Smith as chief of staff, despite Smith's guilty plea to commercial bribery related to hemp licenses regulated by Miller's office.

The Texas A&M University System adopted new rules in November requiring professors to obtain approval from the president for courses and materials related to race, gender, or sexual identity topics. In December, the regents narrowed the policy to ban such topics from undergraduate core curriculum while allowing some exemptions in non-core and graduate-level courses. The policy prompted reviews of thousands of courses across the 12-university system, resulting in course cancellations and curriculum modifications before the spring semester began.

Texas Attorney General Paxton launched an investigation into whether more than two dozen public school districts are displaying posters of the Ten Commandments following a federal court ruling in April 2026 that upheld the state's law requiring such displays. Paxton directed the identified school districts to provide documentation to his office regarding their display of Ten Commandments posters and their policies on student and staff prayer time, which became subject to school board votes under a new state law. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 9-8 that Texas' Ten Commandments display requirement did not violate the Constitution's prohibition on government establishment of religion.

The Texas Department of Transportation rejected Dallas's appeal to maintain decorative crosswalks in Oak Lawn, South Dallas, and Uptown, requiring the city to submit a removal plan by January 31 or risk losing state and federal transportation funding. The rejection followed Governor Greg Abbott's directive in the previous fall to enforce compliance with standard pavement markings. TxDOT stated that the crosswalks violated state standards permitting only plain white lines, and the city may submit a new exemption request if accompanied by a licensed engineer's certification of compliance.

Governor Abbott declared the Council on American-Islamic Relations a terrorist organization, which prompted Comptroller Kelly Hancock to seek an opinion from Attorney General Ken Paxton in mid-December regarding whether private schools with alleged ties to foreign governments or terrorist organizations should be prohibited from participating in Texas' new education savings account voucher program. As a result of the inquiry, dozens of Austin private schools accredited by Cognia have been unable to participate in the $1 billion program while awaiting the attorney general's opinion. Of approximately 40 Austin private schools with only Cognia accreditation, just one has been approved to participate in the voucher program.

Abbott issued an order to remove "non-standard" road markings from Texas streets, with the Texas Department of Transportation setting a January 15, 2026 deadline for compliance and threatening to withhold millions in transportation funding from cities that did not comply. San Antonio removed a rainbow crosswalk at North Main Avenue and Evergreen Street on January 12, 2026, in response to Abbott's directive. The city subsequently proposed replacing the crosswalk with rainbow-painted sidewalks near the same intersection.

Governor Greg Abbott's appointees to the Texas Workforce Commission selected Steve Pier as executive director of the agency, effective February 2, 2026. Pier previously served as deputy executive director of the Texas Department of Information Resources and held senior roles in the Texas Attorney General's Office and the Texas House. The Texas Workforce Commission oversees workforce training, unemployment benefits, and implements economic development initiatives across the state.

Abbott shared a proposal regarding property tax reduction in Texas, one of several competing plans being developed ahead of the next legislative session. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick submitted a separate proposal on the same issue, creating divergent approaches within the state Republican leadership. The disagreement between Abbott and Patrick's positions is expected to shape policy discussions throughout 2026 and potentially lead to special legislative sessions in 2027.

Governor Abbott issued an executive order on September 10 directing Texas state agencies to develop new regulations for consumable hemp products. The Texas Department of State Health Services subsequently proposed draft rules that would increase manufacturer licensing fees from $250 to $25,000 annually and retail registration fees from $150 to $20,000 annually, alongside requirements for child-resistant packaging, warning labels, expanded testing, and recall procedures. The proposed rules could take effect as early as January 25, 2026, pending final agency review and public input.

Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock requested a legal opinion from Attorney General Ken Paxton's office on December 10 regarding whether certain schools with alleged ties to the Chinese government or the Council on American-Islamic Relations could be barred from the state's $1 billion voucher program. The request resulted in a pause on applications from schools accredited by Cognia, the largest private school accreditor in Texas, with only 30 of approximately 600 Cognia-accredited schools approved for the program as of mid-January 2026. The comptroller's office stated it had implemented additional safeguards to ensure participating schools comply with Texas law, though applications from unaffected schools were expected to be processed in additional batches before families could begin applying in early February.

Governor Abbott directed Texas state agencies to launch investigations into potential child care fraud at facilities receiving public funds, following allegations that a day care center in Minneapolis had been receiving federal subsidies without providing services. The Texas Workforce Commission manages and distributes federal child care funds for low-income families through the program under investigation. Abbott's directive came after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services froze federal child care funding to Minnesota and imposed additional reporting requirements on states distributing these funds.

During a January 2026 visit to the Rio Grande Valley, U.S. Senator Cornyn stated that changes to immigration law should be delayed until the border is fully secured, positioning himself differently from some Republican colleagues who have expressed openness to visa programs for foreign workers to address labor shortages caused by immigration enforcement. Cornyn outlined a three-step sequence: first securing the border, then removing unauthorized immigrants already in the country, and only then considering modifications to immigration law. His comments came during a border visit where he praised President Trump's border policies and enforcement efforts by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The City of San Antonio shut down its Reproductive Justice Fund following the passage of Senate Bill 33, which Governor Abbott signed into law in August 2025 and which bars the use of public funds to support abortion-related travel. The fund had been established in April 2025 with a $100,000 allocation to help individuals travel out of state for abortion services, prompting Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to file a lawsuit against the city. After SB 33 became law, the state's lawsuit against San Antonio was dismissed without a finding for either side, and the city ceased operation of the fund.

Governor Abbott named Brandon Simmons as director of institutional policy and oversight in October 2025 to lead the new Office of Ombudsman created by Senate Bill 37. The office, which launched a public complaint portal on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board website in January 2026, investigates complaints against public universities for violations of Senate Bill 37 provisions regarding faculty governance, curriculum, and hiring, as well as the 2023 Senate Bill 17 restrictions on diversity, equity and inclusion practices. Universities found in violation have 175 days to respond to complaints, and the office may recommend the Legislature withhold state funding until compliance is certified.

The Texas Department of State Health Services proposed raising annual licensing fees for hemp product retailers from $150 to $20,000 per location and for manufacturers from $250 to $25,000 per facility, representing increases of over 13,000 percent. The proposed rule changes also include new testing requirements for THC levels in consumable hemp products, age verification requirements, and mandatory product recalls. Industry members stated that the combined effect of the fee increases and testing requirements would eliminate most current hemp flower products from the market and force many small businesses to close operations.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced plans to deploy floating buoys along more than 500 miles of the Rio Grande River as part of border security efforts. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the expansion during a January 2026 visit to the Rio Grande Valley, noting that 130 miles were already under contract and beginning installation. The buoy deployment is funded through the 2025 tax and spending bill and is part of the Trump administration's "Smart Wall" initiative, which combines steel barriers, waterborne barriers, patrol roads, lights, cameras, and detection technology.

Governor Abbott sent a letter to state agency leaders emphasizing the need to strengthen oversight in child care programs and ensure that taxpayer dollars are protected and used for their intended purpose. The letter complemented legislative action from the previous year that created the Quad Agency Initiative to align regulations across the four state agencies that oversee child care, and established a governor's task force on the governance of early childhood education and care. These measures were designed to reduce regulatory conflicts, decrease unnecessary burdens on providers, and address governance challenges in the state's early childhood education system.

Governor Abbott signed legislation establishing the Texas Education Freedom Account program, which provides eligible students with approximately $10,000 in public funds annually to attend private schools beginning in the 2026-27 school year. Applications for the program opened on February 4, 2026, with more than 500 private schools in the Dallas-Fort Worth area registered to accept the education savings account funds as of that date. Across Texas, over 1,700 schools had enrolled in the program to accept the public money for private school tuition and related expenses.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on January 7, 2026, that the Trump administration is deploying more than 500 miles of buoys in the Rio Grande River, expanding upon the floating barriers initially installed by Governor Abbott in 2023. Noem stated that more than 130 miles of the barriers are under contract and deployment began on the day of the announcement, though she did not disclose the current miles in the water or provide a timeline for completion. The Rio Grande stretches approximately 1,200 miles along Texas's border with Mexico.

Governor Abbott stated that Dallas city leaders were responsible for AT&T's decision to relocate its headquarters from downtown Dallas to Plano, attributing the move to inadequate police department funding and staffing as well as the city's handling of homelessness in the downtown area. Abbott made these remarks while appearing at the Fort Worth Police Officers Association headquarters alongside Tarrant County officials and police union leaders to accept their endorsement for his reelection campaign. Abbott warned that the state would review whether Dallas's police funding decisions comply with a 2021 law restricting cuts to police budgets.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 38 during the 2025 legislative session, legislation sponsored by Senator Paul Bettencourt and Representative Angie Chen Button that took effect in summer 2025. The law streamlines eviction procedures for cases involving squatters by clarifying venue requirements, limiting counterclaims in eviction suits, requiring justice courts to hold trials within 21 days of filing, and prohibiting courts from ruling on property title disputes or third-party issues. These changes accelerate the timeline for removing individuals occupying properties without legal right to do so.

The Texas American Federation of Teachers filed a lawsuit on January 6, 2026, seeking to block Education Commissioner Mike Morath and the Texas Education Agency from investigating teachers accused of making inappropriate social media remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk's assassination. The lawsuit argues that Morath's directive to school districts to report such content violates legally protected speech and requests that the court require Morath to retract his policy and issue new guidance clarifying that districts need not report legally protected speech to the state. As of January 5, the Texas Education Agency was investigating 95 complaints related to teachers' social media posts about Kirk's death, while having dismissed hundreds of other complaints or found them unsubstantiated.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott previously deployed the state's National Guard to Chicago as part of a broader federal effort to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago, Los Angeles, and Portland, Oregon. The U.S. Supreme Court denied an application in December to pause a lower court ruling that barred the National Guard troops' mobilization in the Chicago area. Following legal challenges that prevented the troops from being deployed to the streets, President Donald Trump announced the removal of National Guard troops from these cities.

Patrick called a state audit of Texas Southern University's finances "beyond disturbing" after the audit revealed significant financial weaknesses including departments bypassing purchase procedures and the university failing to enforce established contract and accounting procedures. Patrick's office, along with Governor Abbott and House Speaker Burrows, ended TSU spending on contracts other than ongoing expenses needed to keep the school operational. Patrick previously requested a Texas Rangers investigation into potential criminal wrongdoing at TSU, and that investigation remains ongoing.

The Fifteenth Court of Appeals temporarily blocked Attorney General Paxton from enforcing reporting rules adopted in March that would have required prosecutors in counties with more than 400,000 residents to submit detailed criminal prosecution reports, including case files, internal policies, and correspondence. In a unanimous decision, the court found that state law allows the attorney general to request information from individual prosecutors but does not authorize him to mandate permanent, across-the-board disclosures. The court narrowed the scope of an earlier temporary block to apply only to the seven prosecutors who sued rather than all thirteen subject to the rules and returned the case for further proceedings.

Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock requested guidance from the Texas Attorney General's office on whether accredited Islamic and Chinese-affiliated private schools could be excluded from Texas' school voucher program established by Senate Bill 2. Hancock's December 12 request cited concerns about potential ties to foreign terrorist organizations and adversarial foreign governments, though he identified no specific schools meeting these criteria. The accredited schools in question had been certified by Cognia, an organization recognized by the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission, which qualifies them for voucher program funding under SB 2.

In 2025, state lawmakers shifted the balance of power in Texas higher education from faculty to governor-appointed regents, with three former Republican state leaders, including former Conroe Senator Brandon Creighton, becoming chancellors of Texas university systems. The University of Texas System named Jim Davis, a former Chief Operating Officer without academic background, as president without faculty input, marking a departure from previous leadership search procedures. The Trump administration's Department of Government of Efficiency cut at least $3 billion in research contracts nationwide, resulting in the University of Texas losing at least $47 million in grants that halted projects in energy, social sciences, mental health, and technology access.

The Texas 15th Court of Appeals upheld a judicial order blocking Attorney General Paxton from requiring district attorneys in urban areas to submit sensitive case information and regular reports to his office. The court determined that Paxton lacked statutory authority to impose such reporting requirements on local prosecutors through administrative rules. The case was returned to Travis County district court, where a temporary injunction issued in May preventing the requirements remained in effect pending further proceedings.

Texas was allocated $281.3 million in the first year of the $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program created by Congress through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, receiving the largest portion of the initial federal rollout. Abbott stated that the state would use the funds to strengthen rural hospitals, expand access to mental and physical health care, and reduce chronic disease through wellness and nutrition initiatives. The Texas health care agency plans to create wellness programs, educate and recruit health care professionals to rural areas, modernize rural health center resources and technology, and add more than a thousand rural health care positions.

Abbott vetoed Senate Bill 3, a proposed THC ban, in June 2025, instead calling for regulation of the substance. The veto came after the governor weighed the decision while The Texas Tribune published explainers on how the outcome could affect Texans statewide. The THC ban veto was among the most closely watched policy decisions in Texas during 2025.

Abbott signed a proclamation on November 18 designating the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations and barring both groups from purchasing or acquiring land in Texas. The proclamation also authorized the state to seek dissolution of both organizations through the courts. The action followed a December incident at Walnut Creek Park in which two men in crusader costumes confronted Muslim families and shouted Islamophobic insults, with CAIR-Austin linking Abbott's designation to what the organization characterized as rhetoric fomenting anti-Muslim sentiment across the state.

Governor Abbott issued an executive order in September directing state regulators to develop new rules for retail sales of hemp-based THC products including gummies, drinks, and smokeable flowers. This action followed Abbott's veto earlier in the year of a statewide ban on intoxicating hemp-derived THC products. Texas alcohol regulators subsequently began soliciting public input on regulatory frameworks for the hemp retail market ahead of a planned 2026 federal ban on consumable hemp products.

Abbott signed into law an $8.5 billion school funding plan passed by the Texas Legislature that allocated funding for teacher and support staff pay raises, operations, special education, and other school district needs. The measure provided public school districts with new dollars intended to stabilize budgets and support classroom staffing, though much of the funding was designated through targeted allotments rather than flexible formula funding. The legislation addressed concerns about school funding but left questions about whether the additional per-student dollars would keep pace with rising operational costs across districts.

Governor Greg Abbott issued a proclamation designating the Council on American-Islamic Relations as a "foreign terrorist organization." Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a court response arguing that Abbott's proclamation applies only to CAIR's national entity and not to its local Texas chapters in a lawsuit brought by the Dallas-Fort Worth and Austin chapters. Paxton also argued that the local chapters lack standing to sue because his office has not pursued legal action related to Abbott's designation.

Governor Abbott authorized the federal government's mobilization of 400 Texas National Guard troops to other states in early October 2025, with approximately 200 troops deployed to the Chicago area by October 8 despite opposition from Illinois state and local governments. The U.S. Supreme Court denied an application to pause a lower court's ruling that barred the National Guard troops' mobilization in Illinois, with the court stating the government had failed to identify legal authority for military deployment in the state. By November 19, the 200 Texas National Guard troops in Illinois were demobilized while another 200 troops in Texas were placed on standby.

Acting Texas Comptroller Hancock filed a request for legal opinion with the Texas Attorney General's Office on December 12, 2025, asking whether schools could be excluded from Texas' school voucher program based on connections to organizations designated as foreign terrorist organizations or foreign adversaries. Hancock specifically suggested that schools hosting events for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which Governor Abbott designated as a terrorist organization, could be affected by such exclusions. Hancock also raised concerns about a school allegedly owned or controlled by a group connected to a Chinese government adviser, citing potential violations of Senate Bill 17, which restricts property ownership by entities connected to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 2420 in summer 2025, legislation requiring app stores to verify users' ages and restrict account access for those under 18, along with requiring parental consent and account affiliation for minors. The law was scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2026. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman blocked the law on December 23, 2025, ruling that it likely violated First Amendment free speech rights, though the judge acknowledged the legislation's stated intent to protect children online.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 2420, the App Store Accountability Act, in May 2024, which would have required app stores to verify users' ages and obtain parental consent before minors could download or purchase applications, with exceptions for emergency and test-prep apps. The law was scheduled to take effect January 1, 2025, but U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman granted a temporary injunction blocking its enforcement on December 23, 2025, finding that the law's content-based restrictions likely violated First Amendment free speech protections. Attorney General Ken Paxton announced plans to appeal the ruling.

Texas acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock requested in December 2025 that Attorney General Ken Paxton issue an opinion on whether certain schools should be excluded from the state's Education Freedom Accounts voucher program based on alleged ties to foreign governments or organizations. Hancock's letter identified concerns about schools potentially owned or controlled by entities linked to the Chinese government and schools hosted at addresses that have held events organized by the Council of American-Islamic Relations, which Governor Abbott had recently designated as a terrorist organization. The voucher program, which began accepting applications from private schools in December 2025, is set to distribute funds beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.

Governor Abbott opted Texas into a federal scholarship program established through President Trump's legislation that provides tax credits to individuals who donate to scholarship organizations funding private school tuition, tutoring, and educational expenses. The program, which begins in 2027, allows taxpayers to receive a one-to-one federal tax credit capped at $1,700 annually for donations to participating scholarship organizations. Texas became the fifth state to announce participation in the program, with eligible families earning up to 300 percent of their area's median income able to access scholarships for private school, tutoring, extracurricular activities, and homeschooling expenses.

Governor Abbott vetoed legislation in June 2025 that would have implemented a near-total ban on intoxicating hemp-derived products, a signature bill championed by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. The veto effectively blocked the measure that would have eliminated much of the multibillion-dollar hemp-derived products industry that had expanded in Texas. Abbott's action represented a significant disagreement with his fellow Republican on a key legislative priority.

Governor Abbott issued a disaster declaration covering 30 counties affected by July 2025 floods that killed more than 100 people, including over 100 in Kerr County. The Texas Water Development Board implemented a streamlined grant process under Senate Bill 3, allowing each of the 30 declared counties to receive up to $1 million in state funds without board approval and request up to $250,000 additional funds through an expedited process for flood warning systems. The state allocated $50 million total for flood warning sirens and rain gauges in the affected counties, with Kerr County seeking approximately $5 million to construct a comprehensive system including sirens, rain gauges, a tracking website, and illuminated warning signs.

Governor Abbott issued an order directing Texas cities to remove symbols from crosswalks, which prompted Oak Lawn United Methodist Church to paint its front steps in Progress Pride flag colors in response. The church subsequently installed a Nativity scene on those steps depicting Mary and Joseph surrounded by chain-link fencing with razor wire, alongside images referencing homelessness and immigration detention. The display was created to reflect contemporary experiences of marginalized communities, including immigrants, refugees, and unhoused individuals.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 2420, the App Store Accountability Act, into law in May 2024, requiring app stores to verify users' ages and obtain parental consent before allowing those under 18 to download or purchase apps. The law is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2026, and includes exceptions for emergency service and test-prep applications while requiring new users to submit government-issued identification. Two lawsuits filed in federal court seek to block the law's implementation, with a federal judge hearing arguments on December 16, 2024, regarding whether the measure violates First Amendment protections on free speech grounds.

Governor Abbott vetoed Senate Bill 3, legislation passed by the Texas Legislature that would have banned the sale of products containing any amount of THC. The veto occurred in summer 2025, minutes before the deadline for action on the bill, and prevented the elimination of Texas's hemp-derived THC industry valued at approximately $5.5 billion. Subsequently, new federal restrictions included in a congressional spending bill passed in November 2025 imposed limitations on hemp-derived THC products that business owners stated could substantially reduce the market.

In 2023, Abbott signed a proclamation designating December 4 through December 10 as Tree of Angels Week in Texas. The designation honors victims of violent crime and their families during an annual ceremony first established in 1991. The Dallas County Crime Victims Council organized the 28th Tree of Angels ceremony in the county in December 2025, where approximately 120 families placed angel ornaments on Christmas trees to commemorate loved ones lost to violent crime.

Governor Abbott announced that Southwest Airlines would receive $14 million in funding through the Texas Enterprise Fund to support a major expansion in Austin. The Dallas-based carrier plans to establish a new base in Austin with approximately 2,000 employees over five years, including pilots, flight attendants, and support staff with an average salary of $180,000. Abbott's office coordinated the state incentive package alongside a $5.5 million local incentive agreement approved by Austin City Council to support the airline's expansion and associated job creation.

Governor Abbott announced a $14 million grant from the Texas Enterprise Fund to Southwest Airlines to establish a new crew base at Austin Bergstrom International Airport, bringing 2,000 new jobs to the state. The incentive package, which included an additional $375,000 bonus for reserving positions for veterans, was coordinated with the city of Austin, which separately approved a $5.5 million incentive package. The new crew base will open in March 2026 with approximately 1,000 initial employees, expanding to its full complement of 2,000 employees by mid-2027 at an average salary of $180,000.

The Trump administration froze federal funding for Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley, a South Texas organization that operates a migrant shelter in McAllen serving individuals released from federal custody. The Department of Homeland Security issued a six-year debarment from federal funds following an investigation that identified grant violations, including inconsistent records on migrants and nearly 250 instances in which the organization used federal funds outside the 45-day window permitted after migrant release. The organization stated it had been using federal funds to assist migrants released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection who possessed documents authorizing travel to their destinations.

Governor Abbott announced a $4.8 million grant to the University of Texas from the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund to establish a new quantum computing laboratory called the QLab. The lab will focus on quantum metrology and computing research to improve semiconductor chip production efficiency. The funding was allocated under the Texas CHIPS Act, which was established in 2023 to incentivize semiconductor research and manufacturing in the state.

Paxton filed a civil lawsuit in Collin County against the East Plano Islamic Center and Community Capital Partners, alleging violations of Texas securities law in connection with a planned residential development known as EPIC City and now called The Meadow. The Texas State Securities Board had concluded after a monthslong investigation that the $80,000 share purchases did not constitute securities under the Texas Securities Act and had communicated this finding to Paxton's office prior to the lawsuit filing. Paxton's lawsuit seeks to stop the development project, which is planned to include over 1,000 homes, a school, a mosque, and elderly care facilities.

Governor Abbott expressed skepticism of Texas A&M University president Mark Welsh III during a November 2023 meeting in Austin, questioning Welsh about statements regarding diversity that had been highlighted in a Texas Scorecard article and indicating dissatisfaction with Welsh's responses. Abbott's position reflected a preference for a president with conservative principles, according to Board Chair Robert Albritton's characterization of the governor's expectations. Welsh resigned from his position in December 2025 following mounting pressure related to multiple controversies, with the Board of Regents ultimately determining his leadership was no longer suitable for the institution.

Abbott proposed lowering the annual cap on property value increases from 10% to 3% for homeowners' primary residences and extending that cap to commercial properties including grocery stores, restaurants, and apartment buildings. The proposal aims to limit how quickly taxable property values can rise, which Abbott stated would provide property owners greater predictability in their tax bills. Tax policy experts from across the political spectrum cautioned that the proposal would not address underlying causes of higher tax bills and warned of unintended consequences.

Lieutenant Governor Patrick unveiled a proposal on December 9, 2025, titled "Operation Double Nickel" to increase the homestead exemption for school property taxes by an additional $40,000, raising the total minimum exemption to $180,000 of a home's value. The plan would also lower the age of eligibility for an enhanced homestead exemption for seniors and individuals with disabilities from 65 to 55, allowing those homeowners to deduct $240,000 from their home's taxable value. Patrick stated his belief that school property taxes could be eliminated through successive homestead exemption increases over the coming legislative sessions.

Abbott announced a campaign proposal to make it more difficult for Texas cities and counties to raise property taxes, building on 2019 legislation that already restricted the amount of additional property tax revenue local governments could collect annually without voter approval. Abbott's broader property tax platform also includes eliminating school property taxes for homeowners and limiting growth in property values. Local government officials have expressed concern that additional restrictions would further strain budgets for services including public safety, libraries, and parks.

Abbott announced a sweeping property tax reduction plan ahead of the 2026 election that includes abolishing school property taxes for homeowners, implementing tighter limits on property value increases, and restricting local government tax increases. The proposal requires legislative approval, and lawmakers have previously rejected similar measures to eliminate school property taxes. Implementation would require the state to backfill more than $17 billion in school funding if enacted.

Patrick proposed lowering the age requirement for senior property tax exemptions from 65 to 55 years old through a plan called "Operation Double Nickel," which would affect more than one million homeowners. The proposal includes raising school district homestead exemptions by an additional $40,000 in the 2027 legislative session and freezing the taxable value of homes for all homeowners 55 and over. Patrick's tax plan differs from Governor Abbott's proposal to eliminate all school district property taxes for homeowners.

Attorney General Paxton launched investigations into at least a dozen nonprofit organizations, primarily immigrant-serving groups, claiming violations of state law or corporate charters over a two-year period. Texas courts and a federal appeals court ruled that Paxton possesses broad authority under a nearly 150-year-old state law to demand internal corporate records and file lawsuits to revoke a company's business charter in Texas without initially presenting evidence to support his claims. Organizations including Annunciation House and Jolt Initiative engaged in ongoing legal battles to defend themselves against Paxton's actions, though no group had yet been required to surrender documents or lost corporate status as of the article's publication.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick announced the "Operation Double Nickel" property tax plan on December 9, 2025, which would increase the homestead exemption by $40,000 and lower the age for senior property tax exemptions from 65 to 55 years old, affecting approximately 3.5 million of Texas's 6 million homeowners. The proposal would cost approximately $4 billion biannually and represents a different approach from Governor Abbott's plan to eliminate school property taxes and lower appraisal caps. Patrick stated he had not discussed his plan with Abbott and noted that eliminating school property taxes would require nearly doubling the state sales tax from 8.25 percent to at least 14 percent.

Governor Abbott signed legislation during the 2025 regular legislative session that established a Texas Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The state comptroller's office, which oversees the fund, contracted to purchase $5 million in bitcoin as the reserve's first assets. The fund was authorized with a $10 million allocation for potential digital currency purchases.

Governor Abbott announced a partnership with Turning Point USA to establish chapters of the organization on every high school campus in Texas, revealing the initiative at a news conference at the Governor's Mansion on December 8, 2025, alongside Lieutenant Governor Patrick and Turning Point USA Senior Director Josh Thifault. Abbott stated that schools blocking the creation of these clubs, referred to as Club America programs, should be reported to the Texas Education Agency and would face meaningful disciplinary action. The announcement followed a private meeting between Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath and Turning Point USA in early November, and Lieutenant Governor Patrick's subsequent commitment of $1 million in campaign funds to support the expansion.

Abbott announced at a press conference on December 8, 2025, an effort to expand Turning Point USA chapters in Texas high schools and directed schools attempting to block such chapters to be reported to the Texas Education Agency for disciplinary action. Abbott stated that the organization currently operates chapters at more than 500 Texas high schools and that Texas has more Turning Point USA chapters than any other state. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath confirmed that no cases of schools blocking Turning Point USA chapters have been reported to date.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Texas could use its new congressional map while legal challenges continued, temporarily pausing a lower court decision that had blocked the map. The map was approved by the Texas Legislature and signed by Abbott in August 2025 and allocates 30 of the state's 38 congressional districts to Republicans, an increase from 25 districts under the previous map. The ruling allowed the map to be used for the 2026 midterm elections following the December 8 candidate filing deadline.

Texas enacted Senate Bill 25 as part of a "Make America Healthy Again" legislative package, which includes a requirement that food products containing certain ingredients carry warning labels stating the ingredient is not recommended for human consumption by regulatory authorities in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom. Governor Abbott signed the legislation into law in a ceremony attended by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Food and beverage trade associations filed a federal lawsuit in December 2025 challenging the labeling provision, arguing that the warning labels constitute false and misleading claims in violation of the First Amendment, as several of the flagged ingredients have not been determined to be harmful by the foreign regulatory bodies cited.

The City of Austin spent approximately $830,000 between October 21 and November 8 clearing 669 homeless encampments and contacting around 1,212 people as part of a three-week initiative. Of those contacted, 181 people entered shelters, 87 were connected with services, and 109 later returned to encampments, while city workers issued 71 citations and made 22 arrests during the operation. The encampment clearance occurred simultaneously with a separate state operation that Governor Abbott ordered without coordinating with city officials, according to statements made to the City Council.

In November 2025, Abbott issued a proclamation declaring the Council on American-Islamic Relations a foreign terrorist and transnational criminal organization. In a December 2 letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Abbott requested that the federal government investigate CAIR and suspend its status as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization, citing allegations that federal investigators and court filings identify the group as a subsidiary of the Muslim Brotherhood and a front group for Hamas. CAIR filed a court challenge against Abbott's proclamation and characterized his actions as unconstitutional.

Governor Abbott appointed Stephanie Muth as Texas Health and Human Services Commission commissioner on December 3, 2025, effective January 3, 2026. Muth previously served as commissioner of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services from 2023 until July 2025 and has over 25 years of experience in state government, including more than 15 years in senior positions at the Health and Human Services Commission. Muth replaces Cecile Erwin Young, who announced her retirement after leading the agency since August 2020.

Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock curtailed the Historically Underutilized Business program, a 30-year-old initiative that provided contracting opportunities for women- and minority-owned businesses along with veteran-owned enterprises. Hancock narrowed the program to exclusively serve military veterans with service-connected disabilities and renamed it Veteran Heroes United in Business. The change followed Hancock's announcement of a freeze on the program in October and was characterized as aligned with recent Supreme Court decisions and Governor Abbott's January executive order restricting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in state government.

The Texas Comptroller's office announced in December 2025 that it was restructuring the Historically Underutilized Business program, removing women- and minority-owned businesses from eligibility and renaming it the Veteran Heroes United in Business program, or VetHUB. Under the new rules implemented immediately through emergency procedures, only veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 20 percent or higher qualify for the program, and existing certifications based on owners' race, ethnicity, or sex were revoked. The Comptroller's office stated the restructuring was intended to ensure state contracting was free from gender or race discrimination while centering support on veterans.

Governor Abbott signed new camp safety legislation passed by the Texas Legislature following catastrophic flooding at Camp Mystic in July 2025 that resulted in 27 deaths. The legislation established new state law regulations for summer camp operations in Texas. Camp Mystic's owners announced plans to exceed the requirements of these new state safety laws when reopening a portion of the camp in summer 2026.

Texas Tech University System Chancellor Creighton issued a memo on December 1, 2025, restricting how faculty members may discuss race, sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation in classrooms, specifying that instructors may not present certain viewpoints as correct or required and must not pressure students to affirm them. The memo introduced a new course content approval process requiring faculty to submit materials touching on these restricted topics to department chairs, university administrators, and ultimately the Board of Regents for review. Creighton stated that instructors who do not comply with these restrictions could face disciplinary action.

The Texas Department of Public Safety tentatively added nine cannabis providers to the Texas Compassionate Use Program on December 1, 2025, with three additional conditional licenses to be awarded by April 2026. The expansion follows Governor Abbott's June 2025 veto of a statewide hemp ban, in which he stated the ban contradicted federal law and principles of consumer choice for adults. The program, which had served approximately 116,000 patients under three existing license holders, is expected to significantly increase patient access to medical-grade THC treatments through additional cultivation, manufacturing, distribution, and retail operations.

Governor Abbott announced the elimination of 195 administrative rules that served as barriers to kinship caregivers entering the foster care system in Texas. The changes included simplifying housing inspection processes, eliminating unnecessary training requirements, and reducing documentation needed to administer over-the-counter medications to children in care. These regulatory modifications aimed to make it easier for extended family members to become certified kinship caregivers and access higher state funding.

Texas Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 6 in June 2025, legislation that grants the state's grid operator authority to remotely disconnect data centers and other large energy users during periods of extreme grid stress. The law applies to electricity customers consuming at least 75 megawatts and shifts transmission and grid connection costs to large load users rather than residential and small commercial customers. Senate Bill 6 also establishes grid reliability protection measures, requires improved electricity demand forecasting, and mandates disclosure of private power agreements, with the Public Utility Commission of Texas, ERCOT, and stakeholders continuing to develop implementation rules through a public comment period that closed in October 2025.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 8 into law, which requires every Texas sheriff's office with a jail to enter into a 287(g) agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement by December 1, 2026. The 287(g) program grants certain law enforcement officers authority to question individuals about their immigration status and, in some cases, arrest those believed to lack legal authorization to be in the country. Five North Texas law enforcement agencies have signed such agreements under the program, with at least 169 agencies statewide having done so.

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles implemented new photo identification requirements for vehicle registrations and renewals effective November 18, 2025, requiring current documents such as a state driver's license, U.S. passport, or federal identification. The policy was communicated to county tax offices on November 18 and to licensed vehicle dealers on November 19, with the DMV stating the requirement was intended to ensure the validity of identification documents in the registration process. The new restrictions limit approved identification to Texas driver's licenses, unexpired U.S. passports, Texas License To Carry identification, and IDs issued by the U.S. military, Department of Homeland Security, Citizenship and Immigration Services, and Department of State.

Abbott's office announced a $278 million loan from the Texas Energy Fund to Houston-based Calpine for construction of a 460-megawatt natural gas power plant in Freestone County. The Texas Energy Fund was created by state lawmakers in 2023 with approximately $7 billion in dedicated funding to encourage construction of dispatchable power generation facilities, primarily natural gas plants, following the February 2021 winter blackouts. Since June 26, the Public Utility Commission of Texas has authorized approximately $2.5 billion in loans to six power plant projects through the program.

Governor Abbott proposed a new property tax plan that would end school property taxes, which he announced following the 2024 election cycle. The proposal does not include a specified mechanism for replacing the revenue that school districts would lose under the plan. Abbott's announcement came ahead of the 2027 Texas Legislature session, where such legislation would require passage.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott called for a Texas-sized investment in water security, which prompted lawmakers to make shoring up the state's water supply and infrastructure a legislative priority during the 2024 session. In November 2024, voters approved a constitutional amendment dedicating a portion of the state's sales tax revenue to water infrastructure and supply projects, earmarking $20 billion over two decades for developing new water sources and repairing deteriorating infrastructure. Abbott appoints the three members of the Texas Water Development Board, which will allocate and vet the water projects proposed by sixteen regional water groups.

Abbott declared the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim Brotherhood foreign terrorist groups in November 2025. Abbott stated that while freedom of religion exists, religion cannot become a threat to freedom, using this rationale to justify the designations. The declaration occurred amid broader statements by Abbott regarding Islamic practices and communities in Texas, including characterizations of a planned Islamic community as a "Shariah city."

Texas Education Commissioner Morath met with Turning Point USA Senior Director Thifault on November 3, 2025, in Austin to discuss establishing chapters of the conservative youth organization in Texas high schools. The meeting occurred weeks after Thifault initiated contact with the Texas Education Agency requesting a conversation about a potential partnership, and Thifault subsequently provided Morath information about similar initiatives in Florida and Oklahoma. The Texas Education Agency declined to specify whether Morath agreed to a formal partnership or what next steps, if any, were discussed during the meeting.

Governor Abbott authorized the deployment of Texas National Guard members to Illinois and Oregon under President Trump's direction to support federal immigration law enforcement operations. This deployment occurred after Abbott had previously opposed a Biden administration proposal to transfer Air National Guard units to the U.S. Space Force, which he characterized as federal overreach that threatened governors' control over their guard forces. Abbott stated that the president has authority to mobilize guard members to preserve public safety and described his alignment with Trump on national security matters.

Gov. Abbott signed into law a congressional redistricting plan enacted by the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature in September 2025. A three-judge federal panel struck down the map in a 2-1 ruling in November 2025, with U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown writing that the redistricting process was "legally unsound," "baseless," and "a mess." Abbott responded to the decision by stating it was "clearly erroneous and undermines the authority the U.S. Constitution assigns to the Texas Legislature."

In August 2025, Abbott stated in media interviews that Texas was redrawing its congressional map in response to a recent 5th Circuit Court ruling that changed voting rights lawsuit procedures, repeatedly citing this court decision as the basis for the redistricting effort. A federal judge cited Abbott's public statements attributing the map redraw to the court ruling as evidence that the governor had explicitly directed the legislature to redistrict based on race, and used these comments as a key basis for striking down the new congressional map as an illegal racial gerrymander. Abbott's emphasis on the court ruling as justification for the redistricting, rather than characterizing it as a political decision, became central to the court's determination that the process violated the Voting Rights Act.

Governor Abbott announced plans to spend most of his $90 million campaign fund in Harris County during the 2026 midterm election cycle to increase voter turnout and shift the county's electoral outcome. Abbott stated his intention to target voters who participated in the previous presidential election as well as those who had never voted before, with a goal of changing Harris County's voting patterns at the precinct level. Harris County, which encompasses Houston and is home to one in six Texans, has voted Democratic in statewide elections for approximately a decade after previously being a competitive swing county.

Governor Abbott sent a letter to the Texas Department of Public Safety directing criminal investigations into the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim Brotherhood. Abbott instructed the department to identify and initiate criminal investigations into individuals or groups seeking to enforce law outside of or contrary to state or federal law and to utilize the Texas Terrorist Offender Registration Program where appropriate. This action followed Abbott's declaration earlier in the week that CAIR be treated as a foreign terrorist organization and his directive that members and affiliates cannot own property in Texas.

Governor Abbott called a special legislative session to address redistricting after U.S. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon wrote a letter to Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton identifying four congressional districts as violating the Voting Rights Act and the Constitution due to their composition as "coalition districts" of majority nonwhite residents. The Republican-controlled Legislature subsequently passed revised congressional maps that Abbott signed into law, which were designed to flip five seats in favor of the GOP for the 2026 midterm elections. A federal district judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking the revised maps and ordering Texas to use its 2021 congressional map for the next election, a decision that prompted a dissenting opinion from a 5th Circuit Court of Appeals judge.

Governor Abbott designated the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) as a foreign terrorist organization on November 19, 2025, citing the group's naming in a 2007 court document related to the Holy Land Foundation investigation. The designation prohibits CAIR from purchasing or acquiring land in Texas and authorizes Attorney General Ken Paxton to initiate legal action to shut down the organization. CAIR filed a federal lawsuit in Austin challenging the designation as unconstitutional and seeking a court declaration to block its enforcement.

President Donald Trump created the Religious Liberty Commission in May 2025, with Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick serving as chair. The commission, capped at 17 unpaid members and composed primarily of Texas-based appointees, was tasked with exploring religious liberty issues in the United States and making policy recommendations to the president. Patrick stated the commission would issue recommendations ahead of the nation's 250th anniversary that Trump could convert into executive orders or legislation for congressional consideration.

Abbott signed House Bill 16 in September 2024, legislation that would allow constitutional amendments to take effect even if related elections are challenged in court. The law was designed to address frequent legal challenges to ballot propositions but does not take effect until December 2024, after a lawsuit temporarily blocked the Dementia Prevention Research Institute of Texas, a $3 billion dementia research fund approved by voters in November 2024. The dementia research fund and other propositions supported by Abbott, including a $1 billion-a-year water infrastructure fund, were approved by approximately 70 percent of voters despite some opposition from grassroots Republican organizations.

Abbott released approximately 1,400 pages of emails exchanged between his office and companies associated with Elon Musk following a court order to disclose the records. The released documents were heavily redacted, with all but approximately 200 pages entirely blacked out, limiting the substantive information available about communications between the two parties. The readable portions included incorporation records for SpaceX, meeting agendas for the governor's aerospace committee, correspondence regarding a state grant to SpaceX, and an application from a Musk employee for a state commission position.

Abbott issued an executive order in September directing the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and the Department of State Health Services to impose stricter regulations on the hemp industry, including age restrictions on sales to minors and mandatory ID verification at points of sale. The TABC moved forward on Tuesday with efforts to adopt permanent regulations on consumable hemp products despite federal restrictions on hemp-derived products with more than 0.4 milligrams of THC that will take effect in November 2026. Abbott had previously vetoed a legislative ban on hemp products in June, allowing the regulatory approach to proceed instead.

A federal court panel in El Paso blocked Texas' congressional redistricting map in a 2-1 ruling in November 2025, ordering the state to conduct its 2026 elections under the existing map rather than the new map passed by the Texas Legislature earlier that year. Abbott's administration had engineered the new map to net five additional Republican seats in Congress. The court ruling came as California voters approved Proposition 50, which allowed Governor Gavin Newsom to pursue a competing redistricting effort that would net five additional Democratic seats.

A federal panel issued a preliminary injunction on November 18, 2025, blocking Texas' revised congressional map that the Republican-controlled Legislature approved in summer 2025, ordering the 2026 midterm elections to proceed under the 2021 boundaries instead. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown ruled that the 2025 map constituted racial gerrymandering based on substantial evidence presented during ten days of hearings. Abbott stated he would appeal the ruling, claiming the Legislature redrew the maps to reflect conservative voting preferences and characterizing the court's decision as erroneous and an improper imposition of judicial authority over legislative prerogatives.

A federal court ruled in November 2025 that Texas must use its 2021 congressional map rather than a redrawn map enacted during a special legislative session in summer 2025, which Abbott had signed into law. The three-judge panel concluded 2-1 that the redrawn map intentionally diluted the voting power of Black and Latino voters in violation of the Voting Rights Act. Abbott announced that Texas would appeal the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a proclamation on Tuesday designating the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations and transnational criminal groups. The proclamation stated that members and affiliates of these organizations are prohibited from acquiring real property interests in Texas. CAIR responded by characterizing the proclamation as a publicity stunt and indicated it would pursue legal action if Abbott attempted to enforce property ownership restrictions against its members and affiliates.

A three-judge federal panel in El Paso blocked Texas's newly redrawn congressional map in a 2-1 ruling, determining that plaintiffs were likely to succeed in proving the map violated the U.S. Constitution by drawing districts based on race. The court focused on a Department of Justice letter that Governor Abbott had cited when calling on the legislature to redistrict, with the judge writing that Abbott "explicitly directed the Legislature to redistrict based on race." Abbott announced he would appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, characterizing the ruling as erroneous and stating that claims the maps were discriminatory were "absurd."

A federal court struck down Texas's congressional redistricting map in a 2-1 decision, finding that Governor Abbott directed the state legislature to redraw districts based on racial composition rather than through a race-blind process. The court determined that Abbott initiated the redistricting by calling a special legislative session and explicitly directing lawmakers to eliminate coalition districts and create new majority-Hispanic districts, citing a Department of Justice letter as justification. The majority opinion concluded that the redistricting process violated constitutional requirements by injecting racial considerations into district drawing.

Governor Abbott directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to launch criminal investigations into the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations, working alongside FBI Joint Terrorism Task Forces across the state. This directive followed Abbott's proclamation two days earlier designating both organizations as transnational criminal organizations and banning them from purchasing or acquiring Texas land. The CAIR Legal Defense Fund and Muslim Legal Fund of America filed a lawsuit against Abbott and Attorney General Paxton, claiming the proclamation lacks legal or factual basis and violates Muslims' property rights under Texas law.

A three-judge panel in El Paso blocked Texas's newly redrawn congressional map on November 18, 2025, ruling that the map violated the U.S. Constitution because it was drawn based on race. The decision, which was challenged in a case brought by the League of United Latin American Citizens, requires Texas to use the congressional map drawn in 2021 unless the ruling is overturned on appeal. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced his intention to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed lawsuits against the Galveston, Round Rock, and Leander independent school districts in November 2025 for allegedly failing to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms as required by Senate Bill 10, which Governor Greg Abbott signed into law in June 2025. The three school districts had each received donated posters of the Ten Commandments following the law's September 1 effective date but did not display them in their schools. The lawsuits proceeded while the constitutionality of Senate Bill 10 was being challenged in federal court, with none of the three defendants serving as parties to those separate constitutional challenges.

Abbott unveiled a property tax relief plan that he announced would be implemented during the next legislative session, stating that the proposal would overhaul the property tax system to restrict local governments' ability to increase property taxes without voter approval. Abbott employed multiple strategies to advance the plan, including securing support from Republican allies in the Texas Legislature, making property tax relief a focus in Republican primary races, and working to flip Democratic legislative seats to Republican control to ensure sufficient votes for constitutional amendments required by the proposal. The governor stated that existing state property tax relief funding of $51 billion over two years was being offset by rising local property taxes and property appraisals, framing the new plan as necessary to return money to taxpayers.

Governor Abbott set January 31, 2026 as the date for the runoff election in Texas' 18th Congressional District special election to fill the seat vacated by the death of U.S. Representative Sylvester Turner. Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee and former Houston City Councilmember Amanda Edwards, both Democrats, advanced to the runoff after finishing first and second in the November 4 special election with 28.9% and 25.6% of the vote respectively, both falling short of the 50% threshold required to avoid a runoff. The January 31 runoff date means the congressional seat will remain vacant for approximately 11 months following Turner's death in March 2025.

Abbott issued a proclamation on Monday setting January 31 as the date for the runoff election for Tarrant County state Senate District 9, with early voting beginning on January 21. The runoff will determine the winner between Democrat Taylor Rehmet and Republican Leigh Wambsganss to fill the seat vacated by former Senator Kelly Hancock, who resigned to accept an appointment as acting Texas comptroller. Abbott also set the runoff election date for a Houston congressional seat that has remained vacant since the death of U.S. Representative Sylvester Turner in March.

Texas Republicans, including U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz and U.S. Representative August Pfluger, sent a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem requesting that Texas be prioritized in receiving reimbursements from the One Big Beautiful Bill, which President Donald Trump signed into law in 2025 and allocated $13.5 billion for states to recover border security costs. The letter cited Texas's Operation Lone Star, launched by Governor Greg Abbott, which deployed state troopers and National Guard soldiers to the border and installed physical barriers such as razor wire, stating the state incurred $11.1 billion in costs over four years. The lawmakers requested that the Departments prioritize Texas in distributing the $10 billion allocated to the Homeland Security Department and additional funds going to the Justice Department.

The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents voted unanimously in November 2025 to adopt a policy prohibiting professors from teaching courses that "advocate race or gender ideology" without prior approval from a campus president, with the restrictions taking effect across the system's 12 campuses in January 2026. The policy also requires faculty to teach only material consistent with approved syllabi and applies to topics related to sexual orientation and gender identity. The new restrictions were implemented as Governor Abbott and other Republican state leaders increased oversight of Texas public universities regarding curriculum content.

The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents unanimously voted on November 13, 2025, to approve a policy requiring each campus president to approve any course that could be seen as advocating for "race and gender ideology" or topics related to sexual orientation or gender identity. The policy defines race ideology as attempts to shame a particular race or ethnicity or promotion of activism on racial or ethnic issues, and gender ideology as self-assessed gender identity disconnected from biological sex. The regents also approved a separate policy prohibiting faculty from teaching material inconsistent with approved syllabi, with both policies taking effect immediately but enforcement beginning in spring 2026.

President Donald Trump signed a spending bill on November 12, 2025, that includes a ban on nearly all THC products, with restrictions capping allowable THC at 0.4 milligrams per package and taking effect one year after enactment. The legislation would require removal of most currently available hemp-derived THC products including edibles, beverages, and smokable forms from shelves. The spending package passed the U.S. Senate earlier in the week and cleared the U.S. House by a 222-209 vote on November 12, 2025.

Gov. Greg Abbott directed the Texas Department of Transportation to ensure cities and counties remove "non-standard surface markings" on roads, including "symbols, flags, or other markings conveying social, political, or ideological messages," citing roadway safety concerns. The directive targets decorated crosswalks and street murals across Texas, including rainbow crosswalks in Austin, the "Black Artists Matter" mural on East 11th Street, and community artworks in other cities such as Lubbock, Kerrville, and San Marcos. Abbott's order implements a federal "Safe Roads" initiative statewide, requiring the removal of artistic roadway designs regardless of local exemption requests or evidence regarding their safety impact.

The Texas A&M System Board of Regents approved a policy prohibiting its 12 universities from offering course content that advocates for race or gender ideology without approval from the institution's president or designee, becoming the first university system in Texas to implement such restrictions. The policy defines race ideology as concepts that shame particular races or ethnicities, accuse them of being oppressors, or promote activism rather than instruction, and defines gender ideology as self-assessed gender identity replacing biological sex categories. The regents also approved a measure requiring faculty to teach approved syllabi, and established a reporting system for students to report classes they believe violate the policy, with course reviews to begin in the coming weeks.

Abbott announced plans to restrict property tax increases for school districts and proposed allowing voters to reduce or eliminate school funding through ballot measures. The governor also stated his intention to direct state funding to private schools while limiting revenue available to public school systems. These proposals were announced as part of Abbott's reelection campaign for a fourth term as Texas governor.

Governor Abbott made eliminating homeowners' school property taxes and severely limiting local governments' control over property tax a top campaign issue. Abbott's plan would limit property appraisals to once every five years, require a two-thirds voter majority to approve local property tax increases, cap appraisal increases at 3 percent, mandate spending limits on local governments, and allow voters to eliminate local school property tax for homeowners. The plan does not specify how the state would replace the estimated 39.5 billion dollars in annual school district revenue that would be lost through elimination of homeowners' property taxes.

Nasdaq announced its intention to launch Nasdaq Texas, a new stock exchange based in the state, at the Permian Basin BBQ Cook-Off in Midland in November 2025. The announcement followed the establishment of Nasdaq's regional headquarters in Dallas in March 2025 and came after competitor exchanges NYSE Texas and Texas Stock Exchange had begun operations in the state. Rachel Racz, senior vice president and head of listings for Nasdaq's Texas, Southern U.S. and Latin America division, characterized the exchange as an extension of the company's two-decade investment presence in Texas.

Abbott vetoed legislation passed by the Texas Legislature that would have banned hemp-derived THC and CBD products statewide, citing legal and business concerns. The veto came as the hemp industry in Texas, which generates approximately eight billion dollars annually and employs tens of thousands of people across more than eight thousand licensed retailers, faced elimination through state-level action. Subsequently, Congress approved language in a federal spending deal that would ban most THC-containing hemp products nationwide, effective one year after passage, creating a separate federal restriction independent of Abbott's state-level veto.

The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents proposed a policy that would ban courses teaching "race ideology" and "gender ideology" unless they receive prior approval from the institution's president or a designee. The proposal defines "race ideology" as concepts that shame a particular race, accuse groups of being oppressors, or promote activism rather than instruction, and defines "gender ideology" as self-assessed gender identity disconnected from biological sex. The policy, set for a Thursday board vote, would add these prohibitions to the university system's Civil Rights Protections and Compliance policy and represents the first explicit ban on race-related instruction among major Texas university systems.

Governor Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Patrick ordered the Texas Rangers to investigate Texas Southern University following a state audit that found evidence of poor bookkeeping and financial mismanagement at the institution. The audit, conducted by State Auditor Lisa Collier, documented staff vacancies in critical financial positions, delays in financial reporting, poor asset oversight, and weak contracting processes, including over 700 invoices totaling more than $280 million tied to expired vendor contracts. Patrick indicated he would discuss with Abbott and House Speaker Dustin Burrows a potential freeze on the university's state funding, though the timing and scope of such a freeze remained unclear.

Abbott announced a six-point property tax relief plan during his reelection campaign kickoff in Houston on November 9, 2025, which he identified as a top priority for the next legislative session. The plan includes requiring local spending growth to be limited to a formula based on population and inflation or a flat 3.5 percent, whichever is less, and mandating voter approval through a two-thirds majority for local property tax increases. The proposal also would allow voters to petition to roll back existing property taxes if 15 percent of registered voters in a local area sign a petition, with much of the plan requiring a constitutional amendment.

Abbott announced a property tax relief plan during his reelection campaign launch in Houston on November 9, 2025, which would require voter approval by two-thirds majority for all property tax increases and grant voters the ability to abolish school district property taxes through a constitutional amendment. The plan stated that despite state relief measures, local government tax increases had negated billions in homeowner savings, and proposed shifting taxing authority decisions to voters rather than local governments. Abbott did not specify in the plan how public schools would be funded if school district property taxes were eliminated.

Texas submitted an application requesting $1 billion in federal funding through the Rural Health Transformation program, a five-year initiative distributing $50 billion across states. The application, submitted by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission ahead of the deadline in November 2025, proposes the "Rural Texas Strong" project with six initiatives addressing provider shortages, technology implementation, equipment upgrades, and rural health care worker recruitment and retention. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will review the state's application and announce funding allocations by the end of 2025, with distributions expected to begin in January 2026.

Texas Attorney General Paxton filed lawsuits against the Galveston, Round Rock, and Leander independent school districts in November 2025 for allegedly failing to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms as required by Senate Bill 10. The law, signed by Governor Abbott in June 2025, mandates that schools display donated posters or framed copies of the Ten Commandments in a conspicuous place in classrooms following its September 1 effective date. The three school districts received the Ten Commandments posters but did not display them, citing concerns about the law's constitutionality as similar legislation was being challenged in federal court.

Abbott signed Senate Bill 12 in 2023, legislation that prohibits sexually explicit drag performances on public property or in front of children, with penalties of $10,000 fines for business owners and Class A misdemeanor charges for performers. The law faced federal court challenges, with a district judge initially declaring it unconstitutional in September 2023 as an infringement on First Amendment protections. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law in February 2025, allowing it to take effect in March 2026 after years of litigation.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced a $1 million donation to Turning Point USA, a conservative advocacy organization led by Charlie Kirk, to expand the organization's chapters across Texas high schools and college campuses. Patrick stated he made the decision following a call with Turning Point USA executives and intended the contribution to support the organization's expansion efforts in the state. The donation was announced ahead of Patrick's appearance at a Turning Point USA event at the University of Houston.

Gov. Abbott announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Bobby Michael Dennis, a man accused of shooting a Jacksonville police officer and a K9 on Sunday. Dennis was added to the Texas 10 Most Wanted list as multiple agencies searched for him. Dennis was arrested Wednesday night in a wooded area west of Jacksonville city limits and was taken to the Cherokee County jail facing attempted murder, obstruction or retaliation, and interference with a police service animal charges.

Texas voters approved an $850 million endowment for Texas State Technical College on November 4, 2025, following Governor Abbott's prioritization of workforce training during the regular legislative session earlier that year. The constitutional amendment, designated as Proposition 1, will provide funds through the Texas Institution Infrastructure Fund and a new Workforce Education Fund to allow TSTC to repair campus infrastructure, upgrade classroom equipment, and expand operations across its 11 campuses. The endowment is intended to address a documented decline in skilled workers in fields such as plumbing and welding across Texas.

Texas voters approved Proposition 3, a constitutional amendment that requires judges to deny bail for defendants accused of specific violent offenses including murder, aggravated sexual assault, and human trafficking when the state demonstrates that pretrial detention is necessary to ensure public safety or the defendant's appearance in court. The measure expands the circumstances under which bail can be denied, as the Texas Constitution previously granted bail rights to nearly all arrested individuals except those charged with capital murder or certain repeat felonies. Governor Abbott had actively campaigned for the amendment's passage.

The Texas Department of Public Safety entered into two 287(g) agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement in October 2025, authorizing troopers in the highway patrol and criminal investigations divisions to arrest individuals suspected of being in the country without legal status. Under the task force model agreements, eligible DPS troopers gained federal immigration enforcement powers that could be exercised during routine patrols and job duties. The contracts were established as part of the Trump administration's initiative to expand state and local law enforcement participation in immigration enforcement operations.

Abbott vetoed a bipartisan budget measure during the summer that would have provided $60 million in funding for summer meals for children in Texas. This veto occurred while Texas ranked at the top of the nation in food insecurity. The state was also noted as not having developed contingency plans to assist families in the event of SNAP funding shortfalls, unlike more than half of U.S. states.

On October 8, 2025, Governor Abbott issued a directive calling for Texas counties and cities to remove symbols, flags, and markings conveying "social, political, or ideological messages" from public roadways, citing federal and state roadway safety guidelines. The directive created a deadline for compliance and threatened potential loss of federal and state transportation funding for non-compliant municipalities, with Dallas receiving approximately $142 million in federal transportation grants and $2 million from the Texas Department of Transportation in fiscal year 2024. Dallas City Council scheduled a closed executive session with City Attorney Tammy Palomino to discuss compliance with Abbott's order.

Texas voters approved Proposition 15 in November 2025, amending the state constitution to add parental rights to Article 1, the Bill of Rights section. The amendment establishes language affirming that parents have the fundamental right to exercise care, custody, and control of their children, including decisions concerning the child's upbringing. The measure passed with 70% of the vote and bipartisan legislative support, making Texas the first state to enshrine parental rights in its founding document.

Abbott issued a social media post on November 3, 2025, urging Austin residents to vote against Proposition Q, a proposed 20% property tax increase that would generate $110 million in additional revenue for the city. Abbott stated that the measure would raise property taxes and referenced concerns about Austin City Council members' spending of taxpayer funds on political organizations. The governor indicated he would work to make such spending illegal during the next legislative session.

Abbott supported Proposition 12, a ballot measure that would modify the composition of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct by replacing two attorney members appointed by the State Bar of Texas with two additional citizen members appointed by the governor. Under the current structure, the commission comprises six judges, two attorneys, and five citizen members, but Proposition 12 would give the governor seven appointees compared to six judges, allowing gubernatorial appointees to constitute a majority. Abbott's office stated the measure would ensure stricter consequences for judges who fail to uphold their duties, specifically referencing judicial discretion in bail determinations.

Governor Abbott publicly demanded that Texas A&M University fire children's literature professor Melissa McCoul in September 2025 after a video of a student confronting her over gender identity instruction went viral on social media. Following Abbott's demand, Texas A&M terminated McCoul, along with a dean, department head, and the university's president within days. Subsequently, multiple state university systems, including the UT System, announced audits of gender identity course content for compliance with state law and system priorities.

On October 8, 2025, Abbott issued a directive to the Texas Department of Transportation ordering the removal of rainbow crosswalks across the state, stating that cities and counties must erase "any and all political ideologies from our streets" and that taxpayer dollars should not be used to advance political agendas on roadways. Abbott instructed the transportation department to notify Texas municipalities that they had 30 days to comply with the directive. The order applied to symbols and flags on state roadways, with Abbott citing safety and consistent transportation infrastructure as the rationale.

Governor Abbott signed legislation in 2025 authorizing a $1 billion private school voucher program and assigned the Texas comptroller's office responsibility for its creation and administration. The comptroller's duties include selecting companies to administer the program, establishing rules for participating families, and producing annual reports on program outcomes. The voucher program, structured as education savings accounts allowing families to use taxpayer funds for private school or homeschooling costs, is scheduled to launch in the 2026-27 school year.

Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock announced the suspension of the Historically Underutilized Business program, a decades-long initiative that notified qualified minority-owned, women-owned, and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses about state contracting opportunities over $10,000. Hancock cited recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions limiting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and an executive order issued by Governor Abbott in January as legal basis for the suspension. The comptroller stated his office would conduct a detailed review of the program's legal framework to determine whether to permanently end it.

Governor Abbott signed House Bill 150 in June 2025, which created the Texas Cyber Command as a new state agency tasked with coordinating cybersecurity defense across Texas infrastructure. The agency consolidates cybersecurity functions from the Department of Information Resources and establishes coordination mechanisms with local governments and critical infrastructure operators. Texas Cyber Command is designed to provide real-time threat detection and response capabilities to address cyberattacks on state and local government systems, school districts, and utilities.

State lawmakers passed legislation in 2023 that Abbott signed into law, commonly referred to as the "Death Star" law, which prohibits Texas cities and counties from enacting local ordinances that exceed certain state law parameters. Three Dallas residents filed a lawsuit in Denton County District Court in October 2025 challenging approximately 83 Dallas city ordinances alleged to violate the 2023 law, including local protections for LGBTQ+ people, contractor wage requirements, and regulations on ride-hailing services and gas drilling. The lawsuit represents the first major test of the preemption statute since its passage, as other cities including Houston, San Antonio, and El Paso had previously sued to block the law's implementation.

Texas Governor Abbott signed new legislation in 2025 that imposed enhanced criminal penalties on human traffickers and mandated full sentences without parole eligibility for those who prey on children or disabled individuals. The laws also established an affirmative defense for survivors who committed crimes under coercion. These measures followed law enforcement operations such as Operation Lightning Bug, which located over 30 missing juveniles suspected of sex trafficking and opened multiple human trafficking investigations.

Texas Secretary of State Nelson flagged more than 2,700 individuals as potential noncitizens using the Trump administration's expanded access to the SAVE system, a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services database previously restricted for voter roll verification. The Trump administration widened access to the SAVE tool to allow states to conduct bulk comparisons between voter records and citizenship information at no cost, whereas previous searches carried per-query fees. Nelson forwarded the flagged names to county officials, who are required by state law to notify voters and provide them an opportunity to demonstrate citizenship before any removal from the rolls occurs.

Abbott authorized the deployment of several hundred Texas National Guard members to Illinois at President Trump's direction to provide security for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducting immigration enforcement operations. A federal judge ruled on October 11 that the deployment could remain in Illinois but could not be activated until legal proceedings were completed. According to a University of Texas poll conducted between October 10 and 20, a majority of Texans opposed the deployment, with 51 percent expressing strong or somewhat strong opposition compared to 41 percent who supported the action.

On October 8, 2025, Abbott issued a directive ordering Texas cities and counties to remove what he characterized as "political ideologies" from public roadways, without specifying what such ideologies entailed. The order prompted concern among Oak Lawn residents regarding rainbow crosswalks installed in 2020, which faced potential removal under the 30-day deadline of the directive. Oak Lawn United Methodist Church subsequently painted rainbow stripes on its front steps, which remained outside the scope of Abbott's order because the steps are located on private property.

Governor Abbott appointed Stacy Hock to chair the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in October 2025, replacing Fred Farias who resigned to take a position at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Hock, a philanthropist and private investor who had served on the coordinating board since 2024, will lead the state authority responsible for overseeing colleges and universities, distributing financial aid, approving degree programs, and monitoring institutional compliance with state law. Abbott made the appointment during a period when Republican leaders were pressuring higher education institutions regarding course content, while Hock stated her priorities include improving access to higher education, aligning degrees with workforce needs, and supporting state-expressed ideals including free inquiry and pursuit of truth.

Governor Abbott appointed former Texas Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins to the Texas Supreme Court in October 2025 to replace retiring Justice Jeff Boyd. Hawkins served as Texas' top appellate attorney for two and a half years before resigning in 2021, shortly after Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit challenging the 2020 election results, which Hawkins did not sign onto. With this appointment, Abbott has named seven of the nine justices currently serving on the Texas Supreme Court.

Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath announced on October 23, 2025, that the state would assume control of the Fort Worth Independent School District, removing its elected school board and appointing state-selected leadership to oversee the district's operations. The takeover followed the district's failure to meet academic accountability standards for five consecutive years at Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade, which the district closed at the end of the 2023-24 school year, as well as broader performance issues including only 34 percent of students performing at grade level on state standardized exams. The Fort Worth ISD takeover marks the second-largest state intervention in Texas history since 2000, with the district being the eleventh to undergo such action during that period.

In 2023, Abbott signed an $18 billion property tax relief package, the largest property tax cut in state history, which compressed school tax rates and raised the homestead exemption. Lawmakers passed a similar package during the June 2025 legislative session. Texas does not collect personal income tax, making rebate programs tied to household earnings impractical, and state leaders have indicated no plans to issue inflation refund checks similar to those distributed in New York.

Abbott issued a directive to the Texas Department of Public Safety to lead an operation removing homeless encampments in Austin, which began in late October 2025 and resulted in the dismantling of 48 encampments within the first week. The governor stated the operation's purpose was to address public safety and cleanliness concerns, and reported that it resulted in 24 arrests of repeat felony offenders, seizure of over 125 grams of narcotics, and removal of 3,000 pounds of debris. The state operation was conducted without coordination with Austin city officials, according to the article.

Governor Abbott's office released a research report recommending that Texas invest in rebuilding a nuclear industry within the state. Earlier in the year, lawmakers passed legislation creating a $350 million grant program for nuclear projects in Texas. Abbott addressed nuclear industry leaders at the Texas Nuclear Summit, stating that Texas should serve as the epicenter for nuclear power generation in the United States.

Abbott issued an order to deploy Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and Texas National Guard soldiers to Austin ahead of the "No Kings" protest held on October 18, 2025. The protest, which drew tens of thousands of participants, began at the Texas State Capitol and proceeded to Auditorium Shores as part of a nationwide demonstration. The event remained peaceful despite the enhanced security presence.

Abbott signed legislation during the 2025 legislative session establishing a school voucher program that would use public money to pay for private education, after previously failing to pass similar measures in 2023. The voucher bill became the subject of a dispute between Abbott and state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, a Democrat who criticized the measure as draining resources from public schools. Hinojosa subsequently announced her candidacy for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination to challenge Abbott in the 2026 general election.

Texas Attorney General Paxton announced an investigation into the University of North Texas after the university did not act on his earlier request to discipline students accused of celebrating the shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. In a letter, Paxton also cited other incidents on campus including a student shredding materials from Turning Point USA and alleged posters promoting what he characterized as militant movements. Paxton called on the university to expel the students involved in celebrating Kirk's death.

Abbott directed the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas National Guard to deploy law enforcement resources in Austin ahead of planned "No Kings" protests scheduled for Saturday, citing concerns about a "planned antifa-linked demonstration." Abbott stated the deployment was intended to ensure safety and prevent criminal activity, property damage, and violence. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson subsequently clarified that National Guard troops would not be stationed on city streets unless an emergency need arose.

Attorney General Paxton filed a lawsuit seeking to revoke the nonprofit charter of FIEL Houston, an immigrants rights organization, alleging the group violated federal nonprofit regulations by criticizing President Trump, Governor Abbott, and advocating against state legislation including SB4, the migrant deportation law. An appeals court ruled in October 2025 that Paxton's lawsuit could proceed to a lower court for consideration, reversing a 2024 decision that had blocked the effort, though the court did not rule on the merits of Paxton's allegations. FIEL Houston has characterized the lawsuit as retaliation for the organization's prior legal challenges to state election laws.

Dallas Police Chief Daniel Comeaux declined a $25 million federal offer to participate in the 287(g) program, which would have authorized some Dallas police officers to enforce federal immigration laws. Comeaux announced the rejection during a Community Police Oversight Board meeting in October 2025, stating that the department had been contacted by the federal government within the preceding two weeks. A Dallas police spokesman stated that the department declined the agreement to focus on responding to 911 calls and addressing violent crime.

Texas' chief financial officer hired New York-based finance and technology company Odyssey under a $52 million contract to design and manage the state's school voucher program. According to the contract's project work plan, private schools may begin registering to participate in the program starting December 2, 2025, while Texas families could begin submitting applications for vouchers beginning February 4, 2026, with the application window remaining open through mid-March. The voucher program will allow families to use public taxpayer dollars toward private or home-school education for their children, with potential program funding reaching nearly $5 billion over the next five years.

A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction on October 14, 2025, temporarily blocking the University of Texas System from enforcing provisions of a state law that took effect September 1 and restricts expressive activities on campuses between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. and during the final two weeks of semesters. U.S. District Judge David A. Ezra ruled that student groups challenging the law, including a campus ministry, student newspaper, and performance groups, demonstrated the restrictions likely violate First Amendment rights and that the state had not met its burden of proving the restrictions were narrowly tailored to a compelling governmental interest. The UT System stated it complies with the law and court orders while the litigation proceeds.

Abbott agreed to send Texas National Guard soldiers to Chicago at President Donald Trump's request in October 2025, with Abbott stating the soldiers were "putting America first by ensuring that the federal government can safely enforce federal law." Former President Barack Obama criticized the deployment, drawing a contrast with Republican responses a decade earlier when Obama oversaw routine military exercises in Texas, including Jade Helm 15, which prompted Abbott as attorney general to direct the Texas State Guard to monitor the operation. Abbott's spokesman responded by stating that public safety should be the first priority for elected officials and that the soldiers were needed because "liberal governments in Obama's hometown" were not adequately protecting people and property.

Governor Abbott designated bail reform as an emergency legislative priority for multiple consecutive sessions, leading the Texas Legislature to pass Senate Joint Resolution 5 with bipartisan support earlier in 2025. The measure, now on the ballot as Proposition 3, would amend the Texas Constitution to allow judges to deny bail to defendants accused of certain violent felonies if prosecutors demonstrate at a hearing that the defendant poses a flight risk or danger to the public. Texas voters will decide on the constitutional amendment during the November 4, 2025 general election.

The Texas Legislature approved Proposition 15, a constitutional amendment that would enshrine parental rights in the Texas Constitution, making Texas the first state to add such protections to its founding document. The amendment would establish that parents have a fundamental right to exercise care, custody, and control of their children, including decisions concerning the child's upbringing, while maintaining that existing state and federal laws against child abuse and other protections would remain unchanged. The proposition was scheduled to appear on the ballot on November 4, 2025, as one of 17 proposed constitutional amendments.

Governor Abbott called on state lawmakers to make a "Texas-sized" investment in water infrastructure earlier in 2025. Legislators responded by proposing a constitutional amendment, designated as Proposition 4, that would dedicate up to $1 billion in annual sales tax revenue to the Texas Water Fund from 2027 to 2047. The amendment directs funding toward water and wastewater projects including infrastructure repairs, development of new water sources, and conservation efforts, with voters scheduled to decide on the measure in the November 4 election.

Governor Abbott backed the deployment of Texas National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon and Chicago, Illinois by the Trump administration to protect federal property and staff at Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities. In response to Abbott's support for these deployments, social media users organized a boycott campaign targeting Texas-based companies including Tesla, Dell, Oracle, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, AT&T, Exxon Mobil, and others. Courts in both Oregon and Illinois subsequently halted the National Guard deployments, ruling them unlawful.

Abbott authorized the deployment of Texas National Guard personnel to Illinois at the request of the federal government to support protection of federal employees and facilities. The deployment was announced in October 2025 and involved sending military personnel from Texas to Chicago. Illinois did not request the deployment, and the action generated public debate regarding the use of state National Guard resources outside Texas.

On October 9, 2025, Governor Abbott issued a directive to the Texas Department of Transportation requiring counties and cities to remove "any and all political ideologies" from streets, including symbols and flags, within a 30-day deadline. The order threatened to withhold state and federal transportation funding from jurisdictions that failed to comply. The directive prompted Dallas city officials to review the letter and evaluate its implications for the city's rainbow crosswalks in the Oak Lawn neighborhood, which had been installed as a historical marker recognizing the area's significance to the LGBTQ community since the 1960s.

Governor Abbott directed the Texas Department of Transportation to ensure cities remove any and all political ideologies, symbols, flags, or other markings conveying social, political, or ideological messages from streets. The directive, issued in October 2025, applies broadly to public spaces though rainbow crosswalks in Dallas and similar displays in other cities are expected to be affected. The crosswalks in question, located on Cedar Springs Road in Oak Lawn, were installed in 2020 and have been maintained through private funding.

Governor Abbott declined to grant clemency to Robert Roberson, an East Texas death row inmate scheduled for execution on October 16, 2025, for the 2003 death of his 2-year-old daughter. Roberson's case gained national attention for relying on the outdated medical theory of "shaken baby syndrome" and for containing numerous trial irregularities, including a dropped child sexual abuse allegation and missing exculpatory evidence. Abbott's decision came after a bipartisan coalition of Texas lawmakers had called for Roberson's release and multiple court stays had already postponed his execution twice.

Texas Attorney General Paxton filed a joint motion with the Republican Party of Texas asking a U.S. district judge in Amarillo to strike down part of the state's election code that prohibits closed primary elections. The motion argued that the law banning closed primaries violates the parties' right to affiliate only with like-minded persons. If successful, the change would restrict participation in Texas Republican primary elections to voters registered with the GOP.

Abbott signed Senate Bill 494 into law in June, legislation that created the State Taskforce on Petroleum Theft (STOPTHEFT) to study and make recommendations on preventing theft of equipment, materials, and crude oil from oil and gas operations in Texas. The Railroad Commission subsequently announced the 13 members of the task force, which includes energy company representatives, law enforcement officials, and local officials tasked with coordinating a comprehensive strategy to address oilfield theft. Abbott stated at the signing that the legislation was necessary to protect the energy sector's role in fueling the state's economy, particularly in the Permian Basin region.

Texas Gov. Abbott authorized the deployment of 200 Texas National Guard troops to Chicago at the direction of the Trump administration to protect federal property, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities. The deployment was set for a 60-day duration. Illinois state officials objected to the deployment, contending it violated state sovereignty and exceeded federal authority.

Governor Abbott authorized the deployment of Texas National Guard troops to Illinois in October 2025 to support federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, stating the troops would "safeguard" ICE officers conducting immigration enforcement activities. A federal judge ruled on October 11, 2025 that the deployed National Guard members could remain in Illinois but could not be activated for operations. This ruling came after the Trump administration appealed an earlier temporary block issued by U.S. District Judge April Perry on October 9, 2025.

Abbott authorized the deployment of 400 members of the Texas National Guard to Illinois in response to a White House request, with the governor confirming the action on social media on October 6, 2025. The National Guard troops arrived at an Army Reserve center south of Chicago on October 7, 2025, for an initial 60-day deployment intended to provide security for federal officials and law enforcement activities. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson objected to the deployment, and a federal judge scheduled a hearing for October 9, 2025, to consider whether to grant a temporary restraining order to block the action.

Governor Abbott announced that he had authorized President Trump to federalize and deploy 400 members of the Texas National Guard to Illinois and Oregon to assist federal immigration agents facing community resistance in those states. Abbott stated on social media that Texas Guard members could be deployed as peacekeepers to states where federal agents encountered opposition, and that states could either enforce federal protections or allow Texas to do so. The deployment followed localized confrontations between federal agents and demonstrators in several cities, though neither Illinois nor Oregon requested the assistance.

Texas Attorney General Paxton announced that his office will "vigorously enforce" a state law requiring public schools to post the Ten Commandments in every classroom, despite a federal judge's August injunction blocking implementation in eleven school districts across the state. Governor Abbott signed the Ten Commandments law over the summer. Paxton's enforcement directive came after a second lawsuit challenging the law was filed in late September.

Texas' chief financial officer selected Odyssey, a technology and finance company, to help develop the state's school voucher program that lawmakers approved in 2025. Odyssey will design the application process for families to receive education savings accounts, manage the payment system for educational expenses, and oversee complaint reviews. Applications for the program, officially named Texas Education Freedom Accounts, are expected to open in early 2026, with the program launching at the beginning of the 2026-27 school year.

Abbott authorized President Trump to call 400 members of the Texas National Guard to assist in protecting federal officials and employees in Oregon and Illinois at Trump's request. Abbott confirmed the deployment of Texas National Guard troops on October 7, 2025, posting images of troops with riot shields boarding aircraft at an airport runway. The deployment occurred despite lawsuits filed by Oregon and Illinois seeking to block the National Guard deployment, with federal court orders subsequently issued to prevent troops from multiple states from being sent to Oregon.

Abbott supported the deployment of 400 Texas National Guard troops to Chicago as part of the Trump administration's Operation Midway Blitz, which aimed to protect federal functions and personnel during immigration enforcement operations. The deployment occurred over the vehement opposition of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and resulted in the first contingent of Texas Guard members arriving in Chicago on October 8, 2025, for an initial 60-day period. Illinois subsequently filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the interstate deployment.

Texas Governor Abbott stated in a social media post that he supported President Trump's order to deploy 400 Texas National Guard members to Portland, Chicago, and other locations, characterizing the deployment as necessary to "ensure safety for federal officials" and emphasizing the capabilities of the Texas National Guard. A federal judge temporarily blocked the deployment later that same evening, ruling that Trump's use of out-of-state National Guard troops was "in direct contravention" of her original order restricting the use of Oregon's own troops. The Texas National Guard troops were to have been placed under the command and control of the U.S. Northern Command for an initial 60-day period, subject to extension.

Abbott authorized President Donald Trump to deploy 400 members of the Texas National Guard to other states to provide security for federal officials conducting immigration enforcement operations. The authorization followed Trump administration statements that National Guard personnel were needed to protect federal immigration agents during arrests of undocumented migrants and related operations. Abbott's authorization prompted Illinois and Oregon to file federal lawsuits seeking to block the deployment of Texas National Guard troops to their respective states.

Abbott signed an $18 billion property tax relief package in 2023, which compressed school tax rates and raised the homestead exemption. Lawmakers passed a similar property tax relief package during the June 2025 legislative session. Voters will decide whether to approve further property tax cuts at the ballot box in November 2025.

The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents appointed Tommy Williams, a former state senator and representative, as the flagship university's interim president on Friday. Williams will lead the 79,000-student institution during a transitional period while the board conducts a search for a permanent president. The board cited Williams' understanding of higher education policy, legislative experience, and ties to the Texas Legislature as factors qualifying him for the temporary role.

The Trump administration named the University of Texas at Austin as one of nine universities eligible for federal funding advantages through a "Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education" that requires capping international student enrollment, recognizing only two genders, freezing tuition for five years, and protecting conservative speech. Universities agreeing to the terms would receive priority access to research funding and looser regulations on overhead costs. UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife stated the system was "enthusiastically" reviewing the compact's demands in coordination with Governor Abbott.

Governor Abbott signed a redistricting map in August that redrew the state's congressional districts, including the 35th Congressional District spanning Bexar, Guadalupe, Wilson, and Karnes counties. The redistricting map gave the 35th District a new Republican lean, with analysis indicating the seat would have favored Donald Trump by approximately 10 points in the 2024 presidential election. The redrawn district prompted multiple Republican candidates, including Carlos De La Cruz, to announce campaigns for the seat in the March primary.

Governor Abbott announced a special legislative session to redraw Texas congressional maps following a July letter from the U.S. Department of Justice contending that four majority-minority districts were unconstitutionally gerrymandered. The newly approved congressional maps are the subject of a federal hearing in El Paso to determine whether the redistricting dilutes the voting power of minorities. Plaintiffs' lawyers are seeking to prove that state lawmakers intentionally used race to gerrymander the congressional districts after receiving the Justice Department letter.

Governor Abbott launched a violent crimes task force in Harris County composed of state, county, and local law enforcement agencies designed to identify, track, and arrest repeat criminal offenders. The task force brings together officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety and multiple local agencies to conduct coordinated operations in high-crime neighborhoods. Abbott stated he intends to expand the task force to other areas of Texas following evaluation of its effectiveness in the Houston area.

The Texas Department of Public Safety announced in September 2025 that it would cease issuing and renewing commercial driver's licenses to DACA recipients, refugees, and individuals with asylum status. The action followed a national policy issued by President Donald Trump that restricted non-citizens from obtaining commercial driver's licenses and threatened to withhold federal funding from non-compliant states. Governor Abbott had directed the department earlier that month to strictly enforce English proficiency requirements for commercial drivers in the state.

Governor Abbott directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to suspend the issuance of commercial driver licenses and learner's permits to refugees, asylees, and DACA recipients in response to a federal emergency rule change announced by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Friday. The action followed a nationwide audit by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that identified patterns of states issuing licenses to foreign drivers in violation of federal standards. Abbott also directed the department to conduct English Language Proficiency reviews for all commercial license operators on Texas roads earlier in the month.

The University of Texas System announced it will review all gender studies courses at its 14 institutions for compliance with law and alignment with the Board of Regents' priorities, with results to be discussed at the November Board of Regents meeting. The review follows increased scrutiny of course content on gender identity and LGBTQ studies at Texas public universities in September 2025. The UT System's flagship Austin campus conducted an audit of its courses examining classes and readings in this area of study as part of a broader curriculum assessment.

Governor Abbott signed into law new congressional district boundaries designed to shift up to five Texas House seats to Republicans, which were sought by President Donald Trump. Plaintiffs including the League of United Latin American Citizens and the Texas NAACP filed a federal lawsuit challenging the maps as unconstitutional voter discrimination. A federal hearing on the legality of the new boundaries began Wednesday in El Paso, with plaintiffs seeking an injunction to block the maps before the candidate filing period for the 2026 midterm elections.

Texas Tech University System Chancellor Tedd Mitchell issued a directive requiring faculty across the system's five universities to limit classroom discussion of transgender and nonbinary identities in accordance with President Donald Trump's executive order on gender, Governor Greg Abbott's directive on gender ideology, and Texas House Bill 229. Mitchell's memo stated that while recognizing First Amendment rights of employees in their personal capacity, faculty must comply with these policies within the scope of their employment and instruction of students. The vague directive prompted concerns from professors, students, free speech organizations, and LGBTQ+ advocates regarding its implementation and potential consequences.

Texas Governor Abbott signed legislation establishing an annual free college application week during the second full week of October, during which application fees at the state's public universities and community colleges are waived for in-state undergraduate applicants. The policy applies to first-time college students and transfer students who are lawfully present in the United States, with applications submitted through ApplyTexas, the state's online college application portal. Graduate program applications are excluded from the fee waiver initiative.

Texas Tech University System Chancellor Tedd Mitchell issued a memo instructing the system's five institutions to prohibit classroom instruction teaching that more than two genders exist, citing compliance with House Bill 229 and guidance from Governor Abbott. The directive applies to faculty instruction within the course and scope of their employment while recognizing First Amendment protections for employees' personal speech. The memo affects over 64,000 students enrolled annually across the system.

Abbott made remarks during a bill signing event in September 2025 regarding a Houston imam's campaign against Muslim-owned businesses, stating that Texas law governs such businesses and no religious leader could override state authority. Abbott stated that the Texas Department of Public Safety was investigating the imam's activities, though the specific laws potentially violated remained unclear. Abbott's comments were part of a broader effort by Texas Republican officials to target Sharia law as a policy concern in recent months.

Governor Abbott issued an executive order directing the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and the Texas Department of State Health Services to ban sales of THC products to minors and require ID verification for all customers. The TABC approved an emergency rule prohibiting its approximately 60,000 license holders from selling THC to anyone under 21, effective Tuesday with enforcement beginning October 1. The rule represents the first regulatory step toward fulfilling Abbott's directive, with formal rulemaking expected to be completed by January 2026.

Governor Abbott signed House Bill 128 into law in June, which requires all Texas cities to terminate sister city agreements with China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia by October 1. The Dallas City Council approved ending the city's sister city connections with Tianjin, China, established in 1995, and Saratov, Russia, established in 2004, to comply with the state law. The council's action fulfilled the statutory requirement that took effect following Abbott's signing of the legislation.

The Texas Attorney General's Office filed a 41-page court document acknowledging that the Justice Department's summer rationale for redistricting was flawed while defending the state's right to proceed with new congressional maps. The filing shifted emphasis from the Department's claims about racial gerrymandering to an explicit acknowledgment of partisan motivation, stating that Texas intended to create five additional Republican-winnable districts to expand the party's House majority ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The new map was approved in a special legislative session in August 2025 along party lines after House Democrats staged a two-week walkout.

Texas Gov. Abbott issued a statement and social media post on September 24, 2025, following a shooting at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Dallas that resulted in two detainee deaths and two critical injuries. Abbott stated that the attack would not impede ICE's arrest, detention, and deportation operations and emphasized that Texas fully supports ICE through coordination between the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas National Guard, and ICE. Abbott also released an official statement characterizing the attack as "cowardly" and calling for the country to reject political violence.

Rep. Harrison posted a video on September 8 showing a student confronting senior lecturer Melissa McCoul over gender content in a Texas A&M English department course. Texas A&M President Mark A. Welsh III fired McCoul the following day, but Harrison continued publicly calling for Welsh's removal, citing concerns about DEI and LGBTQ content in university programs. Welsh resigned the following week, after which Harrison posted on social media celebrating the president's departure.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 10 in June, which requires school districts to display donated copies of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. A third lawsuit was filed in September against 14 school districts over the law's implementation, joining two previous lawsuits filed in June and July by families of various faith backgrounds. Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a directive in August reinforcing that districts should comply with the law despite a federal judge's temporary block on enforcement for some districts.

Governor Abbott called for Texas State University to expel a student who mocked the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk and posted on social media that a "dramatic course correction" is needed to prevent speech that "celebrates" Kirk's assassination. Through his press secretary, Abbott stated that any student violating school code of conduct by condoning or inciting political violence must face swift disciplinary action. Legal experts have questioned whether the college's subsequent disciplinary actions, taken in response to the governor's demands, comply with First Amendment protections for free speech.

Governor Abbott signed into law legislation banning Shariah communities, with the bill specifically targeting EPIC City, a planned Muslim-centric residential development. The law prohibits the establishment of communities organized around Shariah law principles. Abbott held a ceremonial bill-signing event to mark the enactment of this legislation.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called for the investigation and firing of public school teachers whose social media posts mocked Charlie Kirk's death, and requested the expulsion of university students who made similar comments, characterizing these actions as necessary course correction to restore civility. Abbott stated in a video posted to social media that members of society celebrating an assassination require dramatic intervention, particularly through investigations by the state education agency and disciplinary action on school campuses. The governor's campaign prompted debate within Republican ranks, with some party members including Karl Rove and U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz expressing concerns that the effort to punish Kirk's critics conflicts with First Amendment protections, while others defended consequences short of criminal prosecution such as employment termination and expulsion.

Abbott vetoed Senate Bill 3, which would have imposed a statewide ban on all tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) products derived from hemp. The veto followed a coordinated campaign by hemp industry leaders who met with Abbott, commissioned polling on the measure's unpopularity with Republican voters, and mobilized grassroots opposition including over 100,000 letters to the governor. Abbott subsequently issued an executive order establishing new regulatory frameworks for the state's hemp industry rather than implementing an outright prohibition.

Governor Abbott signed legislation passed in 2025 that replaces the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness with three smaller exams administered throughout the school year. The new assessment system will take effect during the 2027-28 school year for public school students in third through eighth grades. Abbott had designated the elimination of the STAAR test as a priority for the legislative special session.

Governor Greg Abbott announced that Texas awarded a $250 million grant from the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund to Samsung Austin Semiconductor for its fabrication facility under construction in Taylor, the largest grant in the program's history. The grant is tied to Samsung's $4.73 billion capital investment at the site, which is expected to employ approximately 2,000 people once operations begin in late 2026. The project also received up to $4.75 billion in federal support under the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act and includes manufacturing agreements with Tesla Inc.

Governor Abbott called for the expulsion of a Texas State University student after a video showed the student mocking conservative activist Charlie Kirk's death, which occurred on September 10 during an event at Utah Valley University. Six hours after Abbott's public demand, Texas State University President Kelly Damphousse announced that the student identified in the video was "no longer a student" at the university, though the statement did not specify whether the student was expelled or voluntarily withdrew. Abbott stated in a social media post that "mocking assassination must have consequences."

Governor Abbott demanded the termination of Melissa McCoul, a Texas A&M University professor, after a viral video showed a student confronting her over gender identity content in a children's literature course. Texas A&M's administration subsequently fired McCoul and demoted the dean and English department head within hours of Abbott's demand. The firing occurred more than two years after Texas A&M had publicly reaffirmed its commitment to academic freedom and the protection of faculty members' classroom speech.

Governor Abbott shared a viral video of a Texas State University student on social media, which prompted political pressure on the university regarding the student's remarks about Charlie Kirk's death. Texas State University President Kelly Damphousse announced that the student seen in the video was no longer enrolled at the university and stated that such behavior was inconsistent with university values. Abbott also announced that more than 100 K-12 educators would lose their teaching certification following public remarks about Kirk's death that he characterized as inciting violence.

Governor Abbott appointed retired Navy admiral Timothy "T.J." White as the first chief of the Texas Cyber Command, a $345.2 million headquarters approved by lawmakers during the 2025 legislative session to be based in San Antonio. White, a 33-year Navy veteran and cybersecurity expert who previously commanded the Navy's cyber forces at Fleet Cyber Command, will oversee a staff expected to grow from 65 full-time employees by late 2026 to 130 by the following year. The Texas Cyber Command was established to help protect state entities, infrastructure, utilities, and other critical systems against cyberattacks and data breaches.

Governor Abbott appointed Timothy James "TJ" White, a retired U.S. Navy vice admiral and former head of the U.S. Cyber Command, to lead the Texas Cyber Command, a state agency created by lawmakers in 2025. White, a Boerne resident who currently owns a cybersecurity company in Austin, will serve until February 1, 2027. Abbott stated that the appointment was made to address escalating cyber threats to Texas, which ranks among the nation's top targets for cyberattacks from foreign adversaries and criminal actors.

Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced a select committee to investigate civil discourse and freedom of speech in higher education following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The committee will also examine campus security and implementation of Senate Bill 37, the higher education law passed in the previous legislative session that expanded governor-appointed regents' authority over hiring, curriculum, and degrees. Abbott shared social media posts about Texas students' reactions to Kirk's death and called on Texas State University to identify and take action against a student captured on video miming Kirk's death at a memorial event.

Texas Governor Abbott signed House Bill 4211 on September 12, 2025, legislation authored by Representative Candy Noble that requires business entities to disclose to buyers that they are purchasing an interest in a business rather than residential property. The law took effect September 1, 2025, and was directed at the business structure of the planned EPIC City development near Josephine, which the governor stated had raised concerns about potentially misleading investors. Abbott held a ceremonial signing at Heritage Ranch Golf & Country Club in Fairview with over a dozen state and local officials in attendance.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott appointed ten judges to the newly created Texas Business Court system, with two judges assigned to each of five divisions located in San Antonio, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and Houston. Abbott swore in the appointed judges at an official ceremony at Texas A&M University School of Law in Fort Worth on September 19, 2024. In its first year of operation, the Business Court received more than 180 filed cases, with the majority involving disputes tied to the energy industry, followed by real estate and construction cases.

Abbott directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to create specialty strike teams to assist federal immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. From late January through early September 2025, DPS recorded 3,131 arrests connected to these teams, with approximately 88 percent of those arrested on suspicion of violating federal immigration laws such as improper entry. The operation, referred to as "Operation Lone Star 2.0," represents a shift in state resources toward a role previously performed exclusively by federal authorities.

Governor Abbott issued an executive order establishing age limits on low-dose THC products and directing state regulators to develop a more comprehensive oversight framework for retailers of these items. The action came after legislative efforts to either ban or regulate THC-containing gummies, drinks, and snacks failed to reach agreement among Republican state leaders on product potency limits. Abbott stated that the executive order was necessary because lawmakers had not passed legislation to his desk despite multiple opportunities to address the matter.

Abbott issued an executive order establishing a minimum age of 21 for the purchase of THC products and requiring retailers to verify identification similar to alcohol and cigarette sales requirements. The order also modified concentration limits on THC products, which would likely restrict smokable flower products while maintaining access for adults over 21 to edible, drinkable, and topical products. The executive order followed Abbott's veto in June of legislation that would have implemented a total ban on THC products.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered U.S. and Texas flags at all state government buildings to be lowered to half-staff in honor of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot at Utah Valley University on September 10, 2025. Abbott's order followed a proclamation by President Donald Trump and specified that flags would remain at half-staff until sunset on Sunday, September 14. The flag lowering coincided with the National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11.

Governor Abbott delayed the special election to fill the U.S. House seat vacated by the death of Representative Sylvester Turner in March 2025, scheduling it for November rather than holding it earlier as other states did following similar vacancies. Abbott stated that Harris County's history of election administration problems warranted additional time for preparation. The delay left nearly one million Houston residents without congressional representation for over six months, among the longest vacancies in recent congressional history.

Governor Greg Abbott directed Texas A&M President Mark Welsh to terminate a professor who had discussed gender identity in a children's literature course, following a viral video of the classroom discussion and criticism from a state lawmaker. Welsh announced the firing in an email to university families, stating the professor taught content not clearly stated in the course description and removed the college dean and department head from administrative positions for approving the course plan. The termination occurred less than 48 hours after Representative Brian Harrison shared videos of the discussion and occurred within hours of Abbott's directive to fire the professor.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued an executive order on September 10, 2025, restricting hemp-based THC products such as gummies and drinks to consumers age 21 and older, effective immediately. The order directed state alcohol regulators and health officials to study additional restrictions on testing, location, and packaging for these products. Abbott's action followed the conclusion of a second special legislative session in which lawmakers failed to reach agreement on regulating the THC market.

Governor Abbott called for a "Texas-sized" investment in water during the lead-up to the 89th legislative session, citing concerns about future water shortages as the state's population and economy continue to grow. In response, legislators passed a constitutional amendment that would allocate $1 billion annually from 2027 to 2047 to the Texas Water Fund, with half designated for new water supplies and half for infrastructure improvements. The amendment requires approval from Texas voters in November before the funding mechanism takes effect.

Governor Abbott stated in a February 2025 interview that he sought to reduce faculty power on Texas university campuses through legislation that would remove professors from hiring and firing decisions. A new state law required governor-appointed regents at Texas university systems to decide by September 1, 2025, whether to maintain faculty senates, the bodies traditionally responsible for developing academic policy. Following this law, some university systems including the University of Texas at Dallas eliminated their faculty senates, shifting authority over academic and hiring decisions to university presidents and regent boards.

Abbott's office warned that Corpus Christi could be cut off from future state financial aid after the city council voted down a seawater desalination plant that the governor had prioritized as part of his water development agenda. The governor's chief of staff, Robert Black, reportedly called city council member Carolyn Vaughn before the vote and stated that if the city did not back the $1.2 billion project, Corpus Christi would receive no future state funding. Abbott's office justified the position by stating that the city was proving itself an untrustworthy partner after the state had already invested $235 million in direct funding and approved over $700 million in low-interest loans for the project.

Creighton, a Texas state senator, was named sole finalist for chancellor of the Texas Tech University System after stepping down from the legislature. As a state senator, Creighton had architected legislation reshaping higher education in Texas, including measures banning diversity, equity and inclusion programs and limiting campus protests and faculty influence. Texas Tech regents selected Creighton for the position, citing his political connections and influence at the Capitol as assets for securing funding and expanding research opportunities.

Governor Abbott vetoed a total ban of hemp products in June 2025, preventing the restriction of hemp-derived THC products that had been subject to legislative debate throughout the year. The Texas hemp industry, valued at approximately $8 billion, faced ongoing threats of prohibition or sharp curtailment through committee hearings and legislative proposals. Following Abbott's veto and subsequent closure of the second special legislative session in early September without new restrictions, hemp-derived THC products including gummies, flower buds, and drinks remained legal for sale across Texas retail establishments.

Abbott signed House Bill 1, the Youth CAMPER Act, which requires youth camps to adopt emergency plans, train staff, notify parents of floodplain risks, and share plans with local emergency services, with enforcement authority granted to the Department of State Health Services. Abbott also signed Senate Bill 1, the Heaven's 27 Camp Safety Act, which prohibits DSHS from licensing youth camps with cabins in FEMA-designated floodplains, requires annual emergency training, and creates an online registry of licensed youth camps. Additionally, Abbott signed Senate Bill 3, establishing a grant program at the Office of the Governor to provide financial support to municipalities and counties for installation of early-warning sirens in flash-flood-prone areas.

The Republican Party of Texas filed a federal lawsuit in Amarillo against the state and Secretary of State Jane Nelson challenging the constitutionality of Texas' open primary system, arguing that allowing all voters to participate in Republican primaries violates the party's First Amendment right to freedom of political association. The lawsuit seeks to restrict Republican primary participation to registered party members beginning with the 2026 elections. Party Chair Abraham George stated the litigation was prompted by the failure of lawmakers to pass primary closure bills during the legislative session and expressed the goal of enabling more conservative candidates to win nomination.

Governor Abbott signed legislation following deadly floods at Camp Mystic in the Hill Country that killed at least 137 people, including 27 children and campers. The bills create new safety requirements and flood plain regulations for youth camps, mandate funding for outdoor emergency flood sirens, and allocate money from the state's rainy day fund for disaster relief. The legislation was sent to Abbott across two special legislative sessions at his request.

Texas Governor Abbott indicated on September 5, 2025, that he might call a third special legislative session to address bills that remained unresolved during the summer special sessions. Potential legislation for such a session included Senate Bill 3 on THC regulations, Senate Bill 10 on property tax caps, House Bill 15 on sealing police records, and House Bill 27 on delaying an East Texas water project. Abbott stated "Something may be happening soon" but did not confirm a decision to convene another special session.

Abbott signed the Heaven's 27 Camp Safety Act on September 5, 2025, which prohibits the state from licensing youth camps with cabins located in floodplains. The legislation also requires residential youth camps to develop detailed emergency response plans including evacuation procedures, shelter-in-place protocols, and first-responder communication procedures, with civil penalties established for noncompliance. Abbott simultaneously signed a separate bill requiring local governments in flood-prone areas to install outdoor warning systems and establishing state grants to fund such installations.

Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed sweeping legislation in June that would have banned intoxicating hemp-derived products and significantly reduced Texas's multibillion-dollar THC industry. Abbott called lawmakers back to Austin in a special session partly to address THC regulation, but negotiations between Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and House Speaker Dustin Burrows failed to produce a resolution by early September. The effort to regulate the THC industry died without passage of new legislation during the special session.

The Texas Senate passed House Bill 18 and sent it to Governor Abbott's desk on an 18-8 party-line vote, which would prohibit state lawmakers absent for the purpose of impeding legislative action from accepting campaign contributions exceeding $221, the daily per diem amount. The Texas House separately approved rules changes on an 80-28 vote that increase the daily financial penalty for quorum breakers, allow the House speaker to strip members of committee leadership positions for breaking quorum, and reduce a member's seniority by two years for each calendar day absent. These measures were enacted following a quorum break by House Democrats in August 2025 that delayed consideration of a congressional redistricting plan.

Governor Abbott signed legislation in 2023 that froze undergraduate tuition and fees for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years at Texas colleges and universities. Abbott subsequently announced an extension of the tuition freeze in 2024, extending it through the 2026-27 academic year. These actions were part of the state's Building a Talent Strong Texas plan, which aimed to ensure 95% of graduates complete college without undergraduate debt or with manageable debt levels relative to potential earnings.

The Texas Senate approved House Bill 7, legislation that creates a civil enforcement mechanism allowing citizens to file lawsuits against individuals or entities that distribute or ship abortion pills into Texas, with successful plaintiffs receiving a minimum payout of $100,000. The bill adopted a framework similar to Texas's 2021 abortion ban, which authorized any resident to sue for potential financial recovery. Governor Abbott was expected to sign the legislation following its passage by both chambers of the legislature.

Abbott called a special legislative session on August 15, 2025, setting an expansive agenda that included flood relief measures, education policy changes, and redistricting. The session resulted in passage of several bills addressing emergency preparedness and flood safety, including Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 1 requiring youth camps to relocate from floodplains and mandating emergency siren systems in flood-prone areas, along with a $288 million appropriation from the state's rainy day fund. Abbott has not announced whether he will call for a third special session to address remaining priority items that failed to pass, including regulations on hemp-derived THC products and further limitations on local property taxes.

Governor Abbott signed into law a new congressional redistricting map for Texas that was requested by President Donald Trump, which redraws the districts of three North Texas Democratic members of Congress: Jasmine Crockett, Julie Johnson, and Marc Veasey. The redistricting plan is expected to result in the loss of at least one Democratic seat in the congressional delegation if upheld in federal court. The three affected representatives are evaluating whether to run in their newly drawn districts or pursue other elected offices.

Texas lawmakers concluded their second special session in early September 2025, sending multiple measures to Governor Abbott's desk including legislation on flood relief, congressional redistricting, election fraud prosecution, and restrictions on mail-order abortion pills. Abbott had conveyed his priorities to the legislature when they convened on August 15, and the GOP-dominated House and Senate acted on nearly all of them before the session ended. The legislature did not pass Abbott's proposed restrictions on the retail market for intoxicating low-dose THC products, marking a significant gap between the governor's stated priorities and the session's final legislative output.

Attorney General Paxton appealed a federal court ruling that blocked implementation of Senate Bill 10, a law signed by Governor Abbott on June 20 that requires public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms. A federal judge issued an injunction on August 20 barring several Texas school districts from displaying the Ten Commandments after a group of faith leaders and nonreligious parents sued, citing violations of First Amendment establishment and free exercise clauses. Paxton asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review the ruling and is also seeking to join a separate appeal regarding a similar Louisiana law.

Senate Bill 8, authored by Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston, prohibits government entities including cities, counties, school districts, universities, and state agencies from adopting policies allowing transgender people to use private facilities consistent with their gender identity. The Texas Senate voted 18-8 on Wednesday to approve a House amendment that increased penalties for violations to $25,000 for the first offense and $125,000 for subsequent violations. The bill is now headed to Gov. Abbott's desk for signature or veto.

Senate Bill 1, known as the Heaven's 27 Camp Safety Act, was approved by the Texas House and sent to Governor Abbott for consideration following deadly floods along the Guadalupe River that killed more than 130 people in July 2025. The bill prohibits the state from licensing youth camps with cabins located in floodplains, including areas removed from FEMA maps by petition, and requires camps to implement detailed emergency plans and communication systems. Camps must either relocate cabins away from high-risk flood zones or lose their operating licenses, with the measure also establishing new safety standards for campgrounds and RV parks in floodplains.

Governor Abbott designated House Bill 15, legislation that would have required Texas law enforcement agencies to seal most documents related to individual officers including unsubstantiated misconduct investigations, as an emergency item during the second special session. The bill failed after disagreement between the state House and Senate over amendments, with the House seeking to preserve exceptions allowing crime victims and their families to access records on police investigations and to close a loophole that obscures records after a suspect dies. House Speaker Dustin Burrows announced he did not intend to bring the legislation to a final floor vote on Wednesday night, and the bill died when the House adjourned sine die.

Governor Abbott set statewide higher education goals a decade ago that include achieving a 60% postsecondary attainment rate and producing 550,000 graduates annually. Texas currently maintains a 52% postsecondary attainment rate and is falling short of the annual graduate target by approximately 146,931 graduates. Education officials and workforce advocates have identified trade-focused associate's degrees, workforce credentials, and a new direct admissions program as potential mechanisms to close the gap and meet the established goals within five years.

The Texas House advanced House Bill 18, legislation designed to increase penalties for lawmakers who break quorum by prohibiting them from fundraising during their absence and preventing donors from contributing to them during that period. The bill was introduced in response to the August 2025 quorum break by more than 50 Democratic legislators who left the state to stall Republican-backed congressional redistricting legislation ordered by Governor Abbott. Additionally, the House Republican Caucus endorsed a proposed rule change that would increase the daily fine for breaking quorum from $500 to approximately $660 per day and would result in the loss of seniority for members who engage in future quorum breaks.

Senate Bill 2024 went into effect in Texas on September 1, 2025, prohibiting the sale and marketing of vape products containing cannabinoids, including THC, CBD, Delta-8 THC, and THCA. Violations of the law constitute a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $4,000 per offense. The law does not criminalize possession or personal use of these products, only their sale, marketing, or distribution.

Abbott signed legislation on Friday that redraws Texas's congressional boundaries to net Republicans five additional congressional seats. The redistricting action prompted retaliatory measures in California, where voters will decide on a proposal to net five congressional districts to Democrats. The Texas redistricting represents part of broader partisan efforts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 2024 into law during the summer of 2025, which took effect on September 1, 2025. The legislation bans the manufacture and sale of disposable vaporizers containing THC and disposable vapes of any kind with parts made in countries deemed adversarial to the United States, including China. The law applies to retailers such as gas stations and smoke shops across Texas.

The Texas House passed legislation that would allow private citizens to sue out-of-state providers and others who send abortion pills into Texas, with providers potentially ordered to pay $100,000 in damages. The bill represents a new enforcement mechanism distinct from existing Texas abortion restrictions and could receive a final vote in the state Senate. If the Senate passes the measure, Governor Abbott would determine whether to sign it into law.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 10 into law in summer 2025, which mandated that Texas public school classrooms display posters of the Ten Commandments beginning September 1. A federal judge issued a temporary block of the law on August 20 following legal challenges brought by several families with children in Texas public schools. The law continued a decades-long constitutional debate regarding the display of religious material in public school settings.

Senate Bill 8, sponsored by Senator Mayes Middleton, passed the Texas House on a vote of 86-45 in August 2025 and is awaiting consideration by Governor Abbott. The bill would prohibit government entities including cities, counties, school districts, universities, and state agencies from adopting policies allowing transgender people to use private facilities consistent with their gender identity. The House version increased penalties to $25,000 for an initial violation and $125,000 for subsequent violations, requiring Senate approval of the amended fine structure before the bill can reach the governor's desk.

The Texas House advanced House Bill 7, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Leach, which would create a civil enforcement mechanism allowing private citizens to sue manufacturers, distributors, and those who mail abortion medication into Texas, with exceptions for doctors and hospitals providing the drugs for legal medical reasons. The bill passed the House on an 82-48 vote on August 28, 2025, and was expected to be considered by the Texas Senate the following week. The legislation shields pregnant women from being sued and protects the identities of those who have sought or obtained abortion pills from legal discovery in lawsuits.

The Texas House approved House Bill 15, legislation that would require law enforcement agencies statewide to maintain confidential internal files containing unsubstantiated allegations against officers, effectively sealing most police complaints from public access. The bill includes exceptions for certain cases such as officer hiring determinations and will return to the Senate for consideration of House amendments before proceeding to Governor Abbott's desk. Under the measure, members of the public would generally need to pursue court litigation to obtain records of unsustained allegations, a change from current practice in cities like Dallas where such records have been released upon request.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 4 in December 2023, legislation that allows state and local police to arrest undocumented migrants and charge them with state crimes including illegal entry and illegal reentry. The law creates a state-initiated removal process under which migrants convicted of these offenses may be deported after serving their state sentences, or removed without conviction if a judge determines probable cause of illegal entry. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals announced in August 2025 that all 17 judges would reconsider a three-judge panel's July ruling that declared the law unconstitutional, with a decision expected in 2026.

Abbott signed Texas' new congressional map into law on August 29, 2025, following passage by the state legislature. The map redraws district lines with the stated aim of creating five additional Republican seats in the U.S. House ahead of the 2026 midterms. Legal challenges to the map have already been filed by groups representing Black and Latino voters, with a three-judge panel scheduled to hold a hearing in early October.

Senate Bill 3, authored by Senator Paul Bettencourt, was sent to Governor Abbott's desk late Wednesday after receiving unanimous support in the legislature. The bill creates a framework for identifying areas and installing outdoor siren systems along flood-prone Texas rivers to alert residents and visitors to flash floods and heavy rainfall, following a deadly July 4 flash flood in the Texas Hill Country that killed dozens at Camp Mystic. The legislation aims to provide advance warning time for people to reach higher ground in areas where cellular phone alerts have proven unreliable.

Abbott vetoed a bipartisan bill in June 2025 that would have expanded the duress defense for human trafficking survivors who committed crimes under coercion from their abusers, citing concerns that the law could be used to absolve defendants who committed serious offenses such as murder or child sexual abuse. State lawmakers subsequently passed Senate Bill 11, authored by Representative David Cook, which narrowly tailored the duress defense to exclude crimes ineligible for judge-ordered community supervision, such as capital murder and sexual assault, while preserving the defense for other felonies like burglary and drug offenses. The revised bill passed both chambers unanimously and was sent to Abbott for consideration in August 2025.

Abbott signed House Bill 25 on August 27, 2025, making ivermectin available over-the-counter in Texas without a prescription, to be dispensed from behind the pharmacy counter. The bill, filed by state Representative Joanne Shofner, passed the House 87-47 and the Senate, making Texas the fifth state to approve over-the-counter sales of the drug. The law takes effect on December 4, 2025.

Governor Abbott ordered lawmakers into a special session during the summer of 2025, including elimination of the STAAR test among his stated priorities. The Texas Senate passed House Bill 8, sponsored by Senator Paul Bettencourt, which calls for ending the annual STAAR assessment in two years and replacing it with three smaller exams created and overseen by the Texas Education Agency. The House subsequently passed its own version of HB 8 with minor differences from the Senate bill.

Governor Abbott expanded the special session agenda on August 27, 2025, to include Senate Bill 15, legislation that would require law enforcement agencies to store unsubstantiated complaints against officers in a separate file inaccessible to the public. The bill had been removed from consideration after Representative Joe Moody successfully raised a point of order arguing it fell outside the scope of Abbott's original special session call. The expanded call allowed the measure to return to the House floor for consideration before the end of the second special session.

The Texas House approved legislation that would grant the Attorney General authority to prosecute election fraud cases, bypassing existing constitutional restrictions that reserve such prosecutorial power for local district attorneys. The bill passed the House by an 85-54 vote on Tuesday and was accompanied by a resolution to amend the state constitution, though that resolution failed to achieve the required supermajority of 100 votes. The legislation is now headed to Abbott for signature, despite legal questions about whether the measure complies with the Texas Constitution's separation of powers clause, which the Court of Criminal Appeals upheld four years prior.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bills 25, 314, and 379 into law, establishing restrictions on food additives in state programs and requiring labeling of certain food ingredients. SB 25 mandates labeling of foods containing additives prohibited in the United Kingdom, Australia, the European Union, or Canada. SB 314 prohibits school meal programs from serving foods with a designated list of additives, while SB 379 restricts purchases of soda and candy through the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program.

A federal three-judge panel scheduled hearings for October 1-10, 2025, to consider arguments regarding the legality of congressional boundaries approved by the Texas Legislature during a special session in August 2025. The new redistricting map was designed to reconfigure Texas congressional districts to shift five seats from Democratic to Republican control. The timing of the hearing would allow the panel to issue a ruling before the December filing deadline for the 2026 elections.

Abbott signed the Make Texas Healthy Again legislation on August 27, 2025, which requires the food industry to remove certain chemical additives from products sold in Texas or apply warning labels to those products containing such additives. The legislation also mandates exercise and nutrition courses in schools. Abbott signed the bill alongside U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and dozens of Texas lawmakers.

House Bill 25, which would allow Texans to purchase ivermectin without a doctor's prescription, passed both chambers of the Texas Legislature on August 27, 2025, and was sent to Governor Abbott for consideration. The bill passed the state House 88-51 and cleared two votes in the Senate the same day, suspending standard 24-hour posting rules for the committee hearing. If Abbott signs the measure as expected, Texas would become the fifth state to permit over-the-counter ivermectin sales at pharmacies, with pharmacists exempted from civil or criminal liability when dispensing the drug in a reasonably prudent manner.

The Texas House approved a bill that lowers the threshold for voter approval of property tax rate increases by cities and counties from 3.5% to 1%, which Abbott requested during his special session call. The measure passed the full Senate earlier in the month and is expected to proceed to Abbott's desk for signature. The bill aims to prevent local governments from offsetting state-level property tax relief by raising their own tax rates.

The Texas House passed Senate Bill 3, authored by Senator Paul Bettencourt, which requires the Texas Water Development Board to identify flood-prone areas in the state and mandates that local municipalities in those areas install flood warning sirens. The bill passed with a 136-0 vote on Tuesday and was filed in response to the July 4 Hill Country floods that resulted in at least 137 deaths. Because Representative Terry Wilson added an amendment to the bill, the Senate must approve the amendment before it can be sent to Governor Abbott's desk.

Governor Abbott named replacing the STAAR standardized test one of his top priorities for the special legislative session. The Texas House approved legislation on August 26, 2025, by a vote of 78-58 to eliminate STAAR and replace it with three smaller exams administered throughout the school year beginning in the 2027-2028 school year. The bill, which aligns with a previously approved Senate plan, will now proceed to a vote in the Texas Senate.

Senate Bill 11, authored by Republican state Rep. David Cook, would permit human trafficking survivors to use the duress defense in criminal cases, but only for nonviolent felonies and when charged as accomplices rather than primary actors, excluding serious crimes such as murder, sexual assault, and child exploitation offenses. The bill passed both chambers unanimously and was sent to Governor Abbott following his June veto of broader legislation on the same subject. Abbott had previously stated concerns that an expansive duress defense could be used to absolve defendants charged with serious crimes including murder and child sexual abuse.

The Texas House passed legislation on August 26, 2025, to end the mandatory annual Texas STAAR test for public school students within two years, replacing it with three smaller exams to be developed and overseen by the Texas Education Agency. The bill passed on an 82-56 vote after hours of debate, following a failed attempt earlier in the year when House and Senate negotiators could not agree on a replacement assessment structure. House Education Chairman Brad Buckley authored the measure, which he characterized as reforming the state's assessment and accountability system while increasing transparency and predictability for public schools.

The Texas House approved legislation authored by State Rep. Cody Harris that requires the Texas Water Development Board to study the effects of groundwater pumping in the Nueces and Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District, with a report due in January 2027. The bill imposes a moratorium on new groundwater production and export permits in the region during the study period, effectively delaying a Dallas investor's proposal to pump groundwater from the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer in East Texas. The legislation now proceeds to the Senate and Governor Greg Abbott, who added it to the special session agenda.

Governor Abbott included a bathroom bill among his 21 priorities for the Texas special session that would criminalize transgender people for using public bathrooms matching their gender identity. The proposed legislation follows Texas's 2023 ban on gender-affirming care for minors and reflects a broader legislative approach targeting transgender rights. Abbott's priorities also encompassed redistricting measures that prompted Democratic lawmakers to leave the state in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent a quorum.

Governor Abbott called a second special legislative session in mid-August 2025 after the first session stalled when House Democrats left the state to block a vote on Congressional redistricting. The session included 24 Abbott priorities, with a new Congressional map designed to flip five U.S. House seats in favor of Republicans representing the first priority to reach his desk. As of late August, most of Abbott's other priorities, including legislation on STAAR testing, transgender student bathroom access, abortion pill enforcement, and election fraud prosecution, remained in various stages of the legislative process with less than three weeks remaining in the 30-day session.

The Texas Senate approved a new congressional redistricting map on August 24, 2025, by a vote of 18 to 11, with Governor Abbott indicating his intention to sign the legislation into law. The map creates five additional Republican-leaning congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Abbott convened a second special legislative session to allow passage of the House-approved version after the initial session ended, and announced the approval on social media stating he would sign the measure.

Governor Abbott called a special legislative session to redraw Texas's congressional boundaries in a manner that strengthened Republican electoral prospects in the 2026 midterm elections. The redistricting initiative prompted Texas House Democrats to leave the state, which drew national media attention and prompted responses from governors in other states, including California Governor Gavin Newsom. Abbott's redistricting map became a focal point of interstate political competition and national news coverage throughout the summer of 2025.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced his intention to sign into law a new congressional redistricting map that was passed by the Texas Legislature during a special session in August 2025. The map redraws district lines in North Texas, Houston, the Austin-San Antonio area, and South Texas with the stated purpose of increasing Republican representation in Congress. Abbott stated the map would be "swiftly signed into law" while acknowledging that Democrats had promised legal challenges in federal court.

The Texas House of Representatives' State Affairs committee held a hearing on Senate Bill 8, legislation sponsored by Sen. Mayes Middleton that would restrict bathroom and locker room access for transgender people in government entities and state agencies. During the two-hour hearing on August 22, 2025, a man was escorted from the committee room after becoming disruptive, though he was not arrested or charged and was later allowed to re-enter. The committee did not advance the bill out of committee on that date but indicated it could be voted on at a future meeting.

Abbott requested that the Legislature impose new penalties on lawmakers who break quorum, adding this request to the special session agenda in August 2025. Several Republican legislators subsequently filed bills proposing to remove absent lawmakers from office and restrict their campaign fundraising abilities in response to Democratic members who left the state to block a vote on congressional redistricting. The measures had not yet been scheduled for public hearings as of late August 2025.

The Texas Senate passed a redistricting bill on August 22, 2025, after defeating a filibuster attempt by Democratic senators. The redistricting plan, which had previously been approved by the Texas House of Representatives, redrew electoral district boundaries including changes to the placement of Austin-area suburbs. The legislation was then sent to Governor Abbott for consideration.

Following Gov. Abbott's request for legislation to discourage future quorum breaks, several Republican lawmakers filed bills imposing consequences for absent legislators, including House Bill 18 by Rep. Matt Shaheen that would prohibit quorum-breaking members from accepting campaign contributions, and Senate Bill 48 by Sen. Mayes Middleton that would declare members absent for seven consecutive days to have forfeited their office. House Joint Resolution 10 by Rep. Richard Hayes proposed a constitutional amendment to change the quorum requirement from two-thirds to a simple majority, though such amendments require two-thirds approval in both chambers to advance.

The Texas House passed six bills on Thursday aimed at addressing disaster relief, emergency communication systems, and youth camp emergency preparedness following the July 4th Hill Country floods that killed 137 people. Governor Abbott had ordered lawmakers to pass legislation addressing concerns raised by the catastrophic flooding, though legislative action had stalled during a redistricting dispute that forced a second special session. The bills now proceed to the Senate for consideration before potentially reaching Abbott's desk.

Abbott added a request for penalties or punishments against legislators who absent themselves during a legislative session to the special session agenda on August 20, 2025, following Democratic state representatives' departure from Texas to break quorum and block a vote on a congressional redistricting map. The governor stated the measure was necessary to prevent lawmakers from obstructing legislative business by fleeing the state. Abbott simultaneously added two other items to the agenda: making ivermectin available over-the-counter and conducting a groundwater study of East Texas aquifers, bringing the total number of special session items to 22.

A Texas Senate panel advanced House Bill 4, a congressional redistricting map, on Thursday without collecting public testimony on the latest version of the proposal, which was first publicly revealed on Monday. The Senate Special Committee on Redistricting voted 5-3 along partisan lines to pass the legislation, with committee chair Sen. Phil King stating the changes were minor relative to earlier versions and consistent with goals including compliance with applicable law, strengthening Republican congressional performance, and maintaining compact districts. The map adjusts district lines in 12 congressional districts, including reducing the Black voting-age population in one Houston district from over 38 percent to approximately 10 percent.

President Trump issued an executive order in April 2025 declaring Susman Godfrey, a Dallas-based litigation law firm, a threat to national security, citing its support for anti-American causes, use of the legal system to undermine elections, and diversity programs that violate federal law. The order prohibited Susman Godfrey lawyers from representing clients with government contracts and banned firm employees from entering federal buildings. Unlike nine other targeted law firms that negotiated settlements involving changes to diversity programs and commitments to provide free legal services, Susman Godfrey refused to settle and pursued federal court litigation challenging the executive order.

Abbott named eliminating the STAAR exam as a priority for a 30-day special session and added it to the agenda. The Texas House and Senate are considering near-identical versions of House Bill 8, legislation that would replace the end-of-year STAAR test with three shorter exams administered throughout the school year, with changes beginning in the 2026-2027 school year if signed into law. The Texas Education Agency would be given a role in administering and crafting the new tests based on state knowledge criteria known as TEKS.

Abbott called a second special legislative session in August 2025 after Texas Democrats fled the state during an initial special session to block a congressional redistricting map. The Texas Legislature subsequently redrew the state's congressional districts in a mid-decade redistricting effort designed to increase Republican representation by five seats. A panel of three federal judges ruled on November 18, 2025 that Texas could not use the congressional map lawmakers drew in the 2025 special legislative session.

The Texas Senate approved legislation sponsored by Senator Mayes Middleton that would prohibit cities, counties, school districts, and other government entities from using taxpayer dollars to pay for lobbyists. The bill would also restrict those entities from engaging in lobbying activities using public funds. The measure received initial approval during the special legislative session that began on Friday.

In June 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Texas Dream Act, a 2001 state law that granted in-state tuition rates to undocumented students who had resided in Texas for at least three years before high school graduation. Governor Abbott and state Attorney General Ken Paxton agreed with the Department of Justice that the law was unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor ruled in favor of the challenge and blocked state officials from applying the law, denying motions from community colleges and advocacy groups seeking to intervene in the lawsuit to defend the statute.

State Rep. Nicole Collier, a Fort Worth Democrat who participated in a two-week walkout to delay passage of a congressional redistricting map, filed a lawsuit challenging the Texas House's authority to require police surveillance of members. Collier declined to accept a state police escort as a condition of leaving the House chamber, stating she refused to surrender her dignity as an elected representative, and was informed by House Administration Committee Chair Charlie Geren that she would be arrested if she left without an escort. Collier remained in the House chamber overnight rather than accept the surveillance requirement.

Abbott included congressional redistricting on the agenda for a 30-day special legislative session after receiving a letter from Harmeet Dhillon arguing that four of Texas's congressional districts were unconstitutional. The Republican-controlled state legislature proceeded to draft a new congressional map through this mid-cycle redistricting effort, which is uncommon but not unprecedented in Texas politics. Plaintiffs representing minority voters filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the new map and requested expedited court proceedings to block its implementation before the 2026 election.

Texas House Democrats returned to the Capitol on August 18, 2025, ending a two-week walkout that had prevented a quorum and stalled consideration of a Republican-proposed congressional redistricting map. Governor Abbott had called a second special legislative session after the first ended early due to the Democratic absence, with the redistricting plan designed to create five additional U.S. House seats for Republicans in the 2026 midterm election. The return of Democratic lawmakers to Austin enabled the House to reconvene with a quorum and proceed toward passage of the GOP redistricting plan.

Governor Abbott signed the Life of the Mother Act in June 2024, legislation sponsored by Senator Bryan Hughes that clarifies when physicians can provide abortion care in medical emergencies. The bill does not expand abortion access in cases of rape, incest, or fatal fetal anomalies. According to the article, medical professionals have expressed skepticism that the clarification alleviates concerns about accessing necessary reproductive care under Texas's near-total abortion ban.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 1786 during the most recent legislative session, legislation that refined the definition of credentials of value to align with high-wage, in-demand careers and improved regional labor market insights for community colleges. The bill enhanced workforce data coordination among the Texas Education Agency, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and Texas Workforce Commission, and expanded access to dual credit opportunities by clarifying scholarship eligibility. These provisions built upon House Bill 8, passed in 2023, which shifted Texas community college funding from a model based on course completion to one emphasizing measurable student outcomes and career placement.

Governor Abbott included Senate Bill 15 in his list of 19 emergency items for the legislative session and asked lawmakers to pass the bill. The legislation, authored by state Senator Phil King, would require law enforcement agencies to seal certain personnel documents including misconduct investigation records that did not result in disciplinary action. The bill advanced through a Senate committee with an 8-1 vote and could affect the ongoing legal case regarding records from the police response to the 2022 Uvalde school shooting.

Governor Abbott called a second special legislative session after the first special session ended when House Democrats left the state, denying the chamber a quorum. The Texas Senate redistricting committee advanced Senate Bill 4 by Senator Phil King on a 6-3 party-line vote, which contains a congressional map that would shift five districts to Republican advantage. The map was the same proposal considered in the first special session, and testimony at the Sunday hearing showed 42 of 43 speakers opposed the redistricting plan.

In June, Abbott signed legislation that designates road rage shootings as a first-degree felony, effective September 1. The bill was enacted in response to incidents such as a shooting in Irving on Friday morning that injured one person during a traffic altercation involving a black Chevrolet Silverado and a white Ford Explorer. Under the new law, individuals who discharge firearms during road rage incidents face enhanced criminal penalties.

Abbott called a second special legislative session on August 15, 2025, to address congressional redistricting after more than 50 House Democrats left the state on August 4 to break quorum and prevent a vote on a new district map. House Speaker Dustin Burrows issued civil warrants for the absent Democrats, authorizing the Texas Department of Public Safety to locate and bring them to the Capitol. The Senate began committee work on redistricting legislation, with the Senate Special Committee on Congressional Redistricting scheduled to hear testimony on Senate Bill 4 containing the redrawn congressional districts.

Abbott called a special legislative session that included redistricting as an agenda item, which prompted more than 50 House Democrats to leave Texas in an effort to break quorum and prevent a vote on a new congressional map that would create five additional Republican-leaning districts. A spokesman for Abbott responded to California Governor Gavin Newsom's redistricting proposal by characterizing it as political positioning rather than a substantive policy response. The House remained at a standstill as Democrats indicated they would return to Texas if Republicans ended the special session on Friday and California released its own redistricting map.

Abbott announced he would call a second special legislative session beginning Saturday if absent Texas House Democrats did not return to the Capitol by Friday morning, which would reset the progress of a mid-decade congressional redistricting proposal. The proposal, already approved by the state Senate on Tuesday, would create five new Republican-leaning U.S. House seats by shifting district boundaries across Austin, Houston, Dallas, and South Texas. The redistricting plan would merge Democratic-held districts and concentrate conservative voters into districts currently held by Democrats.

Texas House Democrats signaled in August 2025 that they would likely return to the state for a second special session on redistricting after the Legislature adjourned the current session, with the intention to pursue legal challenges to any maps passed. Governor Abbott's spokesman Andrew Mahaleris responded by characterizing the Democrats' position and calling for them to return to Austin immediately to conduct legislative business. The statement represented the Governor's office reaction to the Democratic caucus's announcement of conditions under which they would end their quorum break.

Governor Abbott called for a second special legislative session after the first special session ended Friday without passing redistricting legislation, as the Texas House did not achieve a constitutionally required quorum due to House Democrats refusing to attend. Abbott's agenda for the second session included redistricting of congressional seats, flood relief bills, THC regulations, and anti-abortion laws. House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu stated that House Democrats would not provide a quorum for the second session and announced the caucus would issue legislative demands on Friday.

Governor Abbott requested $250 million in flood relief funding from the Texas Legislature during a special session focused on redistricting, but the Legislature adjourned without approving the allocation. Abbott stated that House Democrats who broke quorum to block redistricting efforts prevented action on the flood recovery measure, while Democrats countered that Abbott possessed independent emergency authority to distribute disaster relief funds without legislative approval. The governor indicated that beyond the requested $250 million, his flood response agenda included policy changes such as improved early warning systems and emergency communications infrastructure that required legislative authorization.

Texas Attorney General Paxton filed a petition in Adams County, Illinois requesting that state law enforcement officers arrest 33 Texas House Democrats who had traveled to Illinois to protest a congressional redistricting map. Judge Scott Larson of the Eighth Judicial Circuit Court ruled on Wednesday that the court lacked jurisdiction and did not possess the inherent power to order arrests on civil warrants that were limited to Texas state lines. Larson determined that Paxton had failed to present a legal basis for the court to obtain subject matter jurisdiction over the matter.

Governor Abbott announced he would call successive special legislative sessions until the Texas legislature passed a congressional redistricting map, stating "I will continue to call special session after special session until we get this Texas first agenda passed." The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 4, which contained a congressional redistricting map identical to one in the House, on a 19-2 vote despite a walkout by nine of the chamber's 11 Democratic senators. Abbott indicated he would immediately convene another special session if House Democrats did not return to establish a quorum, as dozens of House Democrats had left the state to prevent a vote on the redistricting measure.

Governor Greg Abbott announced he would call a second special session immediately following the adjournment of the current special session on Friday if the Texas House could not gather a quorum to vote on congressional redistricting. Abbott stated the second session would include redistricting among its priorities with potential additions of other items critical to Texans, and indicated he would continue calling special sessions until his agenda was passed. The announcement came as House Democrats maintained a quorum break that had prevented floor votes since August 4, 2025.

In June 2025, Governor Abbott signed House Bill 1481, which prohibits the use of smart devices during school hours. Dallas ISD implemented the state law by banning student use and display of cellphones, smartwatches, tablets, AirPods, laptops, and smart glasses during school and school-sponsored events, effective for the 2025-26 school year. The district established specific storage methods for the devices, with elementary schools collecting phones in homeroom and secondary schools using magnetic pouches, and established confiscation and fee procedures for non-compliance.

Governor Abbott signed House Bill 1481 into law, requiring public schools in Texas to adopt policies banning students from using personal devices such as cellphones and smartwatches during the school day. The legislation mandates that school districts implement classroom device restrictions beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. School districts including Dallas ISD and Richardson ISD have established specific enforcement methods, ranging from collecting devices from elementary students to requiring older students to store phones in sealed pouches.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton initiated an investigation into Powered by People, a political group led by former U.S. Representative Beto O'Rourke, alleging the organization engaged in bribery by providing financial support for lodging and transportation to Democratic state legislators who fled Texas to block GOP redistricting efforts. A Tarrant County judge temporarily blocked the group from raising or spending money pending a hearing scheduled for August 19 to determine whether a permanent injunction should be issued. Powered by People filed a responding lawsuit in El Paso County district court claiming that Paxton's investigation violated the group's rights to free speech, association, and equal protection, and argued the action was retaliatory given Paxton's U.S. Senate campaign and identification of O'Rourke as a potential political opponent.

Governor Abbott vetoed legislation that would have provided $450 million in federal funding for summer food assistance to low-income children, a decision that reduced state administrative costs by $60 million over two years. The veto eliminated a program that provided nutritional support to economically disadvantaged students during summer months when school meals were unavailable. This action occurred in a context where Texas lawmakers increased per-pupil education spending by $55 annually while allocating $1 billion to subsidize private school tuition.

Abbott pursued legal action to expel Democratic state representatives who left Texas to break quorum during a special session on congressional redistricting in August 2025. The quorum break, which followed the Democratic caucus traveling to Chicago, was intended to prevent a vote on a Republican redistricting plan that would redraw the state's 38 congressional districts. Abbott's push to expel the absent Democrats represented an escalation in the conflict over the redistricting effort, which Republicans controlled with their numerical majority in the legislature.

Following the July 4 floods that killed more than 130 people across Central Texas, state House and Senate select committees advanced Senate Bill 1, which passed unanimously out of committee and would implement sweeping changes to the state's emergency management framework. The bill mandates emergency manager licensing and training, requires evacuation plans for cabins in 100-year floodplains, establishes a statewide volunteer management database, and creates a working group to develop a unified flood data system for improved forecasting. The legislation also expands the Micro-Business Disaster Recovery Program eligibility and requires small counties and cities to consolidate command structures and conduct annual emergency drills under state oversight.

Texas Attorney General Paxton filed a lawsuit in Tehama County, California on Friday seeking to enforce civil arrest warrants against Texas House Democrats who had traveled to California to prevent a vote on a congressional redistricting map. The lawsuit, filed under the U.S. Constitution's full faith and credit clause, named six House Democratic lawmakers and represented the second such petition Paxton had filed that week, following a similar lawsuit filed Thursday in Illinois against 33 House Democrats. The civil arrest warrants had been issued by the Texas House after more than 50 Democrats left the state in protest of the proposed congressional map, which would shift five districts toward Republican control.

Abbott directed state law enforcement to work through the weekend to return absent Democratic legislators to the Texas House chamber during a special session called to vote on congressional redistricting maps. Abbott announced new penalties for absent members, including requiring in-person attendance to receive pay and cutting 30 percent of their office operating budgets. The chamber failed to reach quorum on Friday with only 95 of 150 legislators present and is scheduled to reconvene on Monday.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed quo warranto petitions with the Texas Supreme Court on August 8, 2025, requesting the removal of 13 state House Democrats from office after they left the state to break quorum during a special legislative session on congressional redistricting. The petition targeted lawmakers who made public statements about refusing to return to Texas while the special session was ongoing, including House Democratic Chair Gene Wu and Representative James Talarico of Austin. If the court declared the seats vacant, Governor Greg Abbott would be authorized to call special elections to fill the positions.

Governor Abbott filed an emergency petition with the Texas Supreme Court in August 2025 to remove House Democratic Caucus Chairman Gene Wu and other Democrats from office during a quorum break designed to block congressional redistricting legislation. Abbott also explored charging the absent Democrats with bribery if they accepted donations to cover expenses related to their holdout. These actions represented a departure from Republican responses to quorum breaks in 2021 and 2003, when officials had not attempted to remove legislators from office or involve federal authorities in locating absent Democrats.

Paxton filed a lawsuit in Adams County court in Illinois seeking to force Illinois authorities to assist in returning 33 Democratic Texas House members who had left the state to block a vote on a GOP redistricting plan. The suit sought an emergency court order to find the absent members in contempt for disobeying civil warrants issued by the Texas House. Paxton stated the action was part of pursuing legal remedies to hold the legislators accountable for their absence.

Governor Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton pursued legal action to expel Democratic members of the Texas House of Representatives who left the state to break quorum during a congressional redistricting vote in August 2025. Paxton stated that the effort represented new legal ground, indicating that removal of legislators through this mechanism had not been previously attempted. The Democratic representatives had departed Texas to prevent a vote on a Republican redistricting plan.

Texas Attorney General Paxton and House Speaker Burrows filed a request with an Illinois court to enforce civil arrest warrants against Democratic lawmakers who left Texas to break quorum on a congressional redistricting map. Burrows had issued the civil arrest warrants on Monday, directing state law enforcement to apprehend dozens of House members who departed to prevent passage of a GOP-backed congressional map aimed at securing additional Republican seats. Paxton's filing invoked the U.S. Constitution's Full Faith and Credit Clause, arguing that Illinois should honor Texas's judicial proceedings rather than provide sanctuary for the lawmakers.

Governor Abbott called a special legislative session to redraw Texas congressional districts following a directive from President Donald Trump to create five new Republican districts in the state. The resulting congressional map redistricts communities of color in a manner that state officials and voting rights advocates contend dilutes the political representation of Black and Latino voters. The map was advanced through the legislature on an accelerated timeline with limited public input.

Governor Abbott filed a lawsuit in August 2025 asking the Texas State Supreme Court to expel House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu, arguing that Wu forfeited his office by leaving the state to prevent a quorum vote on a congressional redistricting plan. Attorney General Ken Paxton stated he would ask state judges to declare Democratic lawmakers' seats vacant if they did not return to the Capitol by a specified deadline. Legal experts noted that under Texas law, neither the governor nor attorney general possesses independent authority to remove House members from office, and that the legal mechanism Abbott employed, known as "quo warranto," represents a rare and legally uncertain procedural approach.

The Texas Department of Public Safety established a new Homeland Security Division following legislative authorization through Senate Bill 36 during the state legislature's regular session. The division consolidates the department's existing Office of Homeland Security with its Intelligence and Counterterrorism Division to oversee border security operations, statewide intelligence efforts, infrastructure protection, and emergency preparedness. Gerald Brown, a 30-year DPS veteran who previously served as regional director for the Southeast Texas region, was appointed to lead the new division.

Texas Governor Abbott signed into law a statewide "bell-to-bell" ban on cellphones, laptops, smart watches, and other communications devices at public schools in June 2025. The law took effect immediately and requires school systems to comply by September 18, 2025, either by banning devices on campus altogether or by designating a method to store devices during the school day. Schools across Texas began drafting and adopting new policies in response to the requirement ahead of the fall school year.

Governor Abbott filed a lawsuit in the Texas Supreme Court on August 5, 2025, seeking the removal of state Representative Gene Wu from office for his role in leading Democratic lawmakers in a quorum break intended to block a vote on a Republican congressional redistricting plan. Wu and dozens of other Democratic representatives had departed to Illinois on August 3, 2025, to prevent the House from achieving the quorum necessary to conduct business on the redistricting measure. Abbott argued in his 35-page filing that Wu and the absent Democrats had shown a willful refusal to return and had thereby deprived the House of the quorum needed to meet and conduct state business.

Governor Abbott announced three Skills Development Fund grant awards totaling more than $3.8 million to Dallas College through the Texas Workforce Commission to support workforce training in construction, manufacturing, and aerospace engineering. The grants will provide training for over 1,900 new and current workers seeking certifications and specialized skills in high-demand occupations. The funding is administered through the TWC Middle Skills Initiative, which targets jobs requiring more than a high school diploma but less than a four-year degree.

Abbott announced that nine Dallas-Fort Worth apartment complexes would receive up to $18 million in housing tax credits from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The awards, part of more than $99 million distributed statewide, were designed to support the construction or rehabilitation of over 4,410 residential units offering rents affordable to households earning up to 80 percent of the area median family income. The developments receiving credits included projects in Denton, Irving, Cleburne, Dallas, Arlington, Fort Worth, and McKinney.

Governor Abbott filed a lawsuit with the Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday requesting the removal of House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu, who had left the state as part of a group of more than 50 Democrats attempting to prevent a vote on a redistricting map. Abbott sought a court ruling by Thursday at 5 p.m. to remove Wu from his position. Wu stated that leaving the state to deny a quorum was a fulfillment of his oath of office rather than an abandonment of his duties.

Governor Abbott threatened to ask courts to remove from office nearly 60 Texas House Democrats who left the state to break quorum during a special legislative session called to consider mid-decade Congressional redistricting. Abbott stated in a letter to the delegation that the quorum break "amounts to an abandonment or forfeiture of an elected state office" and said he would invoke a legal opinion from Attorney General Ken Paxton to seek removal, though he acknowledged a court must make the final determination. Abbott subsequently ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to find and arrest the Democrats until they return to Austin.

Texas Attorney General Paxton announced he would petition state courts to declare the House Democratic seats vacant if the absent lawmakers did not return to the Capitol by Friday. More than 50 House Democrats left the state to break quorum and prevent a vote on House Bill 4, which would redraw five congressional districts in favor of Republicans. Paxton characterized the departure as abandonment of office and stated that declaring the seats vacant would allow Governor Abbott to call special elections to fill them.

Governor Abbott directed state lawmakers to redraw congressional districts at the urging of the Trump administration. Texas Republicans are attempting to redraw the maps to pick up five additional U.S. House seats in the 2026 midterm elections, while Democrats argue the proposed reconfigurations dilute the voting power of Black and Latino voters and split local communities. The redistricting effort has triggered a legislative standoff in which more than 50 House Democrats fled the state to prevent a quorum, prompting House Speaker Dustin Burrows to authorize civil warrants for their arrest and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to seek a court declaration that the absent Democrats have vacated their seats.

Governor Abbott stated he would seek a court order to remove Texas House Democrats from office after 57 Democratic lawmakers left the state in August 2025 to prevent a vote on congressional redistricting legislation that would have redrawn five congressional seats. The Democrats' departure from the Capitol halted the redistricting vote, as the absence of the required quorum prevented the measure from proceeding. Abbott's threatened legal action against the absent lawmakers represented an escalation in the dispute over the proposed redistricting of Texas' congressional seats.

U.S. Senator John Cornyn wrote a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel on August 5, 2025, requesting federal law enforcement assistance in locating and arresting Texas Democratic lawmakers who left the state to prevent a vote on congressional redistricting legislation. Cornyn expressed concern that legislators who solicited or accepted funds to cover fines incurred from their absence may have committed bribery or public corruption offenses. The letter was sent as Cornyn faces a Republican primary challenge while seeking reelection to a fifth term.

Texas House redistricting committee scheduled a vote on a Republican-driven congressional redistricting plan that would redraw state boundaries and affect North Texas districts. The plan would create new district configurations with neighborhoods hours apart and would result in a five-seat pickup for Republicans, in part by consolidating urban Democratic areas. Critics contended the proposal diluted the voting strength of Black and Latino residents, though the plan included two majority Black districts in Congressional District 30 and Congressional District 18.

Governor Abbott established Operation Lone Star as a border security initiative beginning in 2021, deploying state troopers and Texas National Guard soldiers to patrol the border and detain undocumented immigrants. The program distributed more than $100 million in grants to Texas counties and cities since 2021, ostensibly to cover border enforcement costs including additional law enforcement personnel, jail capacity, and prosecution of migrants on state trespassing charges. An investigation by the San Antonio Express-News and Houston Chronicle found that millions of dollars in grant funds were spent on routine government operations and expenses unrelated to border security, including office renovations, vehicles, and equipment purchases.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott threatened on August 4, 2025, to remove Democratic members of the Texas House of Representatives who were absent from the chamber, invoking Texas Attorney General Opinion No. KP-0382 as the legal basis for removal. The Democrats had left Texas for Illinois to prevent passage of legislation that would redraw congressional district boundaries, and Abbott set a deadline for their return to the Capitol by 3:00 PM on August 4, 2025. Abbott characterized the Democratic absence as an abandonment of elected office duties and stated that absent members would be removed from their House seats.

House Speaker Burrows called for a vote on House Bill 4, legislation that would redraw five congressional districts to shift them from Democratic to Republican representation. When Democratic representatives did not appear for the vote, leaving only 90 of the required 100 representatives present, the Texas House sent state troopers to locate them across the state and recessed until the following day. Burrows stated that the absent members had shown "dereliction of duty" and called on them to return and fulfill their obligations.

Abbott signed legislation in June that bans the sale and marketing of disposable vapes containing THC and nicotine-based vaporizers with components manufactured in China or other adversarial countries, effective September 1, 2025. The law applies to thousands of retailers across Texas and will remove products that comprise more than 30 percent of sales for specialty consumables stores. The ban takes effect regardless of whether additional legislation banning all hemp-derived consumables products passes during the legislative special session.

Governor Abbott instructed lawmakers to pass legislation restricting bathroom access during a special legislative session in Austin, and Senate Bill 7, authored by Republican Senator Mayes Middleton, subsequently advanced through the Senate committee on State Affairs with a 7-0 vote. The bill would require transgender people in Texas to use private facilities in state, county, or municipal buildings based on the sex listed on their original birth certificate, covering restrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms, shower rooms, correctional facilities, family violence shelters, and sleeping quarters. Violations of the bill would result in fines of $5,000 for the first offense and $25,000 for each subsequent violation.

Texas Gov. Abbott launched a $750,000 digital advertising campaign targeting House Democrats who left the state to prevent a quorum on a Republican-driven redistricting bill during a special legislative session. The ads, including one featuring state Rep. Gene Wu, contended that the absent Democrats were preventing lawmakers from addressing flood relief and emergency management legislation following an Independence Day flood that killed at least 137 people in Central Texas. Abbott's campaign stated the ads were the first phase of an effort to inform constituents about the Democrats' absence from the legislative session.

Governor Abbott called a special legislative session at the request of President Donald Trump to redraw Texas congressional maps, with the stated goal of creating five additional Republican seats in Congress. The proposed redistricting plan would consolidate Democratic representatives Lloyd Doggett and Greg Casar into the same district and reconfigure district boundaries across the state, including one district stretching from North Austin to the Texas-New Mexico border. Democratic representatives, including Rep. John Bucy, broke quorum and traveled to Chicago to prevent a vote on the redistricting maps during the 30-day special session.

Governor Abbott formed regional tactical strike teams within the Texas Department of Public Safety earlier in 2025 to support federal immigration enforcement operations. A DPS trooper operating as part of this initiative stopped a white Chevrolet van near a construction site in Austin on Thursday morning for a license-plate violation and contacted Homeland Security Investigations after being unable to verify the driver's identity through state databases. Five individuals were arrested by federal immigration authorities at the scene and remain detained pending removal proceedings.

State Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, sponsored a congressional redistricting map unveiled during a special legislative session and presented it to the House Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting on August 1, 2025. Hunter stated during the committee hearing that the districts were drawn using political performance data as a primary factor. The redistricting plan was the subject of the first public hearing on the measure, with various lawmakers and citizens testifying about the proposal.

Governor Abbott vetoed Senate Bill 3 during the regular legislative session, legislation that would have banned consumable hemp products containing any amount of THC, including Delta-8 and Delta-9 derivatives. Abbott stated in his veto letter that regulation rather than prohibition was the appropriate approach to protect youth. During a subsequent special legislative session, lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 5 as a revised version of the original ban, designed to address the governor's stated concerns while still targeting intoxicating THC products.

Governor Abbott issued a 2024 executive order requiring hospitals to collect data on the amount of care provided to individuals without legal residency status. Local hospitals including Central Health, Ascension Texas, St. David's HealthCare, and Baylor Scott & White reported no Immigration and Customs Enforcement presence on their campuses but developed or maintained protocols for potential law enforcement interactions. Hospital officials and federally qualified health clinics expressed concern that the data collection requirement and immigration enforcement activity could deter patients from seeking medical care.

The Texas Senate panel on congressional redistricting voted against issuing a subpoena to Justice Department attorney Harmeet Dhillon, with all six Republicans voting no and all three Democrats voting yes. Dhillon had sent a July 7 letter to Governor Abbott and Attorney General Paxton arguing that three Houston-area districts and a North Texas district were racially gerrymandered due to their majority nonwhite populations. Committee chair Phil King stated the panel had already invited Dhillon to testify and that only three business days had passed since the invitation.

Hakeem Jeffries, U.S. House Minority Leader, spoke at a news conference at the Texas Capitol on July 31, 2025, against a Republican-driven redistricting plan designed to eliminate five congressional seats held by Texas Democrats. Jeffries stated that "all options" should be available to stop the plan and criticized Texas Republicans for prioritizing redistricting during a special legislative session rather than addressing recovery from recent floods and other state needs. Jeffries did not specifically endorse particular tactics such as Democratic legislators breaking quorum to prevent passage of the redistricting legislation.

The Texas Senate approved Senate Bill 12 on a 17-11 vote, legislation that would prohibit cities, counties, and school districts from using public funds to hire outside lobbyists or lobbying organizations. If signed into law, the bill would prevent local governments from employing lobbyists to navigate the Texas legislature and secure state funding for projects, though it would not restrict private businesses, special interest groups, or law enforcement associations from hiring lobbyists. The legislation next proceeds to the Texas House for consideration.

The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 5, sponsored by Sen. Charles Perry, which would criminalize retail products containing THC including gummies, vapes, drinks, snacks, and smokable flowers. The bill received a 20-9 vote in the Senate and advanced to the House for consideration. Gov. Greg Abbott previously vetoed a similar ban in June, citing concerns about impacts on the state's agricultural industry, conflict with federal farm legislation, and effects on adult rights.

Governor Abbott added redistricting to his list of 18 priorities for a special legislative session after the U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter asserting that four Democratic congressional districts in Texas were drawn based on race and therefore violate the Voting Rights Act. The Texas Senate and House committees overseeing the redistricting effort held public hearings in Austin where testimony was received on proposed changes to congressional district lines. Key Republican legislators leading the redistricting hearings, including Senate committee chair Phil King, expressed skepticism about the Justice Department's legal assertions while acknowledging that state leaders could choose to redraw the lines if they determined it necessary.

Governor Abbott added redistricting of Texas congressional boundaries to the state's special legislative session agenda in July 2025 at the request of President Donald Trump. The redistricting effort is intended to redraw district lines to shift five seats currently held by Democrats to Republican control, providing the GOP additional seats in the U.S. House of Representatives ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The redistricting process has prompted Democratic legislators to prepare legal opposition and procedural delays to the passage of new district boundaries.

Governor Abbott characterized inquiries into flood prevention measures following a Hill Country flooding event that killed over 130 Texans as coming from "losers," according to commentary in the Dallas News. During a special legislative session, Republican leadership prioritized congressional redistricting over flood protection measures, despite the recent disaster. The commentary argues that flood safety should not serve as a bargaining chip in legislative negotiations.

In June 2025, Abbott signed Texas House Bill 14, legislation that established an advanced nuclear energy office and nuclear permitting coordinator within the state government. The bill also directed investment toward developing Texas's advanced nuclear supply chain, including small modular reactors and related technologies. HB 14 aimed to position Texas as a center for nuclear energy development and manufacturing in competition with other nations pursuing advanced reactor technologies.

Texas Attorney General Paxton hired private lawyers to work on state cases, including attorney Zina Bash, who billed $3,780 per hour for work on a Meta case that cost taxpayers $24,570 for one day, compared to the $641 it would have cost when she previously worked as senior counsel in his office. Over the past five years, Paxton has increasingly relied on private legal firms rather than the hundreds of attorneys employed within his office to argue cases on behalf of the state. Several of the private contracts went to attorneys with personal or political ties to Paxton, including trial lawyer Tony Buzbee who defended him during his 2023 impeachment trial and attorneys from firms whose senior members donated to his political campaigns.

Governor Abbott added redistricting to the agenda of a special legislative session in July 2025 following a letter from the Justice Department arguing that four congressional districts violated the Voting Rights Act and the Constitution. The redistricting effort would redraw congressional districts in Texas, with Republican lawmakers seeking to flip multiple seats from Democratic to Republican representation. Democratic members of Congress testified at a House committee hearing opposing the redistricting process, while the state attorney general's office and prior testimony from the senator who conducted the previous redistricting raised questions about the legal justifications presented.

Governor Abbott signed legislation banning synthetic hemp-based THC vapes during the special legislative session. Abbott vetoed a similar ban on hemp-derived THC consumables the previous month and stated he would support legislation placing age limits, packaging requirements, and regulatory oversight of hemp-derived THC similar to alcohol regulation. The governor's actions occurred amid debate over whether the state's expanded medical marijuana program, the Texas Compassionate Use Program, provides an adequate alternative to the unregulated hemp-derived THC products sold at retailers across the state.

Governor Abbott identified addressing the July 4 floods that killed at least 135 people in Texas' Hill Country as his top priority for a special legislative session that began in July 2025. Abbott directed the House and Senate to craft legislation providing relief to flood victims, improving early warning systems, enhancing emergency communications, and streamlining government regulations related to disaster preparation and recovery. In response, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick announced three bills that would top the Senate's agenda related to flooding and largely align with Abbott's stated objectives.

The Texas Legislature passed House Bill 120 during its 2025 session, which allocated $213.5 million to public school districts for career and technical education programs. The legislation was among several bills advanced to expand workforce training offerings, including programs for career-technical education and dual enrollment. The funding represents a significant state investment in workforce development at a time when state officials project that 63% of Texas jobs will require education beyond high school within the next six years.

Governor Abbott vetoed legislation in late June that would have banned consumable hemp-based THC products, stating the measure harmed the state's agricultural industry and conflicted with federal hemp legalization under the 2018 Farm Bill. Abbott instead proposed regulating low-dose hemp products similarly to alcohol sales, with optional county implementation, age restrictions, and dosage limits set at 3 grams while banning synthetic THC and products for those under 21. Despite Abbott's veto, Senate Bill 5 by Senator Charles Perry advanced through the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee in July on a 10-0 vote, imposing a near-total ban on THC-containing gummies, vapes, drinks, and smokable flowers.

In June 2025, Governor Abbott signed legislation that included House Bill 3208, authored by state Representative Rafael Anchía, to authorize highway signs designating Dallas's Koreatown and Richardson's Chinatown. The signs are slated to be placed near exits for Royal Lane on I-35E and Luna Road on I-635. The legislation followed advocacy efforts by community leaders including Charles Park of the Greater Dallas Korean American Chamber of Commerce and came after the Texas House Committee on Transportation considered the measure in May 2025.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 12 into law, which prohibits diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in Texas K-12 public schools effective September 1, 2025. The law bars schools from sponsoring student clubs based on sexual orientation or gender identity, requires parental permission before children join school clubs, and prohibits instruction or guidance on sexual orientation and gender identity. The legislation also prevents school employees from assisting students with social transitioning, including the use of new names or pronouns.

Governor Abbott initially resisted a plan to redraw Texas' congressional maps during a special legislative session, a proposal backed by President Trump's political team. After a phone call with Trump, Abbott agreed to include redistricting on his special session agenda. The decision followed months of behind-the-scenes discussions in which Abbott had expressed concern about potential conflicts with the Texas Republican congressional delegation.

Governor Abbott charged the Texas Legislature with replacing the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness during a special legislative session. The Dallas Morning News editorial board examined proposals to replace STAAR, noting that a House bill version would have substituted the exam with nationally norm-referenced tests rather than criterion-referenced assessments. The editorial stated that any replacement test should measure student performance against established standards such as the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills rather than against peer performance.

Governor Abbott called on lawmakers to improve early warning systems, strengthen emergency communications, provide relief funding, and streamline regulations related to responding to disasters following the July 4 Hill Country floods that killed at least 135 people. The Texas Legislature convened a special session with at least 15 bills filed to address the flooding, including proposals for building standards for youth camps near floodplains, emergency warning systems, and a statewide real-time emergency communications platform. Joint committees of House and Senate members held hearings beginning on Wednesday to take testimony on the floods and examine the disaster response.

Abbott signed Senate Bill 21, legislation that creates a framework for a state public fund to hold bitcoin and potentially other cryptocurrencies as a state reserve. Abbott also signed a second bill during the 2025 legislative session designed to facilitate the use of gold and silver in everyday transactions. These actions followed the federal GENIUS Act on cryptocurrency, which President Trump signed into law in the same period.

Abbott called the Texas Legislature back for a special session beginning Monday with 18 items on the agenda, one of the largest special session agendas in recent Texas history. The primary focus of the session is flood control and improved warning systems in response to central Texas flooding that killed at least 135 people, with lawmakers expected to appropriate funds for flood mitigation infrastructure and develop new warning systems for at-risk communities. Abbott's chief political strategist stated that all agenda items have support from the legislative majority, though lawmakers are unlikely to pass all 18 items during the 30-day session.

Governor Abbott ordered the Texas Legislature to convene in special session on Monday to address several issues including congressional redistricting, disaster relief from the July 4 Hill Country floods, hemp-derived THC regulation, and property tax relief. The special session agenda included nearly two dozen items, encompassing both new matters and bills that failed to pass during the regular legislative session earlier in the year or did not receive the governor's approval. Democrats in the legislature announced they would employ procedural tactics including filibusters, quorum breaks, and extended hearings in response to the inclusion of redistricting on the agenda.

Commerce Department Acting Inspector General Duane Townsend announced that his office would conduct an evaluation of the National Weather Service's actions surrounding the catastrophic flooding in Kerr County, Texas in July 2025. The examination was initiated following requests from U.S. Representatives Greg Casar and Jasmine Crockett, as well as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who sought information about the federal response and whether staffing shortages contributed to the disaster. Townsend's office also expanded a previously planned audit of National Weather Service staffing levels and hiring practices to include a special review dedicated to examining the agency's specific actions and response to the Texas flood event.

Abbott vetoed a bill passed during the regular legislative session in spring 2025 that would have banned consumable hemp products containing THC, such as vapes, gummies, and drinks. In response, Abbott called for a special legislative session beginning July 21, 2025, directing lawmakers to regulate the hemp industry and address other vetoed legislation. The special session agenda included regulating THC products, emergency preparedness following Central Texas flooding, redrawing congressional districts, and other conservative priorities.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit in Denton County against U.S. Masters Swimming, a nonprofit organization with over 60,000 adult members, alleging the organization engaged in deceptive consumer practices by allowing transgender women to compete in swimming competitions. The lawsuit was initiated following an investigation into an April swim meet in San Antonio where two transgender women competed and won races, though no Texas state law prohibits transgender adults from participating in competitions aligned with their gender identity. Paxton alleged the organization "undermined the trust of consumers through false, deceptive, and misleading practices" under consumer protection laws rather than statutes specifically addressing transgender athlete participation.

Governor Abbott vetoed $60 million in funding for the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer Program, which was scheduled to take effect in 2027 and would have provided eligible families with $120 per child during summer months when school meal programs are not available. The program was designed to address food insecurity among children during the summer break period. The vetoed funding would have assisted families enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in providing meals to their children outside of the school year.

Governor Abbott announced that the death toll from July 4 flooding in Central Texas had risen to 135, with dozens more remaining missing as of July 17, 2025. Abbott called on the Texas Legislature to create new legislation during a special session beginning Monday that would provide relief funding for flood-ravaged areas, improve disaster preparedness and communications, and streamline government response to disasters. Abbott had declared a state disaster in 26 counties across Central Texas, the Hill Country, and South Texas to enable access to federal aid.

Gov. Abbott and Border Czar Tom Homan held a 40-minute discussion at the Fort Worth Convention Center on July 15, 2025, addressing Texas's efforts to assist the Trump administration's immigration enforcement operations. The conversation covered recent attacks on federal immigration agents, including an incident at the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, and new state laws passed by the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature targeting border security. Abbott stated that Texas would serve as a "force multiplier" to assist federal agents in enforcement operations.

The Trump administration's decision to freeze billions of dollars in federal education funding resulted in a $22 million gap for Dallas Independent School District, affecting approximately 150 staff positions according to Superintendent Stephanie Elizalde. Elizalde implemented a hiring freeze on nonessential central administration positions while protecting campus-based hires, and stated the district would use general operating budget funds to cover the shortfall in the current year. Elizalde indicated the district may need to request the school board increase the district's projected budget shortfall, which was approximately $129 million when approved in May 2025.

Abbott's office declined to release months of email correspondence with Elon Musk and representatives from Musk's companies in response to a public records request filed by The Texas Newsroom in April 2025, citing that portions of the communications contain private information not of legitimate public concern. Abbott has praised Musk for relocating business headquarters to Texas and cited the tech entrepreneur as inspiration for establishing a state efficiency office, while Musk's lobbyists successfully advocated for several laws during the legislative session. The governor's office indicated the records review would require more than 13 hours to complete.

Abbott ordered a special legislative session to begin July 21 and promised to place flood response at the top of the agenda following devastating flash floods in the Hill Country that killed more than 100 Texans over the July Fourth weekend. The governor stated that lawmakers would have wide latitude to consider a "top to bottom" response to gaps in the state's flood warning and mitigation systems. Abbott indicated that the House and Senate would form committees to develop solutions focused on alert systems and local recovery.

Governor Abbott set a special session agenda calling for mid-cycle redistricting following a Department of Justice letter warning that four majority-minority congressional districts in the Houston and Fort Worth areas are unconstitutionally racially gerrymandered. This action occurred weeks after Abbott's representatives argued during a redistricting trial that the state's maps were drawn using a race-blind process. The timing and Abbott's acknowledgment of racial gerrymandering concerns, which contradicted the state's prior legal arguments, prompted critics to characterize the action as providing political and legal cover for redistricting changes.

Abbott issued a proclamation on Wednesday identifying 18 agenda items for a special legislative session beginning July 21, 2025, which includes "legislation further protecting unborn children and their mothers from the harm of abortion." The proclamation did not specify particular measures but follows a letter from more than 100 groups and individuals, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, urging the governor to call a special session to revive a medication abortion bill that died during the regular session. The bill in question, carried by Sen. Bryan Hughes and Rep. Jeff Leach, would ban the distribution, prescription, and provision of abortion medication to any person or location within the state.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced redistricting of Texas congressional seats to be addressed during a special legislative session beginning July 21, 2025, following a Department of Justice letter raising concerns about the legality of four districts in Houston and the Dallas area with non-white majority populations. Political experts stated that the redistricting effort offered no electoral advantage to Texas Republicans, whose 25-member majority among the state's 38 House seats was already substantially secured through the previous 2021 redistricting. Abbott placed redistricting on an extended agenda that also included flood relief, property tax cuts, and elimination of the STAAR test.

Governor Abbott included Senate Bill 781 on his agenda for the Texas Legislature's July 21 special session, a proposal to bar public disclosure of police misconduct complaints unless allegations are substantiated. The bill passed the Texas Senate during the regular session but died in the Texas House, and state Senator Phil King had previously indicated it would be reintroduced in 2027. If enacted, the legislation would restrict access to misconduct records under the Texas Public Information Act, allowing disclosure only when complaints against officers are sustained by internal affairs divisions.

Governor Abbott included redistricting in an 18-item agenda for the Legislature's upcoming special session, announced on Wednesday, following requests from President Donald Trump's political advisers to pursue mid-decade redistricting ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. The move would redraw Texas's congressional districts to increase Republican seats in the state. Some Republican members of Texas's congressional delegation expressed concern about the redistricting effort due to potential risks to their own seats.

Governor Abbott directed lawmakers to address flood-related issues during a special legislative session beginning July 21, including emergency communications and response, relief funding, warning systems, and disaster preparedness and recovery. Lieutenant Governor Patrick and House Speaker Burrows announced the creation of joint House and Senate Select Committees on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding to investigate the July 4 Texas Hill Country floods that killed at least 121 people and left over 160 missing. The committees were scheduled to hold their first public hearing in Austin on July 23 to examine warning systems, emergency response procedures, and other aspects of the disaster.

Abbott announced agenda items for a July 21 special legislative session focused on the Texas Hill Country floods, with the first four items addressing flood warning systems, flood emergency communications, relief funding, and natural disaster preparation and recovery. Abbott ordered Texas flags across the state to be lowered to half-staff in honor of flood victims and declared a statewide Day of Prayer for Sunday. The special session was called in response to flooding that resulted in nearly 120 deaths across Texas as of July 9, 2025.

Gov. Greg Abbott issued a proclamation on July 9, 2025, calling a special legislative session beginning July 21 with an 18-item agenda that included response measures to the Hill Country floods of July 4, congressional redistricting, and regulation of the consumable hemp industry. Abbott's proclamation specified that lawmakers should consider legislation to improve early warning systems and infrastructure in flood zones, enhance emergency communications, provide relief funding with federal matching dollars, and update state preparedness and recovery procedures. The special session agenda also included items on abortion restrictions, transgender rights limitations, standardized education testing elimination, election crime prosecution authority, taxpayer-funded lobbying restrictions, and property tax reduction.

Lt. Gov. Patrick called on Texas to purchase warning sirens for counties in flash flood zones, stating the sirens should be installed by the following summer to alert residents during nighttime flooding events. Patrick met with Gov. Abbott to discuss the proposal in the context of catastrophic floods in the Texas Hill Country that resulted in at least 79 deaths, noting that affected counties lacked emergency sirens due to insufficient funding. Patrick indicated the Texas Senate would support state funding for the sirens and that Abbott would likely add the issue to the special session agenda for legislative consideration.

Trump signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr County, Texas on July 6, 2025, following deadly flash flooding that resulted in 68 deaths in the county. The declaration made federal disaster assistance available to individuals seeking housing, home repairs, and loans for home damages, as well as federal funding to government agencies and nonprofits for emergency work and facility repairs on a cost-sharing basis. The declaration followed a visit to the region by U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and came one day after Texas Governor Abbott expanded the state's disaster declaration to include counties near Austin.

Abbott expanded his disaster declaration to include additional counties near Austin following flash flooding in the Texas Hill Country. The expansion broadened the scope of counties eligible for state disaster assistance and recovery resources. Homeland Security Secretary Noem visited the affected area and announced that the Trump administration would provide federal disaster aid to support Texas recovery efforts.

Abbott signed a disaster declaration for Kerr County and other counties affected by severe flooding that occurred on Independence Day when the Guadalupe River rose approximately 26 feet in 45 minutes. The declaration was issued in response to torrential rain that caused flooding in the Texas Hill Country region, resulting in at least 68 deaths in Kerr County and additional fatalities in nearby counties. The disaster declaration enables access to state resources and assistance for affected areas and residents.

Abbott issued a proclamation in April 2025 recognizing April 7 as the Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, using the internationally recognized designation "Genocide against the Tutsi." The proclamation was issued in coordination with the Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission. The action was part of broader efforts to recognize the partnership between Texas and Rwanda, which also includes educational collaborations between Texas universities and Rwandan students.

Governor Abbott vetoed HB705, the Cosmetology Licensure Compact, which would have allowed Texas to join an interstate agreement to facilitate the reciprocal licensing of cosmetologists across participating states. Abbott's veto letter cited concerns that the compact was not yet operational and would transfer future regulatory authority over cosmetology licensing requirements to a national compact commission rather than keeping that authority within Texas. The governor noted that such an arrangement could potentially reverse licensing reforms Texas had implemented six years prior, when the state reduced cosmetology education requirements from 1,500 hours to 1,000 hours.

Governor Abbott vetoed Texas's participation in a federal summer meal assistance program that would have provided $60 million in funding to extend school lunch programs for low-income children during summer months. Abbott stated the veto was based on uncertainty regarding long-term fiscal implications and federal matching fund stability for the program. The rejected funding would have potentially served approximately four million Texas children during summer break when school meal programs typically end.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 10 into law in May 2025, which requires Texas public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms with specific dimensions of at least 16 inches by 20 inches using mandated wording and readable typeface. A group of 16 multifaith and nonreligious families filed a federal lawsuit in July 2025 to block the law before its September 1, 2025 implementation date, arguing it violates the First Amendment's establishment and free exercise clauses. The lawsuit seeks to have the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas declare Senate Bill 10 unconstitutional and preliminarily bar it from taking effect.

Abbott did not veto Senate Bill 1036, the Residential Solar Retailer Regulatory Act, allowing it to become law in 2025. The legislation establishes registration requirements for independent solar panel salespeople, mandates standardized financial contracts and educational materials for customers, and prohibits unfair or deceptive sales practices targeting elderly and low-income consumers. The law includes provisions for state criminal background checks, continuing education requirements, a five-day cancellation period for purchases, and restrictions on false claims of utility or government agency affiliation.

Governor Abbott signed House Bill 40 during the 2025 legislative session, which reduces the amount-in-controversy requirement for the Texas Business Court from $10 million to $5 million and expands the court's jurisdiction to include certain intellectual property claims and actions to enforce arbitration agreements. The legislation also allows companies to designate the Business Court as the exclusive venue for resolving litigation relating to internal corporate affairs. This law was enacted alongside Senate Bill 29, which made it more difficult for shareholders to challenge corporate decisions through derivative litigation by allowing corporations to establish ownership requirements and waive jury trials in their bylaws.

Texas state officials agreed to a federal government demand to cease offering in-state tuition rates to undocumented students living in the state. The decision affects thousands of undocumented students who previously qualified for the lower tuition rate available to Texas residents. Undocumented students now face tuition costs that are more than twice what other state residents pay to attend public colleges and universities in Texas.

Texas Governor Abbott announced the deployment of over 5,000 Texas National Guard members and 2,000 Texas Department of Public Safety troopers across the state in response to planned protests scheduled for Saturday. The deployment was described as a measure to respond to potential criminal or violent activities at the demonstrations. Community leaders at a Friday news conference at Dallas City Hall called for peaceful protest and expressed concerns about the militarization of the city in connection with the deployments.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott is considering whether to sign or veto Senate Bill 3, legislation passed by lawmakers in May that would criminalize the sale, manufacture, and possession of hemp-based THC products including gummies, vapes, and edibles. Abbott has until June 22 to make a decision on the bill, which targets an industry that has grown to over 8,500 retailers and an estimated $8 billion in sales over the past five years. The governor stated he is giving the measure thoughtful consideration from multiple perspectives, as the decision has generated significant input from parents, veterans, business owners, police, and hemp industry stakeholders.

Cruz held a news conference to advocate for an expanded version of school choice tax credits in the Big Beautiful Bill, stating he wanted the final legislative version to be "bigger and bolder" than the House-passed provision. The proposal would provide dollar-for-dollar tax credits for contributions to nonprofit organizations that grant scholarships for K-12 public and private school students. Cruz's expansion would be included in a sweeping Republican budget reconciliation package that requires only a simple majority vote in the Senate.

The U.S. Senate released portions of the Big Beautiful Bill in June 2025 that include $13.5 billion total to reimburse states for border security and immigration enforcement expenses since the beginning of the Biden administration, exceeding Texas Governor Abbott's request for $11.1 billion to cover costs of Operation Lone Star. Abbott had traveled to Washington multiple times to lobby for the reimbursement, which Senate Republicans characterized as compensation for state-led border security efforts during the Biden administration. The legislation still required passage by the full Senate and reconciliation with the House version, which had included $12 billion in reimbursement language.

Governor Abbott stated he would sign legislation requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms, similar to a measure signed into law by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders earlier in 2025. The Arkansas law, which takes effect in August, mandates that public school classrooms and libraries prominently display copies of the Ten Commandments. Seven Arkansas families filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Arkansas requirement, arguing the law violates constitutional rights and the First Amendment.

Texas Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 2308 into law on June 11, 2025, authorizing a $50 million grant program for clinical trials of ibogaine, a psychedelic drug treatment for addiction and post-traumatic stress disorder. The program will provide matching state funding for research conducted by medical schools, consortiums, and drug companies with the goal of obtaining Food and Drug Administration approval for ibogaine use in the United States. Abbott stated the initiative addresses public health challenges including opioid use disorder and serves veterans, first responders, and others dealing with addiction-related issues.

In January 2025, Trump issued an executive order establishing a FEMA Review Council to assess the Federal Emergency Management Agency's ability to address disasters, with Governor Abbott and W. Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, appointed as members. The council held its first public meeting on May 20, 2025, where Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem outlined administration priorities including increased state responsibility for disaster response and block grant allocation of disaster assistance. In June 2025, Trump announced a timeline to phase out FEMA after the 2025 hurricane season, effectively superseding the council's mandate to submit recommendations within six months.

Gov. Abbott announced the deployment of over 5,000 Texas National Guard soldiers and more than 2,000 Texas Department of Public Safety troopers across the state ahead of planned protests scheduled for Saturday. According to a news release from the governor's office, the troopers, which include special agents and Texas Rangers, were deployed to respond to potential criminal or violent activities at the protests in addition to thousands of troopers already stationed throughout the state. The Texas National Guard soldiers were positioned to support state and local law enforcement response to any criminal activity, according to the announcement.

Governor Abbott is expected to sign legislation that codifies the state's position on biological sex, requiring such data to be recorded in state government and electronic health records. Additional bills awaiting Abbott's signature include a sweeping parental rights in public education bill that bans instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity, prohibits social transition assistance, and restricts student clubs based on gender identity or sexual orientation. Abbott previously signed a bill requiring health care plans covering gender-transition procedures to also cover all possible adverse consequences.

Governor Abbott signed legislation during the 89th legislative session that included a school choice plan allowing students to use public funding for private school enrollment, bail reform measures, water infrastructure investment, and property tax relief totaling $51 billion. Abbott stated that the school choice proposal, which secured support from 86 House members after receiving only 29 votes in a prior session, represented a significant legislative achievement following his 2024 primary campaign efforts that resulted in 26 new Republican House members. The governor characterized the 2025 legislative session as his most successful, stating that the effects of the passed measures would benefit Texas for decades.

Governor Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton agreed with the federal Department of Justice that Texas's 2001 Dream Act, which provided in-state tuition rates to undocumented students meeting residency requirements, was unconstitutional, and requested that a district court block the law. The court granted the request and eliminated the in-state tuition rates for undocumented students in Texas public universities. A coalition of undocumented students subsequently sought to intervene in the lawsuit to challenge the outcome and defend the constitutionality of the state law.

Governor Abbott stated on Wednesday that he had not identified a need to call a special legislative session to redraw Texas' congressional district boundaries, though he did not rule out doing so in the future. Abbott said he would evaluate the need for a special session after completing his review of pending legislation and any additional vetoes. Abbott declined to confirm whether President Donald Trump had requested that he convene lawmakers for mid-decade redistricting purposes.

Abbott stated in June 2025 that he had not yet decided whether to sign or veto legislation banning hemp-derived THC products, saying he would give the measure thoughtful consideration from all angles. The legislation, passed by Texas lawmakers, would prohibit gummies, vapes, edibles, and other consumables containing hemp-derived THC, affecting approximately 8,500 retail license-holders and an industry that had created over 50,000 jobs. Abbott indicated he would weigh arguments from both sides of the issue before determining a pathway forward.

Texas Gov. Abbott agreed with the U.S. Department of Justice that the state's 2001 Dream Act, which provided in-state tuition rates to undocumented students meeting residency requirements, was unconstitutional, and a district court blocked the law following this agreement. The ruling eliminated in-state tuition eligibility for undocumented students at Texas public universities, potentially requiring them to pay out-of-state or international tuition rates. Universities, college access advocates, and immigrant rights groups subsequently sought clarification on implementation and which students would be affected by the change.

Governor Abbott signed into law a school choice voucher program with a $1 billion initial budget designed to serve approximately 100,000 students in its first year, with projected costs reaching $4 billion by 2030. The program includes means-testing provisions that prioritize low-income students and those with disabilities when the number of applicants exceeds available vouchers. In the same legislative session, House Bill 2 provided $8.5 billion in new funding for public schools, including dedicated allocations for teacher pay increases and experience-based raises.

Abbott secured legislative approval for private school vouchers during the 2025 Texas legislative session, advancing one of his stated priorities. The governor celebrated these victories through bill signings across the state following the session's conclusion. Abbott also achieved approval of tougher bail policies and other legislative priorities, with the session yielding nearly all of his proposed measures.

The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 379, which prohibits the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for the purchase of soda, including artificially sweetened varieties, and candy. Governor Abbott requested a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to implement the restriction, with the waiver seeking to prohibit purchase of unhealthy, highly processed foods more broadly. Texas joined Nebraska and other states in seeking federal amendments to SNAP's definition of eligible food items under the Trump administration's policy allowing such waivers.

Governor Greg Abbott's 2025 legislative session resulted in passage of the "Life of the Mother Act," which clarifies medical emergency exceptions to Texas' abortion ban by specifying circumstances under which physicians may provide abortion care to save a pregnant woman's life. The bill passed both chambers with bipartisan support and was backed by medical organizations and anti-abortion groups seeking to reduce ambiguity in existing law. For most pregnancies in Texas, abortion restrictions remained unchanged, with no additions to exceptions for rape, incest, or fatal fetal abnormalities.

Governor Abbott sided with the U.S. Department of Justice in a lawsuit challenging Texas's in-state tuition policy for undocumented students, which had been in place since 2001. U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor ruled the Texas Dream Act unconstitutional and invalid following the DOJ's argument that the policy was unfair to American citizens. Abbott's position represented a departure from the bipartisan support that had originally enabled the tuition eligibility for undocumented students who had lived in Texas for three years.

Governor Abbott reached an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in June 2025 that resulted in the repeal of the Texas Dream Act, a 2001 state law that had provided in-state tuition rates to undocumented students who demonstrated three years of Texas residency. Following Abbott and Paxton's joint request, U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor ruled the law unconstitutional, finding it violated federal prohibitions on colleges offering benefits to undocumented students that are not equally available to out-of-state citizens. As a result, public colleges and universities in Texas began identifying undocumented students and charging them out-of-state tuition beginning in the fall 2025 semester.

The Department of Justice sued Texas on grounds that the state's in-state tuition provision for undocumented students violated federal law by discriminating against U.S. citizens. Governor Abbott and Attorney General Paxton subsequently agreed with the federal agency and filed a joint motion requesting that a district court declare the Texas Dream Act unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor granted the motion and blocked enforcement of the law, ending in-state tuition eligibility for undocumented students in Texas public universities.

Abbott signed House Bill 2, an $8.5 billion education funding bill, into law on Wednesday at Salado Middle School library. Approximately $4.2 billion of the funding is designated for teacher pay raises, with smaller districts receiving increases of $4,000 to $8,000 depending on experience level and larger districts receiving $2,500 to $5,000 increases. The legislation also includes $1.3 billion in fixed cost allotments for schools and establishes a $1 billion education savings account program.

Texas House Bill 1056, which passed both legislative chambers in late May 2025, would authorize Texans to use gold and silver held in the state's bullion depository as legal tender for everyday purchases through a mobile app or debit card system. The bill, authored primarily by Rep. Mark Dorazio of San Antonio, underwent major amendments in the Senate to ensure compliance with existing federal currency laws, including removal of language proposing a separate digital currency based on the metals. Abbott received the legislation for his consideration, with his press secretary stating the governor would "thoughtfully review" the bill, though Abbott had not publicly indicated his position on the measure at the time of reporting.

Texas lawmakers voted to ban consumable tetrahydrocannabinol products in 2025, and Abbott faced pressure from multiple stakeholders regarding whether to sign or veto the legislation. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who made the THC ban a priority, urged Abbott to sign the bill, while hemp farmers and some veterans called for a veto. An April 2025 University of Texas poll found that 55 percent of Republicans believed Texas marijuana and cannabis laws should be less strict or remain unchanged, with less than one-third of voters across all political affiliations supporting stricter THC regulations.

Senate Bill 8 was sent to Governor Abbott's desk on June 1, 2025, requiring most Texas sheriffs to request and enter agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enforce immigration laws. The bill would apply to approximately 234 of Texas's 254 counties and passed the state Legislature with the Senate voting 20-11 and the House voting 89-52 in its favor. Abbott previously signaled support for such legislation, and President Donald Trump endorsed the measure as it moved through the legislative process.

The Texas Legislature approved Senate Bill 2972 on the final day of the 2025 legislative session, which restricts protesting activities on public university campuses by limiting where and when protests may occur, prohibiting amplified speakers during certain times, and barring protesters from wearing masks or lowering state and federal flags. The legislation was introduced following student encampments at University of Texas campuses in May 2024 related to protests concerning the war in Gaza. Governor Abbott had indicated support for limiting such campus protests after the 2024 demonstrations resulted in dozens of arrests.

Paxton did not gain new powers to prosecute election crimes after the Texas House and Senate failed to reach agreement on House Bill 5138 before the legislative deadline in June 2025. The Senate version would have allowed the attorney general's office to unilaterally prosecute local election crimes when county prosecutors declined to do so, while the House version required local prosecutors to consider cases first. The disagreement left the bill unresolved as the regular legislative session ended.

Texas lawmakers passed Senate Bill 15, which allows smaller homes to be built on smaller lots in the state's largest cities, and sent the measure to Governor Abbott's desk. The Texas Senate approved the bill unanimously on Saturday, while the Texas House passed it on Sunday by a 78-57 vote with bipartisan support. The legislation is part of a broader legislative package enacted during the 2025 session intended to address high housing costs by reducing local zoning restrictions and other regulatory barriers to home construction.

House Bill 46, sponsored by Rep. Ken King, expanded Texas's medical marijuana program by increasing the number of licensees from three to 15 and adding new qualifying conditions including Crohn's disease, traumatic brain injury, and chronic pain. The legislation passed both chambers of the Texas Legislature with overwhelming support on Sunday and was sent to Abbott for consideration. The expansion was negotiated as a compromise alongside separate hemp retail restrictions and represented a significant widening of the state's 10-year-old Texas Compassionate Use Program.

Senate Bill 13 by Senator Angela Paxton was sent to Governor Abbott for consideration, establishing a process by which school board trustees and parents could request removal of books from school library shelves if deemed profane or indecent. The legislation would require librarians to seek school board approval before purchasing books and allow districts to establish advisory councils composed of parents, educators, and community members to review new acquisitions and challenged materials. Books subject to community challenges would be removed from shelves during the review process, with disputes required to be resolved within ninety days.

The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1, the General Appropriations Act 2026-27, a $338 billion spending bill on May 31, 2025, with the Senate voting 31-0 and the House voting 107-21. The budget allocates $150 billion in state tax spending and $100 billion in federal funds for the fiscal cycle from September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2027, and includes funding for property tax relief, teacher compensation increases, private school tuition assistance, public education, public safety, and infrastructure. The legislation proceeds to the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts for certification before Governor Abbott receives it, and Abbott has until June 22, 2025, to exercise line-item veto authority on individual budget items.

Governor Abbott applauded the Texas Legislature for passing Senate Bill 7 and House Joint Resolution 7, which together constitute a $20 billion water infrastructure investment package designed to address the state's water supply needs over the next 50 years. Senate Bill 7, authored by Senator Charles Perry, works in conjunction with the proposed constitutional amendment in House Joint Resolution 7, which would allocate $1 billion annually from 2027 to 2047 for water supply projects including infrastructure repair, desalination, and conservation efforts. Abbott stated the legislation is critical to fixing deteriorating water systems and ensuring adequate water supply for agricultural producers, following his earlier designation of water infrastructure as an emergency legislative priority.

House Bill 1481, introduced by Representative Caroline Fairly of Amarillo, was passed by the Texas Senate unanimously and is heading to Governor Abbott's desk for signature. The bill would prohibit K-12 students from using cellphones during the school day, with individual school districts determining storage methods such as secure pouches, lockers, or charging stations. If signed, the legislation would take effect September 1, 2025, and would allow exceptions for students with medical or safety needs while requiring schools to establish disciplinary procedures for violations.

Governor Abbott issued an executive order in March 2025 directing state agencies to bring employees back to in-office work after the pandemic-era remote work period. State Representative Giovanni Capriglione introduced House Bill 5196 in response, establishing a statewide framework for telework policies across state agencies, which previously operated under inconsistent approaches to remote work arrangements. The bill passed with near-unanimous approval in both chambers and takes effect September 1, 2025, creating standardized guidelines for how state agencies may permit employees to work remotely.

The Texas Legislature passed two bills raising the state homestead exemption that were sent to Governor Abbott's desk for consideration. The legislation would increase the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000 for all homeowners and to $200,000 for Texans with disabilities or who are 65 and older, subject to voter approval in November. The measures received unanimous final passage in both chambers and are projected to return approximately $10 billion to homeowners and small businesses through reduced property taxes.

Governor Abbott promised to quickly sign House Bill 2, a record-breaking $8.5 billion school funding bill that cleared its final legislative hurdle in the Texas House on Thursday. The bill allocates $4.2 billion in state contributions toward teacher pay raises, with teachers having three to four years of experience in large school districts receiving $2,500 increases and those with five or more years receiving $5,000 increases. Non-administrative staff including librarians, custodians, and cafeteria workers will also receive pay raises through a $500 million allotment in the legislation.

Senate Bill 22, which establishes a $300 million biennial fund for the Texas Moving Image Industry Incentive Program over a ten-year period totaling $1.5 billion, was passed by the Texas Legislature and sent to Governor Abbott's desk in May 2025. The bill represents a record funding level for the state's film incentives program, increasing from the $200 million appropriated in 2023, after the Senate amended the originally proposed $500 million biennial amount. Abbott has not yet taken action on the legislation as of the article's publication date.

The Texas Legislature passed a bill sponsored by Rep. Jeff Leach that prohibits the use of nondisclosure agreements in settlements involving sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, human trafficking, and child sexual abuse. The measure, to be known as Trey's Law, passed the Texas House on a 144-0 vote and awaits the signature of Gov. Greg Abbott. The legislation was named after Trey Carlock, a sexual abuse survivor who was bound by an NDA as part of a settlement agreement and died by suicide in 2019.

The Texas Senate voted 23-8 on May 28, 2025, to accept House amendments to an electronic health records bill that would require covered entities such as health care insurers, facilities, and providers to include a space for patients' biological sex and information on any sexual development disorder in their records. The legislation would also permit health care professionals to use artificial intelligence for diagnostic purposes if the person acts within the scope of their license, the use is not restricted by law, and the person reviews all AI-generated records. The bill, now headed to Governor Abbott's desk, would allow parents unrestricted access to their minor children's health records unless restricted by law or court order, and would permit state health officials to investigate violations of confidentiality protections.

The Texas Senate passed House Bill 14, legislation that would create a $350 million grant program to support nuclear energy development in the state, with approximately 80 percent of funds designated for nuclear reactor construction costs and the remainder allocated to research and development. The bill advanced despite a significant reduction from the $2 billion initially proposed when the legislation was filed by Representative Cody Harris. The measure awaits House approval before proceeding to the Governor for signature.

Senate Bill 3, legislation that would criminalize the possession, sale, and manufacture of hemp-derived THC products including gummies, vapes, and edibles, was sent to Governor Abbott following Senate approval on a vote of 25-6 in late May 2025. The bill would classify possession as a Class A misdemeanor and manufacture or delivery as a third-degree felony, with retail compliance required by January 2026 and the ban taking effect in September 2025. Abbott had not publicly stated his position on the final version of the bill and could sign it, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature within 10 days of receiving it.

The Texas Senate approved House Bill 2, a school finance bill that allocates an additional $8.5 billion to public schools over the next two years, which Governor Abbott promised to sign. The bill creates new funding allotments including $4.2 billion for teacher pay increases, $1.3 billion for fixed costs such as insurance and utilities, $2 billion for special education and career and technical education, and $430 million for school safety. North Texas school districts including Dallas ISD are projected to receive increased state funding under the bill's implementation in 2026 and 2027.

The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 3, authored by Senator Charles Perry, which bans consumable hemp products containing any detectable amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and sent the bill to Governor Abbott's desk in May 2025. Hemp farmers stated that industrial hemp cannot be produced without trace amounts of THC, making the ban incompatible with hemp cultivation. Abbott had not yet signed or vetoed the legislation as of the article's publication date.

The Texas House advanced Senate Bill 37, legislation that would increase state oversight of public universities by granting governor-appointed regents greater authority over day-to-day academic decisions, including course offerings and curriculum content. The bill would establish a governor-appointed ombudsman position to investigate whether schools are complying with the state's ban on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and would reduce faculty influence over academic matters. The measure now awaits consideration by Governor Abbott.

Senate Bill 835, authored by Senator Angela Paxton, passed the Texas House with unanimous approval on May 25, 2025, and was sent to Governor Abbott's desk for consideration. The legislation bans the use of nondisclosure agreements in civil lawsuits involving sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, human trafficking, and child sexual abuse, with an effective date of September 1, 2025. The bill, known as Trey's Law, prevents survivors of these offenses from being silenced through NDAs and is intended to take effect later in 2025.

Senate Bill 8 passed the Texas House of Representatives on May 25, 2025, on a vote of 86-47, requiring every Texas sheriff's office to sign a contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement under the federal 287(g) program. Under the House version, sheriff's departments would be mandated to authorize officers to serve immigration warrants on individuals held in jail, with ICE granted 48 hours to pick up detainees after issuance of an immigration detainer. The bill requires Senate approval of the House amendments before it can be sent to Governor Abbott, who signaled his support for the measure.

The Texas Senate unanimously approved House Bill 2, an $8.5 billion public school funding package, in a 31-0 vote on May 23, 2025. The legislation provides districts a $55 per-student increase to base funding and establishes new funding allocations for teacher pay, special education, insurance, transportation, utilities, educator preparation, and early childhood learning. The bill proceeds to the House for final approval before being sent to Governor Abbott's desk.

The Texas House approved Senate Bill 38 on Saturday by an 85-44 vote, legislation designed to expedite eviction proceedings for squatters occupying property illegally. House members removed a provision before the vote that would have allowed expedited evictions in cases involving tenants with active leases, limiting the expedited process to confirmed squatting situations. The revised bill still restricts the ability of the governor and Texas Supreme Court to modify eviction procedures during emergencies, a change opposed by housing advocates.

Abbott vetoed Senate Bill 3, legislation that would have banned all THC products including vapes, gummies, and drinks containing synthetic cannabinoids in Texas, citing concerns that the law would not survive valid constitutional challenges in court. Abbott called a special legislative session beginning July 21 to reconvene lawmakers for one month to develop strict regulations of THC substances instead of implementing an outright ban. The vetoed bill would have imposed fines up to $500 for possession of THC products, with higher penalties for repeat offenders, while allowing medical marijuana access for approved patients.

The Texas House of Representatives voted 88-48 to send a bill to Governor Abbott that would allow school districts to offer a voluntary daily period for prayer and reading religious texts in public schools, with the Senate having passed the measure in March. Under the proposal, local school trustees would decide whether to implement the period outside of instructional time, parents would be required to sign a form consenting to or prohibiting their child's participation, and participating students and staff would be protected from being required to listen or remain nearby if they opted out. The bill also includes provisions allowing school trustees to request the Texas attorney general to defend districts that are sued over the policy and removes the term "encourage" from existing state law prohibiting coercion of students regarding prayer or meditation.

Governor Abbott traveled to Washington multiple times in 2025 to lobby congressional Republicans and President Donald Trump for approximately $11 billion in federal reimbursement for Texas spending on Operation Lone Star, a state initiative involving National Guard deployment, state troopers, and physical barriers along the Rio Grande. The House passed the One Big Beautiful Bill Act on Thursday with $12 billion designated for reimbursing states for border security costs incurred since the beginning of the Biden administration, with much of that funding expected to flow to Texas. The legislation now proceeds to the Senate for consideration, where additional changes are anticipated.

The Texas House passed the "Life of the Mother Act" on Thursday with overwhelming support, following unanimous approval in the Texas Senate in late April. The bill clarifies when physicians may perform abortion procedures to save a pregnant woman's life, codifying that doctors need not wait until a woman is at imminent risk of death before providing such care. The legislation now proceeds to Governor Abbott for consideration and does not alter Texas's existing abortion restrictions in other circumstances.

Governor Abbott announced support for House Bill 2, an $8 billion school finance package that passed the Texas House of Representatives with bipartisan support of 144–4, stating it represented a "monumental step" forward and that he looked "forward to signing this bill into law." Abbott praised House Speaker Dustin Burrows and Public Education Committee Chairman Brad Buckley for their leadership on the legislation, which includes increased teacher pay and district funding. The bill awaited action in the Texas Senate as of May 21, 2025.

The Texas House of Representatives voted to approve Senate Bill 21, legislation that would establish a state bitcoin reserve allowing Texas to stockpile bitcoin and potentially other cryptocurrencies under the control of the state comptroller. The bill passed with 105 votes in favor and 23 against and was sent to Governor Abbott's desk for action. Under state law, Abbott has 10 days to sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature.

Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver was charged with assaulting, impeding, or interfering with law enforcement following a skirmish with federal officers outside an immigration detention center in New Jersey, according to Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba. The incident occurred when McIver and other members of Congress attempted to inspect the facility in their oversight capacity, during which Newark Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested. McIver denied wrongdoing and characterized the prosecution as politically motivated, while her Democratic colleagues stated the case infringed on lawmakers' official duties to serve constituents.

The Texas House of Representatives approved a resolution on May 20, 2025, that would authorize the State Preservation Board to approve construction of a Life Monument at the Texas Capitol. The monument, an eight-foot bronze sculpture depicting a pregnant woman with an unborn child cradled in a world-shaped womb, would be funded through private donations and must comply with board rules governing size, design, and timeline. The resolution, which passed the Senate earlier in the month, now awaits Governor Abbott's signature.

The Texas House approved four bills restricting bail for violent offenders, repeat offenders, and undocumented immigrants accused of violent crimes, delivering a policy priority for Gov. Abbott. The legislation would prohibit some judges from reducing bail or bond conditions for those accused of violent crimes and would prevent taxpayer funding to charitable organizations providing bail assistance. Abbott visited the House floor following passage and described the bills as "outstanding," noting that the measures addressed what he characterized as problems stemming from the existing bail system.

Texas Attorney General Paxton concluded a seven-week investigation into Superior HealthPlan and determined the company did not engage in illegal activity or surveillance. The investigation examined allegations that the Medicaid health insurer had hired a private investigator to conduct surveillance and collect confidential information on lawmakers, patients, and whistleblowers during a 2017 lawsuit. Paxton stated that Superior's activities consisted of researching and consolidating publicly available documents and information from public databases, which did not violate Texas law.

House Bill 5061, which prohibits state contractors from conducting surveillance or spying on lawmakers, whistleblowers, and state employees, passed both the Texas House and Senate without opposition and was sent to Governor Abbott's desk in May 2025. The legislation was filed by Rep. Jeff Leach two weeks before public disclosures that Superior HealthPlan had hired a background investigation firm to collect information on Texas lawmakers, including political backgrounds, divorce records, and photographs of their homes and vehicles between 2017 and 2019. Abbott retains authority to veto the bill for ten days after receiving it, though the governor's office indicated no intention to do so, and the legislation is scheduled to become law on September 1, 2025, if unsigned.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced that NtxBio, a health care biomanufacturing company based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, will build a new $31 million manufacturing facility in Plano. The facility is expected to create 170 jobs assembling biomanufacturing instruments using domestically produced raw materials for cancer and rare disease treatments. Abbott's office awarded the company a $1.5 million Texas Enterprise Fund grant to support the expansion.

Texas Gov. Abbott signed Senate Bill 14 into law in April 2025, creating the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office to streamline regulation and reduce barriers to doing business in the state. The new office is tasked with working with the secretary of state and other agencies to create an interactive website allowing public access to information about rules, forms, and filings. Abbott stated that the creation of the office was informed by strategies from the federal Department of Government Efficiency.

The Texas House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee approved legislation on Monday that would amend the state Constitution to expand the categories of violent offenses for which judges can deny bail and to automatically deny bail to undocumented immigrants accused of certain felonies. The committee also advanced an amended version of Senate Bill 9, which would strengthen a 2021 state law restricting eligibility for low-cost or cashless bond release. Abbott had prioritized constitutional amendments to restrict bail practices in three consecutive legislative sessions prior to this advancement.

Governor Abbott signed legislation creating education savings accounts, a voucher-like program that directs public dollars to private education for the first time in Texas. The bill was signed in early May 2025 at a celebration held at the Governor's Mansion. The education savings accounts bill was passed by the House alongside a separate $7.7 billion public school finance proposal that would increase the state's per-student basic funding allotment for the first time since 2019.

Governor Abbott expressed support for House Bill 1644, legislation that would legalize fentanyl and xylazine test strips by removing them from the list of banned drug paraphernalia. The bill, authored by state Representative Tom Oliverson, passed the Texas House unanimously in 2025. The measure remained pending in the Texas Senate without scheduling for a hearing as of May 2025.

Governor Abbott identified housing affordability as a priority alongside Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. Senate Bill 844 by state Senator Bryan Hughes and House Bill 24 by Representative Angela Orr, which both passed their respective chambers, would increase the protest threshold for zoning changes from 20 percent to 60 percent of property owners within a notification area. The bills would allow city councils to override remaining opposition with a simple majority vote, reducing barriers to new residential development.

Gov. Abbott urged the Texas House to pass Senate Joint Resolution 1 and Senate Joint Resolution 5, a pair of proposed constitutional amendments designed to restrict bail eligibility. SJR 1 would prohibit judges from setting bail for undocumented immigrants accused of felonies, while SJR 5 would allow judges to deny bail to individuals accused of violent crimes or sexual offenses. Both measures had passed the Texas Senate on bipartisan votes in February but faced opposition from House Democrats who introduced alternative bail reform proposals.

Governor Abbott signed into law a school choice plan that allows families to use public money on private schools or homeschooling through education savings accounts. The legislation comes as Dallas ISD faces financial uncertainties from rising costs and stagnant state funding, with district officials anticipating a roughly 1,700-student enrollment decline next year. If a significant number of DISD students participate in the education savings account program, the district's finances could be impacted over the next several years.

The Texas House passed legislation on May 2, 2025, that requires public schools and universities to consider whether antisemitism was involved in disciplinary matters and adds the definition of antisemitism to bullying statutes. The bill received preliminary approval with a vote of 129-8 and followed an executive order signed by Governor Abbott directing schools to update free speech guidelines in response to pro-Palestine protests on university campuses in 2024. Representative Jon Rosenthal amended the bill to specify that it was not intended to discourage free speech on campuses, which led to the proposal gaining bipartisan support.

Senate Joint Resolution 3 and Senate Bill 5, sponsored by Republican Senator Joan Huffman of Houston, authorize the creation of the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and commit $3 billion in funding over 10 years, with the constitutional amendment heading to voters in November. The legislation calls for Abbott to appoint a nine-member oversight committee and directs the institute to award grants to universities and other entities for research into causes, prevention, treatment, and development of therapies related to dementia. Both measures received near-unanimous approval in the House and Senate and are awaiting Abbott's action.

The Texas Senate voted on April 24, 2025, to send Senate Bill 2, a $1 billion private school voucher program, to Governor Abbott's desk for signature. The legislation would create education savings accounts allowing families to use taxpayer dollars for private school tuition and related expenses beginning in the 2026-27 school year, with up to 20 percent of funds available to families earning 500 percent or more of the poverty line. Abbott previously announced his intention to sign the bill into law.

Senate Bill 37, a priority bill in the Texas Legislature, would grant governor-appointed regents expanded authority over public universities, including the ability to veto campus decisions, eliminate courses deemed not "foundational and fundamental," and establish state oversight to ensure compliance with existing laws including the 2023 ban on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The bill passed the Texas Senate in a 20-11 vote but has not received a hearing in the House. The legislation would shift decision-making power away from professors and campus leadership, who have historically determined course offerings and participated in hiring processes for university administrators and faculty.

Governor Abbott signed an executive order in 2024 requiring Texas hospitals to report the costs of providing healthcare to immigrants without permanent legal status, with the order taking effect on November 1, 2024. According to data released by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission in April 2025, Texas hospitals reported spending $121 million in November 2024 on care for immigrants lacking legal status across more than 31,000 visits, with approximately $37 million spent on emergency department visits and $85 million on inpatient discharges. The reporting requirement directs hospitals to collect and submit quarterly data on these healthcare costs, with the first annual report scheduled for January 1, 2026.

House Bill 5337 would require Texas voters to provide proof of citizenship, applying retroactively to the approximately 18 million already-registered voters in the state rather than only to new applicants. The Texas Secretary of State's Office estimated that approximately 500,000 currently registered voters without a driver's license number or Social Security number on file would be required to submit citizenship documentation. Democratic lawmakers and voting rights advocates testified during a House Election Committee hearing that the requirement could prevent eligible citizens from voting due to difficulties obtaining necessary documents.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 2, a $1 billion private school voucher program, into law in May 2025 after designating it a top legislative priority. The program makes all Texas students from Pre-K through 12th grade eligible to access state funds for private school tuition or homeschooling, with no income cap, though priority access is given to students with special needs and those from lower-income households determined by federal poverty thresholds. Private school students would receive 85% of per-pupil state and local funding allocations, students with special needs would receive up to $30,000 annually, and homeschooled students would receive $2,000 annually, with implementation beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year through a lottery system administered by the state comptroller.

Abbott issued an executive order in August requiring Texas hospitals to ask patients about their immigration status and report treatment costs for undocumented migrants. According to data collected under this order, Texas hospitals spent $121.8 million in November 2024 treating undocumented migrants across 31,012 visits. The memo reporting these figures was sent by Texas Health and Human Services Commissioner Cecile Erwin Young to Abbott on Friday morning.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 2, a $1 billion private school voucher program, into law on May 3, 2025. The program provides eligible Texas students from Pre-K through 12th grade access to state funds for private education or homeschooling, with no income cap for eligibility and prioritized access for students with special needs and lower-income families. The program is scheduled to begin during the 2026-2027 academic year, with implementation details to be determined by the Texas Comptroller's office.

The Texas Senate voted 19-12 on April 24, 2025, to approve Senate Bill 2, which creates education savings accounts allowing parents to apply for approximately $10,000 annually to cover private school expenses including tuition, uniforms, meals, and educational materials. The bill was sent to Governor Abbott for his signature after the House had previously passed the measure following extended debate. Abbott stated he would sign the legislation promptly, having campaigned on the education savings account proposal for more than two years.

The Texas Senate voted 19-12 on April 24, 2025, to approve a $1 billion private school voucher bill and send it to Governor Abbott for his signature. The legislation authorizes parents to use state education funds for private school tuition, homeschooling, tutoring, and related expenses, with students receiving approximately $10,900 annually and students with special needs eligible for up to $30,000 per year. Abbott stated he intends to sign the bill into law, which would make Texas the largest state by population to implement a private school voucher program.

Abbott signed Senate Bill 14 into law on April 23, 2025, the first bill signed during the 2025 Legislative session. The legislation establishes the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office, tasked with identifying and eliminating unnecessary regulations within state government. The measure, colloquially termed the "DOGE bill," was designed to reduce regulatory burdens on business operations and streamline state bureaucracy.

House Bill 14, authored by Representative Cody Harris, would establish the Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office within the governor's office with authority to distribute grants of up to $200 million to private companies for constructing advanced nuclear power plants in Texas. The House advanced the bill through two readings via voice vote on Tuesday and Wednesday before sending it to the Senate. The legislation aims to expand the state's electric generation capacity and assess needs for additional nuclear generation facilities.

Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 14 into law on April 23, 2025, establishing the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office and advisory council to identify and reduce ineffective regulatory requirements and outdated rules. The legislation, authored by Senator Phil King, requires creation of an online portal for public access to regulatory information and mandates that state agencies publish rules in plain language. The new office, which takes effect in September 2025, is designed to reduce taxpayer costs associated with regulatory compliance and government inefficiency.

Governor Abbott signaled support for nuclear energy development in Texas by signing off on recommendations that included a $5 billion fund to develop nuclear power in the state. The initiative follows research efforts at Abilene Christian University to construct a small modular reactor, which would be the nation's first nuclear research reactor in more than 40 years. Abbott stated that Texas, as the energy capital of the world, is positioned to become the leader in advanced nuclear power.

Texas state Senator Paul Bettencourt authored a bill that would prohibit cities and counties from narrowing roadways to create wider sidewalks, protected bicycle lanes, or bus lanes. According to Bettencourt's statement of intent, the measure aims to prevent local governments from implementing vehicle bans, street closures, or congestion pricing programs. The bill was left pending in committee following a Senate hearing in which lawmakers raised concerns about the measure's vague wording and its potential unintended consequences.

The Texas House approved House Bill 14, which would create a Texas Advanced Nuclear Energy Office overseen by the governor to manage a grant program for nuclear power development and assist nuclear organizations with federal permitting. The House budgeted $750 million for the program, with a proposed constitutional amendment that could increase funding by an additional $2 billion. The bill advanced with bipartisan support on a voice vote and requires Senate passage before becoming law.

Governor Abbott indicated he would "swiftly" sign the Education Savings Account bill into law if the Texas House and Senate resolved their differences on the legislation. The bill would provide $10,000 per child annually to families enrolling children in accredited private schools and $2,000 per child for homeschooling families, with a total program cost of $1 billion. Priority enrollment would be given to children with disabilities and families earning less than $156,000 annually if demand exceeded available funding.

Abbott secured a lease agreement with the Laredo City Council in April 2025 to access approximately 1,600 feet of city easements northwest of the city to construct three additional miles of border barrier near Colombia Bridge. The agreement followed a 6-2 city council vote and allows the state to proceed with wall construction in an area that had previously resisted federal border wall efforts during the Trump administration. Abbott has constructed 60 miles of border wall with another 10 miles in progress, and the Texas Legislature is considering a budget allocation of $2.8 billion for additional barriers along the Rio Grande.

The U.S. Department of Justice terminated a federal contract for legal services to immigrants in detention facilities, resulting in the loss of $1 million in funding to American Gateways, a Central Texas nonprofit organization. The termination eliminated three main programs operated by American Gateways across three Texas detention facilities: the Legal Orientation Program, the Immigration Court Helpdesk, and the Counsel for Children Initiative. The funding cut represented 27 percent of American Gateways' overall budget and affected legal services previously provided to more than 5,000 detained individuals annually.

Abbott stated that Texas led the nation in job creation over the one-year period ended in March, with nearly 15.8 million Texans employed, representing a new high for the state's labor force. Abbott cited legislation including a private school vouchers bill that recently passed the Texas House and funding for community colleges and career training programs as factors contributing to continued job growth. The Texas Workforce Commission reported that more than 26,000 jobs were added in March alone, with notable growth in the private education and construction industries.

Abbott responded to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick's social media statement backing Senate Bill 2, a $1 billion education savings account proposal, by stating he was "ready to sign this bill into law." SB 2, authored by Senator Brandon Creighton, would establish dedicated accounts funded by public money that families could use for private school tuition, homeschooling costs, and other education-related expenses, with students with disabilities eligible to receive up to $30,000. Abbott's statement indicated the legislation was on a fast track to his desk, as accepting the House version of the bill would allow him to sign it without requiring further negotiation between the chambers.

The Texas Senate accepted the private school voucher bill passed by the Texas House, known as Senate Bill 2, clearing the legislation for Governor Abbott's consideration. Abbott stated he was "ready to sign this bill into law" following the Senate's concurrence. Senate Bill 2 would provide approximately $10,000 per year in taxpayer funds to parents to direct toward private school or homeschool education, with the state budget allocating $1 billion for the program in its first two years.

Abbott conducted a multi-year campaign to secure passage of legislation creating a school voucher program in Texas, including spending nearly $12 million to unseat Republican opponents of the measure in 2023, meeting privately with wavering lawmakers, and arranging a call from President Donald Trump to the Republican caucus before the vote. The Texas House approved the voucher bill on April 17, 2025, with only two Republican members joining Democrats in opposition, a significant shift from widespread GOP opposition to vouchers in previous years. Abbott's pressure campaign resulted in several lawmakers who had previously opposed vouchers, including House Speaker Dustin Burrows and education committee chairman Brad Buckley, voting in favor of the legislation.

Abbott championed legislation that created a $1 billion school voucher program in Texas, which received initial House approval on Thursday morning following a pivotal legislative vote. The bill allows taxpayer funds to be directed to private school tuition through vouchers and requires additional procedural steps before reaching the governor's desk, with Abbott stating his intention to sign it upon receipt. The voucher program was backed by major donors including billionaire Jeff Yass, who donated $6 million to Abbott, and faced opposition from a bipartisan coalition citing concerns about impacts on public school funding and student outcomes.

Governor Abbott has promoted a school voucher plan that would allocate approximately $1 billion to provide students with roughly $10,000 annually to use toward private school tuition and education costs. President Trump contacted Texas House Republicans via conference call in April 2025 to urge passage of Abbott's voucher legislation and offered to visit Texas to support the measure's final passage. Abbott's proposal requires reconciliation between competing House and Senate voucher plans before submission to the governor by the June 2 deadline.

Governor Abbott announced in August that Texas had removed 6,500 noncitizens from the voter rolls, including approximately 1,930 individuals with voting history since September 2021. A subsequent investigation by the Texas Tribune and ProPublica found that Abbott's figures likely overstated the number of ineligible voters removed and that some U.S. citizens were removed from the rolls. The Texas state legislature is considering legislation that would require proof of citizenship for voter registration in local, state, and presidential elections.

The Texas House voted 85-63 to advance Senate Bill 2, a school voucher-style proposal that would establish education savings accounts allowing parents to use state funds for private school tuition, representing a major legislative priority for Governor Abbott. The bill passed after a day of deliberations, with all Democratic representatives voting against it and two Republican representatives, Reps. Dade Phelan and Gary VanDeaver, also voting no. Abbott stated he would sign the legislation into law once it reaches his desk, describing it as creating the largest day-one school choice program in the nation.

Governor Abbott supported Senate Bill 2, legislation that created a school voucher program in Texas, through a sustained campaign that included personal meetings with lawmakers, spending nearly twelve million dollars to unseat opposing Republicans in the 2023 election cycle, and organizing a call with President Donald Trump to address the House Republican caucus ahead of the April 2025 vote. The House approved the measure on April 17, 2025, with only two Republican members joining Democrats in opposition, a significant shift from widespread Republican opposition to vouchers just a few years prior. Abbott's efforts marked a major governing success on an issue previously considered unlikely to pass through the Texas Legislature.

The Texas House voted 142-5 to advance House Bill 2, an $8 billion school funding bill that increases per-student funding from $6,160 to $6,555 and ties future increases to property value growth. The legislation raises teacher salaries with higher increases for educators with more than a decade of experience and restricts uncertified teachers from instructing core classes. The bill also restructures special education funding to allocate resources based on individual student needs rather than school settings.

In March 2025, Governor Abbott issued an order directing state agencies to review their telework policies and increase on-site workers. State employees subsequently testified before the Texas House Committee on Delivery of Government Efficiency regarding House Bill 5196 by Representative Giovanni Capriglione, which would establish a statewide framework for telework arrangements within state agencies. The legislation addressed inconsistent telework policies across agencies that had developed without formal statutory guidelines since the 2020 pandemic.

Governor Abbott sought to pass an educational savings account plan in the Texas House that would allow parents to use state tax dollars toward private school tuition. Abbott invested significant political capital in the effort, including recruiting and supporting pro-voucher candidates in 2024, conducting dozens of rallies across the state, and making 37 social media posts in one month promoting passage. The Texas House began debate on the legislation on Wednesday, marking Abbott's second attempt to pass school vouchers after a failed effort in December 2023.

Governor Abbott advocated for a school choice voucher-like program, formally called an education savings account, which was considered by the Texas House on April 16, 2025, as part of what House Speaker Dustin Burrows termed the "Texas Two Step" education initiative. The proposal would direct public dollars to private schools through a voucher mechanism and was presented to the House as a separate bill following passage of House Bill 2, which increased per-student public school funding from $6,160 to $6,555. Abbott had previously tied a similar school choice proposal to education funding negotiations in the prior legislative session.

Governor Abbott signed an education savings account bill into law on Saturday, establishing a school choice program that allows families to use public dollars for private school tuition, homeschooling, and other education-related expenses. The program is projected to cost $1 billion in its first year and could serve approximately 90,000 students, potentially making it the largest such program in the country. Texas joins 34 other states that offer school choice programs through education savings accounts or similar mechanisms.

The Texas House passed House Bill 6, titled the Texas Teachers' Bill of Rights and authored by Rep. Jeff Leach, which received final approval on Wednesday with a vote of 121-26 and advanced to the Senate. The bill would expand school discipline powers by reversing a 2017 state law that restricts out-of-school suspensions for students in pre-kindergarten through second grade to only major offenses. Under the proposal, schools would gain additional authority to suspend younger students for classroom disruptions beyond the current restrictions on suspension use.

The Texas House of Representatives approved Senate Bill 2, a school voucher plan initiated by Governor Abbott that would allocate approximately $10,000 annually in taxpayer funding per student for private school education. The legislation allows families to use state funds to enroll children in accredited private schools, with the majority of eligible institutions being religiously affiliated. The House voted on the measure on April 16, 2025, following floor debate that was livestreamed to the public.

Abbott designated the creation of a new state cybersecurity command as an emergency legislative item for the 2025 Texas legislative session. House Bill 150, which passed the Texas House 133-12 on April 15, 2025, would establish the Texas Cyber Command with $135 million in funding over two years, to be administered through the University of Texas System and based at the University of Texas at San Antonio. The command would assume cybersecurity threat response, management, forensics, and training responsibilities previously distributed among state agencies, particularly the Department of Information Resources.

Governor Abbott issued an executive order in spring 2024 directing Texas schools to update free speech policies and establish punishments up to expulsion in response to what he described as rising antisemitism on campuses. The order followed student protests across Texas colleges regarding Israel's response after the October 7 attack by Hamas. A Muslim advocacy group subsequently filed a lawsuit challenging the executive order as violating constitutional free speech protections.

Senate Bill 2, a school choice bill creating a $1 billion fund to provide education savings accounts of approximately $10,000 for parents to use toward private school tuition, was scheduled for a Texas House vote on April 16, 2025, after passing the Senate on February 5, 2025. The bill had been a stated priority for Governor Abbott, who had conducted a campaign to unseat House members who voted against a similar proposal in 2023. House Speaker Dustin Burrows indicated in a March 25 news conference that the bill would pass and be sent to the governor's desk.

The Texas House approved a two-year budget allocating $6.5 billion for border security operations under Governor Abbott's direction, including $2.8 billion for barrier installation along the Rio Grande and local border security grants, $2.3 billion to the Texas Military Department, and $1.2 billion to the Department of Public Safety for personnel. The funding was approved despite border crossings being at their lowest point in decades and the state reducing certain elements of Operation Lone Star. Democratic amendments to redirect portions of the funding to child care subsidies, housing assistance, and prison infrastructure were tabled before debate.

Governor Abbott announced a special election to fill the congressional seat of the late U.S. Representative Sylvester Turner, with the election scheduled for November rather than earlier in the year. Abbott attributed the timing delay to election issues in Harris County. The delay resulted in an extended period during which the House of Representatives would have one fewer Democratic member before the special election took place.

Phelan filed House Bill 3592, which would limit contributions to Texas candidates and officeholders from out-of-state donors to $5,000 for statewide candidates, $2,500 for district office candidates, and $1,000 for county office candidates. Candidates who accept out-of-state donations exceeding these caps would be required to return the funds within five days of acceptance or by the final reporting period deadline. Phelan pitched the bill to colleagues during a Wednesday committee hearing, stating it would curb the influence of out-of-state megadonors in Texas elections.

The Texas House tabled State Rep. John Bryant's amendment that would have zeroed out $1 billion allocated for a universal voucher program during budget deliberations on April 10, 2025. The amendment was removed before debate could occur following collaboration between Republican leadership and Democratic budget writers, with the vote to table passing 120 to 26. House Democratic leadership indicated the decision was strategic, aimed at avoiding a preliminary vote on vouchers before the chamber's expected vote on actual voucher legislation the following week.

Governor Abbott announced that the special election to fill the U.S. House seat vacated by the death of Representative Sylvester Turner would be held on November 4, leaving the Houston Congressional District 18 without representation for approximately 245 days. Abbott stated that he set this timeline to allow Harris County election officials sufficient time to prepare, citing what he described as deficiencies in how the county has conducted elections. The extended vacancy period is twice as long as the average time to fill House vacancies over the past two decades and gives the Republican majority in Congress an additional seat advantage during this period.

Governor Abbott issued a proclamation setting November 4 as the date for a special election to fill the vacant Texas 18th Congressional District seat, which has been empty since the death of Democratic Representative Sylvester Turner on March 5. Abbott stated that the seven-month timeline was necessary to allow Harris County sufficient time to prepare for the election, citing past problems with elections administration in the county. State law does not impose a deadline on Abbott for calling the special election.

Governor Abbott announced on Monday that a special election to fill the congressional seat vacated by the death of U.S. Representative Sylvester Turner will be held on November 4. Abbott's office stated the November date would allow Harris County sufficient time to prepare for the election, following the governor's previous delay in calling the race. The special election will determine representation for the district covering approximately 800,000 people in Houston.

Governor Abbott's office confirmed that Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, a municipal park on the Rio Grande that the state had seized in January 2024 as part of immigration enforcement operations, reopened to the public in recent days. The reopening followed a significant decline in border crossings during the early months of President Donald Trump's administration. Abbott's spokesperson stated that "there is no longer a need for Texas to maintain northern-facing barriers" while the state would continue to maintain barriers and a presence on the border itself.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on January 20, 2025, freezing funding for the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, which halted federal payments to nonprofit organizations providing services to refugees in Houston. Within six weeks of the order, four of the largest refugee resettlement groups in Houston laid off or furloughed at least 650 staffers and ceased providing rent assistance, utilities, food, and job training services to thousands of enrolled families. Church World Service, one of the affected organizations, reduced its Houston staff from 106 to 24 employees by early March 2025 and left more than 3,000 clients without active case management.

The Texas Senate passed legislation sponsored by state Senator Joan Huffman that would make intentional damage to electric vehicle charging stations a third-degree felony, with penalties increasing to a first-degree felony if damage exceeds $300,000 in value. Huffman attached the measure to a larger bill by state Senator Paul Bettencourt addressing organized theft at gas pumps. The legislation next proceeds to the Texas House and requires the signature of Governor Greg Abbott to become law.

Abbott spent millions in campaign contributions to elect Republican representatives who would support a private school voucher bill, remaking the House composition ahead of the legislative session. The House Public Education Committee advanced a revised version of the voucher legislation on April 3, 2025, which would provide approximately $10,000 annually in taxpayer funds to roughly 100,000 Texas students for private education or homeschooling and capped total program expenditures at $1 billion. The bill, which incorporated eligibility restrictions including income caps and exclusions for students living in the country illegally, advanced to the full House floor for a vote.

Governor Abbott stated that Texas was within reach of launching the nation's largest school choice program after the House Public Education Committee advanced Senate Bill 29 on April 3, 2025. The updated bill would establish education savings accounts allowing taxpayer money to fund private school tuition for eligible students, with accounts valued at approximately 85 percent of per-student public school funding, while prohibiting undocumented children from receiving such accounts. Abbott had prioritized the establishment of ESAs during the legislative session and invested political capital in primary races to increase support among House Republicans for the measure.

Governor Abbott delayed calling a special election to fill the U.S. House seat representing Texas's 18th Congressional District, which became vacant following U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner's death on March 5, 2025. Abbott attributed the delay to election administration concerns in Harris County, citing the county's 2022 ballot shortage incident as justification for waiting until the county had adequate time to conduct a fair election. Harris County officials and Democratic leaders disputed Abbott's rationale, with County Attorney Christian Menefee stating the county was prepared to conduct the election and threatening legal action if the governor did not call the special election before November 2025.

A Texas appellate court ruled that the Texas Education Agency could release 2023 A-F school accountability grades, dismissing a lawsuit filed by several districts including Dallas ISD that had challenged the TEA's scoring methodology. The grades, which evaluate campuses and districts based on STAAR test performance and college and career readiness measures, had not been issued for five years due to pending litigation and COVID-19 restrictions. A separate lawsuit continues to block the release of 2024 accountability ratings.

Governor Abbott has championed a $1 billion voucher plan in Texas that would provide state-subsidized tuition assistance to private school students. While the proposal has primarily focused on Christian private schools, Muslim and Jewish schools operating in Texas have indicated they would accept and benefit from voucher funding to expand enrollment and facilities. The plan remains subject to legislative passage and has drawn criticism from some state lawmakers who argue vouchers primarily benefit families already committed to private education while reducing public school funding.

In September 2024, Abbott designated Tren de Aragua as a "foreign terrorist organization" in Texas. The designation followed the Biden administration's earlier classification of the Venezuelan gang as a major transnational criminal organization. Abbott's action preceded federal efforts that intensified after President Trump's January 2025 declaration of the group as a terrorist organization and subsequent nationwide enforcement operations.

Governor Abbott proposed a $1 billion school voucher program that would create approximately $10,000 savings accounts for students to use toward private school tuition, including at Catholic schools. Texas has approximately 250 Catholic schools enrolling 64,000 students, with average tuition of $8,000 for elementary schools and $12,000 for high schools, positioning them to receive hundreds of millions in state funds under the program. The Texas Catholic Conference indicated that 90% of Catholic schools were likely to participate in the voucher program, with 25,000 empty seats available statewide.

Governor Abbott made a school choice program his top legislative priority, which includes a proposal for education savings accounts worth approximately $10,000 for students in low-performing public schools and $2,000 for homeschooled students. The Senate proposal requires homeschool participants accepting an education savings account to take norm-referenced academic assessments to measure academic progress. The testing requirement has created division within the homeschool community, with some families viewing it as government overreach while others acknowledge its purpose in tracking how taxpayer dollars are spent.

North Texas Representative David Lowe submitted a letter to Governor Abbott on March 31, 2025, requesting that state officials explore contracting with El Salvador to incarcerate undocumented migrants currently held in Texas Department of Criminal Justice facilities. Lowe's letter identified 5,780 individuals in Texas prisons as being in the country illegally and cited potential cost savings and reduced strain on the state's correctional system as rationales for the proposal. Abbott's spokesman stated that the governor supports using available strategies to aid federal deportation efforts but did not directly address Lowe's specific request regarding El Salvador's megaprison facility.

Senate Bill 8, filed by Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, was passed by the Texas Senate on a party-line 20–11 vote, requiring sheriffs in counties with at least 100,000 residents to sign cooperation agreements with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The bill, which was designated as a legislative priority by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, authorizes local law enforcement officers to inquire about individuals' immigration status through 287(g) contracts. The measure now proceeds to the Texas House before potentially reaching Gov. Abbott's desk.

The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 379 on April 1, 2025, which would restrict food stamp recipients from using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to purchase items including energy drinks, sweetened beverages, candy, carbonated beverages, potato chips, corn chips, and cookies. The bill passed with a vote of 22-8 and moved to the Texas House for consideration. If the House passes the bill without modifications, it will be sent to Governor Abbott for signature.

The Texas House budget committee endorsed a $337.4 billion state spending plan for the 2026-27 fiscal cycle that includes $6.5 billion to continue Operation Lone Star, Abbott's border security initiative that has operated since 2021. The funding would be distributed among Abbott's office, the Texas Military Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety, with provisions to create over 560 new commissioned officers for the Department of Public Safety. The budget bill, known as CSSB1, will proceed to a House floor vote before negotiation with the Senate and submission to Abbott for signature.

Lieutenant Governor Patrick stated he would push for a special session if the Texas Legislature failed to pass a tetrahydrocannabinol ban and bail law changes before the regular session ended in early June. Patrick indicated he would use his authority as presiding officer of the Texas Senate to block must-pass legislation in order to compel Governor Abbott to call a special session, a tactic he employed in 2017. The THC ban would target the state's hemp products market, which Patrick characterized as a public health concern.

Governor Abbott launched Operation Lone Star in March 2021, deploying the Texas National Guard and Department of Public Safety along the U.S.-Mexico border to detect and deter unauthorized entrants and drug smugglers. The Texas Senate's recently passed budget includes $6.5 billion to continue Operation Lone Star for another biennium. Abbott has also requested federal reimbursement of $11 billion for border security expenses already incurred by the state.

Abbott played a major leadership role in the creation of the Texas Business Court, which began accepting cases in fall 2024, according to the article. The court was designed to compete with Delaware's Chancery Court and establish Texas as a more competitive jurisdiction for business incorporation and corporate legal matters. The Texas Legislature is currently advancing legislation to codify additional business-friendly legal protections into state statute as part of broader efforts to strengthen Texas's corporate legal environment.

Abbott attended an executive order signing ceremony to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education alongside other Texas officials Dan Patrick and Ken Paxton. The Department of Education had provided more than $12 billion in education assistance to Texas in 2023. The dismantling of the department would affect education funding streams and employment in the state.

Governor Abbott signed House Bill 718 in June 2023, which took effect on July 1, 2025, eliminating the issuance of temporary paper license plates by Texas car dealerships. Under the new law, car buyers receive metal license plates from authorized dealers upon vehicle delivery instead of temporary paper tags. The legislation established a requirement for the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to develop and operate a real-time database to allow law enforcement to monitor dealer-issued metal plates and obtain registration information.

The Texas Legislature passed House Bill 1750, a "Right to Farm" bill that Abbott signed into law in June 2023, which took effect in September 2023. The legislation overrides local city restrictions on farming and livestock operations across the state, preventing municipalities like Houston from enforcing most ordinances related to chickens, pigs, goats, horses, and cows. In November 2023, Texas voters approved Proposition 1, a constitutional amendment that enshrined the right to farm in the Texas Constitution.

Gov. Greg Abbott announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved the state's request for a Fire Management Assistance Grant to cover firefighting expenses from the Pauline Road Fire in San Jacinto and Montgomery counties, which burned over 2,400 acres beginning March 19, 2025. The grant program provides a 75 percent federal cost share with the state or local government covering the remaining 25 percent of actual costs. Abbott stated the grant would help Texas fight the wildfire and protect the safety and well-being of residents in the affected counties.

Governor Abbott has not called a special election to fill the U.S. House seat vacated by the death of U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner on March 5, 2025, more than three weeks after Turner's passing and over a month before the state's next uniform election. Texas law grants the governor sole authority to call a special election to fill the congressional seat for the remainder of Turner's two-year term, with no statutory deadline specified for when such an election must be ordered. The vacant seat represents Texas' 18th Congressional District, a Democratic stronghold encompassing parts of Houston.

Governor Abbott appeared at a joint press conference with House Speaker Dustin Burrows and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick to promote legislation that would establish education savings accounts allowing public dollars to be spent on private school tuition, tutoring, and other education costs, with an initial funding allocation of $1 billion. Abbott had previously spent months campaigning against House Republicans who opposed the voucher bill in the prior legislative session, backing candidates who ultimately contributed to the removal of the previous House speaker. The press conference demonstrated unified Republican support for the education savings accounts bill, which Burrows stated had secured 76 Republican signatures and sufficient votes for passage.

Abbott attended the signing ceremony for Trump's executive order directing the Education Department to dismantle and return authority over education to states and local communities. Abbott stated that the Department of Education represented excessive federal bureaucracy that had not produced results and that returning education funding directly to states would yield better outcomes. The Texas NAACP subsequently joined a federal lawsuit challenging the executive order, arguing that the administration's actions exceeded presidential authority and threatened oversight protections for students.

Abbott designated a universal education savings account program as his top legislative priority and publicly stated his confidence in its passage during a Capitol news conference in March 2025. The proposed plan would allocate approximately $10,000 per student to education savings accounts usable for private school tuition, with eligibility extended to all Texas students including those already enrolled in private schools. The Texas Senate passed its version of the proposal in February 2025, and House Speaker Dustin Burrows indicated the House would vote the measure out of committee and approve it for delivery to Abbott's desk.

Texas A&M University's Board of Regents voted unanimously in late February 2025 to ban drag performances across the A&M System's 11 campuses, citing President Donald Trump's executive order on "gender ideology extremism" and Governor Abbott's letter expressing support for that order. Federal Judge Lee Rosenthal of the Southern District of Texas blocked the university's ban on March 25, 2025, ruling that students challenging the policy were likely to succeed in their lawsuit and allowing the Draggieland performance scheduled for March 27 to proceed as planned. A&M administrators stated they received the judge's opinion and were evaluating next steps in response to the ruling.

Tilman Fertitta announced his intention to resign from the University of Houston System Board of Regents if confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to San Marino and Italy, a position to which he was nominated by President Donald Trump. Fertitta also stated he would step down as CEO of Landry's, Inc. while retaining ownership of the Houston Rockets NBA franchise. Governor Greg Abbott had reappointed Fertitta to the board in 2015 and 2021, during Fertitta's tenure as chairman since 2014.

Sen. Hughes introduced Senate Bill 16, which would require Texas voters to provide proof of citizenship documentation such as a birth certificate, passport, or naturalization certificate to register to vote, applying to both new voters and existing voters who did not provide such proof when initially registering. Hughes presented the bill for a public hearing on Thursday with no action taken, though all Senate Republicans signed on as co-authors. The proposal would shift responsibility for determining voter citizenship from the state to prospective voters themselves.

Lt. Gov. Patrick released a five-minute video documenting visits to Austin-area smoke shops and announced discussions with Governor Abbott and House Speaker Burrows regarding Senate Bill 3, legislation that would ban most hemp-derived products including gummies, beverages, and hemp flower while permitting non-consumable CBD products. Patrick stated he had been pressuring Texas liquor store chains to remove cannabis-infused drinks from shelves and alleged that sales of intoxicating THC products to minors are widespread. Patrick predicted Senate Bill 3 would pass the full Senate and indicated all three officials were aligned on the ban, though Abbott had previously declined to endorse the measure.

Governor Abbott attended the White House signing of an executive order directing Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to complete all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the U.S. Department of Education. Abbott's office released a statement indicating the governor supports the effort to decrease federal bureaucracy and return education control to states and local communities. The executive order follows the department's announcement to reduce its workforce from 4,133 to approximately 2,183 employees.

Governor Abbott designated school vouchers as his top legislative priority during the 2025 legislative session, with both the Texas Senate and a majority of the Texas House advancing separate bills that would provide students approximately $10,000 annually to cover private education expenses. The competing proposals differ in specifics but both would redirect public education funding toward private school tuition and expenses. Abbott held a rally in San Antonio promoting the school voucher plan at a Christian school.

Republican lawmakers filed legislation in March 2025 that seeks to clarify the types of medical situations that qualify for exceptions to Texas's abortion ban, specifically those involving life-threatening conditions or serious risk of substantial impairment of major bodily functions. The bill has received support from top state leaders and the House Democratic Caucus, with medical professionals stating the clearer language would give doctors greater confidence in providing emergency abortion care. The legislation also includes provisions protecting physicians and medical staff from civil liability when discussing whether an emergency abortion is medically warranted.

Abbott's office stated that the governor was hearing from frustrated parents about curriculum content at public schools, which are directed by the State Board of Education through the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills standards. Abbott has promoted a voucher plan intended to direct taxpayer dollars to private schools, which are not required to follow state curriculum standards or use the STAAR test. The governor has also supported legislation addressing policies at public schools, such as measures related to school facilities and student accommodations.

The Texas House passed the Life of the Mother Act, a bipartisan bill that clarifies the medical emergency exemption within Texas's near-total abortion ban, though it does not include exceptions for rape or incest. The bill was authored by state Sen. Bryan Hughes and filed on the last day allowed in the legislative session, with a companion bill filed in the House that quickly gained Democratic and Republican co-authors. The legislation now awaits Gov. Abbott's signature.

Abbott praised Trump's executive order directing the secretary of education to take legal measures to close the U.S. Department of Education during a signing ceremony at the White House on March 20, 2025. Abbott stated that eliminating the department's bureaucracy would allow federal education funding to be distributed directly to states rather than through the federal agency. The executive order directs the reduction of the Education Department's scale, though Congress retains authority over the creation and elimination of federal agencies and the allocation of education funds.

The Texas Senate advanced a proposed $336.1 billion state budget bill on Wednesday that includes $6.5 billion in funding to continue Operation Lone Star, Governor Abbott's border security initiative. The budget allocation maintains the multi-year deployment of Texas National Guard and state law enforcement personnel along the Texas-Mexico border. The budget bill is expected to proceed to a floor debate in the coming week before moving to House consideration and eventual negotiation between the two chambers.

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick warned THC retailers operating under state agriculture laws to voluntarily close their businesses, stating the state would force closures otherwise. The Texas Senate advanced Senate Bill 3 by Senator Charles Perry in a 24-7 vote on March 19, 2025, which would criminalize the possession and manufacture of synthetic THC products currently sold in retail outlets, making possession a Class A misdemeanor and manufacturing a third-degree felony. Patrick indicated he would push for multiple special legislative sessions beyond the June 2 end date to ensure passage of the total ban on the products.

The U.S. Justice Department withdrew its lawsuit challenging Texas Senate Bill 4, a 2023 state law that authorized state arrest and deportation authority for undocumented migrants, in a filing announced on March 19, 2025. The case continues with El Paso County and two migrant advocacy groups as plaintiffs challenging the law's constitutionality, with a trial date set for July 8, 2025. Senate Bill 4 remains blocked from enforcement following multiple rulings in district and appeals courts.

Texas Attorney General Paxton filed a lawsuit against Coppell Independent School District on March 19, 2025, alleging that school officials violated state law by teaching critical race theory and promoting what he characterized as "woke ideology" in violation of the 2021 state ban on critical race theory instruction. The lawsuit was announced following the release of a hidden-camera recording that appeared to show a Coppell school administrator describing methods to circumvent the state's critical race theory prohibitions. Paxton stated that the lawsuit sought to immediately end what he described as an illegal curriculum and halt what he characterized as the district's refusal to follow state law.

Governor Abbott signed Texas Senate Bill 17 into law in 2023, which closed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offices at Texas public universities. The legislation removed institutional DEI programs and training from public higher education institutions across the state. Universities have subsequently adjusted their operations and hiring practices in response to the elimination of these offices.

The Trump administration awarded a $70 million contract to Granite Construction Co. on Saturday to construct seven miles of border wall in Hidalgo County, Texas, filling gaps left incomplete during the Biden administration. The project targets a section between Pharr and Donna in the Rio Grande Valley that Trump had visited during his first term in office. The contract represents the first new border wall construction award under the Trump administration's resumed building efforts.

Governor Abbott directed state agencies to reject efforts to distort commonsense notions of biological sex in January 2025. The University of Texas System announced in March 2025 that its universities are banned from sponsoring drag shows or hosting them in campus facilities, citing compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and executive orders. The UT System's action followed a similar ban adopted by the Texas A&M System in February 2025, which explicitly cited Abbott's executive directive and a Trump administration order regarding the use of public funds.

Rep. Charlie Geren and Sen. Bryan Hughes, both Republicans, filed the Life of the Mother Act in March 2025 to clarify language in Texas's abortion ban regarding circumstances under which doctors can provide medically necessary abortion care to save a mother's life. Medical professionals and advocates have stated that the current abortion ban's language creates uncertainty for doctors about when they are legally permitted to provide such care. Geren stated he had informed Governor Abbott that this legislation was the most important bill of his 24-year career and asked the governor not to veto it.

Governor Abbott designated housing affordability as a priority for the 89th Texas Legislature alongside Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. Senate Bill 840, authored by state Senator Bryan Hughes, would permit properties in commercially zoned areas in larger cities to be converted to residential use without rezoning requirements and allow cities to offer developer incentives for affordable housing units. Senate Bill 15, authored by state Senator Paul Bettencourt, would reduce minimum lot sizes for single-family homes on unmapped and non-platted land larger than five acres, enabling increased housing density on new development sites.

Texas lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 8, filed by state Senator Charles Schwertner, which would require sheriffs in counties with more than 100,000 residents to request and enter 287(g) partnerships with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for immigration enforcement activities. Governor Abbott endorsed the bill, which was designated a top priority by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and would provide funding to sheriffs in counties with fewer than 1 million residents to participate in the ICE partnerships. A Texas Senate panel heard testimony on the bill from sheriffs, immigration enforcement advocates, and civil rights representatives regarding its implementation and potential impacts.

Governor Abbott announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved Fire Management Assistance Grants for the Crabapple Fire in Gillespie County near Fredericksburg, Texas, which burned approximately 9,500 acres over the weekend. The FEMA approval makes Texas eligible for 75 percent reimbursement from the federal government for costs associated with the multi-agency response to the wildfire. Abbott stated that the state would continue supporting firefighters battling the blaze and providing resources to impacted communities.

Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows prioritized legislation that would restrict shareholder derivative lawsuits against publicly traded companies in the state's business courts by raising the minimum shareholding threshold to 3% and limiting executive liability except in cases of proven fraud or knowing legal violations. The bill would also shield corporate executives' communications from shareholder discovery in most cases and represents an expansion of protections included in the state's business court system, which Governor Abbott established to attract corporate relocations to Texas. The proposal emerged following Tesla CEO Elon Musk's relocation of his companies to Texas after a Delaware court blocked his $50 billion compensation package.

Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare sent a letter to the University of Texas System Board of Regents in March 2025 stating that a University of Texas at Arlington event featuring a drag performer may have violated a recent executive order restricting federal funds for promoting gender ideology. The UT System Board of Regents chairman Kevin Eltife announced the following day that the system would not permit drag performances on its campuses or use public university facilities as venues for drag shows. The announcement aligned with restrictions on the use of public funds and came after the Texas A&M University System had passed a similar resolution the previous month banning on-campus drag performances.

Abbott promoted legislation to establish a school voucher program that would provide taxpayer funding for students to attend private schools. The voucher proposal had failed to pass in previous legislative sessions. Abbott indicated increased optimism about passage following meetings with new supporters of the initiative.

Senate Bill 37, filed by Senator Brandon Creighton and designated as one of Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick's top 40 legislative priorities, would expand the authority of governor-appointed boards of regents at Texas colleges and universities to overturn administrative decisions, review curriculum, and investigate concerns at state schools. The bill would reduce the role of faculty senates in university governance and require governing boards to submit annual reports to state officials regarding hiring, curriculum, and other institutional matters. The American Association of University Professors characterized the legislation as limiting faculty participation in shared governance structures.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar testified before the Texas House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence in support of House Bill 727, authored by State Rep. Philip Cortez, which would increase penalties for vehicle burglaries from misdemeanor to felony offenses in cases involving firearm theft, multiple vehicles, or firearms carried during commission of the crime. Salazar stated that the San Antonio area ranks fifth nationally in firearm thefts from vehicles and that his office collaborated with Cortez to address what he characterized as a community problem. The bill was passed unanimously by the committee during the previous legislative session but did not advance in the House; Cortez indicated hopes for the bill to reach Governor Abbott's desk in the current session.

Governor Abbott issued a directive to Texas state agencies to end telework policies, requiring employees to return to office work on or before March 31, 2025, with very limited exceptions. Agency directors including those at the Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and Texas Health and Human Services Commission began instructing employees to comply with the mandate. Abbott's directive followed President Trump's January 2025 executive order requiring federal employees to return to in-person work.

Texas Governor Abbott signed an executive order requiring hospitals enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP to collect and report quarterly information on the cost of providing health care to immigrants lacking permanent legal status. The executive order directs Texas Health and Human Services to compile this cost data from participating hospitals. Civil rights groups expressed concern that this policy, combined with changes to federal immigration enforcement practices, could discourage immigrants from seeking necessary health care services.

Governor Abbott announced that the state would provide a $17.3 million grant from the Semiconductor Innovation Fund to SpaceX for expansion of its semiconductor research and advanced packaging facility in Bastrop County. The grant, the fifth issued from the $698.3 million Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium fund created in 2023, supports SpaceX's $280 million investment expected to create more than 400 jobs and expand the facility by 1 million square feet over three years. The expansion will increase printed circuit board production capabilities and advanced packaging technologies at what SpaceX stated would become the largest printed circuit board and panel level packaging facility in North America.

The Trump administration's Federal Emergency Management Agency, through a March 11 letter signed by acting administrator Cameron Hamilton, requested that local governments and nonprofit organizations receiving FEMA grants provide names and contact information for immigrants they have assisted within 30 days. The letter stated that the Department of Homeland Security had concerns that grant recipients may have violated human smuggling laws by encouraging or inducing immigrants to enter the United States. Hamilton also announced that FEMA would withhold grants pending review and would require future grant recipients to sign affidavits certifying no knowledge or suspicion of violations related to human smuggling laws.

Abbott spent more than $6 million in 2024 primary campaigns to defeat Republican incumbents in order to reshape the Texas House composition ahead of legislation on private school vouchers. With the newly elected Speaker Dustin Burrows indicating the voucher plan would pass, the Texas House education committee held its first major hearing on the proposal in March 2025, which would allow parents to use taxpayer dollars for private school tuition. Abbott stated that the reconfigured legislature represented the closest the state had come to passing the voucher legislation, which he had pursued aggressively since 2023 after previous failed attempts in 2017 and 2019.

Governor Abbott appeared at the Texas Public Policy Foundation in Austin on Tuesday to publicly support a school voucher bill being debated in the House education committee, stating that alignment with new House Speaker Dustin Burrows represented the closest the legislation had come to passage after repeated failures in previous sessions. The bill under discussion would allocate $1 billion for "education savings accounts" that students could use for private school tuition, tutoring, and other education expenses. Abbott and Burrows jointly addressed supporters, with the governor calling on parents and students to counter lobbying efforts he said were directed at House members to vote against the legislation.

Texas Gov. Abbott signed an executive order requiring Texas Health and Human Services to collect information on the cost of providing health care to immigrants who lack permanent legal status. The order directs hospitals to report expenditures related to serving this population. The policy was implemented amid broader changes to federal immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.

Governor Abbott promised to address what he characterized as an increasing problem caused by squatters in Texas during the legislative session. House Bill 32, authored by state Rep. Angie Chen Button, emerged from this directive and would eliminate the requirement for landlords to provide notice to vacate before filing eviction proceedings for reasons other than non-payment of rent. The bill would also allow landlords to request summary judgment in eviction cases, enabling decisions without a trial if the landlord asserts there are no genuinely disputed facts.

The Texas House held a public hearing on House Bill 3, which would create education savings accounts allowing taxpayer dollars to be used for private school tuition. Governor Abbott spoke in support of the bill at a conservative think tank while appearing alongside House Speaker Dustin Burrows, characterizing it as a school choice initiative. The hearing drew 717 registered speakers, with 487 testifying in opposition and 211 in support, and occurred after the Texas Senate passed similar legislation on February 5, 2025.

Governor Abbott appeared at an event with Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows to promote a school voucher bill that would establish $1 billion in "education savings accounts" allowing students to spend public funds on private school tuition, tutoring, and other education expenses. The bill began committee debate on March 11, 2025, with Abbott characterizing Burrows' support as a key difference from previous legislative sessions where the proposal failed to pass. The legislation would allow families to direct state education dollars toward private education alternatives rather than traditional public schools.

Governor Abbott promoted a private school voucher program during events in San Antonio in February 2025, with Republican state leaders advancing legislation to establish the program with an initial $1 billion budget allocation beginning in 2027. The nonpartisan Legislative Budget Board projected that demand for the voucher program would expand from $1 billion in its first year to $3.2 billion in 2028 and potentially exceed $8 billion by 2029 as more students enrolled. Abbott previously expanded his border security initiative, Operation Lone Star, beyond its initial legislative appropriation by reallocating funds between state agencies during legislative recesses, a precedent that prompted budget analysts to warn similar funding growth could occur with the voucher program.

State Senator Joan Huffman sponsored a constitutional amendment that would grant judges discretion to detain violent offenders without bail in limited circumstances, rather than requiring bail in most cases as currently mandated by the Texas Constitution. The Texas Senate passed this amendment with bipartisan support on seven occasions, though it did not advance in the state House of Representatives. Huffman cited the need for reform following cases in which individuals released on bail committed violent crimes, including the 2017 death of Department of Public Safety Trooper Damon Allen.

Abbott declined to endorse Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's proposed ban on intoxicating hemp products, stating he needed more information about how lawmakers planned to implement such a prohibition. The governor's comments came in response to questions about Senate Bill 3, which would ban unregulated THC products like gummies, candies, and drinks while a companion bill would expand Texas' compassionate use program for medicinal cannabis. Abbott indicated that legislators were evaluating the proposal and that he would await further details before taking a position on the "correct pathway forward."

House Bill 2 proposes $7.5 billion in school funding that would increase the per-student allotment by $220 to $6,360 annually and devote 40 percent of the basic allotment to teacher pay raises. At a House Public Education Committee hearing, dozens of public school teachers, administrators, and advocates testified that the proposed increases are insufficient, noting that the basic allotment would need to rise by $1,300 to account for inflation since 2019. The $220 increase represents less than half of a $500 increase proposed in 2023 that Governor Abbott indicated he would veto unless it included a program allowing public money to be spent on private schools.

President Trump signed an executive order on the weekend prior to his March 4, 2025 address to Congress that designates English as the nation's official language, marking the first time the United States has mandated a federally recognized official language. The order rescinds a 25-year-old federal mandate requiring language assistance to non-English speakers and potentially allows agencies and federally-funded programs to reduce language accessibility services. The executive order is expected to face legal challenges and would affect language instruction programs, bilingual education initiatives, and government services currently provided in multiple languages.

Following the death of U.S. Representative Sylvester Turner, Governor Abbott stated on Thursday that he had not yet made a decision regarding when to call a special election to fill the vacant 18th Congressional District seat. Abbott possesses statutory authority to set the election timeline without a mandated deadline, giving him discretion over the timing of the election to fill the remainder of Turner's term. Abbott previously called special elections within two to four months following the deaths of other congressional representatives from Texas, including a special election in November 2024 after Jackson Lee's death and one in May 2021 after Wright's death.

Governor Abbott championed SJR5, a constitutional amendment that would allow judges to deny bail for serious violent and sexual felonies based on clear and convincing evidence of public safety or flight risk, modifying the current Texas Constitution which permits bail denial only in capital murder cases. The proposed amendment would require judges to issue written findings supporting detention decisions that could be appealed on an expedited basis. The amendment addresses a documented public safety issue in Texas whereby defendants released before trial on serious charges have been re-arrested for additional serious offenses.

The Texas A&M Board of Regents selected Glenn Hegar, the current Texas Comptroller, as the sole finalist for chancellor of the Texas A&M University System on March 7, 2025, with a unanimous vote. State law required a 21-day waiting period before a confirmation vote, which the board conducted unanimously on a subsequent Friday. Hegar will lead the system's 11 universities and eight state agencies, succeeding Chancellor John Sharp, who is retiring in June 2025.

State Rep. Cody Harris proposed House Bill 14, which would create the Texas Advanced Nuclear Deployment Office and allocate $2 billion in taxpayer-funded incentives to construct nuclear power plants in Texas. The bill would provide grants for reactor construction, fund nuclear technology procurement, support research into nuclear power development, and establish a state coordinator to assist in the permitting process. Governor Abbott indicated through a spokesman that he would review the legislation favorably, stating that advanced nuclear energy would enhance grid reliability and provide affordable power to Texas residents.

Governor Abbott declined to endorse Senate Bill 3, legislation championed by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick that would ban intoxicating hemp products, stating he needed more information about how lawmakers intended to implement such a prohibition. Abbott noted that lawmakers were evaluating various considerations regarding the proposed ban and said the state needed to see further details about the legislative pathway forward. The bill, authored by state Senator Charles Perry, would prohibit unregulated THC products such as gummies, candies, and drinks sold through a loophole in the 2019 farm bill.

Governor Abbott supports a private school voucher program that would provide families with taxpayer funds to use for private education, stating the program would expand educational options for students with special needs who are not finding success in public schools. The voucher proposal would allocate larger sums to special education students than to other students, with the House proposal offering up to $30,000 depending on the district and the Senate proposal offering slightly more than the $10,000 base amount. The program faces questions about implementation, including whether private schools would accept special education students and whether the limited number of specialized private schools in Texas would have sufficient capacity to serve the state's nearly 780,000 special education students.

Governor Abbott ordered all flags in Texas to be flown at half-staff until March 8 following the death of former Houston Mayor and U.S. Representative Sylvester Turner on March 5, 2025. Harris County flags may remain at half-staff through Turner's final interment at the discretion of County Judge Lina Hidalgo. Turner, who was 70 years old, had served in the Texas House of Representatives, as Mayor of Houston, and representing Texas's 18th Congressional District.

Governor Abbott issued a directive to Texas state agencies to end telework policies, requiring employees to return to office work on or before March 31, 2025. Agency directors at the Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, and Texas Department of Transportation issued notices implementing the directive, with limited exceptions to be determined. Abbott's directive followed President Trump's January 2025 executive order requiring federal department heads to terminate remote work arrangements.

Governor Abbott prioritized education savings accounts, or ESAs, a voucher-style program that would allow families to use public funds for private school tuition. The program has become central to debates over special education funding, as private schools are not required to admit students with disabilities while public schools must provide free education and services mandated under federal law. Abbott and other Republican state leaders have characterized the program as giving parents financial options to find schools matching their children's needs.

Governor Abbott designated property tax relief and reform as one of seven emergency items for the 2025 legislative session, directing lawmakers to spend $10 billion in cuts. Lawmakers are considering multiple proposals including raising the homestead exemption and sending additional money to school districts, with estimates suggesting cuts could save the average homeowner hundreds of dollars annually. The proposals remain under negotiation as the Legislature works to resolve differences between the House and Senate approaches before the session ends in June.

Governor Abbott announced a state and federal deportation operation targeting Colony Ridge that resulted in more than 118 detentions between February 24 and February 27, 2025. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released information about nine of those detained, identifying their ages, nations of origin, and criminal charges including sexual assault of minors, aggravated assault, weapons violations, and drug possession. ICE officials declined to release the names of the nine individuals or charges against the remaining approximately 100 detainees, citing privacy policy.

Governor Abbott supported Senate Bill 2, a $1 billion school voucher program that would create education savings accounts for private school tuition, which the bill's author State Senator Brandon Creighton introduced during the 2025 legislative session. The bill defines "low-income" families eligible for voucher prioritization as those earning at or below 500 percent of the federal poverty level, approximately $156,000 for a family of four. If passed, the program would allocate 80 percent of funds through a lottery system prioritizing current public school students from low-income families or those with disabilities, with the remaining 20 percent available to all applicants except children of lawmakers.

Abbott spoke with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding a measles outbreak in West Texas that had reached 146 cases by early March 2025, with twenty patients hospitalized and one child deceased. Following the conversation, Kennedy published an op-ed stating that vaccination decisions should be made in consultation with healthcare providers as personal choices, while Abbott's office described the call as productive and committed to deploying state resources to address the outbreak. Neither official issued a directive recommending vaccination during the public health emergency.

Governor Abbott issued a ban on diversity, equity, and inclusion policies in state agencies. The Texas Water Development Board, chaired by an appointee of Abbott, stated compliance with this ban while maintaining that state labor code requirements to analyze staffing composition against statewide minority employment levels remain in effect. The board clarified that such analysis is intended to raise awareness of job opportunities among underrepresented groups rather than to make hiring decisions based on race.

During a measles outbreak in Texas that resulted in 146 cases and one child death by early March 2025, Governor Abbott issued public statements indicating the state would deploy resources to address the situation but did not specifically recommend vaccination to Texas residents. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., after speaking directly with Abbott about the outbreak, stated in a Fox News op-ed that the decision to vaccinate should remain a personal choice for parents in consultation with healthcare providers, while noting that the MMR vaccine can protect children and contribute to community immunity. The Texas Department of State Health Services took a more direct public health stance, stating that two doses of the MMR vaccine are highly effective at preventing measles.

State Representative Leach sent a letter to Texas Attorney General Paxton on February 27, 2025, requesting an investigation into EPIC City, a planned mixed-use development in Collin and Hunt counties outside Josephine, over allegations that it may incorporate Islamic legal principles into its operations. Leach cited House Bill 45, legislation he co-authored in 2017 that prohibits the use of foreign laws in certain Texas court proceedings, and argued that any attempt by the development to enforce Sharia-based principles would violate state and federal constitutions. The letter requested that Paxton's office initiate an immediate review of the development to ensure compliance with Texas law.

Abbott promoted school vouchers through public appearances at educational institutions and engaged in online attacks against Democratic lawmakers and other voucher opponents during the 2025 legislative session. The governor backed a House bill that would establish education savings accounts funded with $1 billion, allowing students to use the accounts for private school tuition, tutoring, and other education expenses. Abbott's advocacy included campaigning against House Republicans who opposed voucher legislation in the previous session, marking an escalation in his push for the policy.

In January 2025, Abbott appointed Jimmy Blacklock as chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court, replacing Nathan Hecht who reached the mandatory judicial retirement age. In his first address to the Texas Legislature in February 2025, Blacklock articulated his judicial philosophy of constitutional originalism, stating that the Texas Constitution maintains a fixed meaning unless formally amended by voters. Blacklock, who previously worked in Abbott's administration at the attorney general's office and as general counsel, also called for judicial salary increases and changes to bail laws during his address.

Abbott's chief of staff Robert Black testified before the Texas House and Senate that the governor intends to continue and maintain the state's border security operations without an immediate wind-down timeline, despite declining border crossings and increased federal involvement under the Trump administration. Black stated that Texas would continue working in partnership with federal authorities as they expanded their border security efforts, with no specific date identified for reducing state spending. The state's Operation Lone Star, which has cost approximately $11 billion, would receive roughly $2.8 billion in continued funding for barrier installation and local border security grants under the proposed budget allocation.

Governor Abbott announced in February 2025 that 75 Republican representatives had signed on as co-authors to House Bill 3, legislation to create education savings accounts that would allow families to use public dollars for private school tuition, giving the proposal a narrow majority in the 150-member Texas House. Abbott stated that this marked the first time in Texas history that the House had sufficient votes to pass a universal school choice program and indicated he would sign such legislation into law. The proposal, which budget writers proposed funding with $1 billion of the state's surplus, still faced differences between House and Senate versions before reaching the governor's desk.

Texas House Speaker Burrows supported House Bill 8 and House Bill 9, legislation introduced by Rep. Morgan Meyer that would direct $3.5 billion to school districts to reduce property taxes on homeowners and businesses, and allocate $700 million in tax relief for small businesses through increased personal property exemptions. House Bill 8 proposes sending funds to school districts to lower property tax collections, while House Bill 9 would increase the personal property exemption threshold for small businesses, requiring a constitutional amendment approved by two-thirds of both chambers and a majority of voters. The House approach differed from the Senate's competing proposal, Senate Bill 4, which would increase the homestead exemption for homeowners rather than targeting broad business tax relief.

Governor Abbott announced immigration enforcement actions through a social media post on Monday, following which state and federal immigration officials conducted a sweep through the Colony Ridge community north of Houston on Tuesday that resulted in 118 arrests. The enforcement operation, which involved armed federal agents, caused widespread disruption to local businesses, with many establishments closing or experiencing significantly reduced customer traffic in the days following the action. Residents reported heightened fear and reluctance to leave their homes in the aftermath of the enforcement sweep.

The Texas Supreme Court is considering a lawsuit brought by watchdog group American Oversight against Governor Abbott and Attorney General Paxton regarding the withheld release of text messages and communications from their offices related to January 6, 2021, and the 2022 Uvalde school shootings. Abbott and Paxton's attorneys argue that only the Texas Supreme Court can order the Attorney General to release records and that no entity can compel the governor to do so, while American Oversight contends that the Texas Public Information Act explicitly empowers district courts to order compliance without exception. The case centers on the authority to enforce the state's open records law and whether government officials can withhold documents claimed to be protected by legal exemptions.

Governor Abbott appointed John F. Bash to the Artificial Intelligence Advisory Council to review the Texas government's use of artificial intelligence and make recommendations to the Legislature. The Texas Legislature is currently considering HB 1709, which would impose new regulations and liabilities on AI companies by prohibiting them from developing or deploying AI systems for employment decisions, financial services, transportation, and education that present a risk of algorithmic bias. Bash argues that existing anti-discrimination laws already address these concerns and that HB 1709 would create costly new burdens specifically targeting the AI industry.

Governor Abbott announced via social media on February 24, 2025 that Colony Ridge would be "targeted" by state troopers and immigration officials. Federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations subsequently conducted arrests across the community that day, including the arrest of a tire shop owner for lacking proper work permits. The enforcement actions prompted residents to increase community alert systems and share legal resources in response to the heightened federal presence.

Governor Abbott announced on February 24, 2025, that federal immigration authorities were conducting an operation in Colony Ridge, a residential development northeast of Harris County, targeting what he characterized as criminals and undocumented immigrants. Abbott stated that he had coordinated with Trump administration border czar Tom Homan on the operation for months and that the Texas Department of Public Safety was assisting federal Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in the sweep. Federal agents conducted raids at multiple locations in the development throughout the day, resulting in arrests including the owner of a local tire shop.

Governor Abbott pledged to ban diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in kindergarten through 12th grade public schools, and Senator Brandon Creighton filed legislation in February 2025 to fulfill that pledge. The bill would prohibit schools from implementing hiring practices that consider race or gender, establishing training programs that reference race, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation, and allowing staff to engage in DEI duties except as required by law. Schools would retain the ability to acknowledge and teach about state and federal holidays and commemorative months as part of history instruction.

Governor Abbott stated that he was not convinced Texas's abortion laws required clarification or revision, despite reports of women leaving the state due to complications during pregnancy. The statement came as discussions continued regarding potential modifications to the state's abortion regulations. Abbott's position reflected his assessment that existing state abortion law was adequate without further legislative changes.

Governor Abbott promoted school vouchers at San Antonio Christian School on February 17, 2025, as House Republicans unveiled their private school voucher plan filed by education committee chair Brad Buckley. The House bill would offer vouchers to all Texas students, including home-schoolers, with voucher amounts linked to the state's public education funding formula at 85% of what public school districts would receive per student. The proposal establishes prioritized eligibility categories based on disability status and household income, with special education students eligible to receive up to $30,000 and the program scheduled to begin in the 2026-2027 school year.

In September, Abbott designated Tren de Aragua, a Venezuelan criminal organization, a "foreign terrorist organization" following the group's expansion of operations into the United States. The designation came after the Treasury Department had sanctioned the organization in July and named it a transnational criminal organization. This action by Abbott occurred as multiple members of the gang were arrested in Texas, including four identified members apprehended in San Antonio in October.

Governor Abbott designated raising teacher pay as one of seven emergency items for the 2025 Texas legislative session. Senate Bill 26, authored by Republican Senator Brandon Creighton of Conroe, advanced through the Senate Education K-16 Committee with unanimous approval and proposes across-the-board pay raises ranging from $2,500 to $10,000 annually depending on teacher experience and school district size, at an estimated cost of $5 billion. The bill also includes provisions to expand the state's teacher merit pay system and ensure districts provide free pre-K access to children of teachers.

The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 9, authored by state Senator Joan Huffman, which removes cashless and low-cost personal bonds as an option for defendants charged with unlawful firearm possession, terroristic threat, child abuse, violations of family violence protective orders, and murder resulting from fentanyl manufacturing or delivery. Governor Abbott identified bail reform as a priority item for the legislative session and has indicated the legislation primarily targets Harris County. The Senate also voted to advance a constitutional amendment that would prohibit judges from setting bail for individuals charged with felonies who are in the country illegally.

Abbott joined a coordinated pressure campaign to advance his education savings accounts voucher bill through the Texas House during the 2025 legislative session. Abbott engaged in social media exchanges with Democratic lawmakers, made public arguments against anti-voucher positions, held a rally with House Speaker Dustin Burrows in San Antonio to promote the plan, and directed his campaign to send text messages to voters in various districts encouraging them to contact their state representatives in support of the voucher proposal. The effort included participation from President Trump, Elon Musk, and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, who publicly urged House passage of school choice legislation.

The Texas Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case challenging whether trial courts have authority to compel Attorney General Paxton to release public records requested by the nonprofit watchdog American Oversight under the Public Information Act. American Oversight had submitted requests for communications related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection and the 2022 Uvalde school shooting, and filed suit in Travis County district court in June 2022 after the attorney general's office refused to provide the records. The state argued that only the Texas Supreme Court, not district courts, has jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus against executive officers, while American Oversight contended the Public Information Act allows requestors to pursue suits in district court when agencies deny records.

Governor Abbott held a rally in San Antonio on February 19, 2025, to promote legislation establishing educational savings accounts funded with $1 billion in state money that would allow parents to use tax dollars toward private school tuition. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows attended the rally and announced that the House has the votes to pass Abbott's school voucher plan, predicting the governor would sign legislation into law in June. The Texas Senate had previously passed a version of the legislation that would provide approximately $10,000 per student for private school expenses.

The Texas Senate approved Senate Bill 26, authored by Senator Brandon Creighton, which provides pay raises to teachers based on years of experience, expands a state program offering raises tied to student performance, and allows educators to enroll their children in pre-K free of charge. The bill passed unanimously and now proceeds to the House for consideration. The legislation does not increase schools' base funding, known as the basic allotment, which has remained unchanged since 2019.

Abbott stated in a February 2025 interview that he does not believe Texas's abortion law, which he signed in 2021, requires clarification despite cases in which women experienced complications during pregnancy. Abbott asserted that the law already clearly permits abortion when a woman's life is in danger and that hundreds of abortions have been performed under its current language. His position contrasted with statements from other Republican officials, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who indicated openness to potentially clarifying the law's provisions.

Gov. Abbott advocated for a school choice program utilizing educational savings accounts that would allow parents to use state funding toward private school tuition. Abbott stated on social media that public schools would lose funding when parents choose to use the accounts to send their children to private schools, acknowledging that "when they leave, the funding for that child leaves too." The following day, Abbott stated that school choice does not take funding from public schools and that it is funded separately.

President Trump signed an executive order calling for the Gulf of Mexico to be renamed the Gulf of America. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated her government sent a letter to Google requesting the company restore the original name and indicated Mexico would file a civil lawsuit against the technology company if it did not comply. Sheinbaum emphasized that the Gulf of Mexico name has been recognized by the United Nations for centuries and that Mexico controls a significant portion of the gulf.

The Texas Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 4 and Senate Joint Resolution 2 on February 13, 2025, which propose raising the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000 to reduce property taxes on owner-occupied homes. The measures, filed by Senator Paul Bettencourt, include a provision requiring the state to compensate school districts for any funding losses resulting from the higher exemption. According to Bettencourt, the legislation would save Texas homeowners an average of $363 annually while being a stated priority of Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.

Abbott responded to Pope Francis's criticism of mass deportation operations by releasing a statement saying "The Bible calls for strong borders and law and order" and that "Jesus guided others to follow the laws of the land." The statement was issued while Abbott was meeting in Washington with Tom Homan, Trump's border czar overseeing the deportation program. Abbott also posted on social media that "Texas finally has a partner in the White House who will restore law-and-order at our southern border."

Abbott requested $11 billion in federal funding from Congress to reimburse Texas for state border security costs. In exchange, Abbott proposed making 4,000 detention beds available at no charge to federal authorities, including approximately 2,000 beds in state prison units and 2,000 additional beds in temporary tent facilities that could be erected within days, along with waiving rental fees for detention bed usage and providing free access to two state-built military bases in Eagle Pass and Del Rio for federal troops and agents. Abbott met with House Speaker Mike Johnson and Texas Republican members of Congress during his Capitol Hill visit to present the proposal.

Gov. Abbott is pushing for a $1 billion voucher program that would create state-funded education savings accounts allowing students to spend money on private school tuition, tutoring, and other education costs. Abbott acknowledged in posts on X that when students leave public schools to use vouchers, state funding allocated to those schools would decrease, though he stated the voucher program would be funded separately from public school allocations and managed by the comptroller's office rather than the Texas Education Agency. The Senate has set aside $1 billion for vouchers in its budget proposal, with a Senate bill passed this week proposing approximately $10,000 per voucher participant for more than 50,000 students.

Governor Abbott designated property tax relief as an emergency item for the 2025 legislative session. The Texas Senate voted unanimously on Thursday to advance Senate Bill 4, which increases the homestead exemption on school district taxes from $100,000 to $140,000, projected to save homeowners an average of $363 annually at a cost of approximately $3 billion over two years. The Legislative Budget Board estimated the increased exemption would cost the state $7.7 billion by 2030.

Rep. Roger Williams introduced a bill that would require the federal government to reimburse Texas for border security expenses incurred from 2021 to 2025 under Operation Lone Star, totaling $11.1 billion according to state figures. Under the bill's provisions, Abbott would submit a report detailing border security expenses, the Secretary of Homeland Security would determine eligible expenses, and the Treasury Department would issue reimbursement to the state. The legislation was introduced less than three weeks after Governor Abbott began requesting reimbursement from the federal government.

Abbott requested in 2022 that Attorney General Ken Paxton investigate border groups assisting migrants, an action that preceded subsequent legal challenges to Catholic migrant shelters in Texas. Abbott has publicly supported Trump's mass deportation program and offered Texas jail cells for migrant detention during a White House visit. The governor's office did not respond to requests for comment regarding Pope Francis's letter criticizing mass deportation efforts and supporting organizations providing migrant aid.

Governor Abbott signed an agreement empowering Texas National Guard soldiers to make arrests on immigration violations. The article references this action in the context of a nationwide immigration enforcement policy shift following President Trump's removal of restrictions on arrests in sensitive zones. Abbott's agreement represented a state-level authorization for military personnel to enforce federal immigration law.

Governor Abbott sought federal reimbursement of approximately $11 billion in state spending on border security operations, including deployment of state troopers and construction of border barriers. Abbott visited Washington D.C. to advocate for reimbursement from Congress and met with President Trump at the White House. Texas congressional Republicans introduced legislation to establish a reimbursement process through the Department of Homeland Security and proposed using their voting leverage to secure funding before the mid-March government spending deadline.

Abbott included funding for high school career training programs on his emergency priority list for the Texas Legislature, describing them as "life-changing" opportunities that would allow students to transition directly from graduation into employment. The governor's proposed state budget cited data showing that approximately 63% of jobs in Texas will require education or training beyond a high school diploma by 2030, while less than 40% of students currently earn a degree or workforce credential within six years of graduating high school. Abbott's proposal encompasses early college programs and career training partnerships in rural areas as mechanisms to address the skills gap between job market demands and workforce preparation.

Texas House Speaker Burrows committed to passing Senate Bill 2, a school choice measure that would establish education savings accounts funded with $1 billion in state surplus money, after the bill was approved by the Senate and designated an emergency item by Governor Abbott during his State of the State address. The bill would provide $10,000 annually to parents of school-aged children to pay for private school tuition, with $11,500 for special education students and $2,000 for homeschooled students. Previous voucher-style proposals have failed in the House in recent years, but Burrows stated he believes sufficient votes exist in the chamber to pass the legislation this session.

Governor Abbott signed an agreement empowering Texas National Guard soldiers to make arrests on immigration violations as part of the Trump administration's deportation effort. The agreement grants state military personnel authority to enforce federal immigration law alongside federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. This action aligns with White House efforts to expand enforcement capacity through deputizing state and local law enforcement to assist with immigration-related arrests.

Governor Abbott listed property tax relief as one of his seven emergency items for the Texas Legislature's current session, citing skyrocketing property taxes as a contributor to an affordability crisis facing Texans. The state begins the two-year budget cycle with a $24 billion surplus, which Abbott has indicated should be considered for property tax relief efforts. Several Houston-area communities, including Pearland, Atascocita, and Conroe, have among the highest effective property tax rates in the nation according to recent analyses.

Governor Abbott identified property tax relief as an emergency agenda item for the 2025 legislative session, calling for $10 billion in property tax relief without specifying the implementation method. Senator Paul Bettencourt filed Senate Bill 4, which would raise the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000 and include state funding to compensate school districts for any revenue loss resulting from the exemption increase. The legislation requires a constitutional amendment approved by two-thirds of both chambers before proceeding to voters for a simple majority approval.

Governor Abbott declined to meet a February 7, 2025 federal deadline to identify Texas counties in violation of the Environmental Protection Agency's strengthened PM2.5 air pollution standards established in early 2024. The action prevented the state from designating Harris, Dallas, Bowie, and Tarrant counties as nonattainment zones, which would have triggered the requirement for the state to develop pollution reduction implementation plans. Abbott's decision aligned with an ongoing lawsuit filed by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton challenging the EPA's legal authority to establish the revised air quality standards.

The Texas Senate approved Senate Bill 2 on a 19-12 vote, largely along party lines, with one Republican voting against the measure. The bill would create education savings accounts funded with $1 billion in state surplus money, providing $10,000 per student for private school expenses or $2,000 for homeschooled students, with higher amounts for students in special education. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate, stated after passage that the chamber would look to the House to advance the legislation.

Governor Abbott included school choice language in his State of the State address on Sunday, stating that parents should be empowered to choose schools for their children and that Texas must pass school choice legislation during the current legislative session. The Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 2, a voucher-style education program, on Wednesday night, marking the sixth time the chamber has approved such legislation. The conservative advocacy group Club for Growth subsequently launched a statewide advertising campaign featuring Abbott's remarks to pressure Texas House lawmakers to support SB 2.

Abbott offered Trump land, military bases, and prison cells to support federal deportation and border security efforts during a February 5, 2025 meeting at the White House. Abbott stated that Texas could transfer real assets valued at five to six billion dollars to the federal government, including sections of land for border wall construction, military facilities in Eagle Pass and Del Rio with capacity for approximately 2,500 soldiers, and thousands of detention cells. Abbott simultaneously requested approximately eleven billion dollars in federal reimbursement for Operation Lone Star, Texas's four-year border security initiative.

Abbott met with President Trump at the White House on February 5, 2025, to discuss border security and request federal reimbursement for Texas's border hardening investments under Operation Lone Star. Abbott informed Trump of state resources available to the federal government, including 56 completed miles of border wall with 18 additional miles under construction, two military bases with capacity for 2,400 soldiers, and over 4,000 jail cells for migrant detention. Abbott stated that Trump was receptive to the reimbursement request during their meeting.

Governor Abbott advocated for a universal voucher program under Senate Bill 2 that would provide education subsidies to all Texas students regardless of income, with an allocation of approximately $1 billion serving an estimated 100,000 students. The Senate-developed bill established a $10,000 per-student subsidy for private school tuition and $2,000 for homeschooling, with 80 percent of funding reserved for disabled students and low-income families while the remainder would be available to all Texas families. Abbott continued to pressure Republican lawmakers to adopt the broad subsidy approach despite concerns raised about the income eligibility thresholds and potential budget impacts.

Governor Abbott spoke at Athens Christian Preparatory Academy on February 4, 2025, to promote education savings accounts ahead of a scheduled Senate vote on a voucher bill that would allocate public funds for private school tuition. Abbott identified school choice as his top legislative priority and named it an emergency item during his State of the State address, proposing $1 billion in funding for education savings accounts that families could use toward private school costs. The Senate proposal under consideration would provide eligible students with $10,000 annually per child, with higher amounts for students with disabilities and lower amounts for homeschooled students, with priority given to low-income households in cases where applications exceed capacity.

Governor Abbott designated school choice legislation as an emergency item during his State of the State address and subsequently identified it as his top legislative priority for the 2025 session. The specific bill under consideration, Senate Bill 2, would create a $1 billion education savings account fund allowing families to use taxpayer dollars for private school tuition and related expenses, with most eligible students receiving $10,000 per student and homeschooled students receiving $2,000. Abbott's political committee spent substantially on campaigns to unseat House Republicans who had opposed similar education savings account legislation in the previous session.

Abbott stated in February 2025 that he would pursue a universal school choice voucher program allowing families to use public dollars at private schools as a centerpiece of his legislative agenda for the session ending in June. Abbott indicated he would commit to raising public teacher pay primarily through merit increases rather than blanket funding increases across public schools. Abbott tied his position to his success in the previous election cycle in supporting primary challengers to House Republicans who had voted against school choice legislation.

Governor Abbott signed a memorandum of understanding with U.S. Customs and Border Protection on January 31, 2025, authorizing Texas National Guard soldiers to exercise immigration enforcement powers including investigating and arresting migrants for immigration violations. Under the agreement, soldiers may transport detained migrants to federal detention facilities under Border Patrol supervision for removal and repatriation proceedings. The authorization expands the enforcement capabilities of approximately 2,500 Texas National Guard soldiers stationed along the U.S.-Mexico border as part of Operation Lone Star, which has been in place for nearly four years.

Governor Abbott announced the creation of a Texas Cyber Command to be headquartered in San Antonio and led by the University of Texas at San Antonio, designating it an emergency item for the legislative session. Abbott stated the command was necessary to protect the state against cyberattacks and threats from foreign adversaries including China, Iran, and Russia. The announcement was made during his State of the State address without prior notification to local officials, though the mayor and county judge subsequently expressed support for the initiative.

President Trump delayed the implementation of 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada for one month, which had been scheduled to take effect in February 2025. In exchange for the tariff pause, Mexico agreed to deploy 10,000 soldiers to the border to address illegal border crossings and fentanyl trafficking, while Canada committed to a $1.3 billion border security plan including 10,000 personnel and the creation of a "Fentanyl Czar." During the one-month pause, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and commerce nominee Howard Lutnick will negotiate with Mexican and Canadian officials to reach a lasting trade and security agreement.

In his State of the State address on February 2, 2025, Governor Abbott designated school vouchers, teacher pay increases, and expanded career training programs as emergency legislative priorities, allowing the GOP-led Legislature to advance them more quickly than other bills. Abbott also called for banning diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in K-12 schools and stated that educators who tell students that boys can be girls should be terminated. The governor designated seven items as emergencies overall, including property tax relief of $10 billion, water infrastructure investments, bail restrictions, and establishment of a Texas Cyber Command center in San Antonio.

Abbott announced seven emergency legislative priorities during his State of the State address on February 2, 2025, including subsidizing private school tuition through education savings accounts, increasing teacher compensation to six-figure salaries, and strengthening career training programs. He recommended that lawmakers allocate portions of the state's $24 billion budget surplus to property tax relief, border security, cybersecurity systems, power grid improvements, and school safety measures. Abbott also called for new water sources, limits on bail for violent offenses, and long-term economic investments to maintain Texas's position as a leading economic state.

Texas Gov. Abbott told Senate budget writers that the state's proposed $2.9 billion border security spending request depends on President Trump's federal border policies and whether the state can shift expenses to the federal government or receive reimbursement for approximately $11 billion spent on Operation Lone Star. Abbott's chief of staff Robert Black stated the governor would travel to Washington the following week to discuss reimbursement requests with congressional leaders and that previous discussions with the Trump administration and Republican members of Congress had been described as positive. Black indicated that the allocation of the proposed border security funds would be determined in the coming weeks pending clarification of the Trump administration's border security plans.

Governor Abbott is expected to promote education savings accounts, referred to by his office as "school choice," during his State of the State address on Sunday night, laying out legislative priorities for the 2025 session. Abbott previously attempted to pass school voucher legislation in prior sessions without success but campaigned against House Republicans who opposed the proposal during the 2024 primary elections, resulting in eleven of those lawmakers being replaced by representatives who stated they support his voucher plan. The governor stated in November that he had secured 79 voucher supporters in the House, exceeding the 76-vote simple majority required to pass legislation.

Governor Abbott announced several border security actions to assist the Trump administration's immigration enforcement efforts, including deploying 400 National Guard soldiers to the Rio Grande Valley, directing state troopers to help arrest undocumented migrants, and ordering state agencies to assist federal immigration operations. These actions were announced in the past week as immigration enforcement and deportations increased during the Trump administration's first ten days in office. The announcements came as a University of Houston poll found 60% of Texans support increased immigration enforcement, with 83% of Republicans and 34% of Democrats expressing such support.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem signed an order freezing hundreds of millions in federal grants for municipalities and nonprofits providing food, shelter, clothing, and other services to asylum-seekers, with nearly a quarter of the affected funding previously directed to organizations in Texas. The order cited concerns that the grants fund illegal activities including encouraging illegal immigration and harboring undocumented immigrants, and called for a seven-day review of the program. Texas received $62.4 million in such grants in the previous year, with the largest allocations going to Catholic Charities in San Antonio and the Rio Grande Valley, as well as El Paso County and the city of San Antonio.

On January 29, 2025, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued five executive orders directing state agencies to assist President Donald Trump's immigration enforcement operations. The orders directed state agencies to help federal immigration officers investigate, arrest, detain, and deport undocumented immigrants; ordered the Texas Military Department to develop a plan to assist in securing the southern border; directed agencies to help deploy physical barriers along the Mexico border; ordered intelligence sharing on Mexican cartels and the Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua with federal law enforcement; and instructed state agencies to identify state land and facilities that could house apprehended migrants awaiting deportation. These orders followed Abbott's earlier directives to deploy 400 soldiers to the Rio Grande Valley and to have state troopers assist federal immigration enforcement efforts.

The Texas Senate Education Committee voted 9-2 on January 28, 2025, to advance Senate Bill 2, a school voucher bill, to the full Senate for a vote. Governor Abbott is expected to declare the legislation an emergency item during his State of the State address on Sunday, which would allow the Senate to vote on the bill as soon as the following week. The committee vote followed hours of public testimony regarding whether the proposal would prioritize low-income families and children with disabilities as intended.

Governor Abbott ordered the Texas Department of Public Safety to deploy tactical strike teams to assist the Trump administration in arresting undocumented immigrants with active arrest warrants across the state. The DPS troopers were directed to coordinate with the Department of Homeland Security to target approximately 5,400 undocumented immigrants identified as warrant holders. This directive followed Abbott's announcement the previous day of deploying 400 soldiers to the Rio Grande Valley and occurred amid increased immigration enforcement operations by federal authorities in Texas.

Governor Abbott identified school vouchers as his top priority and supported efforts to expand the Education Savings Account program, which would provide $10,000 annually per student for private school tuition and related expenses. The Texas Senate introduced Senate Bill 2 in the 89th Legislative Session, proposing to allocate $1 billion in state funding over two years to establish approximately 100,000 education savings accounts, a significant expansion from the previous session's proposal of $500 million for roughly 60,000 accounts. Abbott previously supported the removal of anti-voucher Republican legislators in recent elections to increase the likelihood of passage in the House.

Governor Abbott advanced a top policy goal when the Texas Senate Education K-16 Committee approved Senate Bill 2, legislation that would create an education savings account program allowing families to use approximately $10,000 of taxpayer money annually for private school tuition, with the committee vote passing 9-2 on January 28, 2025. The bill would allocate $1 billion in funding for the program's first year beginning in the 2026-27 school year, though Legislative Budget Board estimates projected costs would rise to $3.75 billion by 2030. Bill author Senator Brandon Creighton indicated he would amend the legislation to include a trigger mechanism preventing undocumented immigrants from accessing the program if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Plyler v. Doe.

Abbott ordered 400 additional Texas National Guard soldiers to the Rio Grande Valley on January 27, 2025, as part of the existing Operation Lone Star initiative. The deployment included soldiers and equipment from bases in Fort Worth and Houston, along with C-130 and Chinook helicopters, to work alongside state troopers, Texas Military Department personnel, U.S. Border Patrol, and federal officers. Abbott stated the action was undertaken in coordination with the Trump administration's federal border security efforts.

The Republican-controlled Texas House approved new rules during the 89th regular session that prevent Democrats from serving as committee chairs, limiting the minority party to vice chair positions. Committee chairs retain the authority to advance or block legislation and shape the legislative agenda, while vice chairs hold significantly reduced powers. The rules change reflects a shift in Texas legislative practice toward party-based leadership structures similar to those in the U.S. Congress.

Governor Abbott posted on social media expressing concern that a Texas A&M University professor's planned trip with graduate students to a PhD Project conference violated the state's law eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. University President Mark Welsh learned of the issue through his staff discovering Abbott's social media post rather than through direct communication from the governor's office. Following the governor's public statement, Welsh canceled the planned conference trip.

State Representative Trent Ashby filed House Bill 2000, titled Audrii's Law, which proposes adding convictions for child grooming to the list of offenses requiring registration on Texas's sex offender registry. The bill was filed in response to the death of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, whose killer had previously been convicted of enticing a child but was not required to register as a sex offender because the child grooming statute did not exist at the time of his conviction in 2007. The child grooming law was created in 2023 and the proposal aims to ensure future convictions under this statute result in sex offender registry inclusion.

The Texas Senate introduced Senate Bill 2, which would establish an education savings accounts program allowing up to 100,000 K-12 students to receive $10,000 annually in state funds to attend private schools or cover education-related expenses such as tuition, textbooks, and therapy. The bill, co-authored by Senator Brandon Creighton, would provide $11,500 per year for students with disabilities and at least $2,000 annually for homeschooling families. The proposal represents a priority initiative for Governor Abbott following the failure of similar legislation in the previous legislative session.

Governor Abbott championed education savings accounts, or ESAs, a voucher-style program that the Republican leadership prioritized for the legislative session. Senator Brandon Creighton unveiled a 33-page bill proposing universal education savings accounts with a $1 billion budget allocation, allowing families to receive $10,000 annually per child and $11,500 for children with disabilities to attend accredited private schools. The proposal included eligibility for families entering school for the first time, those homeschooling, and those already in private schools, with lottery selection and priority given to low-income households and children with disabilities if applications exceeded capacity.

Governor Abbott requested $11 billion in federal reimbursement from Congress for Texas expenditures on Operation Lone Star, the state's border security initiative launched during the Biden administration. The request itemized approximately $3 billion spent on border wall construction and river buoys, $58 million on razor wire and fencing, nearly $6 billion on National Guard and state trooper deployment, and costs for transporting migrants to other states. Abbott stated in his letter to congressional leadership that these expenses should have been the federal government's responsibility rather than falling to Texas taxpayers.

Governor Abbott sent letters to congressional leaders and the Texas state delegation requesting reimbursement of $11.1 billion in state expenditures on border security operations incurred since March 2021. Abbott stated that Texas funded Operation Lone Star, which resulted in apprehensions of undocumented immigrants, seizures of fentanyl, and construction of border barriers, after asserting the federal government did not enforce immigration law. The request followed Abbott's meeting with House Speaker Mike Johnson during President Donald Trump's inauguration in Washington.

Abbott sent letters to U.S. House and Senate leaders on January 23, 2025, requesting $11.1 billion in federal reimbursements for Texas border security expenditures incurred since 2021, including costs for border wall construction and Operation Lone Star deployment. The request itemized $3.6 billion for National Guard deployment, $2.3 billion for state troopers, and $4.8 billion for wall construction. Abbott stated in the letter that Texas had borne these costs due to federal border security policy decisions during the Biden administration.

President Trump signed an executive order on January 20, 2025, that seeks to end automatic U.S. citizenship for children born to parents lacking citizenship or lawful permanent resident status. Under the order, children without at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident would be barred from obtaining federal citizenship documents such as passports, and the federal government would be prohibited from recognizing citizenship-related documents issued by state and local authorities. The order takes effect February 19, 2025, and does not apply retroactively to individuals born before that date.

Governor Abbott appointed Mike Banks as Texas Border Czar in 2023 to oversee Operation Lone Star, the state's $11 billion border security initiative that included busing migrants to Democratic-led cities, deploying razor wire and buoys along the Rio Grande, and conducting state-level arrests of migrants on trespassing charges. Banks, who previously served two decades with the U.S. Border Patrol before leaving in 2022, was selected by President Trump to serve as the 27th chief of the U.S. Border Patrol, as announced through the agency's official social media account on Tuesday. Abbott publicly congratulated Banks on the appointment, stating that Banks' performance in the Texas role led to his selection for the federal position.

Governor Abbott signaled in January 2025 that he wants the Texas legislature to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in K-12 public schools and prevent taxpayer dollars from funding such programs. This proposal would extend a statewide DEI ban that Texas lawmakers approved for public universities in 2023 through Senate Bill 17, which eliminated diversity offices, programs, and training requirements at higher education institutions. Abbott made the announcement via social media in response to videos posted by a conservative fellow regarding a Richardson school district's DEI director.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on January 20, 2025, granting pardons to approximately 1,500 individuals convicted of crimes related to the January 6, 2021 Capitol riot, with six additional sentences commuted. The order applied to more than a dozen Houston-area residents, including three men serving sentences between 37 and 84 months for assault on police officers during the riot. The executive action substantially reversed prosecutions conducted by the Department of Justice regarding individuals charged with offenses occurring at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021.

President Donald Trump issued executive orders on border enforcement on January 20, 2025, citing Texas Governor Abbott's border security operations as a model for federal action. Trump's orders included canceling the CBP One application system used for scheduling asylum appointments and announced additional federal resources to support enforcement efforts. Abbott's Operation Lone Star, a state-level border security initiative, served as the basis for Trump's expanded federal approach to border management.

President Donald Trump issued executive orders on border enforcement on January 20, 2025, expanding initiatives previously undertaken by Texas Governor Abbott, including Operation Lone Star. Trump's orders included canceling the CBP One application system that had been used to schedule asylum appointments at the southern border. The actions represented a continuation and expansion of border security policies that Abbott had implemented during his tenure as Texas governor.

President Donald Trump praised Governor Abbott during his January 20, 2025 inauguration speech, stating that Abbott's border policies made him "an unbeatable governor" and describing him as "a leader of the pack" on border security. Trump recommitted to building a border wall and indicated he would send troops to the southern border at an unprecedented scale, positioning Abbott as a key partner in these efforts. Trump referenced his previous partnership with Abbott during his first presidency on border construction and invited continued collaboration on additional barriers.

Abbott invested major political and financial capital into reshaping the Texas Legislature by supporting primary challengers to House Republicans who opposed voucherlike education plans during the 2023 session. Following these primary interventions, Abbott believed he had secured sufficient votes in the legislature to advance his education priority. The governor's efforts reflected a strategy to align legislative membership with his preferred policy agenda ahead of the 89th Texas Legislature session.

Governor Abbott issued an executive order in November 2024 designed to protect Texas from foreign espionage by cutting state university ties with the Chinese government and other designated foreign adversaries, including North Korea, Iran, Cuba, Russia, and Venezuelan politician Nicolas Máduro. The order restricts research funding and collaborations with entities owned or controlled by foreign adversaries, requires stronger background checks for certain employees and contractors, and prohibits state employees from accepting gifts from or traveling to adversary nations for work purposes. Texas public university systems including the University of Houston, University of Texas, and Texas A&M were given until August 2025 to review their policies and ensure compliance with the directive.

Abbott issued an executive action in 2023 banning TikTok on government-issued phones, citing security risks associated with the app's connection to the Chinese government. Abbott stated that the prohibition was necessary to protect state agencies and employees from vulnerabilities presented by the app while conducting state business. The action preceded a broader federal effort that resulted in a Supreme Court decision upholding a nationwide ban on TikTok in January 2025.

In November 2023, Abbott signed legislation banning COVID-19 vaccine mandates by private employers in Texas. The article discusses this action in the context of declining vaccination rates across the state and nationally, including a decline in measles vaccination coverage among kindergarteners from approximately 95 percent before the pandemic to under 93 percent in the 2023-2024 school year. Texas remains one of 16 states that permits parents to request exemptions from school immunization requirements for medical, military, or personal belief reasons.

Texas Gov. Abbott ordered flags at full-staff at the State Capitol during President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on January 13, 2025, despite flags having been lowered to half-staff following the death of former President Jimmy Carter. The action occurred while federal flag code Title 4, Section 7(m) specified flags remain at half-staff for 30 days following the death of a sitting or former president. Abbott's decision to raise the flags departed from the protocol established by President Biden in observance of Carter's passing.

Abbott rescinded the federal order to lower flags to half-staff in observance of former President Jimmy Carter's death, instead directing that flags be raised to full-staff on Inauguration Day. The action overrode President Biden's proclamation that flags remain at half-staff for 30 days following Carter's passing. Abbott's decision meant Texas did not observe the standard flag protocol for a deceased former president during the mourning period.

Rep. Dustin Burrows, a Lubbock Republican, was elected speaker of the Texas House on January 14, 2025, during the opening day of the 89th regular session of the Texas Legislature, defeating Rep. David Cook in a vote of 85-55. Burrows secured the position with support from 36 Republicans and 49 Democrats, while Cook received support from 52 Republicans and 3 Democrats. Following his election, Burrows stated his intention to lead with an open door to colleagues, ensure every member's voice is heard, and provide transparent timelines for moving priority legislation.

During the opening of the 2025 legislative session, Abbott stated that Houston judges were failing to adhere to the law and referenced cases where defendants released on bail committed additional murders, calling for legislative action to address what he characterized as problematic bail practices in the city. Abbott called for the passage of laws to keep what he described as dangerous criminals behind bars and stated that the issue would require collaboration between the Senate, House, and his office. Abbott's remarks continued a years-long effort to push the Texas Legislature to pass stricter bail reform measures, though such changes would require amending the Texas Constitution, which guarantees bail eligibility to all defendants except those charged with capital crimes.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department purchased 3,073 acres in Llano County for $43 million to expand Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, doubling the size of the park in the Texas Hill Country. The acquisition was funded through a one-time legislative appropriation and sporting goods sales taxes, with development supported by the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund. Governor Abbott stated the expansion would increase public access to the park and preserve the region's natural features for future generations.

The Texas Water Development Board submitted a feasibility report to Governor Abbott concluding that the Marvin Nichols Reservoir could be completed and operating within 25 years. The report examined implementation timeline, costs, land acquisition, and economic impacts for the proposed 66,000-acre manmade lake in the Sulphur River Basin in northeast Texas. The reservoir would supply water to 213 water user groups across the state, with the majority located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

At the opening of the 2025 Texas legislative session, Governor Abbott criticized Houston judges for what he characterized as failure to follow state and federal law, specifically referencing cases where individuals released on bail allegedly committed additional crimes. Abbott stated that the Legislature and his office would work to address what he called judicial non-adherence to law in order to prevent criminals from harming innocent people. Abbott has pursued bail reform legislation for years, though such changes would require amending the Texas Constitution, which currently guarantees bail eligibility to all defendants except those charged with capital crimes.

Texas House lawmakers elected Republican Rep. Dustin Burrows as speaker on January 14, 2025, during the opening day of the 89th Texas Legislative Session, following months of internal Republican negotiations. Burrows, an attorney from Lubbock first elected to the House in 2014, defeated Rep. David Cook on the second ballot after Rep. Ana-María Rodríguez Ramos was eliminated in the runoff. As speaker, Burrows holds authority to appoint lawmakers to legislative committees and their chairs, determine House legislative priorities, and coordinate with the lieutenant governor and governor on major legislation including property tax cuts, border security, and education initiatives.

On January 14, 2025, Governor Abbott threatened Texas A&M University President Mark Welsh III on social media, stating that the university's participation in a conference restricting attendance to Black, Hispanic, and Native American students violated Senate Bill 17, the state's 2023 law banning diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at public universities. Abbott stated the situation would be "fixed immediately or the president will soon be gone." In response, Welsh announced that Texas A&M would withdraw from the conference, stating the university did not believe the participation aligned with the intent of SB 17.

Governor Abbott threatened the job of Texas A&M University President Mark Welsh III after conservative activist Christopher Rufo shared a university email inviting staffers and PhD students to attend a conference limited to participants who are Black, Hispanic, or Native American. Abbott stated on social media that the activity violated Texas law and the U.S. Constitution and would be corrected immediately or the president would be removed. Texas A&M's general counsel had determined the conference complied with Senate Bill 17, which prohibits public universities from maintaining diversity, equity, and inclusion offices and from giving preferential treatment based on race, ethnicity, or national origin.

Attorney General Ken Paxton sought to close Annunciation House, an El Paso Catholic charity that provides shelter to migrants regardless of legal status, arguing the organization enables illegal immigration. The Texas Supreme Court heard oral arguments on the case in January 2025, with Paxton's office contending that the effort to shut down the charity does not constitute a limitation on religious liberty. A ruling on whether to reinstate Paxton's lawsuit was expected by the end of June 2025.

On January 13, 2025, Governor Greg Abbott ordered flags at the Texas Capitol and all state government office buildings to be raised to full staff on January 20 for President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, one day after they were scheduled to remain at half-staff in honor of former President Jimmy Carter's death. Abbott stated that while Texas continued to honor Carter's legacy, the federal flag code specified that the American flag should be displayed on all days, especially on Inauguration Day. The order came as President Joe Biden and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis had both directed flags remain at half-staff through January 28 in Carter's honor.

America First Legal, a nonprofit organization founded and run by Stephen Miller, submitted a brief to the Texas Supreme Court in support of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's legal effort to shut down Annunciation House, a Catholic shelter in El Paso that provides housing to asylum seekers. The brief argued that nonprofit organizations like Annunciation House undermine American law and sovereignty and exacerbate border issues. The Texas Supreme Court heard arguments in the case on Monday regarding Paxton's attempt to revoke the shelter's charter.

Governor Abbott elevated Texas Supreme Court Justice Jimmy Blacklock to chief justice and appointed James Sullivan, Abbott's general counsel, to replace Blacklock on the court in January 2025. These appointments bring the total number of Abbott appointees on the nine-member Texas Supreme Court to five. Abbott made these selections within his constitutional authority to fill court vacancies through the appointment process.

Governor Abbott appointed Dan Simons to the 496th District Court in Harris County on January 7, 2025, a state district court position with a term expiring December 31, 2026. Simons, a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor who lost his bid as the Republican nominee for Harris County District Attorney in November 2024, applied for the judicial position after the election and planned to begin hearing cases in late January. Abbott cited Simons' experience as a defense attorney, former prosecutor, and military veteran in announcing the appointment.

Texas Attorney General Paxton filed briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court supporting Arizona's proof-of-citizenship voter registration requirement and Virginia's noncitizen voter purge, and challenged a Dallas City Council charter amendment language before the Texas Supreme Court. Paxton's election integrity unit executed search warrants in a vote harvesting investigation, launched an investigation into reports of noncitizen voter registration, established an email tip line that received 410 reports of alleged election law violations through November 7, sued the Biden administration and commissioners courts in Bexar and Travis counties regarding voter registration, and issued advisories on noncitizen voting penalties. Paxton deployed a rapid-response legal team on Election Day and submitted a public records request to the Department of Justice regarding voter registration activities.

President Donald Trump announced that Tom Homan, who has served in immigration enforcement roles in Texas since 1999, would be sent to Minnesota to manage Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the state. According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Homan was tasked with continuing arrests of individuals identified as criminal aliens and coordinating with authorities investigating tax fraud in Minnesota. Homan, who led Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Trump's first term and was appointed as border czar in an advisory capacity, was directed to report directly to Trump.

Governor Abbott requested assistance from the U.S. Small Business Administration to conduct damage assessments following a series of tornadoes that struck southeast Texas, with SBA officials expected to arrive to evaluate infrastructure and property damage across the region. The assessment was designed to determine whether federal assistance would be necessary to support recovery efforts in affected areas including Harris and Brazoria counties. Abbott also encouraged residents who sustained damage during the storms to submit reports through the Texas Department of Emergency Management's Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool to facilitate the recovery process.