On Sine Die of the 88th Texas Legislative Session, the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s CEO Greg Sindelar released the following statement:
“The 88th Texas legislature made tremendous progress this session, but the work remains unfinished. The failure to complete several major initiatives are so significant that TPPF supports a call for a special session.
“Despite these setbacks, we should commend the legislature for its diligent and historic work in certain areas. It fixed a major weakness in our regulatory structure that will have a tremendously positive impact on businesses, workers, and the Texas economy. It addressed some areas of local government overreach, as well as significant issues with the election process in Harris County. Legislators improved medical bill transparency and created new free market options for patients.
“Without question, the most significant victories were in protecting children. Texas became a leader in preventing minors from experimental gender modification. The legislature created new tools for parents to protect their children against the harms of online activity. It tightened the process for making sure inappropriate materials aren’t making it into our school libraries and classrooms. And it removed DEI from our public universities, the coercive tool used by proponents of radical gender and racial ideology to indoctrinate students.
“However, the most important agenda items still lay on the table. The promise of parent empowerment sits unfulfilled, leaving Texas parents without the transparency, quality, respect, and choice they deserve from our education system. Taxpayers are still burdened by one of the most punitive property taxes in the country. And Texas has much work left to do to assert its territorial sovereignty to protect our border communities from the scourge of drug and human trafficking. These issues are key to maintaining the prosperity and freedom we enjoy in Texas. We are encouraged that the governor has signaled he will call a special session to address these issues. TPPF stands ready to help the governor and the Texas legislature complete the agenda for the people of Texas.”