Texas attorney general’s office under scrutiny for letting donors use hotel room bookings
Read full article: Texas attorney general’s office under scrutiny for letting donors use hotel room bookingsThe attorney general’s office reallocated taxpayer-funded rooms to donors and other private citizens, some of whom initially failed to cover the cost of the stay.
Judge allows Attorney General Ken Paxton to withdraw from representing comptroller’s office in voucher case
Read full article: Judge allows Attorney General Ken Paxton to withdraw from representing comptroller’s office in voucher caseThe Houston federal judge said Paxton’s office can pull out of the case as soon as acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock finds new lawyers. The unusual request comes amid a bubbling feud between the two Republicans.
Ken Paxton won’t represent Comptroller Kelly Hancock in school voucher suit amid grudge match
Read full article: Ken Paxton won’t represent Comptroller Kelly Hancock in school voucher suit amid grudge matchIn a Thursday letter, Paxton said Hancock jeopardized the state’s defense in the case by leaking a separate letter he sent to the AG’s office on Tuesday.
Judge orders Texas to extend school voucher deadline in response to lawsuit from Islamic schools
Read full article: Judge orders Texas to extend school voucher deadline in response to lawsuit from Islamic schoolsThe application period, set to close Tuesday night, must now remain open until March 31, according to an attorney representing Islamic schools.
Meet Don Huffines, the self-funding tea party activist who won the GOP Texas comptroller primary
Read full article: Meet Don Huffines, the self-funding tea party activist who won the GOP Texas comptroller primaryThe former state senator from Dallas challenged Gov. Greg Abbott from the right four years ago. He’s now in line to oversee the $1 billion voucher program championed by the governor.
Former state Sen. Don Huffines wins GOP primary for Texas comptroller
Read full article: Former state Sen. Don Huffines wins GOP primary for Texas comptrollerHuffines avoided a runoff in a big-money race against acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock and Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick to be the state’s chief financial officer.
Business owners sue comptroller after their removal from state minority business program
Read full article: Business owners sue comptroller after their removal from state minority business programWomen- and minority-owned businesses were removed from the Historically Underutilized Business Program in December by acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock, who argued he was ending a DEI program.
President Trump endorses Sid Miller and Don Huffines, countering Abbott’s picks
Read full article: President Trump endorses Sid Miller and Don Huffines, countering Abbott’s picksTrump’s last-minute primary endorsements that directly oppose the Texas governor’s selections came hours after he spoke at an event in Corpus Christi on Friday.
Texas’ comptroller is the state’s top accountant. The candidates are campaigning on culture wars.
Read full article: Texas’ comptroller is the state’s top accountant. The candidates are campaigning on culture wars.Don Huffines, Christi Craddick and Kelly Hancock are talking more about fighting DEI, trans athletes and illegal immigration than the office’s traditional fiscal duties.
Comptroller candidate Don Huffines’ family owns former Epstein ranch in New Mexico
Read full article: Comptroller candidate Don Huffines’ family owns former Epstein ranch in New MexicoHuffines' campaign said the candidate’s family bought the ranch at a public auction four years after Jeffrey Epstein died.
Chip Roy, Mayes Middleton leading Texas attorney general GOP primary in new poll
Read full article: Chip Roy, Mayes Middleton leading Texas attorney general GOP primary in new pollThe poll, released Wednesday, also showed Sid Miller and Don Huffines with comfortable leads in their Republican primary bids for agriculture commissioner and comptroller.
Ken Paxton: Comptroller can exclude schools from voucher program under anti-terror laws
Read full article: Ken Paxton: Comptroller can exclude schools from voucher program under anti-terror lawsA CAIR official blasted the Texas AG’s opinion, saying the law does not permit the comptroller to scrutinize Muslim schools because of their religious identity.
Texas Republicans have huge cash edge in statewide elections
Read full article: Texas Republicans have huge cash edge in statewide electionsDemocrats could be more competitive financially in the U.S. Senate race, but their comparatively small fundraising hauls for state office leave them with fewer resources to reach voters.
Texas comptroller GOP primary attracts big money from donors with business before the agency
Read full article: Texas comptroller GOP primary attracts big money from donors with business before the agencyOne candidate received about $1 million within an eight-day span from the head of a Dallas tax firm — and 72 of his employees — that helps corporations secure tax breaks under comptroller-run programs.
Texas comptroller questions whether some Islamic schools can be excluded from voucher program
Read full article: Texas comptroller questions whether some Islamic schools can be excluded from voucher programActing Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock suggested schools that hosted events for the Council on American-Islamic Relations or are linked to China could be disqualified from the new program.
State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt announces run for comptroller, dropping congressional bid
Read full article: State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt announces run for comptroller, dropping congressional bidThe Austin Democrat said she wants to tackle waste and fraud as a watchdog over the state budget. She will retain her Senate seat if she loses.
Women, minority small business owners confused, worried after Texas kicks them off HUB program
Read full article: Women, minority small business owners confused, worried after Texas kicks them off HUB programThe decision to limit certification to companies owned by disabled veterans will shrink the Historically Underutilized Business program from more than 15,000 to 485 participants — all men.
Texas removes women and minorities from Historically Underutilized Business program for state contracts
Read full article: Texas removes women and minorities from Historically Underutilized Business program for state contractsThe program will now only be eligible for service-disabled veterans. It will be called Veteran Heroes United in Business.
In school voucher rules, Texas lets families get more for pre-K but rejects additional reporting requirements
Read full article: In school voucher rules, Texas lets families get more for pre-K but rejects additional reporting requirementsThe rules serve as the foundation for Texas’ private school voucher program, which will officially launch at the start of the 2026-27 school year.
Texas freezes program to help minority-owned businesses
Read full article: Texas freezes program to help minority-owned businessesThe state comptroller’s office said it would stop issuing or renewing certifications under the Historically Underutilized Business program. Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock said it was the latest step toward ending DEI in Texas.
Texas selects company that will help develop its school voucher program
Read full article: Texas selects company that will help develop its school voucher programFinance and technology company Odyssey will help design the application process, manage payments and review complaints for the state’s education savings accounts.
Texans ask for eligibility fixes, stronger accountability in school voucher program
Read full article: Texans ask for eligibility fixes, stronger accountability in school voucher programFor the first time since Texas authorized the program, the state heard public testimony from people concerned about pre-K funding, special education provisions and data reporting.
Sales tax receipts will be closely watched as Texas tracks economic jolt of tariffs
Read full article: Sales tax receipts will be closely watched as Texas tracks economic jolt of tariffsAs the Texas House prepares to vote on the budget, officials and other experts monitor national policy and state tax revenue.
Christi Craddick, Don Huffines announce bids for Texas comptroller after Hegar tapped for A&M chancellor
Read full article: Christi Craddick, Don Huffines announce bids for Texas comptroller after Hegar tapped for A&M chancellorHegar’s impending departure from the comptroller’s seat creates a rare opening for one of Texas’ coveted statewide offices.
Texas must build hundreds of thousands of homes to lower housing costs, says state comptroller
Read full article: Texas must build hundreds of thousands of homes to lower housing costs, says state comptrollerTexas needs hundreds of thousands more homes than it has, per one estimate. That shortage has driven up home prices and rents.
Gulf Coast petrochemical growth draws billions in tax breaks despite pollution violations
Read full article: Gulf Coast petrochemical growth draws billions in tax breaks despite pollution violationsA new report by the Environmental Integrity Project compiled data on every U.S. plastics plant built, expanded or proposed since 2012, revealing massive growth in Texas.
How a state effort to fund Texas schools equitably is shortchanging dozens of rural districts
Read full article: How a state effort to fund Texas schools equitably is shortchanging dozens of rural districtsFor decades, the Texas comptroller’s office has double-checked property valuations across the state, which help determine how much school districts can levy in property taxes. But when state and county appraisers disagree, districts can end up with big holes in their budgets.
Texas will spend billions to connect the state with broadband. But is it clear which neighborhoods need help?
Read full article: Texas will spend billions to connect the state with broadband. But is it clear which neighborhoods need help?On the eve of a historic investment in connecting the Lone Star State, advocates worry maps that will help establish which communities get funding have bad information.
How could Texas spend its record $32.7 billion surplus?
Read full article: How could Texas spend its record $32.7 billion surplus?If Texas’ budget surplus were distributed directly to Texans, it could pay for 12 years of school lunches, seven months of rent or 11,000 miles of travel. Here’s how to put the big number into perspective.
Texas lawmakers will have $188.2 billion available for the next budget after record-breaking revenue growth
Read full article: Texas lawmakers will have $188.2 billion available for the next budget after record-breaking revenue growthIt’s far more money than legislators have ever had at their disposal, with an increase in available funds that dwarfs any previous jumps between cycles. It’s also more money than lawmakers can constitutionally spend.
Texas Supreme Court says it can’t force the state to process deluge of applications for tax break expiring this year
Read full article: Texas Supreme Court says it can’t force the state to process deluge of applications for tax break expiring this yearThe program, known as Chapter 313, provides companies with billions of dollars in property tax breaks. The court said it is up to the Legislature to make the call on what to do as the program is set to expire and the state is swamped with applications.
Republican Glenn Hegar defeats Janet Dudding to keep his state comptroller job for third term
Read full article: Republican Glenn Hegar defeats Janet Dudding to keep his state comptroller job for third termDuring the campaign, Hegar touted his work on lowering taxes and expanding broadband in Texas, reforming the tax code, reducing regulations on agriculture and pushing for government transparency.
Comptroller Glenn Hegar is reminding voters he’s a Republican ahead of his November election
Read full article: Comptroller Glenn Hegar is reminding voters he’s a Republican ahead of his November electionHegar, who is running for his third term as Texas comptroller of public accounts, has made increasingly provocative moves in recent weeks, challenging financial companies he says are anti-oil and gas and threatening budget sanctions against Harris County over police funding.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott joins other key Republicans in supporting repealing the “tampon tax”
Read full article: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott joins other key Republicans in supporting repealing the “tampon tax”Advocates have previously called for repealing the sales tax on products like tampons, sanitary pads and pantyliners. Menstrual products are already tax-free in 24 states.
Analysis: Every so often, Texas government needs a reboot
Read full article: Analysis: Every so often, Texas government needs a rebootPerformance reviews of state government are an exercise in separating the operation of government — how things work — from the direction of government — what, in broader terms, government should do. The nuts and bolts on one hand, the vision thing on the other.
Texas Democratic Party leadership election roiled by accusation that a candidate shoved a staffer
Read full article: Texas Democratic Party leadership election roiled by accusation that a candidate shoved a stafferWitnesses say Kim Olson pushed the party’s top staffer during a bus tour in 2018. Olson denies the allegation.