Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued this statement today following the unanimous passage of Senate Bill 27, Establishing a Teacher Bill of Rights, by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe: Senate Bill 27, by Sen. Brandon Creighton, establishes a teacher bill of rights to empower teachers and improve working conditions. If passed into law, teachers would have expanded authority to discipline students, respond to complaints against them, get notified of threats to their campus, and have more flexibility in their contracts.

U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) today introduced the Fog Observations and Geographic Forecasting Act (FOG Forecasting Act), bipartisan legislation to improve the National Weather Service’s (NWS) fog forecasting capabilities to enhance safety at America’s ports and help prevent costly shipping delays caused by dense fog. Better fog forecasts would reduce uncertainty, allowing ports to reopen sooner, get commerce moving, and reduce the economic costs of port closures.

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar today said his office has delivered about $254 million in financial assistance to rural law enforcement and prosecutor offices as part of a grant program providing supplemental salaries to sheriff’s departments, constable’s offices, and district and county attorney’s offices in eligible counties. The 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, enacted the Rural Law Enforcement Grant Program in Senate Bill 22, which appropriated $330 million for the 2024-25 biennium to fund the Comptroller-led program.

A proposed peace will see a DMZ established somewhere along an adjusted 1,200-mile Ukraine-Russia border. Tough negotiations will adjudicate how far east toward its original borders Russian forces will be leveraged to backstep. Publicly in the U.S. and covertly in Europe, all accept that a depleted Ukraine will not have the military strength to retake Crimea and the Donbas. Loudly, the U.S. -- and again quietly Europe -- concedes that Ukraine will not be in NATO -- a confirmation that Russia will use to justify to its people its disastrous invasion, and even many Ukrainians will accept.

Many Democrats seem to have lost a capacity for shame. They're disgusted only by the refusal of others to yield to their demands – and their use of any means to achieve political ends or revenge is all that matters. They refuse to condemn the growing violence as Tesla autos & dealerships are set on fire – while offering with a wink to the vandals. The question is, what do Democrats stand for, when everything they are now is defined by those they hate?

“Our Military Service Members and their families make tremendous sacrifices to preserve our safety, freedom and way of life. They deserve the freedom and flexibility to educate their children in alignment with their values and unique needs – they should never have to choose between serving our country and providing their children with a quality education. This will provide them the flexibility and options to support their way of life."

Governor Greg Abbott announced today that HHSC is awarding $6.25 million in grant funding to eligible rural community hospitals that serve . HHSC will award up to 25 Texas Rural Hospital Debt Reduction Grants, providing $250,000 for qualifying hospitals to improve their financial stability. HHSC provides grant funding and administers programs for rural hospitals in alignment with the Rural Hospital Services Strategic Plan, which helps rural Texans have access to hospital services.

An estimated 17 veterans die each day by suicide — and that is 17 too many. Our mission must be to eradicate suicide within the Veteran Community; anything less is unacceptable. These tragedies leave families devastated — mothers and fathers burying sons or daughters, spouses losing their partners, children growing up without parents, and a nation mourning. No one should have to endure such pain or carry that burden for the rest of their lives.

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said today that State Sales Tax Revenue totaled $3.68 billion in March, 2.7% less than in March 2024. The majority of March sales tax revenue is based on sales made in February and remitted in March. Total sales tax revenue for the three months ending in March 2025 was up 2.8% compared with the same period a year ago. Sales tax is the largest source of state funding for the state budget, accounting for 58% of all tax collections.

Today's teachers unions – the National Education Association & the American Federation of Teachers – aspire to the same control over education as did the Klan in the 1920s. Except rather than wanting all Americans to be White Protestants, they want a culture purged of the Bible, purged of traditional values, of households headed by both a Mother & Father, with children knowing the 10 Commandments. They don't want what most Americans want.

If Congress fails to Reauthorize & Extend the Tax Cuts that helped jump-start the U.S. Economy after first being passed by President Trump in 2017, the U.S. and Texas manufacturing industries will face a devastating tax increase – and up to 6 million jobs will be lost nationwide, including nearly 550,000 in Texas. Fortunately, Congress is already on the road to protecting these jobs and job creators, but in the weeks ahead it needs to finish the job.

Governor Greg Abbott today touted the strength of the expanding Texas economy as new data released by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis shows the Texas economy growing at a faster rate than the nation as a whole. The state’s Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew at an annual rate of 3.5% in the fourth quarter, well ahead of the U.S. average of 2.4%.  For the full 2024 year, the Texas economy grew to an estimated $2.7 trillion in size — up from $2.6 trillion in 2023.

In a growing disparity across the United States, Texas – despite being one of the fastest-growing states in Population & Economic Output – receives only 2-3% of national venture capital investment. To keep Texas on the cutting edge, we must adopt and boldly pursue new strategies that empower entrepreneurs, strengthens local economies, and ensures Texas remains a national leader in innovation. ​​​​Texas has the talent, vision, and potential – It's time to ensure the necessary resources follow.

Already this year, Tennessee, Idaho & Wyoming have passed Universal Education Freedom Programs. Texas, South Carolina, and New Hampshire are making a strong push as well. By the end of 2025, we may see six more states join this incredible movement to empower parents and ensure all American children can access the best learning environment for their needs... Dramatically shrinking the Dept. of Education will make us more responsive, efficient, and tailored to the needs of American Students.

The rule demands greater transparency for District and County Attorneys representing a county with a population of 400,000 or more and requires them to provide specific performance reports to the Office of the Attorney General (“OAG”). Further, the rule provides OAG access to detailed report information upon request, specifies a process to attain any overdue reports, and outlines consequences if a District or County Attorney intentionally seeks to violate the enhanced reporting requirements.

If it weren’t for the fact that it's Democrats who are doing it, it'd almost be shocking that there's so much opposition to President Trump's DOGE efforts.  What person in their right mind could possibly be for having THEIR tax dollars just flat being abused by unscrupulous Politicians & Bureaucrats? Democrats believe in government, Big Government. They want more of it, and they want the control and power to implement their beliefs on others and deny freedom to us. Donald Trump's taking that power from them.

On Thursday morning, President Trump ​announced that U.S. Authorities apprehended a 24-year-old illegal immigrant, identified as one of the Top 3 Leaders of the MS-13 Gang in the United States. MS-13 is one of the most dangerous transnational gangs in the world – known for brutal tactics including murder, extortion, sexual violence, drug trafficking & more. American families can finally begin to breathe a sigh of relief knowing President Trump's Administration will stop at nothing to protect our communities.

The Republican Study Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives is taking on the critical issues facing our nation – major investments in modernizing our military, the importance of DOGE Savings, the fight against rogue judges who are undermining our President, and more. And in case you missed it, as Co-chair of the House Border Security Caucus I joined Fox Business to break it all down — including my "Birthright Citizenship Act." We're moving to take swift action and restore order to our nation.