The highest-ranking member of Congress didn't know natural gas IS a fossil fuel. That incident got us thinking. Maybe one reason people are so afraid of the coming tech revolution is that we call it "artificial intelligence." Why not call it "natural intelligence?" Public support will soar. We should also start calling oil "natural petroleum." Everyone knows something that is "artificial" is bad for you and anything that is "natural" is good and healthy.
We could call it divestiture – a process whereby the big college football factories could sell those programs to local billionaires who would run them as private businesses. Let’s face it; the old model is dead. Prior to NIL, there were two benefits to the players. First, they could play college ball and see if they had the talent to move to the NFL or the NBA. Second, and this seems laughable today, they could get a free education. To me, as a fan, I wanted to see players in Austin that had dreamed of being a Longhorn – Now, they come to UT or any other college for the money.
Texas Comptroller Don Huffines signed an executive order (PDF) to abolish the tax on medical records and the systems doctors use to access them. Huffines heard the problem firsthand last month at a roundtable discussion that included small business owners and physicians. Doctors told him they were being charged sales tax just to access the electronic medical records of their own patients.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) applauded Senate passage of the joint resolution he introduced with U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) commemorating the 150th anniversary of Texas A&M University. Texas A&M formally opened its doors on October 4, 1876, as the state’s first public institution of higher education and now enrolls more than 81,000 students across its campuses. The Texas Legislature established the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas in 1871, with formal opening ceremonies and the first day of classes on October 4, 1876.
Texas Comptroller Don Huffines today announced the selection of Austin, Barbers Hill, El Paso, and Prosper school districts for a detailed review to ensure taxpayer funds are being spent responsibly. The Huffines Performance Review, formally requested by Abbott in August, will examine whether district spending complies with state law and is directed toward students, classrooms, and teachers — rather than toward administrative expansion or non‑instructional bureaucracy.
Well, it appears a lot of state lawmakers are reading the HOTLINE. Last week we blasted around the country our recommendation that states suspend their gas taxes and fuel regulations until the price of gas falls below $3.50 a gallon. Within days states started doing just that, according to ABC News. State officials nationwide are focusing on rising gas and diesel prices tied to the war in Iran. Some states have suspended their fuel taxes. Others have temporarily reduced taxes.
Governor Greg Abbott today delivered remarks at the 50th Anniversary Convention of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT) and honored the Texas Officer of the Year award recipients for the work required to keep Texas safe. Governor Abbott proclaimed October 2026 as Law Enforcement Appreciation Month in Texas. The proclamation honors the men and women of law enforcement who serve and protect communities across the state.
What Abdul El-Sayed is promising is nothing new, Democrats have been pushing for one degree or another of socialized medicine for decades, and every little step they’ve taken – every time they’ve messed with the system to “improve” it has been designed for that very purpose. Obamacare was not only destined to fail; it was designed to. The only problem Democrats had was it failed too soon – right from the start – allowing voters to notice their lies and associate the cost increases with the Democrats directly responsible for them.
With the rise of fast fashion, clothing retailers have increasingly turned to cheaper, synthetic materials to keep up with competitive prices and consumer demand. Popular synthetic materials such as polyester, rayon, and spandex can involve plastic-derived materials or chemical-intensive manufacturing processes. These materials may be treated with extreme heat and various chemicals during the process of being made into fabric.
Governor Greg Abbott today announced that applications are open for an estimated $31 million in Fund for Veterans’ Assistance (FVA) grants, administered by the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC). Nonprofit organizations and local government agencies that provide direct services to veterans may apply. TVC awards grants in five categories: General Assistance, Housing for Texas Heroes, Veterans Mental Health, Veterans Treatment Courts, and Veteran County Service Offices.
For years, Texans were forced to pay the price for Sleepy Joe Biden's failure to secure our southern border. The Trump administration recently marked 16 consecutive months of zero releases at the border. Border Patrol apprehensions have fallen dramatically compared with the previous administration, and the era of mass catch-and-release has been brought to an end. We are also making progress against the deadly drugs that have devastated families and communities across our country.
Using preliminary 2026 appraisal district data, economic and market trends, and historical valuation patterns, the Comptroller’s office estimates that statewide taxable property value will increase to $4.33 trillion in 2026 — a 5.07% rise from 2025. These values reflect recent policy changes including the voter‑approved increase in the school district homestead exemption to $140,000, a temporary 20% appraisal cap on certain non‑homestead properties, and adjustments to exemptions for income‑producing tangible personal property.
The GLO is only able to offer this extension due to petitioning the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for one final extension of the 2017 Hurricane Harvey Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding. Thankfully, HUD approved this request based on the GLO’s strong track record of managing these funds and is now willing to give communities that need it more time.
As concerns about the cost and availability of energy have increased among American consumers, Democrats in the House and Senate have stepped up efforts to block Republican legislative initiatives to address these concerns. Following weeks of energy permitting reform negotiations between Senate Republicans and Democrats, as well as the Trump administration, negotiations have broken down and may be difficult to revive during an anticipated lame-duck session following the 2026 congressional elections.
Governor Greg Abbott hosted a meeting of the Texas Jobs Council at the Governor’s Mansion and received an update on the Council’s work to strengthen Texas workforce development and help more Texans access in-demand, high-paying jobs. He also signed a proclamation declaring October 2-9 Manufacturing Week in Texas. Governor Abbott created the Texas Jobs Council in March to develop legislative recommendations and actionable items that can be implemented through executive or agency authority.
The Federal Bank Robbery Act of 1934 currently applies to banks and financial institutions, but not to standalone ATMs in malls, convenience stores, or other public locations. Robbers and thieves are increasingly targeting ATMs, with theft rates rising dramatically each year since 2019. ATMs can be robbed in as little as three minutes and may hold as much as $250,000. Houston is currently tied with Chicago and Philadelphia as one of the cities facing serious ATM theft.
Double-digit growth in receipts was observed for the large sectors primarily influenced by business spending — mining, construction, manufacturing, wholesale trade, and real estate, rental and leasing. Those rates of growth were in some part attributable to last year's collections being depressed by higher-than-normal refund activity, but most of the growth reflects an increase in economic activity this year.
For the last three election cycles, there were no nationally broadcast debates between the two candidates running in the general. From 2014, when Governor Brown was all but assured reelection and participated in a small debate, to 2018 and 2022, when Gavin Newsom didn’t bother with much of a major debate either, since he was assured victory. For the first time in 16 years, the Republicans have a somewhat conservative candidate who isn't afraid to confront bad leadership.
