Taxpayers do not voluntarily send their money to government — taxes are compulsory. When those funds are then used to influence legislation, citizens are effectively compelled to support political activity they may oppose. This raises a basic free speech concern: Compelled speech is fundamentally different from voluntary political participation. Individuals should never be forced to subsidize advocacy that runs counter to their beliefs or interests.

Eight blue states already have or are considering raising income or wealth taxes. HOTLINE readers asked us which ones. Here’s a list: Washington, Rhode Island, New York, California, Virginia, Michigan, New Jersey and Maryland. We expect some to pass and others to be defeated. Most of the proposals come from liberals who campaigned as pro-business moderates.

Governor Greg Abbott today announced that a Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund (TSIF) grant of $700,000 has been extended to The University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) for a training cleanroom project on their campus in Dallas. The project includes equipment to teach participants about basic cleanroom operations, safety, and processing, offering hands-on experience that will support the growth of a vital semiconductor workforce for the region.

The Left went crazy over President Trump's recent tweet warning that if the Iranian "Regime" didn't cease blocking the international Strait of Hormuz, he'd hit its dual military-civilian infrastructure, and promised that "a whole civilization will die tonight. On Monday, the Democrat & Media Borg was declaring Trump a savage & deranged maniac. But since the Left has called for investigations of War Crimes, by all means let them begin. They'd better be careful what they ask for.

“School choice is about freedom. It's about the freedom of parents being able to choose the best education pathway for their child. We passed school choice. I consider this to be a victory dinner for everybody in this room, people outside of this room, and for the warriors who helped get school choice across the finish line. More importantly, it is a victory dinner for all the parents out there." 

Thanks to Trump's Big Beautiful Bill, starting next year, every taxpayer will be able to donate up to $1700 to a scholarship granting organization and claim a dollar-for-dollar credit on their federal taxes. But the scholarships can only be issued to students in states where the governor opts in. They are so attached at the hip to the teacher unions that they reject the free dollars. So far, the only exception is Colorado Governor Jared Polis. Amazing.

Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock reminds business owners that April 15 is the deadline to file property tax renditions with their county appraisal districts. Different deadlines apply for certain regulated property. A rendition allows property owners to record their opinion of their property’s value and ensures the appraisal district notifies property owners before changing a recorded value.

 Texas Land Commissioner & Veterans Land Board (VLB) Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham has announced that the VLB's Veterans-Only Land Sale is now open for bidding. The sale includes three available tracts totaling 10.82 acres, and bidding closes on Thursday, April 16th at 5:00 p.m. A Veteran or Military Member whose bid is accepted may apply for a VLB Land Loan at a 7.25% interest rate, with a 30-year term and a minimum 5% down payment.

Iran has been the world’s No. 1 state sponsor of terror for decades. If we want to have fewer wars and a more peaceful, less dangerous world, a defanged Iranian regime is in everyone’s interest. Building on last summer's Operation Midnight Hammer, President Trump is serving America and the world with Operation Epic Fury, and he deserves our support. Mr. Trump understands that the way to win over a bully is not to give in.

On April 3, the Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) celebrated a major milestone – marking 135 years of service as the state’s oldest regulatory agency. Since its founding in 1891, the Commission has guided Texas through many significant periods of change, from its initial role regulating a rapidly expanding Railroad System, to the oil boom of the early 20th Century, and, more recently, the shale boom of the 2000s.

Texas Land Commissioner and Veterans Land Board (VLB) Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham, M.D., issued a statewide CALL OUT for Veterans to contact the Texas General Land Office(GLO) to share their unique stories of service with the VLB through the GLO's Voices of Veterans Oral History Program. The GLO's Voices of Veterans Program records the stories of Texas Veterans through their time in service and after returning home from combat.

Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock today announced that more than 274,000 students applied for Texas Education Freedom Accounts (TEFA) during the program’s first year. The Comptroller’s office is currently working to verify students’ information before notifying families regarding awards later this month and distributing funds to student accounts in July. 

California’s education budget has grown into one of the largest public spending commitments in the United States, yet the relationship between funding and student outcomes remains weak, uneven, and increasingly difficult to defend. Over the past decade, state leaders have treated higher appropriations as a substitute for structural reform. That approach has produced a system where spending expands automatically, while accountability mechanisms remain largely unchanged.

Governor Greg Abbott today celebrated the strength and resilience of the Texas economy as the state gained 40,100 nonfarm jobs over the month of January and hit a new historic high of 14,379,500 total jobs. Last week, Governor Abbott participated in a fireside chat at the Forward Fort Worth mobility innovation summit where he touted Texas’ pro-business mindset that attracts job-creating corporate relocation and expansion projects across industries,

Last week, NASA’s Artemis II launch sent a message to the world that the United States will lead this era of space exploration. As Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, I’ve worked to advance the success of the Artemis II program by advancing the NASA reauthorization bill last month, empowering NASA to help return American astronauts to the Moon and carry out the President’s National Space Policy.

This past week, I witnessed the launch of Artemis II, a mission that will carry humans farther into deep space than ever before. Sunday, we celebrated the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ. It is no coincidence that this extraordinary moment of exploration unfolded during Holy Week. NASA has centered this mission around a powerful motto, “for all humanity,” a phrase that echoes something far greater than any achievement here on earth.

TexasInternNetwork.com also offers new, AI-powered tools to prepare students for every stage of the hiring process. These tools offer resume and cover letter assistance and interview coaching opportunities. To prepare for the hiring process, students can refine their interview skills through AI feedback, expert-led video lessons, practice scenarios, and a realistic interview simulator.

No president in American history ever dared to cut taxes by $5 trillion – not, that is, until Donald J. Trump took the oath of office for the second time. Less than six months after launching his second term, President Trump signed into law the Working Families Tax Cut, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. In doing so, he made history. And now, as Tax Day on April 15 approaches, people all over the country are filling out their taxes and seeing for themselves just how significant the enactment of that legislation was last summer.