“School safety is one of the most important issues we will work on this legislative session. Many of the constituents I serve are parents concerned with the safety of their children on school campuses, and I'm grateful Governor Abbott has declared school safety an emergency item,” said State Representative Carrie Isaac, filing her House Bill 2390, the "Texas Campus Protection Bill" to improve safety at public schools.

In 2015, a wealthy former member of China’s People’s Liberation Army purchased 130,000 acres in Val Verde County to develop a wind farm. ​​​​​​​The land purchased was directly adjacent to Laughlin Air Force Base, the U.S. Air Force’s largest training base. This legislation targets efforts by hostile actors from China – as well as Russia, Iran, and North Korea – to acquire U.S. land close to American military installations. 

Texas' Attorney General Ken Paxton has joined a legal effort to support a Florida law designed to protect women’s sports by preventing biological males from competing against females. Florida is being sued over the law, and has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.  The coalition backing Florida's request argues that the desire to expand the definition of “woman” to include biological males is unreasonable and illegal.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott laid out his priorities for this year's 2023 Legislative Session in Austin during a 30-minute Thursday evening "State of the State" address, naming seven priorities for Legislators to fast track prior to the middle of March. Unlike other bills, these items designated by Abbott can be voted on ahead of the normal mid-March deadline. Here are Governor Abbott's remarks – and his "7 Priorities."

In addition to creating and supporting thousands of domestic jobs, this legislation would help to fortify our nation’s energy security, reduce emissions at home and abroad, and strengthen America’s strategic and economic relationship with our allies.

Inflation remains at the top of concerns for Americans and small business owners across the country – we are all being forced to decide things such as whether we can afford groceries, housing, or gas. The year-over-year inflation rate of 6.4% is a reminder of the economic headwinds and challenges facing Main Street and hardworking families daily. This can't be allowed to become the "new normal" or status quo.

As part of a full-day tour of South Texas' Border Region to examine aspects of Homeland Security and Border Operations near the City of Laredo, House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Congressman Henry Cuellar will be holding a press availability following their "listening session" with area leaders about the increasing challenges and opportunities facing the region's Border Communities.

“The EPA’s overreaching rules and unrealistic timeline are yet another example of the Biden White House’s attempt to shut down the Oil & Gas Industry in Texas,” said Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Christi Craddick, as the Railroad Commission joined with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to fight against another proposed EPA Rule as prices at the pump and inflation sit at levels not seen in over 40 years.

Senator Ted Cruz raised concerns about new powers being given to the Federal Trade Commission in light of the abrupt and recent resignation announced by Commissioner Christine Wilson. Cruz says legislation regulating Pharmacy Benefit Managers, or PBMS, should be viewed with “extreme caution” given both the possibility the bill would raise drug prices, and the Commission's lacking a single minority commissioner.

“It’s never too early to start planning for a child’s college education,” said Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar, reminding Texas families that they can lock in today’s cost of undergraduate resident tuition and the required school fees at Texas' public colleges and universities by enrolling in the tax-advantaged "Texas Tuition Promise Fund" before the close of the current general enrollment period ending on Feb. 28th.

"Tradition's been for bill numbers 1 through 20 to indicate the Lt. Governor’s & Senate’s priorities. In 2017 I increased the low bill numbers to 30 – Senators like to get a low bill number because it shows their bill is a priority, but we'll pass over 600 bills this session,” said Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick earlier today, releasing his much-anticipated “Top 30 Priorities” list for the 2023 Legislative Session that’s already underway.

President Biden's failure to protect our U.S. Mainland from a Chinese spy balloon (and more) is another alarming example of how his foreign policy weaknesses and inability to deter aggression is endangering our National Security. It's imperative we regain American strength and end Chinese spying – whether in our airspace or on our children's phones. I joined Fox News's Neil Cavuto to discuss this, and you can watch it here.

"Social media companies rely on algorithms to not only moderate content, but to also personalize users' recommendations. Recommendation systems are separate and distinct from algorithms, and are increasingly ubiquitous in selecting content for individual consumption – promoting some content and downranking or filtering disfavored content and accounts,'" said Sen. Ted Cruz, launching an investigation into Google, Twitter, Meta & TikTok's reported use of “blacklists.”

“These arrests demonstrate the enormity of the opioid, oxycodone and hydrocodone crisis our country finds itself in,” said Texas Attorney General Paxton, after a joint investigation by Paxton’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA,) the FBI, U.S. Postal Service's Inspector General Office, and U.S. Postal Inspections arrested nine individuals in Houston for unlawful distribution of 1.5 million opioid pills and other controlled substances.

“Fentanyl's killing Americans at record levels, and poses a deadly risk to every single American. With President Biden failing to address this national security crisis to ensure criminals who traffic this deadly drug are met with severe penalties, we must stop this scourge on our communities,” said South Texas Cong. Tony Gonzales, as he and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) re-introduced their "Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act."

“It is time for the state to put real investment in our water infrastructure and ensure Texas has sufficient water supply as we continue to grow,” said Sen. Charles Perry as he filed Senate Bill 837 and Senate Joint Resolution 43 to create a "Water for Texas Fund" at the Texas Water Development Board, saying it would boost water infrastructure projects and dramatically increase supplies across the state in the future. 

The Biden White House "has left Texas as a frontier outpost, leaving us to our own devices to secure our border,” said Governor Greg Abbott, reporting the latest figures that the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Texas National Guard have captured during their effort to stop the smuggling of drugs, weapons and people into Texas, while also detecting and interdicting trans-national gangs to secure the border.

“Fiddling while Austin burns is no longer acceptable. Austin has consistently passed 4-year Police Labor Contracts, and we need one again before the current contract expires at the end of March,” said Save Austin Now's co-founders Matt Mackowiak & Cleo Petricek of Wednesday's Special Meeting agenda item. "We know Mackenzie Kelly, Ryan Alter and Mayor Kirk Watson understand the severity of the staffing crisis – it's not clear the rest of the Council does."

“These assignments were made after careful consideration and reflection, taking into account the committee preferences expressed by each member – as well as the diverse talents they bring to build a combination to drive our success and impact on issues facing Texans this Legislative Session,” said Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan while announcing his House Committee selections for 2023's 88th Legislature.

“It’s past time to recognize the not-so-obvious. At best most of these Public Finance Corporation deals are being done in egregiously opaque settings, and the practice of unelected Housing & Taxing Authority bureaucrats taking BILLIONS of dollars in Property Tax Value off the tax rolls – not only for their own taxing units, but also ISDs, Cities, Counties & Special Taxing Districts – has got to end,' said Sen. Paul Bettencourt, as he filed his bill.