This week is Economic Development Week in Texas
Gov. Greg Abbott has declared this week as Economic Development Week in Texas.
On April 23, Abbott declared that May 12-16 will be Economic Development Week in Texas to recognize the role that economic development organizations play in the state's economy, workforce and quality of life.
Economic development organizations look to support economic expansion in an area particularly looking to bring in companies, train and expand workforce opportunities and can work either independent from or within local, regional or state governments. The U.S. Economic Development Administration recognizes over 40 in the state of Texas.
More: City of Austin, Chamber of Commerce host events for Small Business Week
'The key to Texas' unrivaled success in economic development is teamwork," Abbott said. "It takes a collaborative effort from organizations across the state to attract new businesses, investments, and jobs, as well as help existing Texas companies grow. By working together with all of our economic development partners across the state, we will build a stronger, more prosperous Texas for generations.'
Abbott released a five-year statewide economic development strategic plan coined, "Bigger. Better. Texas.", outlining a blueprint for economic expansion and job creation. The plan has four main goals:
Establishes a unifying vision for the future of our Texas economy.
Identifies new target industry sectors and clusters expected to drive strategic economic growth and job creation.
Outlines objectives and initiatives to advance the state's global competitiveness.
Provides data and recommendations to inform economic development decisions across the state.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Abbott proclaims this week as Economic Development Week in Texas
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
New Texas Laws Boost Homestead Exemptions For Homeowners
Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and House Speaker Dustin Burrows hailed the passage of legislation aimed at delivering property tax relief on May 30, though critics argue the measures fail to address escalating tax burdens driven by government spending. The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 4, Senate Bill 23, House Bill 9, Senate Joint Resolution 2, Senate Joint Resolution 85, and House Joint Resolution 1, which, if approved by voters in November, will increase homestead exemptions and business property tax exemptions. 'Never before has the Texas Legislature allocated more funds to provide property tax relief than they did this session,' Abbott said in a press release. 'I will sign these bills into law to deliver lasting relief for Texans and their families, and I urge Texans to approve the new increases in the homestead and business property tax exemptions this November.' Senate Bill 4 raises the homestead exemption to $140,000 for all homeowners, while Senate Bill 23 increases it to $200,000 for seniors and disabled individuals. House Bill 9 enhances tax exemptions for business inventory, a move small businesses have pushed to eliminate. The joint resolutions propose constitutional amendments to make these exemptions permanent, pending voter approval. 'When I became Lieutenant Governor in 2015, the homestead exemption was a tiny $15,000,' Patrick said in the press release. 'Since then, we have increased it to $100,000, and with the passage of Senate Bill 4 and Senate Bill 23, it is now $200,000 for seniors and $140,000 for non-seniors. The average senior homeowner will no longer pay any school property taxes for the rest of their life as long as they live in their home.' Speaker Burrows added, 'With the Legislature's overwhelming passage of additional property tax relief, Texas home and business owners are on their way to keeping more of their hard-earned money.' Abbott declared property tax relief an emergency item in his 2025 State of the State Address, following a 2023 session in which Patrick called that year's relief package 'the largest property tax relief package in Texas history, and likely the world.' Despite these claims, property taxes rose by $5.4 billion in 2024, a 6.6% increase from 2023, according to state comptroller data cited by economist Bill Peacock, per Center Square. Counties raised taxes by 10.4%, school districts by 6.4%, special districts by 6.1%, and cities by 3.9%. Critics, including economist Vance Ginn, argue that the Legislature's approach of temporarily compressing rates and increasing exemptions merely shifts the tax burden without reducing it. 'Texans want to own their homes – not rent them from the government forever,' Ginn said, according to Center Square. 'They want a government that lives within its means, just like they do. And they want honesty – not headlines – from their elected officials.' Ginn advocates capping state and local spending growth to population growth plus inflation, requiring a two-thirds vote for increases, and using the state's surplus to eliminate school district maintenance and operations taxes. Fiscal conservatives have criticized the current budget as 'a bloated, big-government plan masquerading as conservative reform,' warning, as Ginn did, 'If we continue down this path, Texas won't just resemble California – we'll become it.' Taxpayers on social media have echoed these concerns, arguing the Legislature's spending habits undermine relief efforts.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Doritos and Other Snack Foods Could Soon Carry Warning Labels in Texas
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Texas bill aimed at requiring warning labels on packaged foods containing certain additives, including popular snacks like Doritos and M&Ms, has advanced to the governor's desk after being passed by the state legislature. Newsweek contacted Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for comment on Tuesday outside of regular office hours via email and online inquiry form respectively. Why It Matters If enacted, Texas would become one of the first states to require such disclosures, potentially reshaping national food industry standards as companies often choose to implement changes mandated by major states nationwide to avoid regulatory overlap. Bloomberg said the legislation becoming law would be "one of the most substantive victories yet" for Kennedy's Make America Health Again movement. What To Know Senate Bill 25, passed unanimously in the Texas State Senate, mandates labels on products containing any of more than 40 additives which are currently legal under federal U.S. standards but banned or require warnings in other major Western nations or bodies. Ingredients covered by the list include synthetic dyes, titanium dioxide, bleached flour, partially hydrogenated oils, melatonin, and various food colorings. The label must state: "This product contains an artificial color, chemical, or food additive that is banned in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom." Impacted products would include Nacho Cheese Doritos, PepsiCo Inc.'s Mountain Dew and Mars Inc.'s M&Ms, according to Bloomberg due to their use of synthetic dyes. Republican Governor Greg Abbott has not yet publicly stated whether he will sign the bill into law. Packages of Doritos chips are displayed on a store shelf on April 23, 2025 in San Anselmo, California (main) and the Texas state flag during the first round of the Valero Texas Open at TPC... Packages of Doritos chips are displayed on a store shelf on April 23, 2025 in San Anselmo, California (main) and the Texas state flag during the first round of the Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio on March 30, 2023 in San Antonio, Texas (insert). More Justin Sullivan/Mike Mulholland/GETTY Enforcement will be managed by the state attorney general, and violations may incur penalties of up to $50,000 per violation plus reimbursement for enforcement costs. The legislation also establishes a state nutrition advisory committee, mandates 30 minutes of daily physical activity during the school day for grades below six, and instructs Texas schools to implement new nutrition education curricula. Senate Bill 25 was filed by Republican Senator Lois Kolkhorst and prioritized by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. Speaking to Bloomberg, Texas state Rep. Lacey Hull, one of the bill's sponsors in the House, said she received a supportive call from Kennedy after the bill passed the Texas Legislature. What People Are Saying Speaking to Bloomberg, Abbott's press secretary Andrew Mahaleris said: "Governor Abbott will continue to work with the legislature to ensure Texans have access to healthy foods to care for themselves and their families and will thoughtfully review any legislation they send to his desk." The Consumer Brands Association is urging Abbott not to sign the bill. Its senior vice president of state affairs, John Hewitt, said: "The ingredients used in the U.S. food supply are safe and have been rigorously studied following an objective science and risk-based evaluation process. "The labeling requirements of SB 25 mandate inaccurate warning language, create legal risks for brands and drive consumer confusion and higher costs." In a joint statement, a coalition of companies including Walmart Inc., PepsiCo and Mondelez, Coca-Cola Co. said: "As it's written, the food labeling provision in this bill casts an incredibly wide net—triggering warning labels on everyday grocery items based on assertions that foreign governments have banned such items, rather than on standards established by Texas regulators or by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration." What Happens Next The bill awaits a decision from Abbott, who has not publicly commented on his intentions. If signed, the law will take effect on January 1, 2027, and Texas will begin enforcing the new labeling and health education requirements statewide.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
From vouchers to a cellphone ban, this year's lawmaking session brought transformative changes to Texas schools
Texas' 2025 legislative session will likely be remembered for its education agenda. From private school vouchers to a public school funding boost, through a heavier emphasis on Christianity and student discipline, to bans on cellphones and diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, lawmakers advanced bills that will have a lasting impact on students, teachers and parents for years to come. One proposal that would have scrapped the state standardized test fell through in the final days of session, while the much-awaited school funding package changed drastically from an earlier version school officials favored more. When signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, much of the legislation approved by lawmakers will take effect in September, right around the time schools get going for the 2025-26 academic year. Here is a recap of the most significant legislative developments this session. A top priority for Abbott, Senate Bill 2 authorizes the creation of a program allowing families to use taxpayer dollars to pay for their children's private school education — one of the largest in the nation. The bill cruised to final passage with more than a month left in the legislative session and was signed into law shortly after. The voucher program will officially launch at the beginning of the 2026-27 school year. Almost any school-age child in Texas can apply and participate, including students already attending private schools. Up to 20% of the program's initial $1 billion budget could flow to wealthier families who earn 500% or more of the poverty rate — roughly $160,000 or above for a family of four. [School choice, vouchers and the future of Texas education] Most participating families will receive an amount equal to 85% of what public schools get for each student through state and local funding — roughly somewhere between $10,300 and $10,900 per year for each child, according to a legislative budget analysis that included financial projections for the next five years. The money will flow to families through education savings accounts, which essentially function as state-managed bank accounts. State budget experts predict that the program's cost to taxpayers could escalate to roughly $4.8 billion by 2030. Children with disabilities will be eligible for the same funding as other students, plus up to $30,000 in additional money, an amount based on what the state would spend on special education services for that child if they attended a public school. Home-schoolers can receive up to $2,000 per year. — Jaden Edison House Bill 2 represents an $8.5 billion boost to Texas public schools after years of stagnant funding. The bill establishes the following long-term teacher pay raise system: Teachers with three to four years of experience in school districts with 5,000 or fewer students will receive a $4,000 raise, while those with five or more years of teaching on their resume will earn $8,000. Teachers with three to four years of experience in school districts with more than 5,000 students will earn a $2,500 raise, while those with five or more years of experience will receive $5,000. [Texas officials' claim that school funding is at an all-time high ignores inflation and temporary federal money] The bill also includes funding for an expansion of the Teacher Incentive Allotment, a state program that awards raises to educators who demonstrate that they have improved their students' academic outcomes. Currently about 6% of Texas teachers benefit from the program. HB 2 provides a $55 increase to the base amount of money per student schools receive from the state, a large portion of which must continue to go toward salaries for full-time employees. The rest can address operational costs as schools see fit. The legislation will give districts $45 per student that they can only use to increase the salaries of school counselors, librarians, nurses and other support staff. It also grants schools $106 per student to pay costs associated with transportation, insurance, utilities and hiring retired educators, which has become more common as schools struggle to fill teacher vacancies. Additionally, the bill overhauls Texas' special education funding system, which will no longer give money to districts based on the classroom setting where a child with a disability receives instruction. The funding will now go to districts based on the individual needs of that student, an approach lawmakers and public education advocates consider more equitable. Districts will receive $1,000 for each evaluation they conduct assessing a student for a disability. HB 2 also establishes a compensation system for educator preparation and mentorship programs while setting a 2030 deadline for districts to stop using untrained educators to teach core subjects. The bill sets aside money for schools to better identify learning difficulties among the state's youngest students. And it raises the amount of money districts receive for school safety upgrades to $20 per student and $33,540 per campus. — Jaden Edison Hopes were high that the Legislature would scrap the widely unpopular STAAR test when state Rep. Diego Bernal gave an impassioned speech on the Texas House floor last month. 'Most of us campaigned on this. And session after session, we talk about it, and we don't do it,' the San Antonio Democrat said. 'We're sort of like the divorced dad that keeps promising his kid that he'll pick them up, but the kid is waiting on the steps in front of the house, and we never show up.' Lawmakers did come close to swapping out STAAR for three shorter tests with House Bill 4, but ultimately failed to hammer out their differences in the final days of this year's legislative session. Despite momentum and widespread bipartisan support, the session ended with the kid still waiting on the steps. [Bill to scrap STAAR test dies in the Texas Legislature] For more than a decade, Texas students have sat for hours at the end of the school year to take the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test. Some students get so anxious about the high-stakes exam — which is used to track student, teacher and school performance — that they report not wanting to go to school. Educators say weeks of preparing children to take the test mean losing valuable instructional time. The two chambers could not close the gulf over what they wanted to see out of the new test and from the state's A-F school accountability rating system, which largely uses standardized test results to grade schools' performance. Their biggest difference was over how much power districts should have to push back in courts when they disagree with their accountability ratings. — Sneha Dey As teachers struggle to manage the rise in student violence since the COVID-19 pandemic, Texas lawmakers said their solution was in giving schools more flexibility to punish students. A sweeping package, House Bill 6 expands when schools can dole out out-of-school suspensions to Texas' youngest and homeless students. It does this by undoing state laws from 2017 and 2019 that put limitations on when and how those students could be disciplined. The legislation also extends how long students can face in-school suspensions — from three days to as long as schools see fit, so long as the placement is reviewed every 10 days. Students facing in-school suspension still complete schoolwork in a different classroom on school grounds. HB 6 also wades into when schools can send students to alternative education settings, strict environments that often remove children from their regular school buildings and lean on computer-based work. While students caught vaping were previously required to go to alternative education settings, schools can now discipline those students less severely if it is their first offense. Schools can also teach students in alternative education programs remotely — a mode of instruction that was shown to contribute to learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic. [Classroom violence went up in Texas after the pandemic. Is more discipline the answer?] Lawmakers shepherding the legislation emphasized that removing students from the classroom is a way to protect other students and allow learning to continue. But critics of HB 6 worry more discipline won't change the behavior of the student acting out, which can often signal underlying emotional needs. They worry heavy-handed discipline will derail students' education at a time when they need individualized attention and mental health support. — Sneha Dey The Legislature's school finance package, House Bill 2, included extra learning support for children as early as kindergarten, before learning gaps compound. More than half of third graders in the state are not at grade level in reading or math, meaning they lack the key foundational skills they need to thrive as learners. Research shows that students who are behind in third grade rarely catch up, which can lead to serious consequences later in life. The legislation requires districts to use literacy and numeracy screeners to identify students who are struggling early on. The screeners would allow students to be assessed three times a year between pre-K and third grade on skills like phonics, vocabulary and spelling. Those who are furthest behind would get extra tutoring in small group settings. Currently, the state doesn't track literacy development until the third-grade STAAR test, with two dyslexia screenings acting as the only formal checkpoints after students first enter kindergarten. — Sneha Dey Senate Bill 10 requires public schools under certain circumstances to display a poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments in each classroom. The legislation does not require districts to purchase the materials but mandates that schools accept and hang them up if they are privately donated. The American Civil Liberties Union and other civil rights organizations have said they will sue Texas if Abbott signs SB 10 into law, just like they did when Louisiana approved a similar Ten Commandments law. Abbott responded to that threat on social media, telling the groups to 'bring it.' The Legislature also approved Senate Bill 11, a measure that will allow school districts to adopt a policy providing students and staff a daily period of prayer or time to read a religious text. The bill bans any prayer or religious reading over a loudspeaker or in the presence of any student who does not have a signed consent form. Both bills arrive as conservative Christians continue pushing to infuse more religion into public schools and daily life. Lawmakers this session also considered Senate Bill 2617, a proposal that would have blocked districts from purchasing instructional materials that do not use the terms 'Before Christ' (B.C.) and 'Anno Domini' (A.D.) when referring to historical time periods, but the legislation died in a House committee. — Jaden Edison Texas GOP lawmakers have made parental control a central issue in public education. Legislators this session aimed to give parents greater authority over what their children are taught and which extracurricular activities they join. A key focus was eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices in K-12 schools. Lawmakers accused some schools of promoting ideological agendas in the classroom instead of prioritizing high-quality instruction. They also claimed that school districts focused too heavily on diversity hiring rather than selecting the most qualified educators. Senate Bill 12, authored by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, prohibits school districts from considering race, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation in hiring and training practices. Under the bill, if parents believe a school is violating the DEI ban, they can file a complaint with the school principal. If parents are unsatisfied with the school's response, they can appeal to the Texas education commissioner, who can investigate the complaint and conduct a hearing. 'The legislation further upholds parental authority by giving them the ability to opt their child in or out of specific programs, such as the requirement in this bill that a parent must opt in to a child's sex education curriculum, and this is so that parents can make informed choices that align with their family's values,' said Rep. Jeff Leach, a Republican from Plano and the bill's sponsor, in May. [Democrats lash out as Legislature bans school clubs that support gay teens] In addition, schools will be banned from authorizing or sponsoring student clubs based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Parents will also be required to provide written consent for their children to participate in any extracurricular club. Critics argue that the bill targets marginalized groups, especially LGBTQ+ students, and could harm students' mental health by limiting their sense of belonging. They also warn that the legislation may lead to self-censorship among teachers and administrators, who might over-interpret the law out of fear of violating it. — Sofia Sorochinskaia Lawmakers also aimed to give parents and school boards more authority over which books students can access in school libraries. Senate Bill 13, by Sen. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, will allow parents and school boards to challenge any school library material. The bill grants school boards the authority to decide which books should be approved or removed from school libraries. They also have the option to delegate this responsibility to local school advisory councils if 50 parents or 10% of parents in the district, whichever is less, sign a petition calling for their creation. In addition, the bill will prohibit schools from keeping library materials that contain 'indecent content or profane content.' 'No child should pick up a book in their school library of all places and be exposed to inappropriate, harmful material within its pages,' Paxton said in March. 'These young brains cannot unsee what they see.' Opponents of the bill argue the legislation will lead to the banning of books that discuss topics like sexuality and gender identity, and that reflect the experiences of marginalized students. They warn that such policies could undermine representation and limit access to diverse perspectives. Critics also point out that most Texas school districts already have processes in place for parents to challenge library books. They argue that SB 13 will promote censorship and the unnecessary removal of books from school libraries. — Sofia Sorochinskaia Texas will join several other states across the country in banning cellphones in schools. House Bill 1481, introduced by Rep. Caroline Fairly, a Republican from Amarillo, aims to limit the use of 'personal wireless communication devices' in K-12 classrooms. The bill received strong bipartisan support: It passed unanimously in the Senate and by a 136-10 vote in the House. Supporters of the bill argue that cellphones distract students, hurting their focus, participation and overall academic performance. Many also hope the legislation will help reduce bullying and improve students' mental health. The bill was authored by the only Gen Z member of the Texas House. She said she understands firsthand how harmful social media can be for students. 'When you see what is being pushed on social media and the distraction it causes in the classroom, there is a need for our government to support our educators,' she told The Texas Tribune in March. Opponents of the bill worry it could make it harder for students to contact parents or emergency services. They also raised concerns about parents being unable to track their children's whereabouts. To address these issues, the bill allows students to keep their phones nearby but restricts their use during the school day. — Sofia Sorochinskaia First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
