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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick makes stop in Wichita Falls
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick made a stop in Wichita Falls on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, highlighting key bills passed during the 89th Legislative Session. Patrick held a 'Post Session Press Conference' at the FBO building at the Wichita Falls Municipal Airport as a part of a tour of Texas cities. The full press conference can be found below: Patrick, along with Sen. Brent Hagenbuch, State Senator for District 30, touched on a number of bills that will soon head to the desk of Gov. Greg Abbott. WATCH: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick holds press conference at Wichita Falls Regional Airport Patrick discussed cuts to property taxes that were passed during the 89th Legislature. According to Patrick, they're the largest property tax cuts in history. Patrick said the Homestead Exemption has been increased. Previously $40,000, the Homestead Exemption will now be $200,000 for senior citizens and $140,000 for Texans under the age of 65. According to Patrick, senior citizens will no longer be required to pay property taxes on school properties. 'If you're over 65 and you're the average homeowner, senior homeowner, you will no longer pay school property taxes again for the rest of your life,' Patrick said. 'And if you're under 65, this will cut your school property tax cut about 50 percent from what you've been paying.' Patrick then addressed the passing of School Choice in Texas, the new school voucher-style program, recently signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott. The law allocates billions toward public education while allowing up to 100,000 students to apply for funding to attend the school of their choice. Patrick clarified a common misconception that the law takes money away from public schools. '95 percent of the kids in Texas or more are always going to go to public schools. That's what we fund the most,' Patrick said. 'The biggest part of our budget will always do that. But not every parent wants to send their child to public school.' TEXAS POLITICS: Recap of Texas' 89th Legislative Session Patrick added that public schools in Texas are the biggest area of investment of the state's budget. 'We added $8.5 billion to public education,' Patrick said. 'That's more than ever before in one session that goes into the classroom.' Patrick also addressed a new law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms. According to Patrick, the 16″x19″ posters won't be funded by the school itself, but rather, the school will be 'adopted' by local churches, businesses, or individuals, and schools will be obligated to display them. Additionally, Patrick said prayer will be returning to public schools in Texas. While no one will be compelled to pray, students will be given private time for prayer if they choose to do so. 'We're putting our values back in the classroom,' Patrick said. 'Values that most Texans believe in.' Teachers in Texas schools will also be getting raises, according to Patrick. Patrick said the average salary for a teacher in Texas will increase to $69,000, up from the current average of $54,000, adding that with new incentive programs, that increase could be even higher. 'Your salary is getting a big bump,' Patrick said.'We're using $4 billion to increase your pay. And in rural Texas, where there's always been about a $10,000 pay gap between rural and urban-suburban, we're closing that gap dramatically.' Patrick also discussed several areas of infrastructure in Texas that will be funded by the bills passed during the 89th Legislative Session. Patrick said billions of dollars will be invested in water development, building roads, and the Texas power grid, promising billions of dollars for each. TEXAS POLITICS: Thousands of Texas House Bills die at key midnight deadline 'Wind and solar are fine, but when the wind's not blowing, the sun's not out, quite frankly, we don't have enough power,' Patrick said. Patrick also announced that during the 89th Legislature, $350 million was invested to raise pay for rural law enforcement officers. According to Patrick, sheriffs will have a minimum salary of $75,000, and deputies and jailers will make around $40,000 minimum or more. 'We stand behind our law enforcement,' Patrick said. 'We're not the blue states, like what's going on in California right now and elsewhere around the country, or blue cities. We fund our police.' Patrick also addressed bail reform in Texas, saying that for the fourth session in a row, bail reform was passed. Patrick said in the 89th Legislative Session, three major bail reform bills were passed that will keep felons behind bars. Patrick criticized Democrats in the Texas House for voting against two additional bail reform bills that passed easily in the state Senate. 'We worked very well with our Democrats in the Senate. We passed a lot of legislation,' Patrick said. 'But the Democrats in the House have killed these two important bills.' The topic that Patrick spent the most time addressing on Tuesday, June 10, was a ban on THC products in Texas that was passed during the 89th Legislative session. 'This is not a game,' Patrick said. 'I understand some people out there disagree with the policy, but it is not legal. The federal government has not legalized pot across the country.' According to Patrick, in the last 3 or 4 years in Texas, over 8,000 smoke shops and vape shops have opened up, many of which sell products containing THC, including gummies, cookies, and candies meant to attract young people. 'Why did they build most of their 8,000 stores 1,000 or 2,000 feet from schools?' Patrick said. 'They're targeting your children, your grandchildren.' Patrick added that THC 'is poisoning our culture,' however, the THC ban only affects consumable products and doesn't place an outright ban on hemp, a common misconception. According to Patrick, agricultural hemp and hemp processing plants will still be able to operate in Texas. 'This bill does not impact them at all,' Patrick said. 'In fact, our agricultural commissioner, Sid Miller, backed this bill because it doesn't impact the agricultural hemp. It only impacts people who use it and then mix it with other chemicals to create consumable products.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas House once again to debate school vouchers – local lawmakers weigh in
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Texas Senators Brent Hagenbuch and Charles Perry gave a thumbs up on a Senate Bill to start an education savings account. Now, the bill heads to the House floor, where it has fallen multiple times. 2025 Tackle Hunger campaign comes to an end 'We must pass school choice this session,' Governor Greg Abbott said. Governor Greg Abbott named school choice as an emergency item this legislative session. The Senate took the initiative to pass their version of Bill 19-12. Senator Brent Hagenbuch said it will be on the agenda early. His prediction rang true. 'That does not mean we're not going to fund public schools,' Hagenbuch said. 'We have to have good public schools for a functioning democratic republic. It's required by our constitution to have good public schools.' Now, on to the house floor… Out of the 21 House Republicans who voted against it in 2023, only six are back. Leading Representative James Frank, who authored a similar bill during the last session, believes this is the year to pass. 'I also think that we can do both. We can do choice for parents and additional funding for the schools because the vast majority of people are going to continue to educate their kids in public schools and we want to make sure that those folks are taken care of as well,' Frank said. Wichita Falls ISD Superintendent Dr. Donny Lee has vocalized against school choice. 'They don't test like we test. They don't have to accept behavior problems, special education issues. None of that. So when we're not playing by the same rules, it's hard to get public funds to private entities.' Lee said in an interview with KFDX in 2023. Education savings accounts are now in the hands of state representatives once again. We now wait and see if it can clear the hurdles to the governor's desk. House committees have not been formed yet. There's been no word on when the House will debate the issue. Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows said he supports school choice and that the legislation will be passed. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
