Latest news with #HouseBill120
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Texas keeps on growing: Lone Star State sees another month of record job growth
Texas faced exponential growth in 2023 and 2024, and those trends aren't slowing down as the Lone Star State sees another month of record employment numbers. In March, Texas saw a new high with the largest labor force in the state's history at 15,778,500, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Texas Workforce Commission. According to the data, Texas saw a new high of 15,137,500 for Texans working. This number includes those who are self-employed. The state also added 26,500 nonfarm jobs last month, reaching a new total high of 14,282,600. Between March 2024 and March 2025, the state added 192,100 nonfarm jobs, which was more than any other state. As of January employment data, the annual nonfarm growth rate in Texas is 1.3%. "Every month, Texas welcomes businesses from across the country and around the world to innovate and invest in our great state," Gov. Greg Abbott said in a release Friday about the data. "By funding our schools more than ever before and expanding career and technical training programs, we will prepare more Texans for better job and bigger paycheck opportunities to build a more prosperous Texas.' Job creation, workforce development and education have been major efforts pushed by Abbott this legislative session. Last month, he released a five-year statewide economic development strategic plan outlining a blueprint for economic expansion and job creation. The "Bigger. Better. Texas." 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 To support additional job creation and small businesses in Texas, Abbott also created the Governor's Small Business Freedom Council in December. This month, he announced more than $1.3 million in job training grants to Collin County Community College District for programs in health care, accounting, manufacturing and other high-demand occupations. House Bill 20 and House Bill 120, two bills part of Abbott's career training expansion efforts that was one of his seven emergency items this legislative session, advanced out of the Texas House last week. Texas saw rapid job growth in 2023 and 2024 as well. A report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas looking at the outlook of Texas' economy in 2025 said Texas' energy, financial services and construction industries were the fastest-growing job sectors last year, growing 5.5%, 5.1% and 3.1%, respectively. Overall, job growth rose 1.7% lower than initial projections expected in 2024. Texas added 284,200 jobs from December 2023 to December 2024, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Texas sees largest labor force in state history in March
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Alaska legislator revives push to sell state-owned Alaska Railroad
An Alaska Railroad train is in motion through the Chugach National Forest near Portage. (Photo by A&) A Big Lake Republican has reintroduced a bill that would require the state of Alaska to sell the Alaska Railroad. Rep. Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake, introduced House Bill 120 on Feb. 26. If enacted, the bill requires Gov. Mike Dunleavy to issue 'a request for proposals to purchase the Alaska Railroad and all other assets of the Alaska Railroad Corporation' necessary to operate the railroad. The purchaser would have to continue operating the railroad for a minimum of 50 years, and the final sale agreement would be subject to legislative approval. Originally built and operated by the federal government, the Alaska Railroad was transferred to the state of Alaska in 1985, and it remains a state-owned corporation today. Under HB 120, before the sale, the governor shall commission an appraisal of the railroad, and the sale cannot be less than the appraised value. As a condition of the sale, the state would have to set aside a portion of its sale proceeds for 'the construction of new railroad spurs and rail lines to access resource-rich areas of the state.' McCabe has been a regular supporter of plans to extend the Alaska Railroad to Port MacKenzie, an alternative to the Port of Anchorage that is located on Mat-Su land at the northern end of Cook Inlet. HB 120 follows the introduction of House Bill 332 by former Rep. Jesse Sumner, R-Wasilla, in 2024. That bill, heard by the House Transportation Committee, drew support from Alaskans who felt that the railroad isn't doing enough to support resource development in the state. The railroad itself opposed the bill. Because the bill failed to advance past the transportation committee, it died when the 33rd Legislature ended. No hearings have yet been set for HB 120. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
