Issues

Texans know far better how to spend, save and steward their money than any politician in Austin. This session I was proud to support and help pass a historic property tax bill that will provide Texas property owners with real and lasting relief. By raising the homestead exemption to $140,000 – $200,000 for seniors and disabled Texans – homeowners can expect to see substantial savings on their property tax bills.

I’ve also led the charge to ban a state income tax in Texas and provided tax relief to business owners so they can continue to invest in our communities through job creation.

We’ve achieved remarkable victories for Texas’ taxpayers – but there is more to do. Going forward, be assured that I will continue to aggressively support and work to advance legislation that protects your pocketbook, limits the size and scope of government, reduces excessive spending and keeps taxes low.

Ensuring our state is safe is a core competency of government – and it is a top priority for me as your advocate in Austin. 

Investing in our children is the best investment we can make. As a parent with three kids in our public schools, I understand firsthand what’s at stake – and that’s why strengthening public education remains one of my top priorities.

All Texas teachers should feel supported, protected, and well-compensated for their essential role in educating the future generations of Texans. With HB 2 this session, we provided the largest, targeted teacher pay raise in state history – over $4 billion. We also invested millions of dollars for teacher preparation and certification programs to ensure students are learning from qualified and prepared professionals.

Additionally, I was especially proud to pass my bill, the Teachers’ Bill of Rights, this session. This legislation stands firmly with our educators by restoring classroom discipline, cutting red tape, and giving teachers the support they need to create structured, focused learning environments. Afterall, to recruit amazing teachers to the classroom and to retain them there, we must give them the ability to maintain discipline without unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles and HB 6 addresses those issues head on.

Safeguarding our children from harm, exploitation, and inappropriate content remains one of my top priorities – and this past legislative session, we took decisive action to do exactly that.

We passed strong reforms to prevent school employees from engaging in inappropriate relationships with students and closed dangerous legal loopholes that allowed such misconduct to go unpunished. We strengthened protections to ensure that obscene or sexually explicit materials are kept out of public schools and libraries, so students can focus on learning in a safe, age-appropriate environment.

To protect children online, we passed new laws that hold app stores and digital platforms accountable for the content they allow minors to access – cracking down on sexually explicit material, exploitation, and trafficking risks. At the same time, we gave local schools more authority to limit the use of personal devices during the school day to minimize distractions and exposure to harmful content.

We also banned deceptive and dangerous vaping products – many of which are made overseas and intentionally marketed to children. And, importantly, we passed my bill, Trey’s Law, which ensures that victims of abuse can speak out and protect others without being silenced by nondisclosure agreements.

These reforms send a clear message: Texas will always stand up for children and fight back against those who seek to harm, exploit, or sexualize them. I will continue to lead the charge to ensure our laws protect the innocence of childhood and hold bad actors fully accountable.

We made monumental progress in the fight for life during the 87th legislative session when we passed The Heartbeat Bill outlawing abortion once a heartbeat is detected as well House Bill 1280 which banned abortion in Texas when the Supreme Court reversed it’s ruling on Roe v. Wade.

But promoting a culture of life doesn’t stop at protecting the unborn. It also means walking alongside women facing unplanned pregnancies with compassion, support, and real solutions. That’s why we must continue building a framework of care that includes access to prenatal services, counseling, adoption support, and resources that empower mothers to choose life and build a future for themselves and their children.

A truly pro-life Texas is one where both mother and child are valued, protected, and supported – not just in moments of crisis, but throughout their lives.

Protecting the integrity of our elections is one of my top priorities, and this session, we made major strides to strengthen our voting laws and restore confidence in the process.  We passed a constitutional amendment to ensure that only U.S. citizens can vote in Texas elections – a fundamental safeguard for our democracy.

I also supported efforts to make sure every precinct is fully prepared on Election Day with enough ballots, and that election officials are held accountable when they fail to meet their responsibilities. We improved the accuracy of our voter rolls by requiring better data-sharing between state agencies and cracking down on duplicate or outdated registrations.

We enhanced security measures for voting equipment, empowered counties to better manage election costs, and gave them the tools to streamline their operations while maintaining transparency and access. And we took action to prevent last-minute, behind-the-scenes court rulings that could disrupt our elections.

These reforms reflect our unwavering commitment to fair, secure, and transparent elections – and we’re just getting started.

The men and women who serve in our armed forces, law enforcement, and emergency services are true Texas heroes. They risk their lives to protect our freedoms, secure our communities, and respond in our greatest moments of need. We owe them not only our gratitude – but action.

This session, we advanced meaningful support for veterans dealing with PTSD and opioid addiction. Major investments were made in cutting-edge research and treatment efforts that hold real promise for those who have exhausted traditional options. These innovative therapies could soon offer new hope to thousands of Texas veterans and first responders battling trauma-related conditions.

We also expanded support for law enforcement by ensuring officers – specifically those protecting our schools – have access to the equipment and protective gear they need to do their jobs safely and effectively.

Supporting those who serve is more than a policy priority, it’s a moral obligation. I will continue working to ensure our veterans, police officers, firefighters, and first responders have the tools, resources, and respect they deserve.

This session, we delivered several key victories in the fight to protect medical freedom, promote transparency, and defend life.  I led efforts to ensure that health insurance plans that cover gender reassignment procedures are also required to cover the long-term effects and care for those seeking to reverse them – providing fairness and accountability in the system.

We also took action to prevent individuals from being denied life-saving organ transplants based solely on their vaccination status – because no one should be denied care based on personal medical decisions.

Additionally, we brought transparency to costly healthcare mandates and made sure that expectant mothers facing heartbreaking diagnoses are informed about perinatal palliative care options. These reforms reflect our deep commitment to protecting life, defending individual rights, and restoring common sense in healthcare.

Businesses and people are flocking to Texas – and it’s not by mistake! We have aggressively implemented free-market, taxpayer-friendly policies where businesses can thrive, resulting in more quality, high-paying jobs for Texans. As part of the historic property tax reform package just passed, over 67,000 small to medium sized businesses will now be exempt from paying the Texas Franchise Tax.

We must work collectively to protect the policies that have made Texas an economic powerhouse, while advancing smart reforms that lower taxes, ensure regulations are fair and predictable and crack down on abusive, frivolous lawsuits. And we must remain ever vigilant to stop job-killing legislation that stifles innovation and investment.

A father of three children, I am deeply moved by the horrible tragedy of human trafficking. Traffickers should get a one-way ticket to jail. With legislation I passed during the 86th legislative session, that is exactly what will happen.

But punishing the victimizers isn’t enough. The scars of sexual abuse never go away. We must support the victims of sexual abuse and assault in every form. Last session, we funded the testing of all Texas rape kits, made it mandatory for law enforcement to track every sexual predator they investigate, and extended the statute of limitations for victims of sexual abuse.

The protection and preservation of your fundamental rights and liberties is one of the most important duties of the legislature. And during my time in the Texas House, I’ve stood firm to protect those rights which is why I earned the NRA’s endorsement and A+ rating.

During the 87th Legislative session I was proud to co-author House Bill 1927 which ensures that law-abiding Texans ages 21 or older can carry a handgun for self-defense and protection of their families without a state issued license. I also co-authored and fought for the passage of HB 2622, designating Texas as a Second Amendment Sanctuary State. This not only reinforces the rights of Texans but also serves as a robust defense mechanism against potential federal overreach.

The primary function of Government, at all levels, is to protect and safeguard your fundamental rights. While limited government has a role – time and again we’ve seen that government action and bureaucracy often creates more problems than it seeks to solve. Bottom line: I believe in you – the people of Texas – and I trust you to make the best decisions for yourselves, your families and your businesses. Without reservation, I will continue to work on the frontlines to safeguard your fundamental freedoms, including your right to worship, to assemble, to speak, to petition your government, to keep and bear arms and to protect your property rights.