Governor Greg Abbott named two of the Greater Houston Partnership’s Executive Priorities as emergency items for the Texas Legislature during his State of the State address Sunday. The governor said he wants lawmakers to immediately begin working on solutions to strengthen the workforce, improve the resilience of vital infrastructure, and make a Texas-sized investment in water security. The Partnership supports significant state investments in water infrastructure to ensure reliable supply, upgrade aging systems, and sustain economic growth amid rising demand. Workforce development is another key priority, advocating for stronger collaboration between education institutions and industry to create clear pathways to high-quality jobs. In a sweeping speech covering everything from the border to breaking ground on a Texas stock market, Gov. Abbott said lawmakers should deliver policy solutions that expand the "Texas Miracle." Education, water, and resiliency are key components of that vision. After the speech, Gov. Abbott released more details about the emergency items. To reach the goal of a "Texas-sized investment" for water, lawmakers must develop a solution to invest $1 billion every year for 10 years to address water supplies and repairs to existing infrastructure. By naming these issues as emergency items, lawmakers in the Texas House can debate legislation on the House Floor before the 60-day bill-filing rule. However, policy issues not designated as emergencies cannot be considered by members of the Texas House until after March 14. Last week, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick outlined the first batch of priority bills expected to be filed in the coming days. Highlights from that list coincide with Abbott’s emergency items, including: $2.5 billion for water investment Improving the resiliency of vital infrastructure, specifically water and power Strengthening accountability measures in public education The Texas Senate is already reviewing at least one of the governor’s emergency items. Meanwhile, the Senate Finance Committee is making steady progress in hearing testimony from various state agencies about funding requests for the 2026-27 biennium.  Later this month, the Texas Education Agency is scheduled to testify in the Senate Finance Committee. That hearing will likely reveal more about funding for the governor’s emergency item related to “life-changing career training” in public schools. Sen. Charles Schwertner and Rep. Gary Gates, both representing districts within the Partnership’s footprint, are set to introduce legislation authorizing funding for programs related to welding, health care, and other industries where high school graduates can directly enter the workforce.  One final highlight from the State of the State address is the governor’s declaration to create a Texas Cyber Command. The governor stated this new agency will strengthen the state’s resilience against cyberattacks. This command will train and recruit to protect infrastructure from digital warfare and criminal actors.   Click here to read the governor’s complete State of the State address.

Every Texas legislative session brings something new: bold policies, fresh faces on the chamber floor, or, in this case, a new focus on making the Texas economy bigger and better. This year, the Texas House and Senate have restructured their standing committees, creating stand-alone panels to emphasize economic development and other key drivers of the state’s economy. In the Texas Senate, returning Senator Phil King will chair the newly formed Committee on Economic Development. Previously, the committee was a policy-combination focusing on Natural Resources and Economic Development. King, who previously served as Vice-Chair for the Senate Committee on Business & Commerce, said he is excited to take on the leadership position in the upper chamber. “I am honored that Lt. Gov. Patrick has entrusted me to lead the Economic Development Committee in Texas, which has the eighth largest economy in the world,” Senator King said in a statement to the Partnership. “We will use this session to discuss policy solutions that can continue to drive our state's economic growth and prosperity over the next two years and beyond. I look forward to hearing from business leaders and local officials from across the state on how we can build upon the Texas Miracle in their communities.” The Texas House created the Committee on Trade, Workforce, and Economic Development. Under first-term Speaker Dustin Burrows, the House will have a committee focused on the workforce and expanding the talent pipeline for the first time. Committee assignments for the Texas House have yet to be released.  Burrows told the Partnership he is committed to seeing Texas build a bigger and better economic engine for future generations.  "The Texas House remains focused on delivering legislative solutions that will strengthen our state's mighty economy and provide more economic opportunities for hardworking Texans," said Speaker Dustin Burrows. "This session, the House's new Committee on Trade, Workforce, and Economic Development will take a comprehensive approach to ensuring businesses have the freedom and tools to thrive in our state, with a newly created subcommittee concentrating on policies to bolster the Texas workforce. The House will also prioritize support for small businesses through legislation that aims to unleash the power of Texas entrepreneurship in communities across the state by cutting taxes and reforming the regulatory process." It’s too soon to say which bills will go to these committees. For now, a review of the interim reports from the previous committees points to support of key policy priorities for the Partnership: Early Childhood Education: the House and Senate both recognized a statewide need for expanding programs that support families and young children in education/developmental programs The successful implementation of the Lone Star Workforce of the Future Fund [HB 1755 - 89(R)] is compelling lawmakers to invest further in innovation and growth for apprenticeship and training programs. Expanding the available workforce talent pool will remain a priority for the 89th Texas Legislature. Click below to read the full interim reports from the following committees: Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development House Committee on International Relations and Economic Development To learn more about the Partnership's Legislative Priorities, click here. For more updates and alerts on the Texas Legislature, click here to sign up for our weekly newsletter.