Austin, TX – In his recent State of the State address at Arnold Oil Company in Austin on February 2, Texas Governor Greg Abbott unveiled a bold legislative agenda. His proposals include billions in property tax relief, significant teacher pay raises, expanded school choice programs, tougher stances on illegal immigration, and the introduction of the death penalty for child murderers.
Abbott labeled many of these issues as emergency items, allowing the Texas Legislature to address them immediately, bypassing the usual 60-day waiting period at the start of a regular session.
1. Property Tax Relief: $10 Billion Proposal
Abbott announced plans to allocate at least $10 billion from Texas’s budget surplus to provide relief from rising property taxes. His proposal includes:
- Requiring a two-thirds voter approval for any new property tax increases.
- Raising the business personal property tax exemption to $100,000 to support small businesses.
- Making it harder for local governments to raise property taxes without direct voter consent.
“No taxing entity should be able to raise your property taxes without a two-thirds approval by voters,” Abbott declared. “No approval, no new taxes.”
This move is expected to ease the financial burden on homeowners and small businesses across the state.
2. Teacher Pay Raises: A Path to Six-Figure Salaries
In a major push to support educators, Abbott proposed significant teacher pay raises, aiming to attract and retain the best talent. Key points include:
- Direct appropriations for teacher salaries.
- Compensation strategies to reward high-performing teachers.
- Setting a goal for teachers to achieve six-figure salaries in the future.
“One thing we must do this session to attract and to keep the best teachers is to increase their pay,” Abbott emphasized. “I want teacher pay to reach an all-time record.”
3. Expanding School Choice: More Options for Parents
Abbott highlighted his commitment to school choice, advocating for policies that allow parents to use public funds for private school tuition and alternative education options.
- Funding public schools will continue alongside school choice programs.
- Emphasizing that over 30 states already have some form of school choice.
- Abbott claims the majority of Texans support expanding these programs.
However, critics argue that school choice could undermine public education. Democratic Representative James Talarico criticized the plan, stating:
“Voucher scams are not school choice. Private schools can deny admission to any kid for any reason. So how is it ‘choice’ when the private school has all the power?”
4. Tackling Illegal Immigration: Stronger Border Security
Abbott reaffirmed his tough stance on illegal immigration, announcing plans to:
- Deploy the Texas Tactical Border Force to the Rio Grande Valley to work with U.S. Border Patrol.
- Continue arresting, jailing, and deporting illegal immigrants in partnership with federal agencies.
“Texas will not back down from securing our border,” Abbott stated, reinforcing his commitment to border security initiatives.
5. Death Penalty for Child Murderers: Seeking Justice for Victims
Abbott called for legislation that would make the death penalty mandatory for anyone convicted of murdering a child. This proposal was inspired by the tragic case of Jocelyn Nungaray, a 12-year-old girl from Houston who was murdered in June 2024.
- The suspects in her case, both undocumented immigrants from Venezuela, are facing capital murder charges.
- Abbott stated, “Justice for Jocelyn demands action,” addressing the victim’s grieving mother, who attended the speech.
What’s Next?
With Abbott’s emergency items declared, Texas lawmakers can immediately begin working on related legislation, despite the constitutional rule that typically delays legislative action for the first 60 days of the session.
FAQ
What did Greg Abbott propose in his State of the State address?
Governor Greg Abbott proposed property tax relief, teacher pay raises, expanded school choice, tougher immigration laws, and the death penalty for child murderers.
How much is Abbott proposing for property tax relief?
Abbott plans to allocate at least $10 billion from the state’s budget surplus for property tax relief.
What is Abbott’s plan for teacher pay in Texas?
Abbott wants to increase teacher salaries through direct funding and aims to put top teachers on a path to six-figure incomes.
What is school choice, and why is it part of Abbott’s agenda?
School choice allows parents to use public funds for private or alternative schools. Abbott supports it to give families more educational options.
Why is Abbott calling for the death penalty for child murderers?
Abbott’s proposal was influenced by the murder of Jocelyn Nungaray. He believes the death penalty is necessary for justice in cases of child murder.
