Cutting property taxes, school choice, fentanyl deaths among Abbott's emergency items

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
Photo credit Office of the Governor

SAN MARCOS, Texas (Talk1370.com) -- Gov. Greg Abbott delivered his State of the State address Thursday night, including designating seven different "emergency items" for lawmakers to begin work on in the early part of the legislative session.

For the second time, Abbott delivered his remarks not from the Capitol, but from a small business - this time, from the manufacturing floor at Noveon Magnetics in San Marcos.

Under the Texas Constitution, the only items lawmakers can vote on in the first 60 days of each regular session are the emergency items designated by the governor.

Abbott's designated emergency items include cutting property taxes, an end of COVID restrictions and future pandemic responses, education freedom and school choice, school safety, revolving door bail, border security, and efforts to address the fentanyl crisis.

"Hardworking Texans produced the largest budget surplus in Texas history," said Abbott. "That money belongs to the taxpayers. We should return it to you with the largest property tax cut in the history of Texas."

Under Abbott's property tax proposal, $15 billion of the budget surplus would be used to cut property taxes. Abbott is also seeking legislation that would increase the exemption on business personal property tax, require local government debt to be passed by a two-thirds supermajority, and require local bond issues not held on a November ballot to be passed by a two-thirds supermajority of voters.

Responding to COVID-19 restrictions, Abbott's proposal calls for a prohibition on any government vaccine mandate, as well as efforts to enforce a mask mandate through disaster declarations, ordinances, or other actions. The proposal would also seek to block any governmental entity from closing any business or school for COVID-19.

"We must change how government responds to future pandemics, including requiring the legislature to convene if another pandemic is ever declared," said Abbott.

Abbott's school choice proposals, touted as "education freedom", would include creating education savings accounts (ESAs) for all Texas students. Those funds could be used for specific uses, possibly including private school tuition and fees.

"Now it’s time to provide every parent with the ability to choose the best education option for their child,” said Abbott. "To be clear, under this school choice program, all public schools will be fully funded for every student."

In the wake of the Uvalde mass shooting, Abbott is also urging lawmakers to create new safety standards for schools. “We cannot let another school year go by without making our schools safer,” said Abbott.

Other items Abbott focused on include tougher bail requirements and repeat offenders. "We must shut and lock that revolving door by passing laws that keep dangerous criminals behind bars and holding accountable the judges that let them out," said Abbott.

Border security and the growing fentanyl crisis are also among Abbott's emergency items, along with an effort to increase the supply of Narcan to help combat opioid overdoses.

Featured Image Photo Credit: Office of the Governor