State of Texas - January 12, 2025

The start of the session will bring a resolution in a contentious battle for power inside the Texas House of Representatives. As members prepare to choose a Speaker, they're facing new pressure from outside the chamber. We look at how the Attorney General is working to influence the decision and how the outcome could shape what gets passed this session. From education savings accounts to property tax cuts, Texas lawmakers have big plans for the upcoming session. Those plans come with big price tags. We speak to Comptroller Glenn Hegar, who's in charge of determining how much money is available for the next state budget. He shares his ideas on how lawmakers should prioritize their spending. In the lead-up to the session, we've been reaching out to some of the people who could influence what comes out of the Capitol. We asked about what they see as priorities. Their answers give interesting perspective on how ideas from both sides of the aisle merge and diverge, highlighting the potential path this session could take. Texas lawmakers are promising change on the heels of several of our investigative reports. From bills to prevent crashes into hospitals to systems to track truant students and cosmetic procedure regulations, we look at how our reporting could lead to action at the Capitol. State of Texas is a statewide, in-depth program focused solely on Texas politics. Produced at KXAN in Austin and airing in 14 markets across the state, the show gives viewers greater perspective on the Texas Legislature, state policy and elections.