Governor Greg Abbott delivered his 2025 State of the State address on Sunday, speaking on his vision for Texas’ future and his priorities for the next legislative session.
The speech, given at the headquarters of Arnold Oil Company in Austin, painted a picture of a thriving state. At the same time, Abbott also spoke on the need for many more reforms and different investments in infrastructure.
Abbott opened by celebrating Texas’ booming economy, pointing out that Texas consistently ranks high in job creation, business growth, and tech innovation. He called Texas “the blueprint for America’s future” and reiterated his commitment to reducing regulations and cutting taxes.
“Texas is the most powerful economy in America. Ranked as the best state for doing business for 20 years, Texas is No. 1 for the most new jobs, No. 1 for economic development, and No. 1 as the best state to start a new business,” Abbott claimed in a recent press release.
The governor then called for a new $10 billion property tax relief plan.
“But that will only work if local authorities cannot use loopholes to jack up your property taxes like [Harris] County did. They increased property taxes [by] more than 10% last year. Loopholes that increase your property taxes must be banned. No taxing entity should be able to raise your property taxes without a two-thirds approval by voters,” he added.
Abbott also focused on addressing the various economic crises impacting many Texans, with proposals aimed at reducing the cost of housing and improving the quality and affordability of healthcare. The governor’s office called on lawmakers to streamline the permitting process for housing construction and introduce a proposal for a one-year property tax exemption on home improvements.
Healthcare was a heavy focus during the speech, with Abbott calling for more access to mental health services and increased pay for caregivers of seniors and Texans with disabilities.
However, one of the most ambitious proposals in Abbott’s speech was the plan to make a massive investment in the state’s water infrastructure. With many parts of Texas facing water shortages, Abbott said securing water supplies for the next few decades has to be a priority.
“Some of our water supplies are drying up. Many communities have leaking and broken water lines. Agriculture producers in the Rio Grande Valley and West Texas do not have enough water to grow their crops. Last session, we invested $1 billion in water projects and infrastructure. This session, we will Texas-size that investment,” the governor declared.
Abbott continued to outline his vision for Texas’ education system, proposing increased teacher pay, merit-based salary programs, and higher security standards for schools across the Lone Star State.
“We must reward the best teachers by putting them on a path to earn a six-figure salary. More than 25,000 teachers are already on that path. We must expand that merit program to every school district. …Very simply, our schools must be safe. Safe for students, teachers, staff, and parents. We should invest $500 million more to better secure our schools,” he added.
On the safety front, Abbott acknowledged the need to strengthen the state’s criminal justice system, calling for tougher laws against child traffickers and violent criminals, citing the murder of Jocelyn Nungaray as a need for change.
“Justice for Jocelyn demands action. I demand legislation imposing the death penalty on anyone convicted of murdering a child like Jocelyn,” he said.
The governor’s State of the State address ended with a call to action: He urged lawmakers to pass his collection of emergency items in the name of freedom and progress.
“Ultimately, our task this session is to be guardians of freedom. … More than anything, it is freedom that will make Texas stronger, safer, and more prosperous than ever in the history of our great state,” Abbott concluded.