Texas creates its own version of DOGE as Gov. Greg Abbott says regulatory environment is 'too burdensome'
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday signed a bill to create the state's own version of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in an effort to get rid of unnecessary rules and slash regulations.
In Austin, Abbott signed SB 14, which would create the Texas Regulatory Efficiency Office and streamline the way state agencies establish and enforce regulations.
"The regulatory environment in Texas is getting too burdensome," Abbott said before putting pen to paper. "The regulatory environment in Texas is well-known for being good, but it seems like it's not as easy to navigate as it once was."
Texas Poised To Create Its Own Version Of Doge As Bill Passes Both Chambers
An advisory panel would be created to work with the governor's office to streamline processes. It would be made up of business owners, researchers, state agencies and the public.
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The bill also aims to create an accessible online portal, so the public can look up state regulations.
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"Texas businesses, Texas citizens, they deserve regulations that are in plain English that you can understand what they mean," said Dustin Burrows, the Republican speaker of the Texas House. "They deserve to know what they actually do, and they deserve to make sure they're consistent and as few as possible."
The legislation was authored by state Republican Sen. Phil King and backed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
It passed the Texas House with a 97-51 vote and the Senate 26-5.
The bill is similar to what the Trump administration has aimed to do with DOGE by getting rid of unnecessary rules, as well as rooting out fraud and wasteful spending.
Abbott said DOGE "crystalized" what Texas lawmakers were seeking to achieve.
"It gave strategies to it," he said. "Texas DOGE will lead to spending cuts, regulation cuts and a more user-friendly government."Original article source: Texas creates its own version of DOGE as Gov. Greg Abbott says regulatory environment is 'too burdensome'
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Maryland House Majority Leader David Moon announced on X he is "introducing legislation to redraw Maryland congressional districts if any other state cheats & draws new maps outside of the census period." Democrats hold all but one of Maryland's eight districts and could target GOP Representative Andy Harris. Meanwhile, Democratic New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is also not ruling out a redraw, but mid-decade redistricting is not legal in the state, so any effort to do so would require a change to that law. CNN reported that Democrats are also eyeing states like New York and Washington as states that could redraw their maps, but it's not clear Democrats in those states have the political appetite or legal ability to do so. There are also legal challenges against current boundaries in Georgia, South Carolina and Utah, where Democrats have raised gerrymandering arguments. In Georgia, critics have argued that the current map diluted the power of Black voters, and the case is being appealed. A similar argument was made in South Carolina over the state's 1st Congressional District which includes parts of Charleston and is represented by GOP Representative Nancy Mace. The state Supreme Court has heard arguments in this case. Democrats are also hoping for a positive outcome in Utah that would create a Democratic seat in Salt Lake City, as Republicans hold each of the state's four districts. What People Are Saying Democratic Representative Ro Khanna previously told Newsweek: "The governor, none of us, have that power. It's for the voters to decide, and the voters have an independent commission. What we need to do is make sure that we challenge what Texas is doing as unconstitutional. It's a violation of the Voting Rights Act. It's a violation of people having a fair vote, and it's gerrymandering districts." 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