Latest news with #BrentMoney
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Money announces reelection bid for Texas House District 2
State Rep. Brent Money – a conservative Republican representing Texas House District 2 – officially announced his campaign for re-election Wednesday, highlighting what he called a strong record of fulfilling promises and advancing conservative priorities during his first term. Money said his focus in his first term has remained on defending traditional values, lowering taxes and empowering parents in education – themes he plans to continue if given a second term. 'This legislative session was monumental for Texans,' Money said in a prepared statement. 'When I make a promise, I will follow through. I said I'd work relentlessly to protect the sanctity of life and the innocence of children and I did. I said I'd fight to lower taxes and I did. I said I'd open the door for parents to direct their child's education regardless of their income and we passed the most consequential education freedom bill this country has ever seen.' Throughout his time in office, Money said he supported legislation aimed at curbing abortion, advancing school choice and securing elections. He added that he played a key role in restoring Senate Bill 2753 – originally altered into a study – back to a version designed to streamline the election process. Money also said he backed legislation requiring renewable energy companies to clean up decommissioned equipment and advocated for expanded opportunities for local egg sellers as prices rose. 'The work is nowhere near done,' Money said. 'Texans are still being crushed under unfathomably high property taxes. The left is still coming for our family values. We can't back down now. I am committed to ensuring that Texas remains a beacon of freedom and opportunity.' Money represents House District 2, which includes Hunt, Hopkins and Van Zandt counties. He easily won the 2024 general election race for the seat over Democrat Kristen Washington – outdistancing Washington by a 71,149 (80.58%) to 17,150 (19.42%) victory.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas GOP Urges Veto Of Counselor Loan Program
(Texas Scorecard) – A coalition of 34 Republican lawmakers is urging Gov. Greg Abbott to veto a Democrat-authored bill that would expand state-funded student loan repayment programs—this time, specifically for school counselors and mental health professionals. Senate Bill 646, authored by Democrat State Sen. Royce West, would broaden eligibility for Texas' loan repayment assistance program to include school counselors, marriage and family therapists, and other behavioral health professionals. The bill drew fierce opposition from conservatives when it reached the House floor, especially in light of social transitioning in public schools—a practice whereby school counselors and staff assist children in adopting a new gender identity without parental knowledge or consent. 'This expands a Biden-style student loan repayment program,' reads a letter sent to Abbott signed by 34 Republican House members. 'There are many laudable things that the legislature funds and expands during the session, but few that receive such significant opposition as SB 646.' The effort is being led by State Rep. Brent Money (R–Greenville), who criticized the growing reliance on taxpayer-funded programs to forgive personal debt—especially for public sector jobs. Supporters argue the bill is meant to address Texas' ongoing shortage of school-based mental health professionals, but opponents say it sets a dangerous precedent. 'Loan repayment programs' should not be a routine feature of state policy, the letter states. 'We humbly ask that you veto this legislation and in so doing encourage the legislature to make 'loan repayment programs' and their expansion something we avoid in future sessions,' the letter concludes. 58 Republicans voted against the bill in the House. Unless Gov. Abbott issues a veto, the legislation is set to take effect September 1, 2025. The deadline for gubernatorial action is June 22.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
In final act, Texas Legislature boosts judges pay and lawmaker pensions
Texas lawmakers passed a bill that will give judges a long-awaited raise and boost their own pensions, after an 11th hour clash between the House and Senate. Texas judges will get a 25% raise, with base pay increasing to $175,000. This bill was not expected to be controversial — both chambers and parties agree this pay raise, the first since 2013, is overdue and necessary to lift Texas out of the bottom for judicial pay among states. Where it hit the skids was around legislator pensions, which are tied to judicial pay. A raise for judges should have meant a pension increase for lawmakers, but the House added an amendment decoupling them. The Senate rejected the proposal, with the disagreement spilling onto social media and pushing beyond the normal deadlines to reach a compromise. On Sunday, the chambers finally agreed to negotiate, and just hours before they closed out the 140 day session, they reached a compromise. Legislative pensions will rise with judicial salaries this time, but will be decoupled going forward. In 2030, the Texas Ethics Commission will take over assessing legislator pensions, as they do for the per diem and other lawmaker benefits. The bill says the commission will come up with equitable rules to determine pension amounts, taking into account possible raises for other elected officials, and reassess every five years. The Senate approved the proposal unanimously, with Sen. Joan Huffman, the Houston Republican who carried the bill, saying it "finally gives the judges of the state of Texas a long, well-deserved raise.' The House voted 114-26, approving the proposal over hesitation from both sides of the aisle. Democrats seemed concerned about cutting the pension benefit, while conservatives indicated they were expecting election season blowback for voting to raise their own pensions. Texas' part-time lawmakers earn $7,200 a year, plus a per diem for days they are in Austin. But those who serve more than eight years are eligible for a pension when they turn 60 (or when they turn 50 if they've served 12 years.) Rather than basing that payout on their meager legislative salary, it's long been tied to the base salary for a district judge, a benefit that allows some of the longest-standing lawmakers to earn annual retirement payments of $140,000 a year. 'For too long, the Legislature has been unwilling to give district court judges the raises that they deserve because it's tied to legislative pensions,' Rep. Brent Money, a conservative Republican from Greenville, said, calling it a 'politically toxic' issue. He said voting for the compromise was a choice between voting for the right thing, or the politically safe thing. "Let's break this stalemate, support our judiciary and face the consequences together," he said. The usual deadline for the chambers to reach a compromise would have been Saturday at midnight. As that deadline came and went without a deal, judges began barraging their legislators with phone calls and emails, demanding they reach a compromise. On Sunday afternoon, both chambers agreed to appoint conferees, including Leach and Huffman. The deal was still being hammered out when the House and Senate gaveled in on the last day of session, usually a ceremonial day to celebrate the wins of the session. Members from both chambers breathed a sigh of relief with the passage of the conference committee report Monday afternoon. 'I don't think I've ever worked so hard on a bill that wasn't mine,' Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, said Monday. 'I have never gone back and forth as much between the House and the Senate in one day as I have today." First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
CBS News
26-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Changes to the Texas Lottery are coming under bill making its way through the Legislature
The scandal surrounding the Texas Lottery is prompting big changes in the Legislature. The Texas House passed a bill Monday morning that will transfer the lottery games to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation and abolish the Lottery Commission. Powerball tickets at the Bonjour Food Store on Yale Street, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, in Houston. ( Mark Mulligan / Houston Chronicle ) Mark Mulligan/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images The legislation will likely head to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk after the House and Senate discuss it further. The measure also bans the sale of lottery tickets online and requires the state to thoroughly review the lottery's operations again before 2029. Gov. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has been outspoken on the issue, and Attorney General Ken Paxton have all called for investigations, which are now underway. They and others have sharply criticized the lottery after questionable jackpots were won, including by players who purchased tickets through a lottery courier. The lottery will continue to provide funding for public schools and veterans' programs. While the lottery will survive, lawmakers debated an amendment that failed Monday night that would have ended the lottery games. Rep. Brent Money, R-Greenville, who wanted to abolish the lottery altogether, said, "It is an unfair game that is primarily paid by poor people in order to fund an area in our government." Representative Harold Dutton Jr., D-Houston, asked Money, "Is it voluntary or involuntary?" Money replied, "It's voluntary." Dutton responded, "So if they choose to play it, you have a problem with that? You're saying it's voluntary. It is not taking it from anybody." Also, on Monday, the House passed a bill that will provide hundreds of millions of dollars in incentives to the TV and film industry in Texas. Unlike the Senate, which voted to give $500 million in incentives over the next two years, the House lowered that amount to $300 million. CBS News Texas asked Lt. Governor Dan Patrick's office whether he and senators will accept the House's changes or go to conference and negotiate their differences, but we did not hear back. Two other bills heading to the governor's desk include one banning THC in Texas, effectively wiping out the hemp industry, and another that prohibits the use of non-disclosure agreements against victims of sexual assault in civil settlements. The legislative session at the Texas Capitol ends Monday, June 2. Watch Eye On Politics at 7:30 a.m. Sunday on CBS News Texas, on air and streaming. Follow Jack on X: @cbs11jack
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
East Texas State Rep. Money discusses bills left to vote on in 89th legislative session
TYLER, Texas (KETK) — The 89th Texas Legislature will adjourn in June 2025 and recently KETK spoke with one East Texas State Representative about the bills waiting for a vote in this year's legislative session. Bill looks to allow small egg producers to sell ungraded eggs wholesale 'So we finished last Friday with all of the bills that originated in the House,' Rep. Brent Money of Hopkins, Hunt and Van Zandt counties told KETK. 'It's now too late for any bill that started in the House to become law. There are House bills in the Senate, and there are Senate bills in the House. I think that we're going to see a lot of priority items hit in this last session.' Money spoke with KETK's Tori Bean about the priorities they're trying to accomplish before the end of this session. These are priority bills like Senate Bill 1864, which is waiting for a vote in the House. 'I think to most people in Texas, a priority item is the things that you handle first to the exclusion of the non-priority items. The way it works in the Texas Legislature and particularly in the Texas House, is we save all the priority items for the very end,' Money said. SB 1864 would allow egg farmers to save money by selling ungraded chicken eggs. The Texas Senate on April 24 but is still waiting for a vote in the house. 'This is a bill that allows, for egg producers who are small, small chicken farms, to be able to sell ungraded eggs,' Money said. According to the Texas Legislature, the bill has been placed on the General State Calendar for this Tuesday. 'It has really nothing to do with the quality of the egg. A person who sells ungraded eggs under SB 1846 would be able to sell a certain number of them, wholesale or retail, as long as the package was clearly marked that they were ungraded, it says the producer's name, where they, where they're from, the date the carton was packed,' Money said. 'There's some basic information that they would have to provide, but they wouldn't have to go through the process of grading each egg, which is either very labor-intensive or capital-intensive, requiring machinery to weigh and size the eggs.' Money ended his conversation with Tori by talking about some of his other priorities and how he hopes they'll be able to prioritize bills better in the next session of the Texas Legislature. To see their full conversation watch the video above. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
