AUSTIN – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott says he got everything he wanted from the Legislature’s 89th Session, most notably a “school choice” plan he says will rejuvenate the state’s education system.
“Without a doubt, this is the best session I’ve ever had,” Abbott said Wednesday to a small group of reporters at his Capitol office. “More important for Texans, this has been the most transformative session for the future of Texas, and the positive effects of the session are going to be felt for decades.”
Abbott pointed to his plan to allow students to use public money for private schools as a signature achievement, along with making changes to bail policy, making an investment in Texas water and ing property tax relief.
He said all of his emergency items ed, but added there’s still work to be done. The governor also said he’s also looking forward to reelection.
Here are three takeaways from his conversation with journalists.
Abbott takes pride in getting “school choice” ed
Abbott was most proud of getting his school choice plan through the Legislature.
In the past, a coalition of rural Republicans and nearly every Democrat blocked private school voucher plans.
When his proposal was rejected by the House in 2023, Abbott took the issue to voters and helped unseat eight Republican House in the 2024 GOP primaries. After the 2024 elections, 26 new Republicans were seated in the House. Abbott was able to get 86 House to back school choice.
“If you go back and look two sessions ago, there were 29 votes for school choice,” Abbott said. “We pushed it. We got it up to 63 votes last session, but had to campaign for it again, and wound up with 86 votes.”
“I’m not aware of such a large transformation in the number of votes that went from against a bill to for a bill,” Abbott added.
Abbott was also proud of bail reform to keep alleged violent offenders off the streets. And he was happy with the $51 billion in property tax relief on top of what the state has done previously to reduce the property tax burden.
“I seriously question whether or not, in the history of the United States, if any other state has used 25% of its revenue to reduce taxes,” Abbott said.
Property tax relief is a top priority for the next session
Making sure Texans got a true property tax cut is one of Abbott’s next goals.
Although state officials can take steps to ease the tax burden, they don’t issue property taxes, so they can’t cut them in the way local jurisdictions can.
That’s why many residents, despite the state’s actions, haven’t seen a real reduction in their property taxes.
“The state does not impose a property tax. Local jurisdictions do, and local jurisdictions, in my opinion, have imposed too much property taxes on our fellow Texans,” Abbott said. “We need to focus more ... on limiting how much property tax can be imposed by the local taxing authorities. That would lead to bona fide property tax cuts, that would lead to lower property tax bills for our constituents, and that will be a key focus of that going forward.”
Lawmakers did close a “disaster exception,” which permitted local taxing authorities to exceed the state’s cap up to 8% without voter approval.
Abbott wants voter approval on most all local tax increases. Right now local jurisdictions can raise taxes 3.5% above the previous year’s rate.
“Far more needs to be done, and that’s a primary focal point of mine, and that’s to make sure we accomplish even more by limiting the ability of the local property taxing jurisdictions to be able to continue to increase your property taxes,” Abbott said.
Abbott also has some housekeeping matters to deal with.
He’s still pondering whether to sign or veto legislation that would ban hemp-derived tetrahydrocannabinol – or THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
Election win could make Abbott Texas’ longest-serving governor
Abbott is up for reelection in 2026. If he wins, he’ll have a shot at being Texas’ longest-serving governor. Republican Rick Perry holds the record at 14 years.
He’s going into the campaign season with a campaign fund of more than $70 million. And to this point, he doesn’t have a major primary or general election opponent.
Abbott says he’s not worried about the competition.
“You follow me enough to know there’s only one way I run,” Abbot said. “There’s only one goal, and that’s to win, and so I will run very aggressively.”