News

Dear Friend:

Here’s a recap of some of the events from last week.   I hope these updates are helpful in providing you more insight into the work that goes on in your state capitol. 

First Meeting of Business and Commerce Committee

The Senate Business and Commerce Committee held its first hearing on Tuesday, and the topic was electricity. This hearing was the first of two which focus on identifying market distortions and how to make sure we have enough power generation for the needs of a growing Texas.  Members of this committee are tasked with ensuring a dependable, reliable grid that will be there when we need it, regardless of the weather.

We started with a briefing on the recent January winter storm, hearing that we didn’t have problems from power generation or the grid; rather it was ice that caused the problems.  After that, we had three panelists testifying about a proposed market redesign plan from the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC). 

We had a very robust discussion that lasted around six hours. We heard from three panelists:  Peter Lake, Chairman of the PUC; Zachary Ming of E3, a consulting firm hired by the PUC to study the various options and how they would impact reliability, generation sources, and costs; and finally, Carrie Bivins of Potomac Economics, our independent market monitor, who provided her view on the financial impact of the proposed PUC plan. The PUC plan is just one of many options being discussed. In the second part of the electricity hearing we will hear testimony from stakeholders on other possible market design plans.  You can listen in on the next hearing, and all other Texas Senate committee hearings, at this link HERE. 

State Budget 101: How is Our State Budget Crafted?

Since the Texas Legislature meets only once every two years, legislators are required by the Texas Constitution to pass a budget that covers the next two years (known as the biennium). 

The process of preparing a state budget begins long before legislators convene in Austin for the Legislative Session.  In fact, individual state agencies submit what is called a detailed legislative appropriations request (LAR) under the guidelines of the state’s Legislative Budget Board (LBB).

The Legislative Budget Board (LBB) is a permanent joint committee of the Texas Legislature that develops budget and policy recommendations for legislative appropriations, completes fiscal analyses for proposed legislation, and conducts evaluations and reviews to improve the efficiency and performance of state and local operations. Current board members include the Lt. Governor, Speaker of the Texas House, four State Senators and four Texas House Members.  

After the various agencies submit their budget requests (usually no later than the Fall prior to the next legislative session), they are then sent to the LBB, the Comptroller’s office and several other state agencies. Next, the LBB and the Governor’s Office of Budget, Planning and Policy hold hearings on these requests.  Then, shortly after the beginning of each session, the Senate and the House each present their own budget, which is a starting point for the process that will play out over the next several months.  

2024-2025 Budget 

Here is an overview of SB1, the proposed budget for the 2024-2025 biennium that was filed last month. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said upon the budget filing, “SB 1 keeps our promises to Texans and charts a course for our state’s continued prosperity. Our conservative budgeting principles applied throughout SB 1 make sure that government does not grow faster than population times inflation.”

Brown County Day at the State Capitol 

One of the highlights of the week was to meet with friends and community leaders who were in town for Brown County Day. It always invigorates me to meet and interact with the citizens that I have the privilege of representing across our eight county district. We covered a wide range of topics including the state budget, electricity, education and more.

Those who were present included Brownwood County Mayor Stephen Haynes, Republican Party Chair Robert Porter, Brownwood City Manager Emily Crawford and Brownwood Deputy City Manager Marshal McIntosh.  Also present were Kandice Harris, Executive Director of the Brownwood Chamber of Commerce and many other members of the chamber leadership. Thank you to all that organized this fun day at our Texas Capitol! 

Honoring Opal Lee of Fort Worth: “Grandmother of Juneteenth”

On Wednesday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and the Texas Senate honored 96-year old Opal Lee, who championed legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday by walking from Fort Worth to the nation’s capital. After a portrait of her was unveiled – the first new portrait to be hung in the senate chamber in more than 40 years – Ms. Lee received a standing ovation. She is an amazing woman and Tarrant County is blessed to have her. 

Other Weekly Highlights

• On my way to Austin on Monday, I stopped in Fort Worth to catch up with County Judge Tim O’Hare.
• As we prepare for the first meeting of the Senate Transportation Committee, we had our first meeting with senior leadership at the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT).
• Representatives of the Texas Association of Counties were in town this week, so I had the opportunity to visit with Judge Michael Roach of Stephens County as well as county leaders. 

 Have a great weekend!

Phil King
State Senator, District 10 

What a Week!  Thank You First Responders and Essential Workers

As we are back to clear roads and warmer temperatures, this is a great time to thank the numerous first responders and essential workers who have shown up in tough, often dangerous conditions over the past week. It’s a long list, and we often take these people for granted. So to those of you in law enforcement, emergency services, hospitals and health care, retail, city and county essential services, firefighters, utility linemen and others who helped keep the power going:  we thank you for your service. 

A Productive Week Powering Through Challenging Conditions

 We all learned during COVID how to adjust to meeting through Zoom calls and other means, so even with the bad weather that shut down most of Austin we had a very productive week.  Some were Zoom meetings and others were in person. As I prepare for service on the Education Committee and Higher Education subcommittee, I had meetings with Mike Morath, Commissioner of the Texas Education Agency, representatives from the Texas Association of Community Colleges, and Fort Worth ISD Trustees.  To seek input on legislation which impacts law enforcement I met with various sheriffs and police chiefs as well as with the Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA).  

My Proposed Legislation:  Reining in Rogue DAs 

As a Justice of the Peace, state representative, attorney and police officer I’ve had the honor of working with numerous District Attorneys across the years; many of them are personal friends. These public servants have a tough job – and my professional respect. We are blessed to have outstanding DA’s across SD 10.  Unfortunately, that is not the case everywhere. 
Case in point: should a District Attorney be able to pick and choose which laws he or she decides to enforce?  Of course not, but increasingly that’s what is happening across the country and even here in Texas. That’s why I have filed SB 404, legislation to provide tools to rein in out of control DAs who categorically refuse to enforce the law. Under this proposal, prosecuting attorneys would be monitored by a newly reconstituted Prosecuting Attorneys Coordinating Council (PACC), an entity with authority to file a petition to remove a prosecutor from office for incompetency or misconduct. Confidence in our rule of law can not be undermined by those who turn a blind eye to crimes and offenses they deem unnecessary to prosecute.

Remembering the Faith of Courageous Trailblazers During Black History Month

February is Black History Month and an opportunity to remember the tremendous sacrifices and contributions made by countless black Americans – and their faith which drove them.  My good friend David Barton of WallBuilders has shared a fascinating document with me. America’s Heroes: Black History Edition is a collection of 20 short biographies that highlights some of America’s black heroes, and it’s a very interesting read. Some of those profiled include a black-owned car manufacturer in early America, a black patriot who was the first double spy during the War for Independence, the first black female missionary from the States who was responsible for educating Hawaiian nobility, and George Washington Carver, born into slavery yet became one of America’s most renowned scientists.  These inspirational stories share how faith was central to so many of these men and women.  Read and review the document HERE. 

Powerful Legislative Information At Your Fingertips

 With the legislature in session for less than a month, we are still early in the process.  The deadline to file bills is March 10, so bills are still being drafted and submitted.  Still, at the Texas Legislature Online site, found HERE, you can already find a wealth of information to equip you to be a more informed citizen. Here are examples of what you can research at the site right now:

• What are the various committees of the Texas Senate?
• Who serves on those committees?
• How does a bill become a law?  
• How can I better understand the meaning of various legislative terms? Turns out, there’s actually a handy Legislative Glossary, which you can find HERE.

There are a few bills filed already, but the number of bills filed will dramatically increase in the weeks ahead.  At TLO you’ll be able to learn the bill author, the purpose of the proposed law, where each bill stands in the legislative process and more.  If you have interest in a particular bill, you can even sign up for alerts when there is movement related to the bill you are tracking.

The week ahead

The first meeting of the Senate Business and Commerce Committee, where I serve as Vice Chair, will take place next Tuesday, February 7. If you’d like to watch the proceedings, they will begin at 11:00 AM (or upon adjournment of the Senate). Follow along at the following link: Senate B&C Hearing Link

As we enjoy the return of sunshine, have a great weekend!

Phil King
Texas State Senator, District 10

Dear Friends, 

 We are up and running, and as of today we are 119 days from adjournment.    The session will move quickly, and I’ll do my best to keep you apprised on key developments.

Here’s an update on some items from this past week.

Honored to be Chosen to Serve as TCCRI Board Chairman

This week, the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute’s (TCCRI) Board of Directors voted to name me as the new Chairman of its board.

TCCRI was founded in 1996 by a group of state leaders determined to implement conservative public policies in state government.  You could think of TCCRI as a “capitol think-tank” comprised of legislators and others who work to shape public policy through a principled approach to government. The work of TCCRI is based upon the four core principles of: Limited Government, Individual Liberty, Free Enterprise and Traditional Values.

I’ll be replacing former Senator Larry Taylor, who will now serve as TCCRI’s Staff President.   Larry served twenty years in the Texas Legislature and eight years as TCCRI’s Board Chairman.  I’ve known him a long time, going back to our time in the House together. He’s a good man, and I look forward to working with him to grow TCCRI’s impact on public policy.

The Texas Economy is Booming

Reports released this week from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Statistics show that in 2022, Texas added 650,100 jobs – a growth rate of 5%, which is more than any other state and more than doubling our historical average. The Dallas-Fort Worth region grew even faster than the state — 5.9% for the year. It’s encouraging to see that Texas has emerged from the post-COVID economy stronger than ever, providing more evidence that Texas’ low tax, pro-business economic public policies continue to make our state an economic powerhouse. In fact, we are the world’s 10^th largest economy! 

Recap on Committee Assignments

I emailed on Monday with a special message concerning the committee assignments as announced by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.  If you missed that, here’s a recap of where I will be serving:

• Business & Commerce Committee, where I will serve as Vice-Chair
• Education Committee (also a member of that committee’s Higher Education Subcommittee)
• Border Security Committee
• Criminal Justice Committee
• Transportation Committee

I’ve already begun digging in on the issues concerning several of these committees, meeting with my colleagues and preparing for upcoming hearings. There’s a lot of work ahead, and I’m grateful for this opportunity to advocate for sound, conservative policies on each of these committees.

A Personal Note

In closing, Thursday was mine and Terry’s 44th anniversary! We were engaged after only a couple weeks of our first date. We just knew. I don’t even know how to express how grateful I am for Terry. We are still young…but I look  forward to growing old together. Six wonderful kids and 17 grandchildren. God has been so very, very good. Each year of our marriage has been so blessed and every year better than the one before. I can’t wait for next year.

Inaugural Ceremony for Governor Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick

 On Tuesday, Governor Greg Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick were officially sworn in and took their oath of office. Constituents from all over the state gathered in Austin for a series of inaugural events. During the inaugural swearing in ceremony, we saw a glimpse at our top leaders’ legislative priorities for the 88th Session. The prominent priorities centered around property tax relief, border security, investment in our power grid and infrastructure, support of parental rights, school security and support of law enforcement.  

Both Gov. Abbott and Lt. Gov Patrick highlighted the $33 billion budget surplus, stressing that those funds belong to taxpayers, not the government, and a priority will be to provide property tax relief. Days later, the first draft of the budget bill was filed in both chambers that includes $15 billion for property tax relief, including $3 billion to raise the residential homestead exemption from $40,000 to $70,000.  

Securing the border was also a top theme throughout both addresses. The filed budget includes $4.6 billion to continue current support for Operation Lone Star, the state-sponsored effort to secure our southern border. Texas will continue to fight human and drug trafficking at the border despite the lack of support from our federal government. 

Texas continues to be the fastest growing state in the nation. It is truly the best place to live, work and raise a family. Priorities will include investing in our infrastructure such as our power grid and improvements to ports and roads to keep up with the growing demands. The Lt. Governor emphasized the need for more dispatchable thermal generation to be built for increased reliability, which I couldn’t agree more with, so I look forward to those discussions during session. 

Parents being able to make decisions on where their child goes to school and support for improvements in our school security were also among the top priorities discussed at the inauguration. The base budget filed includes full funding for the Foundation School Program, including enrollment growth and $600 million to assist in safety initiatives at schools.  

Other priorities discussed included supporting our retired teachers, mental health and bolstering funding to our law enforcement, especially in rural communities. All of these priorities were evident in the budget bill filed with increased funding in these targeted areas.     

As you can see, the legislative agenda for the 88th Legislative Session is coming into focus. Next month, Governor Abbott will deliver his State of the State address where emergency items will be declared. The House and Senate will also announce committee assignments soon. And as a reminder, the Texas Constitution states that the first thirty days of session are devoted to filing bills and acting on emergency matters outlined by the Governor. Then during the succeeding thirty days, the Legislature can hold committee hearings on proposed legislation and act on those bills. 

To watch the inaugural ceremony click HERE. Lt. Gov Dan Patrick’s remarks begin at 37:25 and Governor Abbott’s remarks begin at 58:35.  

To read more about the highlights in the base budget click HERE.  

Happenings at the Capitol

Terry and I attending the Inauguration Ceremony for Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

Families from Southwest Christian School in Fort  Worth attending the inauguration and touring our capitol. 

I had the privilege of recognizing and welcoming the Texas Police Chiefs Association to our capitol on the Senate Floor. Later in the day, I met with the executive team and had some great discussions on legislation we are working on together. 

Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes and I talked about legislative priorities. Hanging on the wall are my uniform badges from when I served in FWPD. 

The Israeli-American Council had their annual conference in Austin. We have worked together for many years to combat antisemitism and end BDS efforts against Israel. With my colleague Rep. Craig Goldman, we gave a VIP tour around the capitol. 

Dear Friends,

On Tuesday at noon the Texas Legislature gaveled in for the start of the 88th Legislative Session, and I was sworn in the Texas Senate to represent Senate District 10. It is the honor of a lifetime to be trusted with the responsibility to represent the counties of Brown, Callahan, Johnson, Palo Pinto, Parker, Shackelford, Stephens and Tarrant in the Texas Senate. I am grateful for all the support and prayers I have received and look forward to the work we will do together this session.  

I was blessed to be joined by family and constituents who came to the office to offer words of encouragement and share in many special moments, a few captured in the pictures below. Thank you to all who came by this week to offer their well wishes for a successful 88th Session.

If you are in the Texas Capitol please stop in my new office to visit with me and my staff. We are located on the ground floor of the Capitol building, in GE.5. My official new email is [email protected] and the capitol phone number is (512) 463-0110. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.  

My son Josh and his wife Sarah, with my wife Terry, and me at the Senate Pre-Session dinner.

Pastor Lance Perkins, OpenDoor Church of Burleson praying over me prior to the swearing in ceremony

Terry holding our family Bible while I take my oath of office.
 

As session advances, I will continue to keep you informed on what is happening with legislative updates. We have a lot of hard work ahead. Just this week, Comptroller Glenn Hegar released the Biennial Revenue Estimate for Texas, which projects a record of $188.2 billion available for general-purpose spending during the 2024-25 biennium.  Every dollar comes from you, the taxpayers, and I will continue my fiscally conservative approach to make sure money is not wasted.  

Next week, I will share an update on legislative priorities for the 88th session and preview legislation that I will be actively working on. 

P.S. – If you have any friends or family that would like to stay updated during the session, sign up for my newsletter at www.philking.com/signup.  

Texas has made big strides in electric reliability over the last year. Improvements include weatherization of facilities, requiring onsite backup fuel for generators, mapping of critical infrastructure, improved communication and multiple other services at ERCOT to bring additional generation online quickly if needed. However, with the big cold snap predicted for this week I do believe some reasonable preparations are in order.

            This winter, the estimated peak power consumption for Texans is roughly 67,000 megawatts (MW). If everything goes as planned, ERCOT expects on average around 87,000 MW of electricity to be available. (Installed capacity is much higher but ERCOT uses historical data to discount a significant amount of wind and solar generation that will not be available due to suboptimal weather.)  

            That sounds like we have plenty of capacity to spare. However, about 10,000 MW of the estimated 87,000 MW available comes from wind and solar generation (renewables). The rest is dispatchable generation from nuclear, coal and natural gas power plants (thermal generation). Wind and solar can provide energy at low cost but they are not always available when you need them. Simply put, the wind doesn’t always blow and the sun doesn’t always shine at the right time.

            Texas needs more natural gas fired generation.  Natural gas is abundant here, clean and relatively cost effective.  However, the federal government has created a real disincentive to expanding this reliable, dispatchable power source. The fed heavily subsidizes wind and solar. Rule one of government is that you always get more of what you subsidize and less of what you tax.

As a result of the federal subsidies, for many years now almost all of the new generation in Texas has been in renewables.  Precious little new thermal generation has been added to the ERCOT grid. 

            On top of the subsidies, the Biden Administration has aggressively discouraged new thermal generation.  After all, from a company’s perspective, would you invest a billion dollars in a natural gas plant when your president is saying his goal is to shut you down?

            My point is this—take reasonable precautions as the cold snap approaches. No one expects another Storm Uri but you can’t with absolute certainty predict the weather.  On high power consumption days our thermal generation will be stressed which can lead to unexpected equipment malfunctions. And based on historical data, we can’t rely on the renewables to be available unless the wind and sun are just right.  

            So, bottom line, don’t panic or be worried but be prepared. Just in case, it doesn’t hurt to make sure you keep a full tank of gas this Christmas week. Pick up any prescriptions you may need and have some food at home that doesn’t require cooking. It’s always a good idea to have some bottled water in the house. With temperatures possibly staying below freezing for 48 hours, make sure you follow normal protocols related to protecting your outside faucets, indoor plumbing and especially your pets. All of this will make it easier to “weather” any temporary power outage that we could potentially experience.
Sincerely,

Representative Phil King
Senator Elect, Texas Senate District 10

Friends, 

Like so many of you, I am deeply concerned about the future of our nation.

As a father and grandfather, I worry about the country and the path we are on. For so many reasons, it’s simply unsustainable.

But this I know: Texas remains a beacon of opportunity and a model for low taxes, limited government and individual freedom.

That’s why tomorrow is critical. If the Democrats were to ever gain a foothold in Texas by winning a statewide office, it would be a troubling omen – because as we all know if we ever lose Texas, we’ll lose the nation.

If you voted early, thank you.

Many of you wait until Election Day to cast your votes. Tomorrow, please don’t let anything get in the way of you getting to the polls and casting your ballot for every Republican, from Governor Abbott down to your local county offices, and everything in between.  Polls are open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. See below for a list of voting locations near you. 

As always, Terry and I appreciate your prayers, support and friendship. 

Sincerely,

Phil King
Senator-elect, Senate District 10
State Representative, House District 61

Election Day Voting Locations by County

Brown County

Callahan County

Johnson County

Palo Pinto County

Parker County

Shackelford County

Stephens County

Tarrant County

Wise County

Dear Friends,

Have you already voted? If not, have you made a plan to do so? Early voting continues until Friday, November 4th. 

As a reminder, this coming weekend is your only opportunity to vote on a Saturday and Sunday. That’s a great time to vote as you are out and about (see the links below for voting times and locations).

This is no time to take anything for granted.    

You may have seen that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has been barnstorming the state for weeks, visiting counties all over the Lone Star State and reminding fellow Texans of the stakes in this election. From the Panhandle to the Rio Grande Valley, across West and East Texas and lots of places in between, Lt. Gov. Patrick is leaving no stone unturned. He’s working to turn out conservatives and make sure that Texas remains the national leader in jobs, growth, opportunity and freedom.   

You can learn more about his tour here.

Thanks again for your friendship and support.    

Sincerely,
Phil King
Senator-elect, Senate District 10
State Representative, House District 61

PS Please forward this email to your friends, co-workers and family as a reminder that early voting is well underway. Election Day will be here before you know it. Let’s vote!

Early Voting Times & Locations 

Brown County

Callahan County

Johnson County

Palo Pinto County

Parker County

Shackelford County

Stephens County

Tarrant County

Wise County

Dear Friends,

The polls are open! Early voting for the November 8th election has now begun and runs through Friday, November 4th.

You may have seen or heard of some polls that show Republicans with comfortable leads. 

I urge you: ignore these polls. Democrats would love nothing more than to lull you into a sense of complacency to keep you at home.   

The truth is, Democrats have been pouring money into Texas trying to turn our state blue and implement their leftwing agenda here, and they’ve showed us what that looks like. Under Biden’s regime we’ve seen runaway inflation, unprecedented gas and grocery costs, a porous open border, supply chain gridlock, and a weakened national economy.  

It’s imperative that Republicans turn out and vote for every race all the way down the ballot. Let’s make our conservative voices heard!

For early voting locations and times please use the following links below. 

Sincerely,
Phil King
Senator-elect, Senate District 10
State Representative, House District 61

Early Voting Times & Locations 

Brown County

Callahan County

Johnson County

Palo Pinto County

Parker County

Shackelford County

Stephens County

Tarrant County

Wise County

Early Voting Begins Today!

Today marks the first day of early voting for the Primary Runoff Election. This is a very important election with several statewide races on the ballot including Attorney General, General Land Office and Railroad Commissioner. In addition to statewide races, we also have many local races and precinct chair races on the ballot. I have included a sample ballot for each county linked below. Every vote counts and can make a significant difference in this election. So please tell all of your family and friends to vote today. Hope to see you at the polls!

Early Voting runs Monday, May 16th (TODAY) through Friday, May 20th.  Election Day is on Tuesday, May 24th.

An easy way to find polling locations is to log into “My Voter Portal” on the Secretary of State website for a list of all voting locations in your county. I have also included links below for voting locations and sample ballots by county.  

Brown County
Voting Locations & Sample Ballots

Callahan County 
Voting Locations & Sample Ballots

Johnson County
Voting Locations & Sample Ballots

Palo Pinto County
Voting Locations & Sample Ballots

Parker County
Voting Locations & Sample Ballots

Shackelford County
Voting Locations & Sample Ballots

Stephens County
Voting Locations & Sample Ballots

Tarrant County 
Voting Locations & Sample Ballots

Wise County
Voting Locations & Sample Ballots

Representative King serves House District 61 in the Texas Legislature.  He serves as Vice Chair of the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute and is the past National Chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council, an organization of state legislators dedicated to the principles of limited government, free markets, and federalism.  A former Fort Worth police officer, King currently serves in the Texas State Guard.  He earned a B.A. and M.B.A. from Dallas Baptist University, where he served as an adjunct professor and taught Constitutional Law. He earned his law degree from Texas A&M University School of Law in Fort Worth (formerly Texas Wesleyan).  Phil and his wife Terry are active members of Trinity Bible Church in Weatherford where Phil is an attorney and small businessman.  They are the proud parents of six children and are blessed with seventeen grandchildren.