Friday, August 21, 2020
State funding is now available for summer programs, such as Rose City Summer Camps, that partner with local school districts to provide academic learning to kids. House Bill 3, the major school finance reform bill, passed into law this session. Wanting solid programs like Rose City Summer Camps to continue to flourish, I proposed an amendment to ensure such camps would receive state funding. I was happy to see the final version of House Bill 3 did just that.... Read More
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Accountability and efficiency with your tax money is a common sense expectation. But the simple truth is that watching your money in Austin is easier said than done. That is why I sponsored a bill that will strengthen fiscal stewardship in Texas government. Here’s the background.... Read More
Thursday, July 18, 2019
Special-needs Texans need the kind of very special care provided by Breckenridge Village of Tyler (BVT). But when red tape in Austin blocked BVT from providing that care, I went to work. I had the privilege of authoring House Bill 3117, which the Governor signed into law.... Read More
Thursday, June 06, 2019
The 86th Legislative Session is done. There were great challenges. We had some wins, losses, and missed opportunities. Overall, I believe my record will reflect that I stood firm in the core values that are shared by so many in East Texas.... Read More
Thursday, March 28, 2019
BUDGET UPDATEI am not happy with this budget—it spends too much money overall. My mission is significant property tax relief, results-driven funding for public schools, and a leaner budget. Last night the House unanimously passed a preliminary budget, and sent it to the Senate where the next phase is underway. In committee, I voted “No” during the first step of the budget process.... Read More
Thursday, October 18, 2018
…And Texas Succeeds When Public Schools SucceedI am committed to the mission of our public schools. Period. Full stop. There are serious challenges facing our public schools, but we have also seen serious improvement. Schools in Tyler, Chapel Hill, Whitehouse, and Bullard are headed in the right direction. I make a habit of listening to teachers and leaders in our public schools.... Read More
Wednesday, August 08, 2018
If you live in Smith County, you might be vaguely aware that the Texas Republican Convention recently occurred in San Antonio this summer. And you might have heard through the grapevine that your State Representative, Matt Schaefer, spoke to a standing-room only crowd at the convention.... Read More
Wednesday, May 02, 2018
Open borders erode the sovereignty of our nation. We must replace chaos with order, and restore the rule of law.We ended last year with 2017 totals topping out at nearly 160,000 illegal immigrants apprehended in Texas on the Mexican border. That’s apprehended. Reliable sources in Texas law enforcement believe that for every one detained, two slip through.... Read More
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Early Voting is from February 20th to March 2nd and Election day is March 6th. For more information on times and more locations click here.... Read More
Thursday, January 25, 2018
TYLER – HOMELAND SECURITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE HEARING.... Read More
