Gov. Greg Abbott declares property‑tax relief and education pay as emergency items, pushes water, cyber and border measures

Governor Greg Abbott used his State of the State address in Austin to lay out a broad legislative agenda and declare multiple emergency items, urging the Texas Legislature to act this session on property taxes, education, water and public safety.

"I want at least $10,000,000,000 more in property tax cuts for our fellow Texans," Abbott said, and described measures to close local loopholes he said allowed some jurisdictions to raise property taxes without sufficient voter approval. "No taxing entity should be able to raise your property taxes without a two‑thirds approval of voters," he said, and announced he was making property tax relief an emergency item that must pass this session.

Education and school safety featured prominently. Abbott declared teacher pay an emergency item and said he wants to raise the average teacher salary to an all‑time high and expand merit pathways so some teachers can earn six‑figure pay. He also proposed increased spending to secure schools, stating in the address that "we must invest $5,500,000,000 more to better secure our schools" (the transcript contains a partial garble near this dollar figure). Abbott made "life changing career training" and school choice emergency items and cited examples of students and vocational programs he said illustrated the benefits of career pathways and education savings accounts.

Water and energy were other major themes. Abbott said Texas must make the largest investment in water in state history and declared that a generational water plan an emergency item; he also urged increased electric‑generation capacity and said Texas should "lead a nuclear power renaissance."

On public safety and immigration enforcement, Abbott reiterated support for Operation Lone Star, described recent border measures and said that operation helped reduce illegal crossings. He said he had ordered state agencies to assist federal authorities in arresting, jailing and deporting undocumented immigrants and urged cities and counties to fully cooperate. He also announced an emergency item to create a state cybersecurity command, partnering with the University of Texas at San Antonio, to respond to recent high‑profile cyberattacks.

Abbott reiterated his administration's push to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs from state agencies and public institutions that receive taxpayer dollars and said the state should prohibit noncitizens from serving in state and local government and foreign adversaries from buying land in Texas. He also voiced support for legislation to expand prosecutorial authority over alleged election violations.

Abbott closed by invoking Texas history and freedom as the rationale for his agenda and said the proposals require swift legislative action this session. Most of the items he declared are executive priorities or requests to the Legislature; none were enacted during the speech and will require bills and votes in the Legislature to take effect.