Michael Searle

A Texas governor can veto, call special sessions and sign directives alone. The rest of Gov.-elect Hinojosa's agenda needs the Legislature, and three pledges need two-thirds of each chamber, which neither party holds. thetexasdispatch.com/texas-g…

Texas could face a $770 million annual obligation to fund SNAP benefits under new federal rules, even as food banks across the state struggle to meet growing demand. Celia Cole, CEO of @FeedingTexas, joins @bradswail on @TXTalksPodcast to discuss rising food insecurity, the consequences of federal changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the difficult decisions facing Texas lawmakers ahead of the 2027 legislative session. Feeding Texas represents a network of 20 food banks serving all 254 Texas counties. Cole explains how rising food prices, transportation costs, and household expenses are putting increasing pressure on families, particularly in rural communities where grocery stores and affordable fresh food can be difficult to access. The conversation examines changes to SNAP under H.R. 1, commonly known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Cole explains how new federal cost-sharing requirements could leave Texas responsible for approximately $770 million annually if the state's SNAP payment error rate remains above the federal threshold. She also addresses a critical distinction often overlooked in the debate: SNAP payment errors are not the same as fraud. According to Cole, SNAP enrollment in Texas has declined by approximately 738,000 participants, or 20%, over the past year. She discusses expanded work requirements, administrative challenges, and the consequences for children, older adults, and working families who depend on food assistance. Brad and Celia also explore whether food banks, churches, and private charities could realistically replace declining government food assistance. Cole explains that for every meal provided by food banks, SNAP provides approximately nine, illustrating the enormous scale of the federal program. The discussion turns to the economic consequences of hunger, including its effects on health care costs, children's education, workforce productivity, and local businesses. Cole argues that maintaining access to food assistance is both a humanitarian priority and an important economic consideration for Texas. They also examine possible solutions, including reducing the state's SNAP payment error rate, improving government technology, strengthening employee training, and delaying the new federal cost-sharing requirements. Finally, Cole outlines Feeding Texas's legislative priorities, including protecting funding for surplus agricultural products, improving SNAP employment and training programs, and expanding access to summer food assistance for children. Can Texas address growing hunger while navigating new federal requirements and mounting budget pressures?

Texas 2036's tenth statewide poll found 67.7% of voters extremely or very concerned about the state's future, a record, and only about half saying they've personally benefited from the state's growth. thetexasdispatch.com/john-hr…

Texas has experienced extraordinary economic growth over the past 25 years, but are Texans actually feeling the benefits? @JohnHryhorchuk , Senior Vice President of @AdvocacyPolicy at Texas 2036, returns to Texas Talks with @bradswail to discuss the organization's latest statewide polling, the issues motivating Texas voters, and the policy challenges facing lawmakers ahead of the 2027 legislative session. Despite decades of economic expansion, Texas 2036's polling reveals a growing disconnect between the state's economic success and how residents feel about their own lives. Only 52% of surveyed voters believe they have personally benefited from Texas's growth, while 67.7% say they are extremely or very concerned about the future. John explains what these findings reveal about affordability, economic opportunity, and voters' confidence in their ability to control their own futures. He also examines the surprising areas of agreement between Republicans and Democrats, particularly on education, health care, and infrastructure. Education emerges as one of the strongest priorities in the polling, with voters emphasizing the importance of children reading and performing math at grade level. The conversation explores why education has risen in importance, how attitudes toward border security have shifted, and what these changes could mean for the next legislative session. Health care affordability is another major concern. John discusses widespread dissatisfaction with the current system, growing support for price transparency and oversight of health care consolidation, and the rising insurance costs facing Texas teachers. The discussion then turns to water, electricity, and the rapid expansion of data centers across Texas. While data centers receive significant public attention, Texas 2036's polling suggests voters are more strongly motivated by broader concerns about affordable electricity, reliable water infrastructure, and everyday quality of life. Brad and John also explore how Texas government agencies can better coordinate their data to improve services, evaluate education and workforce outcomes, and help policymakers respond more quickly to changing economic conditions. Finally, they examine the growing influence of artificial intelligence in classrooms and the workforce, the importance of career and technical education, and the challenges of preparing students for jobs that may look very different in the years ahead. As Texas approaches its bicentennial in 2036, the conversation raises a fundamental question: Can the state translate its remarkable economic growth into a better quality of life for all Texans? Join Brad Swail and John Hryhorchuk on Texas Talks for a data-driven discussion about the future of Texas and the decisions facing its elected leaders.

Is the Texas Data Center Queue a Bubble? Expert Explains the Numbers Dr. Joshua Rhodes breaks down the massive ERCOT large-load interconnection queue and why the biggest headline numbers (400+ GW) are unrealistic. He covers the jump from recent peak demand growth to speculative forecasts, how unsigned load requests flooded the system after AI took off, the old ad-hoc process that couldn’t handle the volume, and why only 20–30% of projects in the generation queue historically get built. A clear explanation of the gap between requested data center load and what the Texas grid can actually support. @bradswail @joshdr83 @TXTalksPodcast #ERCOT #DataCenters #AI #TexasGrid #EnergyPolicy

ERCOT’s large-load queue, mostly data centers, has passed 400 gigawatts. UT Austin researcher Joshua Rhodes says that number is unrealistic, but the data center boom is still real. @GregAbbott @ercot_iso @utaustin @ColumbiaUEnergy @ideasmithsLLC @austinenergy @generac @joshdr83 buff.ly/c2b8deb

Can Texas produce enough electricity to power the artificial intelligence revolution, or are the state's massive data center projections creating an infrastructure bubble? Host is @bradswail talks with @joshdr83 , a research scientist at the University of Texas at Austin, nonresident fellow at Columbia University, founding partner of IdeaSmiths LLC, and host of the Energy Capital podcast, joins Brad Swail on Texas Talks to examine the future of Texas' electricity grid, the explosive growth of AI data centers, and the challenges facing ERCOT. Rhodes discusses the current state of the Texas power grid, including improvements made since Winter Storm Uri and remaining concerns about natural gas supply during extreme weather. He explains how new solar generation and battery storage helped Texas manage record electricity demand without the dramatic price spikes that have accompanied previous summer peaks. The conversation then turns to projections suggesting Texas could need approximately 400 gigawatts of electricity capacity to accommodate future demand. Rhodes argues that reaching those levels within the proposed timeframe would require an unprecedented expansion of power generation, transmission infrastructure, manufacturing capacity, and construction resources. Brad and Joshua explore whether the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure and data centers resembles an economic bubble, what happens if proposed projects never materialize, and whether excess power generation could ultimately benefit ordinary Texans through lower electricity prices. They also discuss the potential of small modular nuclear reactors and geothermal energy, the rising cost of natural gas turbines and transformers, and the question of who should pay for the infrastructure required by large technology companies. Beyond electricity demand, the discussion examines community concerns surrounding data center water consumption, cooling systems, noise pollution, local tax incentives, and the economic benefits these facilities can provide. Finally, Rhodes explains ERCOT's Batch Zero process, recent efforts to bring greater accountability to large-load connection requests, and what he hopes the 90th Texas Legislature will prioritize when developing future energy policies. From nuclear power and grid reliability to artificial intelligence, data centers, and electricity costs, this episode explores how Texas can balance economic growth, technological innovation, and affordable, reliable energy without placing unnecessary burdens on everyday Texans. @TXTalksPodcast

Nov. 3 ballots: $62.9B in local bonds, of which about $53.7B is for new developer districts. At least 35 school districts want operating rates above the cap. Early voting is open. @TexasObserver @tasb_news @accdistrict @mesquiteisdtx @GeorgetownISD @SpringISD @delvalleisd @teainfo @txcomptroller @DallasFed @dallascountytx @CyFairISD @austinisd @SocorroISD @Texas2036 @TexasTribune buff.ly/iYV5EMT

When Do You Shut a Government Program Down? | Rep. @CarlTepper @bradswail Austin spends about $35 million a year on homelessness and, Tepper says, it is worse. He contrasts that with a fight over $5 million for emergency services, then asks the question the hearing was actually about: at what point do you end a contract that is not delivering? Rep. Carl Tepper (R–Lubbock) on local governments, NGO contracts, people rolling off boards into the vendors they oversaw, and why he would rather not have had the program in the first place.

The Counties That Fund New Mexico Want Out | Rep. @CarlTepper @bradswail Four oil-producing counties on the Texas line generate about a third of New Mexico’s income. Their legislators asked to join Texas. Santa Fe has not agreed. Rep. Carl Tepper (R–Lubbock) explains who started it, why those counties already live off Lubbock, what the process requires in both capitals and in Congress, and why he puts the land at about $11 billion. He also gets into frontier counties, six-man football, and what those few people produce.

What do you do when voters keep re-electing a DA the Legislature doesn’t trust? One Republican lawmaker says a big new state prosecutor’s office might not be the answer. @DATravisCounty @TexasHouse @cleat @texastech @GregAbbott @DanPatrick @CarlTepper buff.ly/RmYvR8P

Texas State Representative @CarlTepper joins @bradswail on Texas Talks to discuss some of the major issues being examined by the House Select Committee on Governmental Oversight. Tepper discusses the committee’s examination of district attorneys and criminal prosecution, including the scrutiny surrounding the Travis County District Attorney’s Office and possible approaches lawmakers could consider during the 90th Texas Legislature. The conversation then turns west to a highly unusual question: Could counties currently in New Mexico eventually become part of Texas? Tepper discusses interest from communities along the Texas-New Mexico border, the economic and cultural ties between those counties and West Texas, and what would have to happen for a boundary change to move forward. Finally, Tepper and Brad discuss oversight of taxpayer-funded contracts, nonprofits and local government programs, including questions surrounding homelessness spending in Austin and how governments should respond when publicly funded programs fail to meet their goals.

Who's really driving up your hospital bill — hospitals, insurers, or the government payers covering 70% of patients? The incoming Texas Hospital Association chair has a clear answer. @texashospitals @RANDCorporation @urbaninstitute @uscbo @GregAbbott buff.ly/1gihQoK

In Part 1 of a special two-part Texas Talks series recorded live at the Texas Hospital Association Annual Conference in Fort Worth, host @bradswail sits down with Allen Harrison, President of Medical City Healthcare, @HCAhealthcare North Texas Division, and Chair-Elect of the @texashospitals Association Board of Trustees. Harrison shares the personal story that led him to a career in healthcare before turning to the financial pressures facing Texas hospitals and the growing debate over healthcare affordability. The conversation examines Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, uninsured patients, the role of commercial insurance, hospital pricing and the growing financial burden placed directly on patients. Harrison also discusses what Texas hospitals are watching ahead of the 90th Texas Legislature and why protecting existing Medicaid funding is a major priority. Brad and Harrison also explore Texas’ healthcare workforce, including improvements in the nursing shortage, continued demand for specialized healthcare workers and how the patient experience can be complicated by an increasingly difficult-to-understand billing system. This is Part 1 of our two-part Texas Hospital Association special. Part 2 continues tomorrow with another conversation from the THA Annual Conference.

In Part 2 of our special Texas Talks series recorded live at the @texashospitals Association Annual Conference in Fort Worth, host @bradswail sits down with Chris Bryan, Vice President of Clarity Child Guidance Center in San Antonio, to examine the state of children’s mental healthcare in Texas. Bryan shares the personal experience that led her from a career in technology to becoming an advocate for children’s mental health and explains how technology and social media have changed the environment in which children grow up. The conversation explores gaps in the mental health system, including the lack of a consistent continuum of care, difficulties sharing health information, insurance and reimbursement challenges, workforce shortages and the difference between having mental health coverage and actually being able to access treatment. Bryan also reflects on nearly two decades of advocacy at the Texas Capitol, how the conversation surrounding children’s mental health has changed and what she hopes lawmakers will address during the 90th Texas Legislature.

Is local control a constitutional right, or just a political convention Texas can override anytime? A new analysis traces how that question has reshaped state law since 2015. @TPPF @ksatnews @DATravisCounty @TxDPS @GregAbbott @DanPatrick @TxDOT @TexasTribune buff.ly/YcwY0pO

Why does Medicaid require a prescription for prenatal vitamins that can be bought over the counter? Host @BradSwail sits down with @KatrinaPierson to discuss prenatal vitamins, Medicaid requirements, access to maternal health care and the costs those policies can create for families.