Big Decisions, Big Impact: What Texas Leaders Should Watch at the Capitol During the Final Countdown
With just two weeks left in the 2025 legislative session, the Texas Capitol is buzzing. From record-breaking tax relief to workforce training and school finance, decisions being made right now will shape how Texas businesses grow, hire, and compete for years to come.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the major updates—and why they matter for you.
The Final Two Weeks
Here are the top legislative issues you should be tracking as we enter the homestretch:
Final decisions on property tax relief and infrastructure funding
Passage of workforce training bills
Outcomes of election law changes affecting access
Senate action on education reforms shaping future talent
Local control bills that could impact permits, ordinances, or operations
Let’s dive into some of the details.
Elections & Voting Access
A set of election bills is generating debate in workforce-heavy regions:
Proposals to limit countywide voting centers in major metros like Houston and Dallas are gaining traction.
A bill expanding the Attorney General’s role in prosecuting election-related cases is also moving ahead.
The Bottom Line: Stable, accessible elections are good for business. When employees can vote easily, civic participation and confidence in local institutions goes up. That’s why business and civic groups are quietly advocating to keep access strong in workforce hubs.
Workforce Development
Texas is gearing up to invest in its talent pipeline:
$200 million in grants for employer-community college partnerships are headed for a final vote.
New bipartisan bills focus on building workforce capacity in semiconductors, clean energy, defense, and advanced manufacturing.
Lawmakers are also stabilizing public-sector employment with retirement and benefits reforms.
The Bottom Line: These bills could help you hire and retain skilled talent locally, especially if you operate in a high-growth or technical industry.
Education Reform
While school voucher debates grab headlines, other education wins are flying under the radar:
Voucher expansion will likely be limited to low-income and special needs students as a compromise.
Public school funding increases are moving ahead, with boosts for math, science, and CTE (Career and Technical Education) programs.
CTE pilot programs are expanding from 20 to 30 districts statewide, directly linking schools to real workforce needs.
The Bottom Line: The future workforce is being trained now. These shifts support a pipeline of job-ready grads for sectors like tech, health, and manufacturing.
Budget & Infrastructure
Lawmakers are hammering out the final details of a historic state budget. Key highlights:
$55 billion in property tax relief is advancing, including expanded homestead exemptions and tax rate compression that will help small businesses cope with rising property values.
$1 billion in infrastructure investment is moving forward, including improvements to border ports, trade corridors, and energy systems—vital for Texas’s fast-growing industrial hubs.
The Bottom Line: These investments will affect YOUR bottom line. Lower taxes mean more capital to reinvest, and upgraded infrastructure boosts productivity and connectivity.
Property Tax Relief
Lawmakers are finalizing a broad tax relief package:
Homestead exemptions are set to increase to $125,000, a move that will help many employees and business owners alike.
A companion bill for small commercial property relief is gaining traction.
Long-term ideas, like consumption-based tax pilot programs, are quietly being explored.
The Bottom Line: If you own physical property, relief is on the way. This could lower overhead costs and boost your ability to grow in place.