Texas Government Insider
2026 Archive
Garland plans $360M in bond projects under new mayor
Garland residents have set the stage for future growth, closing out 2025 with fresh city leadership and capital priorities, approving a $360 million bond funding street, park, cultural and economic development projects and electing Dylan Hedrick as its first new mayor...
Tarleton State University plans new $57M on-campus parking garage
Tarleton State University, through the Texas A&M University System, will spend $57 million to build a new multifaceted parking garage. Construction is slated to begin in December 2026. The project will replace an existing surface parking long with a five-level,...
Dallas County advances plan for $5B jail replacement
A new jail is in the cards in Dallas County as officials move to build a $5 billion replacement for the county's current 50-year-old facility. A judge recently announced that the county will advance the project later this year, making progress on a...
Sugar Land reinvigorates public safety under $63M police facility overhaul
The city of Sugar Land will spend roughly $63.2 million to build a new police department building and renovate the existing police facility. Construction is expected to begin in October 2026. The current police department building no longer possesses the needed space...
New state leader helms Texas’ Commission of Insurance
The Governor’s Office announced Jan. 8 the appointment of Amanda Crawford as the state’s next Commissioner of Insurance for a term set to expire in Feb. 1 2027. Crawford, a Round Rock native, is the state’s current Chief Information Officer and executive director for...
Federal award kick starts Texas’ $1.4B rural healthcare plan
Texas will distribute more than $1.4 billion over five years to improve rural healthcare services following the state’s funding approval through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The funding, awarded through CMS’s Rural Health Transformation...
DIR, Texas Tech target cybersecurity in energy infrastructure under new program
The Department of Information Resources (DIR) - in collaboration with Texas Tech University’s Global Laboratory for Energy Asset Management and Manufacturing (GLEAMM) has launched a new training course to better protect and harden cybersecurity for...
State awards $25M to expand recovery housing through UTHealth Houston
UTHealth Houston will receive $25 million in state funding to expand and enhance recovery housing resources, assisting individuals recovering from an opioid use disorder. Delivered by the Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council (OAFC), the funding will enable recipients...
Christianne Simmons: Fort Worth’s Chief Transformation Officer
Strategic Partnerships, Inc. salutes you, public sector officials: The Profiles in Power section spotlights and recognizes powerful figures across America’s public sector landscape. This week’s Profile in Power is Christianne Simmons, Fort Worth’s Chief Transformation...
Mineral Wells secures nearly $60M for systemwide water upgrade
The city of Mineral Wells, Texas, is entering the design phase for a water system improvement project following the approval of $58.8 million in state funding from the Texas Water Development Board (TWDB). Construction is slated for early 2027. The TWDB will deliver...
TFC appoints new leader as major state facility projects continue
In late December, the Texas Facilities Commission (TFC) appointed Will McKerall as interim executive director, filling the role of former executive director Mike Novak. McKerall officially assumed his responsibilities on Jan. 2, 2026. McKerall has been with the TFC...
Austin Energy outlines $735M plan to strengthen grid resilience
Austin Energy has announced its Electric System Resiliency Plan (ESRP) - a $735 million strategy designed to bolster the city’s energy resilience and reliability under extreme conditions. The ESRP outlines a series of measures to help ensure Austin residents,...
State unveils leadership for budget, policy team
Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed five staff leadership roles in the Budget and Policy Division within the Office of the Governor. The Budget and Policy Division advises the governor on matters of creating and implementing state policy and fiscal information and...