Elizabeth Stinsman

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

IP Security Alert!
From the Senate Higher Education Committee hearing, most people would think that CHINA, CHINA, CHINA, would be behind the attempted stealing of Intellectual Property, IP, from Universities.

But what was eye popping, 👀 was @tamusystem Associate Chancellor Kevin Gamache's comment that China is behind a whopping 92% of these attempts!

Fellow panelist Trey Atchley agrees, so watch this important clip of my question, and their answers, on this HUGE IP Security issue ongoing in General Academic Institutions, and what the state of Texas is doing about it! #txlege
@HagenbuchTX @CarolforTexas @PhilKingTX @TanParkerTX @AngelaPaxtonTX @SenRoyceWest

PS: Chair of the Higher Education Research Council Gamache joins me on the https://t.co/RcmmbalXny Amigos Show at 4:20pm to discuss.

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

Interesting morning in Finance Committee on Higher Education Transparency chaired by @joanhuffman!

Two reveals, Collin County Community College was the only Community College that had not responded to a Legislative Budget Board survey of GAIs and HRIs, but I suspect after a call by Sen @AngelaPaxtonTX and committee discussion, that will be resolved.

A more serious and chronic issue was LBB revealed that @TexasSouthern had not responded to the same survey in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2025.

Last year's omission finally triggered an audit by the Texas State Auditor's office. However, many Senators expressed concern that three years of non-compliance in the last decade should have triggered an audit by the State that might have been a deterrence to the massive multiple-digit million dollar TSU investigation underway.

SOLUTION: I will be filing a bill, with Senators @SenRoyceWest and @LoisKolkhorst that will require Higher Ed Institutions to have an internal auditor at each institution. The @utsystem does, and TSU just got one, so why not every GAI or HRI in Texas? #txlege

[Brad Mushinski @BradMushinski]

My campaign for City Council is about the 3 Ps — public safety, potholes and parks. I will prioritize your safety, fix our streets and work to provide a better quality of life for Houstonians. Grateful for the growing support and I ask for yours! Click here to get involved or make a contribution today — https://t.co/lugtOVvcOR

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

LOL, Apparently, I did well on the #ALEC26 AI data center panel in Orlando with economist @StephenMoore and former ALEC Board @SteveDelBianco, that in @thecentersquare article they gave me a battlefield promotion to U.S. Senator!
Well, "US" Senator or really Texas Senator or just plain old "Uncle Paul" I’ll stick to facts of public policy, like already 335 Data Centers are operating in Texas now. Literally, every application I used to fly to FLA and back, airlines, rental car, hotel, GIS Maps, and restaurant payments are in "the cloud" in a data center... Just doing research now for taxpayers is in the cloud, too. It's everywhere! Check out the story now!

https://t.co/sta8Isl6Ek

Moore framed it perfectly when he said this is an Indy 500 race with China, and you don’t win from the sidelines. DelBianco reminded everyone that when these projects are done right, the upsides are real, and the downsides get managed.

I gave out the facts that in Texas, we have 102k direct data center employees, more than 429k indirect workers in associated businesses. They have contributed $39 billion as an economic unit to the Texas Economy! We cut through the noise and the concerns around data centers and talked about what actually matters: opportunity, JOBS, American leadership, and building the future the right way which we can do even with Hyper-scale AI data centers.

On the way home, I sat next to young man 1/2 my age, and he's traded in his old ship channel job for a 6 figure one traveling the country building them. He told me about how much money his friends are making now even with high school, and quite frankly, they're astonished. I told him an old Aggie Prof and US Senator Phil Gramm summed it up; "He's happy for @elonmusk for making it rich because he made me and my wife a little richer too!"

Texans have never run from the future — we build it.

Thanks to CEO @LisaBNelson of @ALEC_States and @Taxeconomist and ALEC President @johnathanwilliams for an excellent panel, which I'll post up soon to #txlege.

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

Big day at #ALEC.

I was Honored to join @StephenMoore and @SteveDelBianco as the breakfast warmup on AI Data Centers. The real statistics cut through the noise: Texas already has over 335 data centers employing in 2024 more than 102,000 direct employees, 429k more associated employement, with over $39 Billion Dollars in generated econmic activity That’s serious investment, real jobs, and the kind of growth that powers our state economy.

Right after our panel, Phil Gramm (former #TAMU professor) delivered a strong message on economic capitalism and why sustained growth still matters for families and the future...

This organization gets it: economic growth first—means jobs ad opportunity for Texas families for their whole lives.

Proud to stand with other @ALEC_states leaders, @PhilKingTX , @CarolineForTX, Dr @TomOliverson, who still believe in free enterprise and Texas-sized opportunities! Senate Colleagues @ElectAHinojosa, @DennisPaulTexas, and @HagenbuchTX, all working in model bill policies, but "Uncle Paul," still batting 1,000 on his ALEC models bills! LOL

@PhilKingTX @candynoble @Lisabnelson

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

National Media, like @AP and @NewsHour, covering the fact that a year of Texas preparation made a real difference in helping to save lives in Hill Country Flash Floods. ✅ In Kerr and Kendall Counties, and the City of Ingram, newly installed flood sirens that were funded by my #SB3 sounded 🚨 out a warning to get folks to higher ground! They worked, along with multiple cell phone alerts, and over a hundred private, city, and county sirens, blaring away BEFORE the flash floodwaters rose - giving Texans the warning our neighbors didn’t have last July.

All that worked, and it saved lives. Sadly, two people were killed, but that was with the Guadalupe River cresting at even higher levels than the previous year. A lot of effort and legislative changes, with government, camps, and private companies all doing their part to make a difference in less than one year. Like I told @boiseboone with the AP, it's an ENORMOUS improvement! #txlege

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

Great Voter Integrity Discussion last night with Senator @SenBryanHughes, "Uncle Paul", and @ChadEnnisTX at the @honestelections with @TPPatriots, @Heritage_Action, @TPPF, @JoseMelendezTX, @bekabrown93, @The_ACRU.

Sen. Hughes and I spoke of our experiences passing landmark Voter Integrity bills, anti-DEI legislation and a lot more through the Senate State Affairs Committee of which he is Chair. We talked about my Local Government Committee Housing Affordability bills we both passed, Record Property Tax Homestead Exemptions, and my bills removing a corrupt Election Administration Office by Replacing it with Elected Officials in Harris County.

Great interview, great crowd, and excellent questions!
Glad to see Rep @ValoreeforTexas, @NormaJeter, @GailStanart and @StanStanart, who is running for state Rep and so many others. Thanks to the Sponsors! #txlege

PS: Listen to Chairman Hughes and I discuss Voter Integrity issues at 5:20pm on 700am or https://t.co/Df3w4LYRTq

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

🚨 Multiple Media reports of flash-flood warning sirens going off in Kerr County this morning due to very heavy rainfall, and the flood warning from @WestTxStringer shows the Hunt County notice of a potential rise of 32 feet in the Guadalupe River which is, again, catastrophic flooding.

As the SB3 bill author with sponsor Rep @TerryWilsonTX, you never want to hear that the 1st 6 Upper Guadalupe River Authority installed flash flood warning sirens are blaring away, but it gave those that heard them and others downstream notice to get to higher ground immediately, and out of the way of another deadly rushing wall of water!

It is just nearly unbelievable that the same @cityofkerrville Mayor @joeherringjr community is having such a terrible flood in back-to-back years, but thankful that all their efforts and of Kerr County, @twdb, #UGRA, that got the initial #SB3 siren systems in place and activated, where they helped save lives today, along with multiple cell phone alerts. #txlege @PeteFlores_TX @wesvirdelltx, Speaker @Burrows4TX, @DanPatrick, @GovHotWheels_TX

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

Great memorial service underway for Dr. Sloan at @HouChristianU! His Son @paulthomasloan and Friends have shared a great series of remembrances, and with Dr. Sloan’s leadership over 20 years, HBU turned into HCU and quite a success in SW Houston!

HCU is a gem of a University that needs more coverage of how well the HCU Trustees, @SenBryanHughes, @leachfortexas, @KevinRobertsTX, @GreggMatte, etc. and new president, are carrying on Dr. Sloan’s vision. Godspeed to Sue and the family. So many in attendance, including mayor @whitmire_john, councilmember Willie Davis, @jonathansaenzTX, @Bacarisse etc...

Pastor Davis will be calling in to 700 AM, https://t.co/Rcmmbalpy0 at 5:20PM today to discuss this and issues in the City of Houston. #txlege

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

Please note an important correction posted by a @KXANnews editor on their San Marcos' AI data center ordinance. See picture attached.

I appreciate their correction as they used another news source that correctly said I expected San Marcos' use of zoning to ban AI data centers everywhere to be challenged, not to claim in the original headline that I "plan to challenge", implying I would file a lawsuit myself...

Here's my actual statement, word for word:
"They should not use zoning to ban anything everywhere in the city of San Marcos, because that's not lawful under the state of Texas guidelines. A ban doesn't work here, and this will get challenged."

As the Senate Local Government Chair, I must warn cities that de facto bans of anything broad, Pawn Shops, Manufactured Housing, AI/Data centers, etc. using city zoning rules to prevent something everywhere within a city's boundaries, conflicts with state law, and it would be challenged.

Facts matter — especially in reporting on #txlege. I appreciate @KXAN making it right.

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

💥Happy Independence Day📷!

Here are some wise words spoken by great Americans throughout history, including from Ulysses S. "Unconditional Surrender" Grant, my 6th cousin twice removed!

#America250📷 #july4th📷 #IndependenceDay📷 #freedom! #liberty #txlege

[Elizabeth Stinsman @ERoseDillon]

@FreddyLA7 Drive Route 66 across the country!

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

Another example of the Socialist Democrat Judge Lina Hidalgo and the 4-1 majority on the Harris County Commissioners Court spending county tax dollars on their “pet” leftist progressive projects against state law!

This time once again, Attorney General @KenPaxtonTX sues, and wins, stopping the spending of county tax dollars on illegal immigrants’ defense here in Harris County! Harris County Commissioners Court complains they don’t have enough money, but Republican Commissioner @HarrisCoPct3 is right; they spend a LOT of money on many things they shouldn’t!! #txlege

See the press release attached to read the full story!

@Thelastlomax @hollyshansen @GrooganFox26 @TomAbrahams13 @radioguycliff @BillKingHouston @KPRC2Rilwan @MarcelinoKHOU @JeremySWallace @ASchneider_HPM

https://t.co/lr4pAwRvmP

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

"LT. DAN" has a podcast! Yes, Lt Gov. Dan Patrick has posted his 1st interview with none other than @KenPaxtonTX on his race for US Senate. Check it out at https://t.co/PDakp7MGYm!

We’ll have Lt Gov. @DanPatrick on the @KSEVRadio show in the 5 O'clock hour to talk about it on https://t.co/Rcmmbalpy0!

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

A BIG Reveal this week 1st captured by @hollyshansen on @TheTexanNews that, in a response to my hearing question, 11 companies worth $800 billion dollars in total have been advised NOT to redomesticate their Corporations to Texas! The culprits are "Proxy Advisory Services" @issgovernance (ISS) & @GlassLewis that are telling company shareholders of @exxonmobil, @DowJones, @WeatherfordCorp, etc... not to move their corporate addresses to Texas because of their political bias for #DEI, #ESG, etc... which was addressed by SB 2337, @SenBryanHughes.

We've tangled with @issgovernance before at a State Senate hearing in Marshall, TX as they had advised our own ERS (Employee Retirement System) not to invest in high yield Texas Energy projects.
https://t.co/GgGVcsKH2P

They're in federal court getting an injunction because they do not want to follow this new law that says they have to disclose any recommendations based upon political reasons, and not for just shareholder value. @GlassLewis didn't even bother to show-up or send a letter, they just "ghosted" the Senate State Affairs Committee hearing. Long-time watchers of #txlege might guess what could come next! @TexasSenateGOP #Eric Bledsoe @JamesRCopland, #Christopher Babcock #Brad Hubbard @EricaGrieder @lbrezosky @DallasBizNews @PaulCobler @sashabella_r @JanelForte @LoriCHawkins @statesman @HoustonChron @SaExpressNews @TexasTribune @HOUBizJournal @TPPF

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

Sometimes it takes a couple of years in this frothy political effort for critics of election integrity to admit the truth! They WORK!

My Senate Bill 1933 has set up Secretary of State oversight over Harris County AND any county with unresolved @TXsecofstate election audit issues.

Remember Uncle Paul’s motto: “What gets measured, gets fixed!”

Val Verde County Judge has used SB1933 to trigger his own counties problematic voter registration department! So, even the critics agree that SB1933 is a GOOD election integrity reform in Texas! Read the story now! #txlege @TPPF @txclerks @cindySiegel5 @TexasSenateGOP @TexasGOP @PressleyRoxATX @duke4texas @BillSargent1 @hollyshansen

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

Had a HUGE blast with #SD7 at the Convention Caucus with members from Harris and Montgomery Counties, as one of the keys to fighting Leftist Progressive Socialists is to elect Republicans statewide! Hats off to everyone that attended and who will work to elect the Republican Ticket in the Fall.

Great seeing all the attendees this morning! (Plus @NormaJeter back after her surgery!) @TexasSenateGOP #txlege

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

AI data centers are on everybody’s mind coast-to-coast and the subject of bunch of scrolling!

IPO proposals for these new projects are changing rapidly and hundreds are being proposed. Note: Every five months, the speed at which these data centers calculate is doubling. New ideas like having AI data centers bring their own power like electrical generation turbines or closed-loop water systems for cooling, are both good public policy ideas and industry practices that need robust policy discussions. Not all of the hundreds of projects being talked about are actually going to be built… BUT, NO DOUBT basic things like workforce training are part of good workforce education practices, no matter what happens.

Case in point, @Meta providing a $115M first-year private-sector workforce investment that creates a cost-free pathway into the skilled trades needed to build America’s AI and data center infrastructure, is a good idea! Real training for jobs like fiber technicians, electricians, welders, plumbers, HVAC technicians, mechanics, etc. matter with participants receiving support while they train, graduate with industry-recognized NCCER credentials and an America’s Workforce Certificate, and if they finish the training, are given a 100% guaranteed job per Metas release!

And Meta launching this America’s Workforce Academy program in only four pilot states, with Texas being one of them and Houston selected as a pilot city, is no surprise as we are a major job creation engine of the country! 🇺🇸
@ABCNational @ccianet @CBRE @Entergy @NationalACE @TechNetUpdate #txlege

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

HUGE Fun this Friday: "Uncle Paul" is joining @jimcardle, @lynnwoolley with @cardlewoolley, and @TPPF's own Host Sherry Sylvester for Winners and Losers LIVE! 🏆🇺🇸 It's like the GREATEST Radio talk show for an hour, and the BIGGEST policy & political discussion in Texas RIGHT NOW on who's winning in TX politics, who's having a "rough month," and what it means for Texans! Our opinions, your questions. Just STRAIGHT ANSWERS. 💪 Then the audience gets to vote on the BIGGEST winners AND losers in Texas politics right now! That's right, the audience decides!

Proud to be part of this event hosted by @sylvester1630 at @TPPF’s premier stage 📅 THIS FRIDAY, June 5th ⏰ 11:30– 1PM 💻 Livestream of the conversation will be available at https://t.co/0v2Vba9Ji9! Don't miss it!!🤠🇺🇸 #txlege

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

Never say never on a @SecJaneNelson retirement! LOL!!

I congratulated her once on leaving the Texas Senate, only to see her successfully manage 6 elections in her tenure as the longest-serving Secretary of State during my time of service in the Texas Senate!

So, I will take the chance on a second congratulations to her, knowing that she’s not done yet, and no doubt, I’ll have to do it again!

I have attached her press release on her time in office, and you can see the extensive effort she put into modernizing @TXsecofstate, which was desperately needed. Helping a record 3 million active business filers in Texas, participating in more than 200 engagements with the diplomatic corps, and leading six foreign trade missions for Texas is her legacy. This sets a high bar for future Secretaries of State, as few could have started this second portion of her government career with a 31-0 unanimous confirmation. #txlege @TexasSenateGOP