Gracie Peters

tamu

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

With this revelation from @TrueTexasTea that one soon-to-be former educator had 10 total sexual crime charges in two different counties (6 new charges in @HCSheriffDept, and 4 charges out of @JCSO_Texas), I demanded a joint TEA and local law enforcement response, and now from TEA Commissioner Mike Morath: "We're working with local law enforcement on a full investigation."

Important to hear of action taken by @teainfo Commissioner Morath, as this "pass the trash" case is one of the worst I've seen since in #txed since passing SB 7, the Inappropriate Student Teacher Relationship Act, in 2017.

It's time for any @tasanet Education Administrator in Hardin, Jefferson, or any other County that knew about this long-term perpetrator's actions to have accountability in the law in SB 571, which was passed by #txlege overwhelmingly.

To protect our school kids, EVERYONE must be vigilant and NOT look the other way! Report, Report, Report, and block perps like this on the DNH!

House Ed Chair @BradBuckleyDVM, Senate Ed Chair @DonnaCampbellTX, @BeaumontISD, @KountzeISD, @VidorISD, @HJISD, @JasperISD

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

A RARE WIN for property owners in the "People's Republic of Austin," and it applies to Texas Property owners across the State of Texas! 🇺🇸

I authored SB 2038 so Texans could ESCAPE long-term city ETJ control, and only in Austin did bureaucrats there try to renege en-mass on their required acceptances of these Taxpayer letters, leaving Austin's ETJ.

Nearly 170 property owners near the old Bee Caves Armory did just that, and as required under SB 2038, the City had to release them from their ETJ's restrictive regulations written in an age of forced annexations that no longer exists. Then the City tried to claw them back, trying to claim the old Armory was an active "military base" as an excuse not to do legally what they had already done, which is to let the taxpayers go FREE into the County...

But then these homeowners fought back, and last week, federal Judge Robert Pitman, GRANTED a preliminary injunction stopping the City of Austin’s move to once again trample Texans property rights! The law is clear!! Once folks are out of any Texas City Extra Territorial Jurisdiction, they’re GONE!

A WIN for Texans! #PropertyRights and a good bill, SB 2038, passed by the 89th #txlege! Here is the finding below👇 and read the story by @seanhemmers34! @TPPF @TSNTexas

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

Texas’ Sales Tax Holiday starts TOMORROW Friday 8/7 and runs through Sunday, August 9 at midnight! ✅💰

Per the office of @txcomptroller, Texans are expected to save an estimate of $142.5 million during the sales tax holiday. A BIG chunk of that is going to taxpayers in @HoustonTX, Harris County, and surrounding counties.

Families get to keep more of their hard-earned money in their pockets during this back to school season.... as a wide variety of items are tax exempt! #TxEd

Good luck to all our students this school year! 📚 #txlege @LigonForTexas @CarolforTexas @DennisPaulTexas @BorrisLMiles @joanhuffman @LoisKolkhorst @MollyforTexas

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

LANDMARK JUDICIAL RULING 🚨

Federal Judge David Hittner, a well-respected Juris in Houston, who was actually appointed by President Reagan just overturned Houston’s race-based contracting program, ruling it unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment.

This is the 1st ruling to apply the Supreme Court’s 2023 affirmative action decision to government contracting... not just college admissions. Judge David Hittner was clear: Houston could not produce any evidence to justify treating business owners differently based on race!

The Constitution doesn’t have carve-outs, folks. Equal protection means equal for EVERYONE, not preferential treatment for some, but not others. As a Reaganite myself, my litmus test has always been the value of work performed, and Judge Hittner aced it! #txlege @TPPF @ALEC_states @RonaldReagan @GoldwaterInst @FedSoc @Univision

[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]

Per this report... this is a terrible case of a perpetrator the system should've caught, but somebody has been looking the other way and I'm going to make an example of why this cannot occur in the future!

I am insisting that the @teainfo conduct an investigation of how this person could go from 4 different districts in the last 7 years... and 2 districts in the past 2 years! Why is there no reporting done by any of the Superintendents or Principals? This is beyond what the public can tolerate!

An investigation should've happened long ago and I want to know why it never happened! There are SUBSTANTIAL penalties for people knowingly not reporting this type of injurious behavior! #TxEd

There are PLENTY of laws passed by #txlege that exist to stop this.... why did it not occur?! @TrueTexasTea

[Team Bettencourt @TeamBettencourt]

Today in Senate Finance, led by Chair @joanhuffman we dug into the EXPLOSIVE growth of data centers in Texas and per @isaiahemitchell below... When did this occur?

HERE ARE THE FACTS:
-335 data centers operating across Texas RIGHT NOW
-Texas is #2 in the nation, behind only Virginia
-The industry has grown far faster than anyone expected when the exemption was first put in place

Data centers got started in Texas in 2013, but the hockey stick hit in 2021 as COVID accelerated the digitization of our entire economy! Remote work made “where you sleep” more important than “where you work,” and demand for data usage at home EXPLODED!

Here’s something the public should know: whether it says “AI” on it or not, these data services are already everywhere in Texas. On a recent trip to Florida, every app I used - airlines, hotels, restaurants, gas stations - ran on "the cloud." As @txcomptroller Chief Revenue Estimator Brad Johnson said: "The cloud is NOT in the atmosphere."

Some people may not know this, but we have @PhilKingTX to thank, as he authored SB 6 last session, letting Texas lead the way with AI Data Centers!

It’s physical: servers and storage in real buildings... That’s why data center physical security matters just as much as cybersecurity.

The exemption helped attract this industry. Now the cost to taxpayers has grown into the billions, and it’s our job to take a hard look at whether the benefits still justify the costs! #txlege

[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

[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]

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]

Congratulations to @DrindaRandall, our new Republican Party of Texas Chair!

She earned tremendous support from Senate Districts across Texas, including #SD7, who voted 70% for her! Members of the @TexasSenateGOP Caucus proudly stood with her today at the @TexasGOP Convention as energized statewide Republicans unite behind conservative leadership, election integrity, and the grassroots work needed to win the election this November. Onward to victory! #txlege #TexasGOP 💪

@joanhuffman @AngelaPaxtonTX @HagenbuchTX @SenBryanHughes @TanParkerTX @DennisPaulTexas @TrentAshbyTX @PhilKingTX @ElectAHinojosa @LoisKolkhorst @kevinsparkstx @SenBobHall @DavidCookTexas

[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]

I expressed my profound disappointment that ISS, and Glass Lewis did not respond to a request by Chair @SenBryanHughes to attend the State Affairs Committee on proxy voting recommendations against Texas Energy Projects to our own Texas funds against SB 2337 and filed suits. In Marshall, @SenBryanHughes convened a groundbreaking hearing, talking about ESG, Environmental Social Governance, political activism public policy driving investment recommendations. I, myself, debated with an ISS representative on why they recommended against our own employee retirement system funds, investing in high rate of return Texas Energy projects. This is due to an ISS political view, NOT the benefits of a return to shareholders.

Both of these companies have a LONG history of recommendations BASED UPON politics being documented by multiple witnesses' testimony today.

So one firm responds by letter, and the other “ghosts,” a non-response. This is not public transparency.

Dean @JudithZaffirini pointed out that ISS could have attended with an attorney advising them to answer or not. Chair @SenBryanHughes agreed and said they were told that in advance, and they still refuse to attend. #txlege
@TexasSenateGOP @AngelaPaxtonTX @SenBobHall @ElectAHinojosa @TanParkerTX @electcharles @DrSchwertner

[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]

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]

💥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

[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]

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]

🚨 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]

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