Ep. 122 - Texas Healthcare, Education Funding, & Property Taxes w/Rep. Donna Howard

How can Texas improve healthcare access, strengthen public education, and prepare its workforce while balancing competing budget priorities?

On this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail welcomes State Representative Donna Howard, who represents House District 48, for a wide-ranging conversation on healthcare, higher education, workforce development, public school funding, and the state's fiscal outlook. As Vice Chair of both the House Higher Education Committee and Article II Appropriations, Howard offers insight into some of the biggest policy debates facing Texas ahead of the next legislative session.

The discussion explores the challenges of funding public education, improving rural healthcare access, expanding workforce training through community colleges, and addressing shortages of nurses and healthcare providers. Howard also discusses property tax relief, the Sunset Commission's ongoing review of health agencies, dementia research, and how lawmakers are preparing for the state's next budget cycle.

The episode covers:

Texas public education funding and property taxes

Community colleges, workforce development, and credentials of value

Rural healthcare access and provider shortages

Expanding the role of nurse practitioners

Sunset Commission priorities and state health agencies

Texas budget outlook heading into the next legislative session

Howard also discusses child healthcare, Medicaid enrollment challenges, maternal healthcare deserts, medical research, housing growth, local infrastructure, and the difficult balancing act legislators face when weighing competing policy priorities.

00:00 — Community college funding controversy