Speaker Burrows lists data centers, property taxes and annexing slice of New Mexico among 2027 priorities

Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, a Republican from Lubbock, has unveiled his interim charges for the 2027 legislative session, outlining the House's key priorities. Among the directives, which also include property tax relief and studying the secession of New Mexico counties, are significant mandates concerning data center development in Texas. These charges largely overlap with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's initial agenda, focusing on shared concerns like property taxes and state security, while also addressing a broader range of policy issues. Speaker Burrows has specifically tasked the House State Affairs Committee with recommending methods to streamline regulations on data center development, aiming to facilitate growth while ensuring communities can responsibly plan and manage its impact. Concurrently, the Natural Resources Committee is instructed to investigate the total water usage of data centers throughout Texas. This committee will also explore strategies to optimize water resources and promote water stewardship, with the goal of fostering water-efficient data center development within the state. Beyond data centers, Burrows' priorities encompass various other policy areas. The Ways and Means Committee will evaluate property tax system reforms, including compressing school district tax rates and increasing the school homestead exemption. The House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee is charged with reviewing existing Texas law to prevent the permeation of foreign laws contrary to the U.S. and Texas constitutions, while the homeland security panel will address foreign adversary influence operations. Notably, border security, a prominent issue in previous sessions, was omitted from the speaker's current list of interim priorities.