89th Legislative Session
With the 89th Legislative Session kicking off this week, the Texas Association of Business (TAB) opens its 2025 Policy Conference, featuring one-on-one fireside chats with Texas business leaders and public officials who will be at the forefront of crafting policies to make the Texas economic engine even stronger.
- Joe Lonsdale is managing partner at 8VC, an early-stage venture capital firm that manages over $6 billion in capital. He has co-founded several major companies including Palantir, Addepar, and OpenGov, and was the founding chairman of the University of Austin (UATX). He’ll speak about Texas’ unique position to support innovators and entrepreneurs who are working to promote ground-breaking solutions to complex challenges.
- Nicole Nosek is Chair of the Board of Texans for Reasonable Solutions, which works to remove barriers for Texans seeking to achieve the American Dream of homeownership. She’ll speak to how our state’s fast-growing population increases demand for housing opportunities as businesses expand and relocate to Texas.
- Adriana Cruz is the state’s Chief Economic Development officer and Executive Director of Governor Abbott’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism. She will speak to our state’s economic outlook and the work of her office in attracting businesses to relocate, expand, grow, and create jobs for Texans.
- Megan Mauro, TAB’s Executive VP and Chief of Staff and leader of the Tech Means Business Coalition will discuss policy priorities focused on maintaining the national epicenter of technology innovation and growth.
A discussion of ways to keep Texas a leader in innovation – including on policy related to Artificial Intelligence (AI) – will feature State Representatives Giovanni Capriglione (HD-98) and Oscar Longoria (HD-35) alongside Texas Space Commission Executive Director Norman Garza, Jr., Amazon’s Caroline Joiner, Thoughtful AI co-founder and CEO Alex Zekoff, and Ari Lehavi from Moody’s Analytics.
State Senator Kelly Hancock (SD-9) and State Representatives Dennis Paul (HD-129), Claudia Ordaz (HD-79), and Caroline Harris Davila (HD-52) will discuss how Texas can expand access to health care and lower costs. They’ll be joined by David Dross, who leads Mercer’s Managed Pharmacy Consulting practice nationally.
State Representative Richard Raymond (HD-42) along with TAB’s Gabriela Perdichizzi, VP of Government and External Relations; Texas Economic Development Corporation President & CEO and former Texas Workforce Commissioner Aaron Demerson; Texas CHIPS Office Executive Director Ariane Marion; and Ray Martinez III, President & CEO of the Texas Association of Community Colleges will discuss how to enhance our state’s leadership in semiconductor production and workforce development.
Senators Charles Perry (SD-28) and Nathan Johnson (SD-16) will join a panel on the state of energy in Texas and solutions for powering our current and future business growth. They’ll be joined by Katharine McAden, Google’s Head of Public Policy and External Affairs for the Southern U.S.
Registration for the conference remains open. Click here for more information and to register.
Glenn Hamer
President and CEO - Texas Association of Business
We hope you enjoyed today’s read!
🎙️We Have a Podcast! 🎙️
Bills and Business is your go-to podcast for conversations related to Texas legislation and business. Hosted by Laura Carr, Co-Founder of USLege—an AI-driven legislative tracking software—we bring you in-depth analysis on economic trends, impactful legislation, and key developments shaping Texas business.
Subscribe on Youtube and Spotify for weekly episodes!
- 01 First
Subscribe to our Newsletter
Read more news
#41 - Eric Davis: The Future of Legislative Intelligence
Welcome to Episode #41 of Bills & Business. In this episode, Laura Carr, Co-Founder of USLege, sits down with Eric Davis, Co-Founder and CEO of USLege, for a behind-the-scenes look at how the company went from an idea in an Austin apartment to a fast-growing leader in legislative intelligence.
Eric shares the real story of building USLege from the ground up: the early bootstrapping days, customer research that validated the vision, and the turning points that led to securing investors like Reformation Ventures and Avalanche Ventures. Together, Laura and Eric discuss what it takes to build a Texas tech startup that is transforming how policy professionals work, communicate, and make impact.
They also dive into the next chapter for USLege, from AI-driven workflows to the future of legislative data and the evolving relationship between technology and government.
Don’t forget to subscribe to Bills & Business on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for more deep dives into Texas policy and business news.
📲 Follow Laura Carr
🐦 Twitter: @Laura_USLege https://x.com/Laura_USLege
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurauslege/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereallauracarr/
🛍️ ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/lauraluise?Section_title=latest-finds&tab=collections
✍️ Substack: https://lauraluise.substack.com/
🔗 Links: https://lauraluise.carrd.co/
📲 Follow USLege
✨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uslege.ai/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USLegeai
🐦 Twitter: @USLege_ai https://x.com/USLege_ai
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uslege-ai/
🎧 Subscribe to Bills & Business
🌐 Website: https://www.uslege.ai/
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BillsandBusiness
🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22ZWg9VVb2AEGqyV14osNi?si=effe3795f8414171
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/bills-and-business-by-uslege/id1781059329
🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@uslege
📲 Follow Eric Davis
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-in-tech/
🎬 Produced by USLege
📞 Want to see USLege in action? Schedule a demo today! https://www.uslege.ai/demo
#40 - Amy Whited: Bridging Science and Policy with Genmab
Welcome to Episode #40 of Bills & Business. In this episode, Laura Carr, Co-Founder of USLege, sits down with Amy Whited, Regional Director of Government Affairs at Genmab, a global biotechnology company pioneering antibody-based therapeutics to fight cancer.
Amy’s story spans more than two decades in politics and advocacy, from campaign war rooms to the forefront of biotech innovation. She shares her journey from political strategist to corporate advocate, offering a unique lens into how science, policy, and patient outcomes intersect.
Together, Laura and Amy discuss how Genmab is advancing research in gynecologic cancers, addressing disparities in women’s health, and influencing public policy both in Texas and across the Western states. The conversation also explores the business side of health innovation. How advocacy can drive economic impact while shaping more humane and effective treatments.
Don’t forget to subscribe to Bills & Business on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for more deep dives into Texas policy and business news.
📲 Follow Laura Carr
🐦 Twitter: @Laura_USLege https://x.com/Laura_USLege
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurauslege/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereallauracarr/
🛍️ ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/lauraluise?Section_title=latest-finds&tab=collections
✍️ Substack: https://lauraluise.substack.com/
🔗 Links: https://lauraluise.carrd.co/
📲 Follow USLege
✨ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uslege.ai/
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USLegeai
🐦 Twitter: @USLege_ai https://x.com/USLege_ai
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/uslege-ai/
🎧 Subscribe to Bills & Business
🌐 Website: https://www.uslege.ai/
▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BillsandBusiness
🎵 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/22ZWg9VVb2AEGqyV14osNi?si=effe3795f8414171
🍎 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/bills-and-business-by-uslege/id1781059329
🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@billsandbusiness
📲 Follow Amy Whited
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-whited/
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/amy_whited
🎬 Produced by USLege 📞 Want to see USLege in action? Schedule a demo today! https://www.uslege.ai/demo
Texas Political Spotlight
Welcome back friends,
Texas Sen. José Menéndez is defending a 2023 law that lets cities like San Antonio reinvest state tourism and hotel tax revenue into major projects, including a proposed $1.3 billion Spurs arena, saying it keeps the city competitive with others that have used similar funding to spur growth. Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico, speaking in Fort Worth recently, cast himself as an independent voice challenging both parties and billionaires’ influence, as his tight primary race with Colin Allred gains national attention. Meanwhile, Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued Indiana resident Malcolm Tanner, accusing him of trying to take over Loving County by luring out-of-state residents with false promises of free homes in unsafe desert conditions.
We hope you enjoyed today’s read!
