Texas Talks

Can Texas' electric grid keep up with the explosive growth of AI, data centers, and a rapidly expanding population? On this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Mark Bell , President and CEO of the Association of Electric Companies of Texas (AECT) , to discuss the future of the Texas electric grid, the unprecedented demand for electricity, and how the state is preparing for the...

How should Texas prepare for rapid growth, extreme weather, and increasing demands on its infrastructure? On this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Texas State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt to discuss the state's response to flooding, water infrastructure, data centers, public education funding, property taxes, and redistricting. Sen. Eckhardt reflects on the aftermath of the devastati...

Can artificial intelligence help make government more efficient while saving taxpayers and businesses billions of dollars? On this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Reeve Bull , Policy Director at the Fulcrum Foundation and former Director of the Office of Regulatory Management under Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, to discuss one of the nation's most successful state regula...

What happens when a livestock threat once thought eradicated begins moving north toward Texas? On this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Dr. Lori Teller , licensed veterinarian and Executive Director of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA) , to discuss the growing concern surrounding New World screwworm, the state of veterinary medicine in Texas, rural veterinarian...

How should Texas address rising property taxes, growing concerns about public safety, and the challenges facing the state's criminal justice system? On this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with State Representative Mitch Little , who represents Texas House District 65 in southern Denton County, for a wide-ranging discussion on criminal justice policy, government regulation, prop...

What lessons did Texas learn from the tragedy in Uvalde—and how are lawmakers working to prevent a similar failure from happening again? On this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with State Representative Don McLaughlin , who represents Texas House District 80 and previously served as mayor of Uvalde during one of the most difficult periods in the city’s history. McLaughlin discus...

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode explores how education, workforce development, and economic opportunity intersect to shape Texas’ future prosperity. Through the Future of Texas podcast series, Texas 2036 brings together diverse perspectives as we explore the opportunities and challenges facing our state over the next ten years. The views expressed...

No guest this time — just host Brad Swail breaking down three major Texas public policy issues affecting families, businesses, and local governments across the state. In this episode of Texas Talks , Brad examines the fallout from Texas’ new summer camp safety rules, the state’s new AI-powered regulatory efficiency platform, and Governor Greg Abbott’s proposal to create a statewide prosecutor’s of...

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode explores what separates effective public policy from policies that simply sound good. Through the Future of Texas podcast series, Texas 2036 brings together diverse perspectives as we explore the opportunities and challenges facing our state over the next ten years. The views expressed in this program are those of t...

What’s really driving declining enrollment in Texas public schools — and how will AI reshape classrooms in the years ahead? On this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Chairman Brad Buckley , Chair of the Texas House Public Education Committee, for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of public education in Texas. Buckley discusses the major challenges facing schools ac...

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode explores the region powering not just Texas — but increasingly the global economy: the Permian Basin. Through the Future of Texas podcast series, Texas 2036 brings together diverse perspectives as we explore the opportunities and challenges facing our state over the next ten years. The views expressed in this progra...

What’s driving Austin’s economic boom — and can it keep up with its own success? In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Jeremy Martin , President and CEO of the Austin Chamber of Commerce, to break down the forces shaping one of the fastest-growing regional economies in the country. From explosive population growth to major infrastructure projects, Austin continues to punc...

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode tackles one of the most urgent and personal challenges facing Texans today: the rising cost of healthcare. Through the Future of Texas podcast series, Texas 2036 brings together diverse perspectives as we explore the opportunities and challenges facing our state over the next ten years. The views expressed in this p...

What’s really happening in Texas waterways — and why is so much trash ending up there? In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Robby Robinson , Field Operations Manager at the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, and Mike Garver , Chairman of Texans for Clean Water and a founding member of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, for a firsthand look at the growing challenge of waterway pollut...

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode explores how higher education will shape the state’s workforce, economy, and long-term competitiveness. Through the Future of Texas podcast series, Texas 2036 brings together diverse perspectives as we explore the opportunities and challenges facing our state over the next ten years. The views expressed in this prog...

Most Texans don’t think about environmental health — until something goes wrong. In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Christopher Sparks , President of the Texas Environmental Health Association (TEHA), to explore the critical — but often overlooked — role environmental health professionals play in keeping communities safe every day. From restaurant inspections and water...

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode explores one of the most critical challenges facing the state’s future: building an electric grid that can keep up with rapid growth while remaining reliable and affordable. Through the Future of Texas podcast series, Texas 2036 brings together diverse perspectives as we explore the opportunities and challenges faci...

Why are homes in Texas becoming increasingly unaffordable — and what will it actually take to fix it? In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Sean Dobson , CEO of Amherst Group, to break down the real forces driving today’s housing affordability crisis — and why many popular explanations fall short. Dobson, a veteran of the mortgage and housing markets who correctly anticip...

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036 , this episode explores what it really takes to raise a family in Texas today — and what must hold up over the next decade if the state wants to remain a place of opportunity. In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail is joined by Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and A.J. Rodriguez , Executive Vice President of Texas 2036, f...

This episode kicks off the Texas Talks Special Series: AI and Public Policy , a multi-part series exploring how artificial intelligence will reshape governance at every level in the years ahead. Artificial intelligence is advancing at an unprecedented pace — but can government keep up? In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail is joined by Tanner Jones and Chris Minge , cofounders of Vulcan...

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036 , this episode explores how Texas courts and the justice system must evolve to serve a rapidly growing state. In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail is joined by Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson , former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, and Luis Soberon , Senior Policy Advisor and In House Counsel at Texas...

In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail sits down with Marc Levin , Chief Policy Counsel at the Council on Criminal Justice , for a wide-ranging conversation about where criminal justice reform stands in Texas today — and what lawmakers should be focused on next. Levin reflects on his long history in Texas criminal justice policy, from the 2007 reforms that helped the state avoid building...

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036 , this episode explores how rapid population growth is reshaping the state — and what it will take to manage that growth successfully over the next decade. In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail is joined by Henry Cisneros , former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and former mayor of San Antonio, and A.J....

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036 , this episode explores a critical question: how does Texas ensure its economic growth translates into real opportunity, mobility, and purpose for its people? In this episode of Texas Talks , host Brad Swail is joined by Roy Spence , co-founder and longtime chairman of GSD&M and founder of the Make It Movement and the Purpose Ins...

Brad Swail welcomes Charles Blain—Houston Chronicle contributor, Manhattan Institute City Journal writer, Fox 26 panelist, author of the forthcoming The Brotherhood of Facts (Johns Hopkins Press, spring 2027), and founder of Local Insights.  Charles shares how an accidental AI-assisted review of Houston Metro contract documents uncovered a $215k-to-$4.2M ballooning deal tied to board chair conflic...