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- MRT 5/28/26-6/3/26 (free): TX Sec/State Nelson to Step Down // Record Power Demand Expected This Summer // TX Overtakes CA for Fortune 500 HQs // TX-SEN General Begins
MRT 5/28/26-6/3/26 (free): TX Sec/State Nelson to Step Down // Record Power Demand Expected This Summer // TX Overtakes CA for Fortune 500 HQs // TX-SEN General Begins
Here's What You Need to Know in Texas Today.
Matt Mackowiak
June 04, 2026
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THURSDAY 5/28/2026 - WEDNESDAY 6/3/2026
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TOP NEWS
“Top Texas Election Official to Resign, Months Before General Contest” via The New York Times‘ Lauren McGaughy – The top election official in Texas, Jane Nelson, is stepping down next month, raising questions about why she is departing and who will administer the state’s most closely watched election in a decade.
Ms. Nelson will serve as Texas secretary of state through July 17, formally resigning less than four months before the general election, her agency announced Tuesday. No further details were provided about why Ms. Nelson was leaving or who would replace her.
Gov. Greg Abbott, who appoints the person in the role, tapped Ms. Nelson for the job in 2023. A spokesman for the governor declined to provide additional information about her departure, saying only that an announcement would “be made at a later date.”
Every statewide elected office is on the ballot this year, and the marquee matchup between Ken Paxton and James Talarico for the U.S. Senate is shaping up to be one of the most expensive and contested races of the year. In that contest, Mr. Talarico, the Democrat, is hoping to end his party’s 30-plus-year losing streak at the top of the ticket. (The New York Times)
“Texas grid could see record levels of power demand this summer. Here’s why.” via Houston Chronicle‘s Claire Hao – Higher temperatures and the continued growth of large electricity users such as data centers could force Texas to use more power this summer than ever before, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.
ERCOT, which operates the state’s primary power grid, is forecasting that power demand on its system will reach 92 gigawatts this summer. That would top the previous ERCOT power demand record of 85.5 gigawatts, set during a record-breaking heat wave in summer 2023.
One gigawatt is enough power to supply approximately 250,000 households during the hottest summer days, according to ERCOT.
Still, ERCOT expects low risk of blackouts this summer, CEO Pablo Vegas said during the grid operator’s quarterly board meeting on Tuesday. (HOU CHRON)
“As data centers flock to Texas, ERCOT tries to decide which projects are feasible” via TPR‘s Natalie Weber – Texas power grid operators are preparing for an influx of data centers. In the first quarter of this year alone, nearly 200 proposed data centers and other large energy users requested to join the grid.
Currently, data centers and other high energy users, such as cryptocurrency miners and industrial facilities, are seeking a combined 438 gigawatts of power in Texas. That’s more than five times the amount of electricity used to power the entire state during record-breaking demand.
But that number is likely inflated by proposed facilities that will never be built.
“I haven’t really believed the numbers for two years now,” University of Texas research scientist Joshua Rhodes said. (TPR)
“Data centers need water. Texas oil companies think they have the solution.” via Houston Chronicle‘s Amanda Drane and Rebekah F. Ward – Thirsty data centers are cropping up all over Texas, as the state contends with a water shortage so severe that entire communities are running dry.
But data center developers in parched areas of the state may end up banking on a little-known solution from Houston’s oil industry: oilfield wastewater, known as produced water.
Deals involving the treated wastewater are already taking shape behind closed doors. After reaching a $43 million land deal for a power plant to support data center operations in an undisclosed location, Texas Pacific Land Corp. said it was “in talks” to supply the project with treated oilfield wastewater.
Using the waste stream as a water source is a solution that not only allows data center development to move forward more freely in Texas as water supplies dwindle, but could also solve an existential problem for oil companies. (HOU CHRON)
“Texas is the new capital of the Fortune 500—taking California’s crown” via Fortune‘s Jacqueline Munis – Everything’s bigger in Texas—including the companies. The Lone Star State is now home to the most Fortune 500 companies, dethroning California as the capital of the Fortune 500.
The state’s 57 Fortune 500 companies ranked roughly $2.8 trillion in revenue last year, compared to California’s 56 businesses and roughly $2.7 trillion revenue. New York comes in third with 53 companies and $2.2 trillion.
In recent years, Texas’ anti-regulation and low tax policies have attracted companies including Tesla, McKesson, and Oracle to move their home bases to the state. Still, Texas remains second to the Golden State when it comes to profits and market value.
The state has long been home to Fortune 500 staples such as Dell Technologies, Exxon, and AT&T, and the companies span across the state. Houston is home to 25 Fortune companies such as Chevron, Sysco, and Phillips 66. Dallas is home to 11 companies, including AT&T and CBRE Group. The capital, Austin, which has emerged as a major tech and financial hub, is home to just two Fortune 500 companies: Tesla and Oracle. (Fortune)
“The Federal Aviation Administration selects the first Texas school to recruit more air traffic controllers” via TPR‘s Kory Cook – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) selected the first Texas school to recruit air traffic controllers.
Angelo State University in San Angelo will implement the Enhanced Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative (E-CTI) to create a new pathway for students to enter one of the nation’s most in-demand aviation careers.
The announcement was made by U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy, who said the partnership will help expand the pipeline of air traffic controllers while providing students with a faster route into the profession.
The program allows students who complete required coursework to bypass the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City and move directly to on-site air traffic control training and employment. (TPR)
2026
“Tala-freak-o vs. Ken the Criminal: Texas candidates sharpen attacks as U.S. Senate race locks in” via The Texas Tribune‘s Kayla Guo – With Attorney General Ken Paxton clinching the Republican U.S. Senate nomination, the general election has officially begun — and both sides are moving rapidly to establish their pitch to voters.
The moment the Republican runoff was called Tuesday night, state Rep. James Talarico, the Democratic nominee and a Presbyterian seminarian, released his attack in a video titled: “The People vs. Ken Paxton,” tying the scandal-plagued attorney general directly to the Austin Democrat’s broader campaign message against “the billionaire megadonors and their corrupt political system.”
“The most corrupt politician in America just became the Republican nominee for the United States Senate,” Talarico said in a video posted to social media. “For 50 years, megadonors and their puppet politicians like Ken Paxton have stolen from us, with their bribes, bailouts and billionaire tax breaks. Ken Paxton has gotten away with it — they’ve all gotten away with it. But that ends this year, in this state, in this race.”
Talarico launched a five-stop “The People vs. Ken Paxton Tour” of Texas this week, starting with Houston on Wednesday — the first full day of the general election, and the third anniversary of Paxton’s impeachment by the GOP-dominated Texas House on charges of corruption and abuse of office. Paxton was later acquitted by the state Senate. (TX TRIB)
“Analysis | Why Texas suddenly has such a competitive Senate race” via The Washington Post‘s Amber Phillips – Ken Paxton makes a win possible for Democrats. Democrats haven’t won a statewide race in Texas in three decades. But on Tuesday in a primary runoff, Republican voters nominated a scandal-plagued candidate who has President Donald Trump’s support but divides the rest of the party.
And earlier this year, Democrats nominated a young, charismatic seminarian who many Democrats say has the ability to unite his party and win over disaffected Trump voters. Winning in Texas would go a long way for Democrats in their long shot to take control of the Senate.
“Texas is a huge political battleground this year,” said Louis Jacobson, a nonpartisan political analyst and chief author of the forthcoming 2026 Almanac of American Politics. “If Democrats can win this, chances are pretty good they’ll take the Senate.”
Democrats have come close to winning a Senate race in Texas before. This time, their hope stems from how voters feel about the Republican candidate. Paxton beat Sen. John Cornyn (R) on Tuesday, ousting a mainstream leader in the Republican Party. (WAPO)
“Libertarian Ted Brown courts disaffected conservative voters in Texas’ U.S. Senate race” via Houston Public Media‘s Andrew Schneider – Ted Brown received more than 267,000 votes in the 2024 Senate race, a record for a Libertarian candidate. He sees an opening this year with Republican voters who are reluctant to support the party’s nominee for the November election, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.
Most polling shows Texas’ U.S. Senate race between state Attorney General Ken Paxton, the Republican candidate, and Austin state Rep. James Talarico, his Democratic opponent, as extremely close. That potentially creates an opening for a third-party candidate, Libertarian Ted Brown, to shape the outcome.
When Brown last ran for the Senate in 2024 against incumbent Republican Sen. Ted Cruz and then-Democratic U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, Brown pulled more than 267,000 votes statewide. That was a record for a Libertarian candidate, but not enough to shift the balance in a contest in which Cruz beat Allred by nearly 1 million votes.
This year’s contest is likely to be significantly tighter, in part due to lingering bitterness toward Paxton among voters for incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican primary runoff. (Houston Public Media)
“National Democrats aim to flip 12 Texas House seats under newly expanded target list” via The Texas Tribune‘s Kayla Guo – National Democrats on Wednesday unveiled their most ambitious list of targets in the Texas House in years, adding a dozen districts, on top of three previously announced seats, to their battleground docket for the fall midterms.
Twelve of the Texas districts targeted by the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, an arm of the national party that focuses on state legislatures, are currently held by Republicans. If Democrats were to flip all 12 — the same number they netted in 2018 — and hold onto all their current districts, they would be one seat shy of an even split in the lower chamber, which has been under GOP control since 2003.
Republicans currently hold 88 seats to Democrats’ 62 in the Texas House; 76 seats make a majority.
“As the Texas GOP rallies around Ken Paxton and an extreme slate of MAGA candidates up and down the ballot, we are ready to make big gains for Democrats in the Texas Legislature,” DLCC President Heather Williams said in a statement. “The DLCC is proud to partner with these target race candidates who are laser-focused on bringing down costs for Texans and gradually changing the face of power in Texas.” (TX TRIB)
“Poll: Two-thirds of Texas Latino voters disapprove of Trump” via The Texas Tribune‘s Alejandro Serrano – One in five Latino Texans who voted for President Donald Trump in 2024 would not support him again if given a redo, according to a new poll released Wednesday.
In a survey of 500 registered Latino voters, the Latino civil rights organization UnidosUS found that two-thirds disapprove of Trump’s job performance, the same share that said they did not feel Trump and congressional Republicans were “focusing enough on improving the economy for people like you.” Nearly half of voters cited cost of living and inflation as a top issue shaping their view of Trump — more than any other issue, with immigration enforcement in cities also ranking high in the list.
“The economic priorities dominate,” said Clarissa Martínez De Castro, vice president of the group’s Latino Vote Initiative. “Some people call it ‘buyer’s remorse,’ other people ‘do over.’”
The poll is the latest to cast doubt on the durability of Latino support for Trump and the Republican Party in a state he won by a wide margin two years ago, in large part due to Latino voters who swung to the right. Trump captured an estimated 55% of the voter bloc, which set a new high-water mark for Texas Republicans who had spent years losing Hispanic voters by double digits. (TX TRIB)
“Sid Miller to join Democratic nominee for agriculture commissioner at data center forum” via The Texas Tribune‘s Ayden Runnels – Sid Miller will speak at a bipartisan forum alongside Clayton Tucker, the Democratic candidate running for the Republican’s seat, to discuss the impact of data center construction in Texas.
The forum, which was announced on Tucker’s campaign website, is being hosted by Matagorda County Against Data Centers, but is not billed as a campaign event. In an interview, Miller said organizers reached out to him prior to Tucker’s involvement and he agreed because it was “the right thing to do” since so few state officials have publicly expressed concern over data center construction.
“I’m not doing it in conjunction with him, I’m doing it as an agreement to the people,” Miller said. “When I agreed to do it, I didn’t even know he was part of it.”
Miller, who has served as agriculture commissioner since 2015, has long been outspoken about concerns over data centers’ rapid expansion, including calling for a moratorium on data center construction in the state in an op-ed published in mid-May. Taking up usable farmland, strain on the state’s electrical grid and environmental concerns are some of the many issues he cited for why he wants the state to have more time to respond to the centers’ rapid growth. (TX TRIB)
STATE GOVERNMENT
“Texas using DPS records to confirm citizenship of voters flagged by federal database” via The Texas Tribune‘s Natalia Contreras – The Texas Secretary of State’s Office is now checking whether 2,724 registered voters it flagged as potential noncitizens may have already provided proof of citizenship to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Christina Adkins, elections division director, said during a meeting with county election administrators earlier this month. That check comes after county elections officials found the federal database used to generate the list flagged some voters who had already given citizenship documentation to DPS when they registered to vote.
Texas officials in October sent counties the list of potential noncitizens generated by checking the state’s roll of more than 18 million registered voters against a federal database used to verify citizenship.
County election officials have since confirmed some of the flagged voters were citizens, though a total number was not immediately available. In addition, they found that hundreds of the flagged voters had registered through DPS, which requires proof of citizenship, such as a passport, and keeps copies of such documents on file.
In Travis County, for example, Voter Registrar Celia Israel asked the state to check the registrants flagged as potential noncitizens in the county against DPS records. The Texas Secretary of State’s Office did so, and found that out of the 97 individuals flagged as potential noncitizens in the county, 11 had already provided proof of citizenship. (TX TRIB)
“Abbott directs Texas colleges to keep undergrad costs frozen” via The Texas Tribune‘s Jessica Priest – Gov. Greg Abbott reminded Texas colleges: Do not raise undergraduate tuition or fees next year.
In a letter sent Wednesday to public college and university presidents, Abbott noted that his previous directive remains “fully in effect” and that no undergraduate tuition and fees should increase for the 2026-27 school year.
The letter comes as university systems and colleges are finalizing budgets for the coming academic year.
Last week, the University of Texas System regents approved non-academic mandatory fee increases for several campuses, including athletics, student services, medical services and advising fees. At UT Rio Grande Valley, for example, the university services fee would rise from $38.10 per semester credit hour to $70 per semester credit hour beginning in 2027. (TX TRIB)
“Texas lifts commercial drivers license ban for temporary agricultural workers” via The Texas Tribune‘s Ayden Runnels – The Texas Department of Public Safety on Monday lifted a restriction on commercial drivers licenses and permits for immigrants with temporary agriculture work visas and removed the Spanish language option for CDL tests following changes in federal requirements.
In September, Texas halted commercial drivers licenses for many immigrants, including refugees, people with asylum and DACA recipients. The change on Monday will allow those with H-2A visas, designed for temporary agriculture workers, to again hold valid CDLs in Texas. Those eligible who have current CDLs may continue to use them until their expiration date, and those with expired licenses can file to renew them, according to a DPS press release.
DPS indicated the shift was made in line with a new federal guideline from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration published in mid-March, which permits H-2A workers to hold CDLs alongside H-2B and E-2 visa holders, which are temporary non-agricultural workers and treaty investors, respectively.
Under the new federal guidelines, Texas has only been approved to grant H-2A visa holders commercial drivers licenses for now, the DPS release said. Eligibility for H-2B and E-2 visa holders in Texas “will be announced at a later date,” according to the release. (TX TRIB)
“Texas to open second-largest state park west of San Antonio” via Houston Chronicle‘s Michael Garcia – Texans will soon be able to explore a massive new state park spanning more than 50,000 acres, making it the second largest in the state.
Texans will soon be able to explore a sprawling new state park spanning nearly 54,000 acres — making it the second-largest state park in Texas after Big Bend Ranch State Park, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Texas Parks and Wildlife officials on Wednesday said the agency acquired the property in Edwards and Kinney counties, where Silver Lake State Park will eventually open. Located about 150 miles west of San Antonio between Rocksprings and Uvalde, the planned park sits near the West Nueces River and features steep canyons, rugged terrain and rolling hills.
The agency said the park will open in phases, beginning with guided tours and limited day-use access while development continues. Future phases are expected to add trails, visitor facilities and expanded recreational amenities. (HOU CHRON)
“Camp Mystic chief health officer barred from direct patient care by Texas nursing board” via The Texas Tribune‘s Ayden Runnels – The Texas Board of Nursing restored Camp Mystic’s chief health officer’s nursing license but barred her from working directly with patients after the board temporarily suspended her license on May 19.
Tuesday’s agreement placing restrictions on Mary Liz Eastland’s license states that she failed to maintain emergency plans before a July 4 flood killed 25 campers and two teenage counselors at the all-girls Christian camp. The agreed order also states Eastland did not contact 911 or emergency officials during the flood, did not report their deaths according to state administrative code and allowed staff nurses at the camp to improperly administer medication.
In April, Eastland testified at a court hearing in Austin that she still had not officially reported the deaths to state health regulators. An order a week before that temporarily suspended her license called Eastland’s failure to report the deaths “deceptive.”
The restrictions on Eastland’s license forbid her from working directly with patients, including “teaching, counseling, assessing the client’s needs and strengths, and providing skilled nursing care,” according to the order. She is also required to undergo six hours of training and must inform future employers of the restrictions. (TX TRIB)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
“Dallas City Hall repairs could top $600 million over 10 years, new estimates show” via Dallas News‘s Everton Bailey Jr. – Repairing Dallas City Hall while keeping the building in service could cost between $532 million and $611 million over the next decade, according to new estimates released ahead of a City Council briefing on Wednesday.
The figures are the latest attempt to put a price tag on keeping the aging downtown government building functioning as the council debates whether to invest in repairs or leave and redevelop the property at 1500 Marilla St.
The projections differ from estimates made months earlier by other consultants, including engineering firm AECOM, that suggested repairing, modernizing and operating City Hall could cost more than $1 billion over 20 years.
Those estimates included not only repairs, but also temporary relocation costs, financing and long-term operating expenses. (DMN)
“Corpus Christi delays decision on nearly billion-dollar water plant despite impending crisis” via The Texas Tribune‘s Colleen DeGuzman – A bitterly divided Corpus Christi City Council voted early Wednesday morning to delay a decision on reviving an almost billion-dollar water plant it had rejected nine months earlier.
The 7-2 vote came at 2:20 a.m., almost 15 hours into a meeting that drew extensive interest from residents who argued for and against building a desalination plant that council members voted down last year over environmental and cost concerns.
The proposed plant is not expected to begin delivering water until late 2029, but supporters fear that without long-term supplies, the city’s economy will freeze, driving away residents and businesses and crippling the important tourism industry.
Opponents expressed deep concern about the proposed plant’s impact on Corpus Christi Bay, and some doubted the fairness of an environmental study that concluded the plant’s salty discharge would not affect sea life. (TX TRIB)
“Austin mayor abandons plan to shrink parks over I-35. Here’s why” via Austin American-Statesman‘s Alex Driggars – Mayor Kirk Watson is abandoning his proposal to scale back Austin’s ambitious plan to build parks over Interstate 35 after failing to win enough City Council support.
Before withdrawing his proposal Wednesday, Watson sought to significantly reduce the scope of the city’s long-debated “cap-and-stitch” program, which would build public park space and other amenities over portions of I-35 through downtown. He canceled a City Council vote slated for Thursday on the smaller design, admitting he could not gather enough support for the change after a Tuesday work session on the topic.
The mayor’s proposal would have funded one complete park deck for $49.8 million instead of spending $104 million to begin — but not finish — several decks across Central Austin as the Texas Department of Transportation expands I-35 and lowers it below ground. Watson said his latest proposal would represent a compromise between reconnecting East and West Austin, exercising fiscal discipline and giving residents a usable amenity once TxDOT’s project is complete.
“Because of the timing and requirements for financing and the previous council division, I felt some obligation to bring this item forward in hopes of finding a compromised approach,” Watson wrote in a Wednesday memo to the City Council . “It doesn’t appear the proposal will achieve the necessary majority, but I’m glad we had the conversation.” (AAS)
“Dallas City Council approves $16M for southeast Dallas trail, part of the 50-mile Loop” via Dallas Morning News‘s Aria Jones – The Trinity Forest Spine Trail, which cuts through southeast Dallas, will soon connect to miles of other pathways, along with Parkdale Lake, to expand pedestrian and bike access for the area.
The Dallas City Council greenlit a nearly $16.1 million construction contract to provide a 12-foot-wide trail which starts near Samuell Boulevard and Interstate 30. The project is part of a 50-mile loop around the city being headed by nonprofit The Loop Dallas. Neighborhoods like Buckner Terrace, Urbandale and Parkdale are expected to benefit from the Trinity Forest Spine stretch.
The work is expected to strengthen connections between neighborhoods “that have too often felt disconnected from the rest of our city and not had the option to use multimodal modes of transportation,” said council member Adam Bazaldua, who represents areas the trail will serve.
“This investment will allow residents to experience their communities in new ways and create opportunities for people to get where they need to go, whether it’s for transportation purposes or recreational purposes and just simply enjoying the outdoors,” Bazaldua said at the council meeting (DMN)
“Fort Worth to weigh local data center regulations as residents call for moratorium” via Fort Worth Star-Telegram‘s Emily Holshouser – Will Fort Worth join cities across Texas and the United States in implementing development standards for new data centers later this year, or perhaps enact a temporary moratorium on the projects?
That was the question that Fort Worth City Council members began the process of weighing on June 2, during a long-awaited presentation on data centers from Fort Worth Assistant City Manager Jesica McEachern during the city council’s work session meeting.
Data centers have become an increasingly prominent topic at Fort Worth City Council meetings as the developers behind multi-billion dollar projects have come to the city for rezoning requests and tax agreements. Meetings on the southeast and southwest edges of Fort Worth have been filled with residents expressing concerns about the environmental and health impacts of data center projects, as leaders in nearby cities struggle to get a seat at the table with developers.
The presentation was put together at the request of city council member Michael Crain earlier this year, with the goal of paving a path forward to balance potential economic development with those concerns from residents. The company Edged has been developing a data center near the intersection of Interstate 20 and Chapin School Road, located in Crain’s council district. (FWST)
“Next phase of $7B Frisco project coming soon” via Dallas Morning News‘s Nick Wooten – The next phase of the $7 billion redevelopment of Frisco’s Hall Park is coming soon.
Developer Craig Hall and his Hall Group firm are preparing to break ground on a new 10-story, Class A office building and expand Kaleidoscope Park. Construction on both projects is expected to begin next month and be completed in 2028. A groundbreaking event is set for June 10, the firm said.
The office building, called The Terraces Hall Park, will have more than 200,000 square feet of space above a 1,300-spot parking garage. There will be terraces on each floor of the building with an expansive terrace overlooking the park. About 60% of the building will be move-in-ready spec suites to meet the needs of small- to mid-sized tenants. The remaining building will be customizable shell space, the developer said.
The Dallas Morning News previously reported on the office building at 2801 Network Blvd. A filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation estimated construction costs at just shy of $140 million. (DMN)
#TXLEGE
“$8 billion given to Texas public schools: Lawmakers revisit the funds” via KXAN‘s Dylan McKim – Last year, the Texas Legislature granted over $8 billion in funding to Texas public schools. On Monday, the Texas House Committee on Public Education met to review the implementation of House Bill 2 and discuss its impacts on teacher recruitment and retention and Special Education programs.
Lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle questioned members of the Texas Education Agency why some school districts that were expected to receive more revenue this year actually lost some money. State Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, said the estimates, or “runs,” that were provided to lawmakers last May when they were voting on the sweeping school finance bill were wrong. Leach said the bill actually “hurt” some of his districts.
“Had I known then what I know now, it probably would have changed the way that I voted on the bill,” Leach said. Paul Neuhoff, the chief financial officer for Navarro ISD, told Nexstar that school finance has become so complicated that it is making it harder for districts to draft a budget because of the impact of other variables, like homestead exemptions.
“It has become more complicated as the legislature has added on more layers and more additions,” Neuhoff explained. When introducing HB 2, author and State Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, highlighted its unprecedented impact. “This is more money for Texas public education than any other piece of legislation in the history of the State,” Buckley said from the House floor last April in the second reading of the bill. (KXAN)
TEXANS IN DC
“Texas Rep. Casar proposes tax on AI companies to fund jobs program” via KVUE‘s Daniel Perreault – Artificial intelligence is changing how we live, work and connect. Many people, whether they’re entering the workforce or already in it, worry AI will take their jobs one day.
“Most people involved in artificial intelligence can agree on one thing,” Austin-area U.S. Congressman Greg Casar (D-TX 35) wrote in an op-ed last week. “AI is coming for your job.”
Casar is drawing inspiration from the New Deal–era Works Progress Administration of the 1930s and wants to create an AI tax–funded jobs program to combat potential mass unemployment related to AI.
The New Deal was a series of economic, social, and political reforms launched by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt between 1933 and 1939 to provide relief, recovery and reform following the Great Depression. Casar said that “the kind of mass employment–creating program” like the one FDR created is necessary because AI could create “Great Depression–level unemployment.” (KVUE)
BUSINESS NEWS
“ExxonMobil shareholders approve moving company’s legal home from New Jersey to Texas” via KERA‘s Dylan Duke – Gas and oil giant ExxonMobil will likely move its legal home from New Jersey to Texas after shareholders approved a proposal to do so, according to a preliminary count.
ExxonMobil’s board of directors unanimously recommended the legal relocation in March, saying Texas’ legal and regulatory environment was more business friendly.
“Aligning our legal home with our operating home, in a state that understands our business and has a stake in the company’s success, is important.” Darren Woods, ExxonMobil CEO, said at the time.
Two advisory firms, Glass Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services, recommended against the relocation, arguing the move could allow Exxon to make it harder for shareholders to sue the company. (KERA News)
“Samsung Electronics to move US headquarters from New Jersey to Texas” via The Korea Times – Samsung Electronics plans to relocate the headquarters of its U.S. subsidiary from New Jersey to Texas later this year, industry sources said Monday. The company recently notified employees of its decision to move the office from Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, to Plano, Texas.
The relocation comes just a year after Samsung Electronics moved its U.S. headquarters from Ridgefield Park, New Jersey, to the nearby Englewood Cliffs. “We are preparing for the relocation with the goal of completing the move within this year,” a company official said on condition of anonymity. “After a thorough review, we will finalize plans for headquarters operations and workforce allocation.”
About 1,000 employees currently work at the Englewood Cliffs headquarters, and most are expected to be reassigned to the new headquarters in Plano, while a small number will remain in New Jersey to support local office operations.
Industry observers said the move is aimed at enhancing synergies across Samsung’s U.S. businesses, including its semiconductor and consumer electronics. Texas offers several advantages over other regions, including favorable tax policies and lower real estate costs, making it an increasingly attractive destination for major technology companies. (The Korea Times)
“Texas Business Court Is a Powerhouse for Resolving Civil Disputes” via Bloomberg Law News‘s Sean Gorman – Reports that Elon Musk’s Terafab chipmaking project is headed to Grimes County, Texas, highlight a broader trend—Texas is attracting semiconductor, advanced computing, data center, and energy-related investments on a scale that is reshaping the state’s economic profile.
Terafab, a SpaceX project that has a potential total capital investment of $119 billion, is only the latest example. Samsung Electronics Co.’s $17 billion semiconductor plant under construction in Taylor, along with the steady expansion of advanced manufacturing and logistics infrastructure across the state, show how Texas has become a preferred location for capital-intensive, technology-driven industry.
Projects of that size predictably generate disputes over construction, supply, pricing, governance, and performance. The Texas Business Court reflects a recognition that such a large and complex economy needs a forum designed for those cases. And it addresses a familiar criticism from commercial litigants and their counsel: For complicated commercial disputes, Texas general civil courts aren’t the most attractive forum.
Delaware, New York, and arbitration often became alternatives. Arbitration has a particular limitation, though, in that arbitral panels don’t generate the public body of legal precedent that generates the predictability businesses need to evaluate risk and ground future agreements. Published opinions in Texas energy, infrastructure, and technology disputes matter beyond parties to the dispute because they can give companies and counsel guidance on recurring issues, making contract drafting and dispute outcome more predictable. (Bloomberg Law News)
“SpaceX conducting third mishap investigation since January 2025” via MyRGV.com‘s Steve Clark – SpaceX has landed Super Heavy boosters back at the launch site on three occasions, as well as in the Gulf of Mexico, following launch and stage separation from Starship minutes into the flight.
Super Heavy B19, the first Version 3 (V3) of the booster, did not manage a Gulf splashdown on May 22 as part of SpaceX’s Starship Flight 12. Instead, the vehicle lost its engines prematurely, preventing a planned soft splashdown, and slammed into the waves at a high rate of speed.
“Looks like booster’s coming in hot,” noted a SpaceX live-stream commentator shortly before contact was lost with the booster. It’s not clear whether the booster self-destructed before hitting the water or did so intact.
By Federal Aviation Administration standards, the incident was serious enough to warrant an investigation into why Super Heavy failed. “The FAA defines a mishap as meeting one of several criteria, including the failure to complete a launch or reentry as planned,” the agency said. (MY RGV)
“Neiman Marcus will close landmark downtown Dallas store” via Dallas News‘s Brian Womack – Pedestrians walk past the Neiman Marcus department store in downtown Dallas on Monday. The retailer’s parent company, Saks Global, which acquired Neiman Marcus at the end of 2024, said the site will close at the end of September.
Neiman Marcus will close its downtown Dallas department store, ending months of speculation and delivering another blow to the central business district landscape.
The iconic store is set to shutter at the end of September as the company turns its focus on the NorthPark Center amid a bankruptcy process with Saks Global, which acquired Neiman Marcus at the end of 2024. The closure will close the chapter on a multidecade run for the retailer that had acted as a fashion beacon for the region.
“It is not an easy decision, but it is a final decision,” said Geoffroy van Raemdonck, CEO of Saks Global. “The rationale is really we’ve looked at multiple criteria, but it’s mostly the criteria of what are the customer preferences and where is demand, and what we see is that there’s a shift in the retail map in Dallas.” (DMN)
QUICK LINKS
The Center Square: “Supreme Court rules for Texas in Rio Grande River lawsuit” The Center Square
AAS: “What will UT’s AI-native hospital actually look like?” AAS
SAEN: “Artist suing FIFA over destruction of Dallas whale mural before World Cup” SAEN
WAPO: “Texas wants to be the new Delaware for business. That won’t be easy.” WAPO
AAS: “Elon Musk land deals surface near SpaceX’s proposed Terafab facility” AAS
TX TRIB: “Big Tech finds a foe in Texas’ robust consumer protection laws and AG Ken Paxton” TX TRIB
COMMUNITY IMPACT: “$8.4B boost did not shield Texas schools from budget cuts, educators say” COMMUNITY IMPACT
HOU CHRON: “No child should have to prove they’re poor to eat lunch at school” HOU CHRON
HOU CHRON: “Texas requires CDL knowledge tests to be taken in English only” HOU CHRON
FWST: “More than 1 in 10 Texas kids don’t have health insurance. The number is growing” FWST
TX TRIB: “Texas lawmaker sounds alarm as screwworm nears Texas border” TX TRIB
FWST: “Exclusive: Why these two TCU basketball standouts opted to return to Fort Worth” FWST
DMN: “Deion Sanders says 2025 Dallas Cowboys coaching rumors ‘weren’t real at all’” DMN
EXTRA POINTS
Recent Texas sports scores:
Wednesday 5/27
> MLB: Houston 4, Texas 3
Thursday 5/28
> NBA: San Antonio 118, Oklahoma City 91 (tied 3-3)
> MLB: Houston 5, Texas 1
> WNBA: Dallas 95, Las Vegas 87
Friday 5/29
> MLB: Texas 9, Kansas City 0
> MLB: Milwaukee 5, Houston 4
Saturday 5/30
> NBA: San Antonio 111, Oklahoma City 103 (SA wins 4-3)
> MLB: Houston 9, Milwaukee 2
> MLB: Texas 7, Kansas City 6
Sunday 5/31
> MLB: Texas 6, Kansas City 3
Monday 6/1
> WNBA: Dallas 79, Seattle 56
Tuesday 6/2
> MLB: Texas 7, St. Louis 4
> MLB: Pittsburgh 10, Houston 6
Wednesday 6/3
> NBA: New York Knicks 105, San Antonio 95 (NY leads 1-0)
> MLB: St. Louis 5, Texas 3
> MLB: Houston 9, Pittsburgh 7
Tonight’s Texas sports schedule:
> 7:10pm: MLB: Pittsburgh at Houston
Tomorrow’s Texas sports schedule:
> 7:10pm: MLB: Oakland at Houston (Apple TV)
> 7:15pm: MLB: Cleveland at Texas (Apple TV)
> 7:30pm: NBA: New York Knicks at San Antonio (ABC) (NY leads 1-0)
TEXAS SPORTS HEADLINES / LINKS
SAN ANTONIO SPURS: “Wemby vs. the Knicks: It’s fitting that a marquee matchup awaits in the NBA Finals” AP
DALLAS MAVERICKS: “Dallas Mavericks choose Valley View site for new arena and entertainment district” DMN
DALLAS STARS: “Stars pick Plano for new arena site as downtown Dallas faces twin sports team departures” DMN
TEXAS SOFTBALL: “Texas beats Tennessee twice, advances to WCWS title series for 2nd consecutive year” KXAN
TEXAS BASEBALL: “Texas, Oregon to clash in Austin Super Regional after chaotic opening round” KXAN
TEXAS MEN’S BASKETBALL: “Golden: Texas’ Sean Miller aims to build on NCAA Tourney momentum” AAS
PGA TOUR: “Sudden death playoff decides winner of Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial” FWST