Lowering Costs and Taxes For Texans
Local bureaucrats have been raising your property taxes for years, but Charles Schwertner will continue to fight to stop them from increasing your property taxes and believes more work must be done to bring down rates once and for all. This last session, he joint-authored legislation that would increase the homestead exemption to $200,000 for seniors and $140,000 for non-seniors. He also helped pass laws that compress the maintenance and operations tax rate, empower property owners with tools to challenge and participate in their appraisal process, and rein in out-of-control city and county spending by capping how much they can increase the tax rate without voter approval. Additionally, Schwertner co-sponsored the constitutional amendment making it illegal for Texas to implement a state income tax.
Charles Schwertner is also fighting to make insurance affordable again. He authored a bill which would have required insurers to get state approval before raising home or auto rates by more than 10 percent, and voted for laws ending forced bundling of home and auto policies and requiring insurers to explain in writing why they deny or cancel coverage.
Protecting Texas Land and Private Property Rights
Charles Schwertner comes from six generations of farmers, ranchers, and landowners and has witnessed how eminent domain can easily be abused. That's why he authored legislation that permanently protects the private property rights of all Texans against big government abuses of eminent domain.
Schwertner also joint-authored legislation to stop the threat posed by foreign adversaries like China, who have tried to gain a foothold in our state by buying up our farmland and land near military bases.
Protecting Seniors from Abuse
As a physician, Charles Schwertner believes seniors deserve dignity and protection. That’s why he took on bad nursing homes and fought to protect seniors from abuse and neglect. His legislation established a "three strikes" policy that requires the Texas Health and Human Services Long-term Care Division, which regulates Texas nursing homes, to revoke a nursing home's operating license after three serious violations of abuse or neglect of a senior.
Protecting Texas Land and Private Property Rights
Charles Schwertner comes from six generations of farmers, ranchers, and landowners and has witnessed how eminent domain can easily be abused. That's why he authored legislation that permanently protects the private property rights of all Texans against big government abuses of eminent domain.
Schwertner also joint-authored legislation to stop the threat posed by foreign adversaries like China, who have tried to gain a foothold in our state by buying up our farmland and land near military bases.
Empowering Parents and Improving Education
As a public school graduate himself and father of three graduates, Charles Schwertner knows the importance of classroom excellence. He helped deliver the largest increase in public education funding in Texas history, raised teacher pay, and passed legislation expanding career and technical education so students can pursue high-demand jobs immediately after graduation.
Charles Schwertner also co-authored landmark legislation to establish school choice, empowering Texas families with the freedom to send their children to a school that fits their educational needs.
Strengthening The Electric Grid
After Winter Storm Uri, Charles Schwertner was appointed Chairman of the Senate Business and Commerce Committee, where he led efforts to reform and strengthen the Texas electric grid. As Chairman, he passed critical legislation to strengthen the State's prevention of and preparation for energy emergencies, encourage the construction of new and reliable power generation, and protect the grid from cyber and physical threats by foreign adversaries.
Charles Schwertner also sponsored legislation to build upon President Trump's "Nuclear Renaissance" in Texas, encouraging the development and construction of nuclear energy to bolster future energy security and economic growth.
Safeguarding Texas Children
Charles Schwertner stood up to the liberal left and banned gender modification surgeries on minors, safeguarding children from these permanent and irreversible procedures. He also co-authored legislation to keep sexually explicit books out of our school libraries and empower parents with the freedom to review and restrict their child's access to certain materials.
Schwertner has also worked to protect Texas children by increasing funding for Child Protective Services and fighting to protect children at risk of abuse or neglect.
Protecting the Integrity of our Elections
Charles Schwertner believes that safeguarding the integrity of our elections is essential to preserving the foundation of our Constitutional Republic. That's why he helped pass the strongest election integrity legislation in the nation that prevents ballot harvesting and guarantees that only legal ballots are counted. Schwertner is committed to ensuring that Texans have trust and confidence in our election system.
Enforcing Our Immigration Laws and Restoring Law, Order, and Safety
Under former President Biden, more than ten million unvetted illegal aliens invaded our country, including criminals, gang members, and potential terrorists. That’s why Charles Schwertner fought to restore law, order, and safety to our communities by authoring Texas' 287(g) program bill, which strengthens the enforcement of our immigration laws by ensuring sheriffs partner with ICE through the federal program to help identify, detain, and deport criminal illegal aliens. President Trump praised Schwertner's bill as a major victory in the fight to crack down on illegal immigration and secure the border.
Additionally, Charles Schwertner helped secure over $6 billion to defend our southern border and passed legislation to give law enforcement the tools they need to crack down on drug cartels, terrorists, and human smugglers. Schwertner also passed legislation that requires all state agencies to participate in the E-Verify program, ensuring that the State of Texas does not hire illegal immigrants.
