Texas Talks

Ep. 130 - Women Pay $350 for a Hormone Men Get for $86 | Katrina Pierson

Women are paying $350 for a testosterone pellet. The same hormone, in a men’s tube, can last a year for $86. Texas Rep. Katrina Pierson (HD 33) — former Trump national s

Ep. 129 - Why We Pay for Health Insurance - Then Avoid Using It | Patrick Quigley

Why is it so difficult to know what healthcare will cost before you receive it? On this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with Patrick Quigley, CEO and c

Ep. 128 - Why Your Insurance Bill Keeps Going Up in Texas | Ryan Patrick

What is driving rising litigation and insurance costs in Texas—and what does Texans for Lawsuit Reform want lawmakers to do about it? On this episode of Texas Talks, hos

Ep. 127 - Government Transparency, Oversight & Accountability in Texas w/Rep. Cody Vasut

Texas lawmakers are taking a closer look at government transparency, taxpayer spending and accountability at the state and local levels. On this episode of Texas Talks,

Ep. 126 - Texas Community Colleges Did Too Well — Then the State Ran Out of Money | Rep. Vince Perez

How should Texas prepare its colleges, workforce, tax system, and infrastructure for the state's continued growth? On Episode 126 of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits do

Ep. 125 - Texas General Aviation: Funding, Workforce & Disaster Response | Armando Martinez

Pilot. Flight paramedic. Firefighter. State Representative. Rep. Armando Martinez (HD 39) joins Texas Talks to break down why Texas general aviation airports are more im

Ep. 124 - Can Texas Become America’s Regenerative Medicine Capital? | Jack Collier

What would it take for Texas to become the national leader in health, wellness, and regenerative medicine? On this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with

Ep. 123 - Texas Tech, Higher Education Reform, & the Future of AI w/Chancellor Brandon Creighton

What will higher education look like in an age of artificial intelligence, and how can Texas universities make sure their degrees continue to deliver value? On this epis

Ep. 122 - Texas Healthcare, Education Funding, & Property Taxes w/Rep. Donna Howard

How can Texas improve healthcare access, strengthen public education, and prepare its workforce while balancing competing budget priorities? On this episode of Texas Tal

Ep. 121 - Texas Housing Affordability & the Next Legislative Session w/Chairman Gary Gates

Texas Talks host Brad Swail sits down with State Representative Gary Gates, Chairman of the House Land and Resource Management Committee and longtime Fort Bend County rep

Ep. 120 - Texas THC Ban, the Housing Fight & MUDs — What's Coming in 2027

"The Municipal Utility Districts hearing discussed in this episode is before the House Committee on Land & Resource Management, chaired by Rep. Gary Gates - not the Inter

Ep. 119 - Will Data Centers Quadruple Texas Power Demand? Mark Bell, AECT CEO Explains

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

Ep. 118 - Data Centers Are Coming to Texas — But Who Pays for the Water & Power? | Sen. Sarah Eckhardt

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

Ep. 117 - AI, Transparency & Taxpayer Savings: Lessons from Virginia

Can artificial intelligence help make government more efficient while saving taxpayers and businesses billions of dollars? On this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swai

Ep. 116 - New World Screwworm in Texas, The Future of Veterinary Care, and Rural Vet Shortages

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 Te

Rural Attorney Shortages, Elder Fraud, and a Texas Statewide Prosecutor w/Rep. Mitch Little

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 T

Uvalde, School Safety & Texas Law Enforcement w/Rep. Don McLaughlin

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,

The Future of Economic Prosperity

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 sh

Texas Policy Update: Summer Camps, AI Deregulation & Prosecutor Power w/Brad Swail

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

Policies that Deliver

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.