Shows / Texas Talks
Texas Talks
Texas Talks with Brad Swail, brought to you by the Texas Dispatch, is a weekly podcast that features wide-ranging discussions with the people, organizations, and businesses that shape public policy in Texas. Texas Talks aims to provide listeners with a deeper understanding of the policy debates and reasons and insight into the personalities that shape public policy in Texas.
Episodes
Texas TalksEp. 136 - Texas Could Owe $770M for SNAP — And Food Banks Can’t Fill the Gap | Celia Cole
Texas could face a $770 million annual obligation to fund SNAP benefits under new federal rules, even as food banks across the state struggle to meet growing…
Texas TalksEp. 135 - “Your Texas Miracle Has Become My Texas Nightmare” | Texas 2036 | John Hryhorchuk
Texas has experienced extraordinary economic growth over the past 25 years, but are Texans actually feeling the benefits? John Hryhorchuk, Senior Vice…
Texas TalksEp. 134 - AI Data Center Boom Is a Bubble — Texas Can’t Build Power Fast Enough | Dr. Joshua Rhodes
Can Texas produce enough electricity to power the artificial intelligence revolution, or are the state's massive data center projections creating an…
Texas TalksEp. 133 - Should Texas Build a Statewide Prosecutor for One County? | Rep. Carl Tepper
Texas State Representative Carl Tepper joins Brad Swail on Texas Talks to discuss some of the major issues being examined by the House Select Committee on…
Texas TalksEp. 132 - The State of Children's Mental Health with Chris Bryan | Live | Part 2
In Part 2 of our special Texas Talks series recorded live at the Texas Hospital Association Annual Conference in Fort Worth, host Brad Swail sits down with…
Texas TalksEp. 131 - The Real Economics of Texas Hospitals with Allen Harrison | Live | Part 1
In Part 1 of a special two-part Texas Talks series recorded live at the Texas Hospital Association Annual Conference in Fort Worth, host Brad Swail sits down…
Texas TalksEp. 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…
Texas TalksEp. 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…
Texas TalksEp. 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…
Texas TalksEp. 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 TalksEp. 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…
Texas TalksEp. 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…
Texas TalksEp. 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…
Texas TalksEp. 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…
Texas TalksEp. 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 TalksEp. 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…
Texas TalksEp. 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 -…
Texas TalksEp. 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…
Texas TalksEp. 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…
Texas TalksEp. 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…
Texas TalksEp. 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…
Texas TalksRural 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…
Texas TalksUvalde, 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 TalksThe 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…
Texas TalksTexas 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…
Texas TalksPolicies 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…
Texas TalksTexas Schools, AI & the Future of Public Education w/Chairman Brad Buckley
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…
Texas TalksFuture of Energy
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…
Texas TalksAustin Economy, Growth Challenges & Texas Business Outlook w/Jeremy Martin
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…
Texas TalksFuture of Healthcare
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…
Texas TalksBuffalo Bayou: Inside Houston’s Waterway Cleanup & Policy Fight
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…
Texas TalksThe Future of Higher Ed
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…
Texas TalksThe “Silent Infrastructure” Protecting Texas: Public Health & Policy w/Christopher Sparks
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…
Texas TalksPowering the Next Texas Economy
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…
Texas TalksHousing Affordability Crisis in Texas: Rates, Supply & Policy w/Sean Dobson
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…
Texas TalksThe Future of Raising a Family
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…
Texas TalksAI and Public Policy: Transforming Government w/Tanner Jones & Chris Minge
This episode kicks off the Texas Talks Special Series: AI and Public Policy, a multi-part series exploring how artificial intelligence will reshape governance…
Texas TalksThe Future of Texas' Court System
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…
Texas TalksCurrent and Future Justice Reforms in Texas w/ Marc Levin
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…
Texas TalksThe Future of Megaregions
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…
Texas TalksFuture of Work in Texas: Skills, Mobility, Opportunity w/Roy Spence & Renzo Soto (Future of Texas)
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…
Texas TalksUsing AI to Improve Transparency w/Charles Blain
Brad Swail welcomes Charles Blain—Houston Chronicle contributor, Manhattan Institute City Journal writer, Fox 26 panelist, author of the forthcoming The…
Texas TalksEducating Tomorrow’s Texas: From Classrooms to Careers w/Mike Morath & Mary Lynn Pruneda (Future of Texas)
Brad Swail sits down with Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath and Mary Lynn Pruneda (Texas 2036 Director of Education & Workforce Policy) for a…
Texas TalksProperty Taxes, the Texas Liberty Compact, and the Fight for Real Reform w/Jeramy Kitchen
After the 2026 primaries delivered a fresh wave of “new blood” in the Legislature, will property taxes finally get crushed… or will the same old insider games…
Texas TalksInnovation Nation: Texas’ Next Economic Boom (Future of Texas)
Future of Texas is a special limited series from Texas Talks exploring the ideas, leaders, and innovations shaping the state’s next century. As Texas…
Texas TalksThe Texas Miracle, Data Centers, and the Future of Business in Texas w/Megan Mauro
Is the “Texas Miracle” still alive — and what does it take to keep Texas competitive in 2026 and beyond? In this episode of Texas Talks, Megan Mauro, Interim…
Texas TalksTexas Economy, Education Freedom Accounts, and State Spending Transparency w/Kelly Hancock
In this episode, Kelly Hancock, Acting Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, breaks down what the Comptroller’s office actually does—and what the latest…
Texas TalksMandy Drogin on School Choice, ESAs & the Future of Texas Education
On this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with Mandy Drogin of the Texas Public Policy Foundation to discuss Texas Education Freedom Accounts…
Texas TalksEp. 101 - Margaret Byfield (Energy Policy)
In this episode of Texas Talks, Brad Swail interviews Margaret Byfield, Executive Director of American Stewards of Liberty, to break down the growing…
Texas TalksEp. 100 - Jaime Olin (Animal Policy Advocate)
Brad Swail interviews Jaime Olin, interim executive director of the Texas Humane Legislation Network, about landmark animal welfare laws in Texas, enforcement…
Texas TalksEp. 99 - Veronda Durden
Early childhood intervention can change the trajectory of a child’s life—but in Texas, funding hasn’t kept pace with growing need. In this episode of the Texas…
Texas TalksEp. 98 - Christo Van Rensburg
Former professional tennis player and ATP top-20 competitor Christo van Rensburg joins the Texas Talks podcast to discuss building the ATX Open into one of…
Texas TalksEp. 97 - Rob Morris (TX Healthcare)
Texas faces a growing rural health care crisis as hospitals close and emergency access shrinks. In this episode of the Texas Talk Podcast, Rob Morris—CEO of…
Texas TalksEp. 96 - Brad Johnson (TX Politics Reporter)
Veteran Texas politics reporter Brad Johnson joins the Texas Talks Podcast to break down the biggest policy fights shaping Texas in 2026. From water shortages…
Texas TalksEp. 95 - Stan Reed (TX Christmas Tree Growers Association)
Texas Christmas trees are more than a holiday tradition—they’re a growing agricultural industry reshaping rural economies across the state. In this episode of…
Texas TalksEp. 94 - John Hawkins (TX Hospital Association CEO)
Texas Hospital Association CEO John Hawkins joins Brad Swail to break down the toughest challenges facing health care in Texas — from rural hospital closures…
Texas TalksEp. 93 - Tray Bates (TX Realtors VP of Govt affairs)
Texas housing is shifting fast — and in this in-depth interview, Texas Realtors Vice President of Governmental Affairs Tray Bates breaks down the real forces…
Texas TalksEp. 92 - Peyton Schumann (TX & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association)
Texas Talks host Brad Swail sits down with Peyton Schumann — the Interim Executive Director of Government Relations for the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers…
Texas TalksEp. 91 - Dr. Audrey Young (TX State Board of Education)
Dr. Audrey Young, elected to the Texas State Board of Education in 2020, joins Texas Talks for an in-depth conversation about the real state of special…
Texas TalksEp. 90 - Barry Smitherman (Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance)
Former Railroad Commission Chairman and current head of the Texas Geothermal Energy Alliance, Barry Smitherman, joins host Brad Swail to break down the next…