Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick makes stop in Wichita Falls

WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick made a stop in Wichita Falls on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, highlighting key bills passed during the 89th Legislative Session.

Patrick held a “Post Session Press Conference” at the FBO building at the Wichita Falls Municipal Airport as a part of a tour of Texas cities. The full press conference can be found below:

Patrick, along with Sen. Brent Hagenbuch, State Senator for District 30, touched on a number of bills that will soon head to the desk of Gov. Greg Abbott.

Cuts to property taxes

Patrick discussed cuts to property taxes that were passed during the 89th Legislature. According to Patrick, they’re the largest property tax cuts in history.

Patrick said the Homestead Exemption has been increased. Previously $40,000, the Homestead Exemption will now be $200,000 for senior citizens and $140,000 for Texans under the age of 65.

According to Patrick, senior citizens will no longer be required to pay property taxes on school properties.

“If you’re over 65 and you’re the average homeowner, senior homeowner, you will no longer pay school property taxes again for the rest of your life,” Patrick said. “And if you’re under 65, this will cut your school property tax cut about 50 percent from what you’ve been paying.”

‘School Choice’ and funding for public education

Patrick then addressed the passing of School Choice in Texas, the new school voucher-style program, recently signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott.

The law allocates billions toward public education while allowing up to 100,000 students to apply for funding to attend the school of their choice. Patrick clarified a common misconception that the law takes money away from public schools.

“95 percent of the kids in Texas or more are always going to go to public schools. That’s what we fund the most,” Patrick said. “The biggest part of our budget will always do that. But not every parent wants to send their child to public school.”

Patrick added that public schools in Texas are the biggest area of investment of the state’s budget.

“We added $8.5 billion to public education,” Patrick said. “That’s more than ever before in one session that goes into the classroom.”

Ten Commandments, prayer in schools

Patrick also addressed a new law requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms.

According to Patrick, the 16″x19″ posters won’t be funded by the school itself, but rather, the school will be “adopted” by local churches, businesses, or individuals, and schools will be obligated to display them.

Additionally, Patrick said prayer will be returning to public schools in Texas. While no one will be compelled to pray, students will be given private time for prayer if they choose to do so.

“We’re putting our values back in the classroom,” Patrick said. “Values that most Texans believe in.”

Pay raises for teachers

Teachers in Texas schools will also be getting raises, according to Patrick.

Patrick said the average salary for a teacher in Texas will increase to $69,000, up from the current average of $54,000, adding that with new incentive programs, that increase could be even higher.

“Your salary is getting a big bump,” Patrick said.”We’re using $4 billion to increase your pay. And in rural Texas, where there’s always been about a $10,000 pay gap between rural and urban-suburban, we’re closing that gap dramatically.”

Texas infrastructure improvements

Patrick also discussed several areas of infrastructure in Texas that will be funded by the bills passed during the 89th Legislative Session.

Patrick said billions of dollars will be invested in water development, building roads, and the Texas power grid, promising billions of dollars for each.

“Wind and solar are fine, but when the wind’s not blowing, the sun’s not out, quite frankly, we don’t have enough power,” Patrick said.

Funding for law enforcement

Patrick also announced that during the 89th Legislature, $350 million was invested to raise pay for rural law enforcement officers.

According to Patrick, sheriffs will have a minimum salary of $75,000, and deputies and jailers will make around $40,000 minimum or more.

“We stand behind our law enforcement,” Patrick said. “We’re not the blue states, like what’s going on in California right now and elsewhere around the country, or blue cities. We fund our police.”

Bail reform in Texas

Patrick also addressed bail reform in Texas, saying that for the fourth session in a row, bail reform was passed. Patrick said in the 89th Legislative Session, three major bail reform bills were passed that will keep felons behind bars.

Patrick criticized Democrats in the Texas House for voting against two additional bail reform bills that passed easily in the state Senate.

 “We worked very well with our Democrats in the Senate. We passed a lot of legislation,” Patrick said. “But the Democrats in the House have killed these two important bills.”

Banning products containing THC

The topic that Patrick spent the most time addressing on Tuesday, June 10, was a ban on THC products in Texas that was passed during the 89th Legislative session.

“This is not a game,” Patrick said. “I understand some people out there disagree with the policy, but it is not legal. The federal government has not legalized pot across the country.”

According to Patrick, in the last 3 or 4 years in Texas, over 8,000 smoke shops and vape shops have opened up, many of which sell products containing THC, including gummies, cookies, and candies meant to attract young people.

“Why did they build most of their 8,000 stores 1,000 or 2,000 feet from schools?” Patrick said. “They’re targeting your children, your grandchildren.”

Patrick added that THC “is poisoning our culture,” however, the THC ban only affects consumable products and doesn’t place an outright ban on hemp, a common misconception.

According to Patrick, agricultural hemp and hemp processing plants will still be able to operate in Texas.

“This bill does not impact them at all,” Patrick said. “In fact, our agricultural commissioner, Sid Miller, backed this bill because it doesn’t impact the agricultural hemp. It only impacts people who use it and then mix it with other chemicals to create consumable products.”