Texas Talks

• Ep. 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 driving prices, affordability, and policy debates across the state. We cover the post-COVID market cooldown, interest-rate shocks, short-term rentals, global capital flowing into Texas development, and the growing “missing middle” problem affecting first-time buyers.Bates also explains the legislative fights ahead: property-tax reform, permitting delays, lot-size requirements, infrastructure bottlenecks, and the strategic plan Texas Realtors will take into the 90th Legislature. If you want a clear, candid, insider look at Texas real estate from someone who lives it every day, this conversation lays out exactly what’s happening and what comes next. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks

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• Ep. 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 Association — for a deep dive into the challenges and future of cattle ranching in Texas. They cover everything from rising beef prices and drought-driven herd declines to the complexities of beef imports, federal trade policy, and the threat posed by the New World screwworm. Peyton also breaks down the high costs ranchers face, processing bottlenecks, truth-in-labeling laws, water shortages, and what the Texas Legislature may tackle next. If you want a clear, inside look at the realities of ranching in 2025 and what it means for consumers, landowners, and the state’s economy, this conversation delivers it. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks

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• Ep. 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 education in Texas. Drawing from 31 years in public schools as a speech therapist, reading specialist, administrator, and executive director, Dr. Young clarifies how dyslexia policy is being reshaped, why the statewide special-education population has risen to 20%, and how House Bill 568 is changing funding models across districts.We dig into the challenges facing rural and urban schools, the growing role of advocates, the impact of education savings accounts, and why Texas still struggles with uneven services for students with disabilities. Dr. Young also explains her vision for expanding gifted-education support and why leadership experience in special education matters now more than ever.For parents, educators, policymakers, and anyone trying to understand how Texas is rebuilding its special-education system, this episode provides a candid and informed roadmap for where the state is heading. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks

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• Ep. 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 big chapter in Texas energy. From the state’s oil legacy to the rise of geothermal power, Smitherman explains how advances in drilling technology, abandoned oil wells, and dispatchable clean energy could redefine the grid. They discuss what Texas lawmakers can do to meet surging power demands, the role of AI data centers, and why geothermal might be the most inexhaustible, zero-carbon resource on the planet. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks

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• Ep. 89 - Kelley Shannon (Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas)

  In this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail interviews Kelley Shannon, Executive Director of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas. They discuss the state’s Public Information Act, government transparency, and why access to information is essential for accountability. Shannon explains how Texas laws were built after the Sharpstown scandal, how lawmakers have gradually weakened them, and what reforms could restore stronger transparency. The conversation also touches on the Hill Country floods, Governor Abbott’s emails with Elon Musk, and the balance between privacy and public interest.This is a must-watch for anyone who believes in open government, free speech, and the public’s right to know. Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks

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