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Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick wants to follow in the footsteps of Elon Musk.

The state’s powerful Republican announced on Wednesday that one of the 40 bills he was prioritizing this legislative session is called “Texas DOGE – Improving Government Efficiency.”

Limiting government spending is an early priority of President Donald Trump’s administration and has been a centerpoint of his campaign. He selected Musk to lead a newly created Department of Government Efficiency, which has vowed to stop wasteful expenses in Washington and slash the federal workforce.

While Patrick’s announcement refers to Senate Bill 14 — which is not currently listed on the legislative website — there are two pending bills which outline government efficiency proposals.

One bill, filed by Texas Senator Bryan Hughes, would establish an office within Governor Greg Abbott’s administration to “identify and expand opportunities” for efficiencies, according to posted on the state’s legislative website.

The task force will be charged with evaluating rules and regulatory processes and work with state agencies to quell such requirements, the bill says. Hughes is a Republican who sponsored the state’s controversial Heartbeat Act which prohibited abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected.

A , which would create an advisory committee called the Texas Department of Government Efficiency, was filed in the Texas House by Representative .

“This approach mirrors the federal efforts to reduce wasteful spending, but Texas has led by example when it comes to government efficiency and slashing red tape,” Metcalf said in an statement about the legislation.

The legislation will likely be modified as it moves through both chambers during the session which on Jan. 14 and runs until the start of June.

Every two years Patrick chooses to throw his influence behind. Beyond DOGE, the second-highest ranking member of Texas’ executive branch also is supporting measures expanding school choice and placing the Ten Commandments in classrooms.

In addition to Texas, the American Legislative Exchange Council recently launched the ALEC Government Efficiency coalition.

The group “meets monthly to share best practices and proven policies from the states to optimize all levels of government.”

“As the incoming administration gets its footing, the ALEC Government Efficiency coalition is here to help supply DOGE, administration leaders, and all elected representatives with the most effective and efficient administrative reforms implemented by the states,” according to a by Nino Marchese, who is the the director of the judiciary task force at ALEC.

Photo: The Texas State Capitol during a meeting with Greg Abbott, governor of Texas, and Boris Johnson, former UK prime minister, at the Texas State Capitol in Austin, Texas, US, on Tuesday, May 23, 2023. Johnson discussed economic development with Abbott after visiting Dallas on Monday to thank Americans for supporting Ukraine in its war against Russia. Photographer: Jordan Vonderhaar/Bloomberg

Topics Texas Legislation