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PODCAST

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.

government politics

All Episodes

00:24:43

Ep. 132 - The State of Children's Mental Health with...

Texas Talks ·

2026/10/02

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 Chris Bryan, Vice President of Clarity Child Guidance Center in San Antonio, to examine the state of children’s mental healthcare in Texas.Bryan shares the personal experience that led her from a career in technology to becoming an advocate for children’s mental health and explains how technology and social media have changed the environment in

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00:26:38

Ep. 131 - The Real Economics of Texas Hospitals with...

Texas Talks ·

2026/10/01

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 with Allen Harrison, President of Medical City Healthcare, HCA Healthcare’s North Texas Division, and Chair-Elect of the Texas Hospital Association Board of Trustees.Harrison shares the personal story that led him to a career in healthcare before turning to the financial pressures facing Texas hospitals and the growing debate over healthcare

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00:38:57

Ep. 130 - Women Pay $350 for a Hormone Men Get for...

Texas Talks ·

2026/09/24

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 spokesperson and chair of the House Subcommittee on Maternal Health, Menopause and Access to Evidence-Based Medicine — sits down with Brad Swail on Texas Talks to walk through her Texas Women’s Health Initiative: baseline hormone testing, HRT coverage, physician liability, iron and prenatal access, and why she says doctors now practice

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00:35:30

Ep. 129 - Why We Pay for Health Insurance - Then...

Texas Talks ·

2026/09/17

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 co-founder of Sidecar Health, following his testimony before the Texas House Select Committee on Health Care Affordability.Quigley explains Sidecar Health’s approach to insurance and why he believes greater price and quality transparency, fewer restrictions on where patients receive care, and stronger financial incentives for consumers

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00:48:27

Ep. 128 - Why Your Insurance Bill Keeps Going Up in...

Texas Talks ·

2026/09/10

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, host Brad Swail sits down with Ryan Patrick, the new CEO of Texans for Lawsuit Reform, to discuss his vision for the organization and its priorities heading into the 90th Texas Legislature.Patrick draws on his career as a prosecutor, judge, U.S. Attorney and private-practice attorney to explain why he believes Texas needs to refocus on

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00:42:17

Ep. 127 - Government Transparency, Oversight &...

Texas Talks ·

2026/09/03

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, host Brad Swail welcomes back State Rep. Cody Vasut, who represents House District 25 and chairs the House Select Committee on Government Oversight. Vasut explains the committee’s mission and the wide range of issues lawmakers are examining during the interim—from Texas’ public information laws and the growing impact of AI on records

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00:29:45

Ep. 126 - Texas Community Colleges Did Too Well —...

Texas Talks ·

2026/08/27

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 down with State Rep. Vince Perez, who represents House District 77 in El Paso, to discuss some of the major policy questions facing Texas ahead of the next legislative session. Perez describes his district at the center of the El Paso–Ciudad Juárez region and explains how its location along the U.S.-Mexico border shapes its economy and

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00:40:02

Ep. 125 - Texas General Aviation: Funding, Workforce...

Texas Talks ·

2026/08/20

Pilot. Flight paramedic. Firefighter. State Representative.Rep. Armando Martinez (HD 39) joins Texas Talks to break down why Texas general aviation airports are more important than most people realize — and what the new House Select Committee on General Aviation is trying to fix. In this episode we cover: • Why Speaker Burrows created a Select Committee on General Aviation • The real difference between general aviation and commercial airports • Infrastructure and funding challenges facing small

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00:37:46

Ep. 124 - Can Texas Become America’s Regenerative...

Texas Talks ·

2026/08/13

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 Jack Collier, co-founder and CEO of Optimized Health and Performance, a nationwide telehealth clinic based in the Austin area. Collier explains how his own experience with hormone testing led him into the health and wellness industry and why he believes patients need more information and control over their healthcare decisions. The

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00:33:44

Ep. 123 - Texas Tech, Higher Education Reform, & the...

Texas Talks ·

2026/08/06

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 episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with Brandon Creighton, Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System and former Texas state senator and representative, to discuss higher education reform, artificial intelligence, and his vision for Texas Tech’s future. Creighton reflects on his transition from writing higher education

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00:42:10

Ep. 122 - Texas Healthcare, Education Funding, &...

Texas Talks ·

2026/07/30

How can Texas improve healthcare access, strengthen public education, and prepare its workforce while balancing competing budget priorities?On this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail welcomes State Representative Donna Howard, who represents House District 48, for a wide-ranging conversation on healthcare, higher education, workforce development, public school funding, and the state's fiscal outlook. As Vice Chair of both the House Higher Education Committee and Article II Appropriations,

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00:47:48

Ep. 121 - Texas Housing Affordability & the Next...

Texas Talks ·

2026/07/23

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 representative. As one of the Legislature’s leading voices on housing policy, Chairman Gates breaks down the interim hearings focused on restoring affordability across Texas. The conversation covers the real-world impact of recent bills, aggressive local pushback from cities, and bold solutions to cut red tape and deliver more

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00:17:27

Ep. 120 - Texas THC Ban, the Housing Fight & MUDs —...

Texas Talks ·

2026/07/17

"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 Intergovernmental Affairs Committee." What are the biggest public policy debates unfolding in Texas today? In this solo episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail examines three major issues likely to shape the next legislative session: housing affordability, municipal utility districts (MUDs), and the ongoing debate over consumable THC

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00:38:03

Ep. 119 - Will Data Centers Quadruple Texas Power...

Texas Talks ·

2026/07/09

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 down with Mark Bell, President and CEO of the Association of Electric Companies of Texas (AECT), to discuss the future of the Texas electric grid, the unprecedented demand for electricity, and how the state is preparing for the next generation of economic growth. Bell explains why Texas has become one of the nation's leading

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00:44:23

Ep. 118 - Data Centers Are Coming to Texas — But Who...

Texas Talks ·

2026/07/02

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 Texas State Sen. Sarah Eckhardt to discuss the state's response to flooding, water infrastructure, data centers, public education funding, property taxes, and redistricting. Sen. Eckhardt reflects on the aftermath of the devastating Central Texas floods, arguing that while progress has been made, key recommendations on emergency

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00:43:18

Ep. 117 - AI, Transparency & Taxpayer Savings:...

Texas Talks ·

2026/06/25

Can artificial intelligence help make government more efficient while saving taxpayers and businesses billions of dollars? On this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with Reeve Bull, Policy Director at the Fulcrum Foundation and former Director of the Office of Regulatory Management under Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, to discuss one of the nation's most successful state regulatory reform efforts—and how Texas is building on that success with artificial intelligence. Bull explains

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00:42:51

New World Screwworm in Texas, The Future of...

Texas Talks ·

2026/06/18

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 Teller, licensed veterinarian and Executive Director of the Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA), to discuss the growing concern surrounding New World screwworm, the state of veterinary medicine in Texas, rural veterinarian shortages, telemedicine, and the future of animal health. Dr. Teller explains how New World screwworm

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00:41:24

Rural Attorney Shortages, Elder Fraud, and a Texas...

Texas Talks ·

2026/06/11

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 Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with State Representative Mitch Little, who represents Texas House District 65 in southern Denton County, for a wide-ranging discussion on criminal justice policy, government regulation, property tax reform, and the priorities shaping the next legislative session. Little, an attorney and member

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00:35:53

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

Texas Talks ·

2026/06/04

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, host Brad Swail sits down with State Representative Don McLaughlin, who represents Texas House District 80 and previously served as mayor of Uvalde during one of the most difficult periods in the city’s history. McLaughlin discusses House Bill 33, the Uvalde Strong Act, which was passed unanimously during his first legislative

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00:54:29

The Future of Economic Prosperity

Texas Talks ·

2026/05/26

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 shape Texas’ future prosperity.Through the Future of Texas podcast series, Texas 2036 brings together diverse perspectives as we explore the opportunities and challenges facing our state over the next ten years. The views expressed in this program are those of the individual speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views of Texas

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149 results

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