Center for Economic Freedom Policy Update

Dr. Brent Bennett’s Testimony Before the House State Affairs Committee: Data Centers & 765-kV Transmission Lines

Testimony of Brent Bennett, Ph.D. Policy Director, Life:Powered Texas Public Policy Foundation Before the House State Affairs Committee August 19, 2026 Chairman King and Members of the Committee: Thank you for this opportunity to testify about the important challenges facing the Texas electric grid and specifically the challenges and opportunities being presented by data centers....

Safe Schools and Fair Standards

Safe Schools and Fair Standards  Key points: Texas’s higher education code is not aligned with Supreme Court precedent on the correct standards for defining harassment. Texas statute does not define what makes conduct “severe,” “persistent,” or “pervasive.” The existing legal framework should remain intact but needs updated definitions that protect both free speech and students...

Forecasting the Future of the ERCOT Grid, Part 1: The Ongoing Winter Reliability Challenge

Forecasting the Future of the ERCOT Grid, Part 1: The Ongoing Winter Reliability Challenge Written By: Michael Reed and Brent Bennett, Ph.D. Download the full research paper here. Key Points While the operational performance of the ERCOT grid has improved since Winter Storm Uri in 2021, the increasing reliance of the grid on wind, solar,...