As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode tackles one of the most urgent and personal challenges facing Texans today: the rising cost of healthcare.

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 2036, its staff or its Board of Directors.

Host Brad Swail is joined by Avik Roy, Co-Founder and Chairman of FREOPP, and Charles Miller, Director of Health and Economic Mobility Policy at Texas 2036, for a deep dive into why healthcare costs keep rising — and what Texas can actually do about it.

The conversation begins with a stark reality: healthcare affordability has become a top concern for voters, even surpassing issues like property taxes. With employer-sponsored family coverage approaching $27,000 per year and out-of-pocket costs averaging around $10,000 annually for Texas families, the financial strain is reshaping both household budgets and business decisions.

A major theme is how the current system distorts incentives. Rather than functioning as a true free market, U.S. healthcare operates as a heavily subsidized system where consumers often lack visibility into prices — and have little control over spending decisions.

The discussion covers:

The episode also explores solutions that could reshape the Texas healthcare landscape. These include expanding price transparency, tackling provider monopolies, enabling more consumer-driven insurance models, and supporting innovative alternatives like direct payment systems and healthcare sharing models.

Roy and Miller highlight promising developments already underway in Texas, including efforts to improve data transparency through all-payer claims databases and reforms targeting anti-competitive practices in provider contracts.

Looking ahead, the goal isn’t perfection — it’s progress. Both guests emphasize that simply slowing the growth of healthcare costs to match inflation would represent a major win for Texas families and businesses.

The takeaway is clear: the tools to fix healthcare affordability exist — but meaningful reform will require aligning incentives, increasing competition, and taking on entrenched interests within the system.

00:00 — Intro + Future of Texas series overview

Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks

What’s really happening in Texas waterways — and why is so much trash ending up there?

In this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with Robby Robinson, Field Operations Manager at the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, and Mike Garver, Chairman of Texans for Clean Water and a founding member of the Buffalo Bayou Partnership, for a firsthand look at the growing challenge of waterway pollution in Texas.

Recorded in Houston after a live tour of Buffalo Bayou, the conversation explores what the team saw on the water — and why the problem is far bigger than most people realize.

A major focus of the discussion is how trash actually reaches waterways. Contrary to common assumptions, most of it isn’t dumped directly into rivers or bayous — it comes from everyday litter on streets, which is carried through storm drains and funnels into the broader water system.

The discussion covers:

Robinson and Garver emphasize a key point: cleanup alone is not the solution. Even with daily operations, only a small percentage of total waste is removed — meaning most of it ultimately flows into the Gulf of Mexico.

Instead, they argue the answer lies upstream — preventing waste from entering the system in the first place, particularly through proven policies like deposit-refund recycling programs.

The episode highlights a broader takeaway: keeping Texas waterways clean isn’t just an environmental issue — it’s a matter of infrastructure, public behavior, and policy alignment.

00:00 — Intro + Buffalo Bayou tour recap

Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode explores how higher education will shape the state’s workforce, economy, and long-term competitiveness.

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 2036, its staff or its Board of Directors.

Host Brad Swail is joined by Texas A&M Chancellor Glenn Hegar and David Leebron, President and CEO of Texas 2036 and former President of Rice University, for a comprehensive look at the future of higher education in a rapidly growing Texas.

With millions more Texans expected by 2036, the conversation examines how universities are adapting to rising demand, changing workforce needs, and growing concerns about the cost and value of a college degree.

A major theme is the evolving role of higher education — not just as a pathway to jobs, but as a driver of innovation, economic growth, and opportunity across the state.

The discussion covers:

The episode also highlights a key shift: universities are increasingly serving as hubs for talent development, research, and industry collaboration — all critical to maintaining Texas’ economic momentum.

Looking ahead to 2036, success will be measured not just by enrollment, but by outcomes — including workforce readiness, income growth, and the ability of Texas institutions to compete globally.

00:00 — Intro + Future of Texas series overview

Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks

Most Texans don’t think about environmental health — until something goes wrong.

In this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with Christopher Sparks, President of the Texas Environmental Health Association (TEHA), to explore the critical — but often overlooked — role environmental health professionals play in keeping communities safe every day.

From restaurant inspections and water systems to disaster response and disease prevention, Sparks explains how environmental health workers operate as a kind of “silent infrastructure,” ensuring that daily life functions safely behind the scenes.

A major focus of the conversation is how Texas is moving toward more uniform statewide standards, particularly in areas like food safety, while still allowing flexibility at the local level to address unique risks across different communities.

The discussion also covers:

Sparks also highlights a key issue for the future: as Texas continues to grow, the demand for environmental health services is increasing — but the workforce has not kept pace.

The episode underscores a simple but important takeaway: environmental health may be invisible to most people, but it plays a foundational role in public safety, economic stability, and quality of life across Texas.

00:00 — Intro + Christopher Sparks joins Texas Talks

Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode explores one of the most critical challenges facing the state’s future: building an electric grid that can keep up with rapid growth while remaining reliable and affordable.

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 2036, its staff or its Board of Directors.

Host Brad Swail is joined by Pablo Vegas, President and CEO of ERCOT, and Jeremy Mazur, Director of Infrastructure and Natural Resources Policy at Texas 2036, for a deep dive into how Texas is preparing its power grid for the next decade.

The conversation examines how Texas operates one of the most unique deregulated electricity markets in the country — and why that system is being tested by population growth, extreme weather, and rising demand from data centers and new industries.

Vegas explains how ERCOT manages supply and demand in real time while forecasting long-term growth, while Mazur breaks down the policy shifts that followed Winter Storm Uri and how lawmakers are approaching reliability and infrastructure.

The discussion covers:

The episode also highlights a key policy shift: large energy users like data centers may be required to reduce demand first during grid emergencies — protecting residential consumers and critical services.

Looking ahead, the conversation underscores a central challenge: Texas must not only build more power, but build the right mix of power to ensure long-term reliability and affordability.

00:00 — Intro + Future of Texas series overview

Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks

Why are homes in Texas becoming increasingly unaffordable — and what will it actually take to fix it?

In this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with Sean Dobson, CEO of Amherst Group, to break down the real forces driving today’s housing affordability crisis — and why many popular explanations fall short.

Dobson, a veteran of the mortgage and housing markets who correctly anticipated the 2008 financial crisis, explains how today’s challenges are rooted in a mix of monetary policy, supply constraints, and structural issues within housing finance — not just the surface-level narratives dominating political debate.

A major focus of the conversation is how historically low interest rates during COVID dramatically increased buying power, pushing home prices up roughly 60% in just four years. At the same time, rising rates have now “locked in” homeowners, reducing supply and making it harder for new buyers to enter the market.

Dobson also challenges several widely held assumptions, including the idea that institutional investors are the primary cause of high home prices. Instead, he argues that these investors often provide access to housing for families who cannot qualify for mortgages under today’s stricter lending standards.

The conversation also covers:

Dobson also outlines potential solutions, emphasizing that increasing housing supply and allowing more flexibility in home design could significantly reduce costs. He points to recent efforts in Texas — including smaller lot sizes and accessory dwelling units — as steps in the right direction, while arguing that broader reforms may be needed at the state level.

The episode closes with a clear takeaway: solving the housing crisis will require difficult tradeoffs, smarter policy, and a willingness to move beyond simplistic narratives about what’s driving the problem.

00:00 — Intro + Sean Dobson joins Texas Talks

Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode explores what it really takes to raise a family in Texas today — and what must hold up over the next decade if the state wants to remain a place of opportunity.

In this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail is joined by Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker and A.J. Rodriguez, Executive Vice President of Texas 2036, for a wide-ranging conversation about the policies, pressures, and quality-of-life factors shaping family life across Texas.

The discussion begins with a simple but important question: if Texas wants to remain the best place to live, work, and raise a family, what does that actually require in practice? Parker and Rodriguez argue that the answer goes far beyond economic headlines. It includes affordability, maternal and infant health, access to quality education, child care, safe neighborhoods, housing, and the everyday experience of whether families feel like they can build a stable and hopeful future here.

A major focus of the episode is how growth is reshaping Texas. As cities like Fort Worth continue to add residents at a rapid pace, leaders are being forced to ask whether the state’s success is truly working for Texas families — especially those who have been here for generations. Parker emphasizes that city government must stay focused on the basics while also addressing long-term quality-of-life issues, while Rodriguez brings a statewide lens to how those same pressures show up across Texas.

The conversation also covers:

Parker also highlights Fort Worth’s efforts to improve maternal health outcomes, support neighborhood revitalization, and expand opportunity through education and workforce pathways. Rodriguez underscores that if Texas wants to preserve its economic momentum, it must invest just as seriously in human infrastructure as it does in roads, water, and broadband.

The episode closes with a clear message: the future of Texas will not be measured only by growth, but by whether families can afford to stay, thrive, and see a path forward for the next generation.

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 2036, its staff or its Board of Directors.

00:00 — Introduction to the Future of Texas series

Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks

This episode kicks off the Texas Talks Special Series: AI and Public Policy, a multi-part series exploring how artificial intelligence will reshape governance at every level in the years ahead.

Artificial intelligence is advancing at an unprecedented pace — but can government keep up?

In this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail is joined by Tanner Jones and Chris Minge, cofounders of Vulcan Technologies, to launch the series with a deep dive into how AI is already transforming the private sector — and why government risks falling dangerously behind if it fails to adapt.

Jones and Minge explain how their company is working to bring “frontier AI” into state and federal government, giving policymakers the tools to better understand laws, budgets, and regulatory systems in real time. They argue that without modernization, the gap between private-sector innovation and government capability could grow so wide that it undermines effective governance.

The discussion also dives into the structural problems holding government back — from outdated procurement systems to legacy vendors delivering obsolete technology — and how those inefficiencies impact everything from permitting to policymaking.

The conversation also covers:

Jones and Minge also highlight real-world results, including dramatic reductions in time spent on routine government tasks and the ability for public servants to focus more on high-level policy work instead of clerical processes.

Looking ahead, they argue that states like Texas that successfully integrate AI into governance will see faster economic growth, more efficient public services, and a stronger competitive advantage — while those that fail to adapt risk falling further behind.

00:00 — Introduction to AI and public policy series

Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks

As part of the Future of Texas series in partnership with Texas 2036, this episode explores how Texas courts and the justice system must evolve to serve a rapidly growing state.

In this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail is joined by Chief Justice Wallace B. Jefferson, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, and Luis Soberon, Senior Policy Advisor and In House Counsel at Texas 2036, for a forward-looking conversation about the future of courts, access to justice, and judicial reform in Texas.

As Texas adds more residents, more businesses, and more complexity to its economy, the demands on the justice system are growing as well. Chief Justice Jefferson and Soberon discuss how population growth affects everything from family law and criminal dockets to business disputes and court backlogs — and why the state must modernize now if it wants to preserve public trust and timely access to justice by 2036.

The conversation also examines how Texas courts have already evolved through electronic filing, virtual hearings, and greater public transparency, while also looking ahead to the next wave of change driven by AI, data systems, and digital tools that could make the justice system more accessible and more efficient.

The discussion also covers:

Chief Justice Jefferson argues that Texas should aim to become a national leader in ensuring every resident can protect their most basic rights in court, while Soberon emphasizes that better data, smarter administration, and sustained investment will be critical if the justice system is going to keep pace with Texas’s future.

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 2036, its staff or its Board of Directors.

00:00 — Introduction to the Future of Texas series and today’s justice focus

Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks

In this episode of Texas Talks, host Brad Swail sits down with Marc Levin, Chief Policy Counsel at the Council on Criminal Justice, for a wide-ranging conversation about where criminal justice reform stands in Texas today — and what lawmakers should be focused on next.

Levin reflects on his long history in Texas criminal justice policy, from the 2007 reforms that helped the state avoid building thousands of new prison beds to the current push for a smarter, more data-driven justice system. He explains why public safety remains the core mission of government, but argues that Texas works best when policy is guided by proportionality, fairness, accountability, and evidence about what actually reduces crime and recidivism.

The conversation explores recent reforms from the 89th Texas Legislature, including expanded pretrial funding, parole process changes through the Sunset review of TDCJ, and the constitutional amendment updating bail rules. Levin also discusses why plea bargaining deserves more scrutiny, how better data could help policymakers compare sentences and outcomes across counties, and why transparency matters if Texas wants to know whether its justice system is truly working.

The discussion also covers:

Levin makes the case that Texas has already shown it can lower both crime and incarceration at the same time — but only if lawmakers keep focusing on reforms that are practical, measurable, and rooted in outcomes rather than rhetoric.

00:00 — Introduction and Marc Levin joins the podcast

Watch Full-Length Interviews: https://www.youtube.com/@TexasTalks