Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute

Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute
Name	Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute
Formation	1996
Type	Public policy think tank
Headquarters	Austin, Texas
Leader title	President

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Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute

The Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute is a public policy think tank based in Austin, Texas, associated with conservative lawmakers and activists, founded in 1996 during legislative sessions involving the Texas Legislature, George W. Bush, and debates over welfare reform; it has engaged with issues connected to Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Rick Perry, Ted Cruz, and national groups such as the Heritage Foundation, American Legislative Exchange Council, and Club for Growth. The institute produces policy reports, hosts events with figures from the Republican Party (United States), the Federalist Society, and the National Rifle Association, and has been referenced in coverage by the Texas Tribune, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Houston Chronicle.

History

The organization was formed in 1996 amid political realignments involving the Texas Senate, Texas House of Representatives, and the ascendancy of figures like George W. Bush and Kay Bailey Hutchison; its early activity intersected with policy debates on welfare reform, tort reform, and tax policy that also engaged actors such as the Goldwater Institute and the John Locke Foundation. Throughout the 2000s it expanded its network to include state legislators affiliated with the Republican Party (United States) and conservative activists connected to the Christian Coalition, Americans for Prosperity, and the Tea Party movement. In the 2010s the institute continued to influence legislation debated in sessions of the Texas Legislature and engaged with national controversies involving Affordable Care Act, voter ID laws, and energy policy related to ExxonMobil and Chevron. The group has hosted events featuring speakers from organizations like the Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute, and American Enterprise Institute.

The institute describes its mission in terms consonant with principles associated with Free market, limited government advocates found in the Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute, American Legislative Exchange Council, and Institute for Policy Innovation; it promotes policy positions on tax reform, regulatory reform, and energy independence consistent with figures such as Milton Friedman, Margaret Thatcher, and modern proponents like Grover Norquist. Its ideological orientation aligns with the Republican Party (United States), the Tea Party movement, and conservative coalitions in the Texas Legislature advocating for lower taxes, deregulation, and property rights in disputes involving litigants like BP and ExxonMobil.

The institute's governance has included a board composed of business leaders, former legislators, and policy experts with connections to institutions such as the Chamber of Commerce of the United States, Texas Association of Business, Dallas Chamber of Commerce, and law firms active in Austin and Houston; leaders have engaged with lawmakers from the Texas Senate and the Texas House of Representatives and allied with advocacy organizations including Americans for Prosperity and Club for Growth. Past presidents and directors have interacted publicly with figures like Rick Perry, John Cornyn, Kay Bailey Hutchison, and policy scholars from the Heritage Foundation and American Enterprise Institute.

The institute issues policy briefs, white papers, and model legislation on topics intersecting with the agendas of the American Legislative Exchange Council, the Heritage Foundation, and the Cato Institute; subjects have included tax policy proposals, regulatory analyses tied to the Environmental Protection Agency, energy reports referencing ExxonMobil and Chevron, and studies on criminal justice reform related to state courts and legislators. Publications have been cited in hearings of the Texas Legislature and discussed in media outlets such as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Texas Monthly, and the Texas Tribune.

While organized as a research institute, the organization has engaged in activities overlapping with lobbying and legislative advocacy similar to groups like Americans for Prosperity and Club for Growth; it has briefed members of the Texas Legislature, collaborated on model bills akin to those of the American Legislative Exchange Council, and participated in coalitions with the Republican Party (United States), the National Rifle Association, and business associations. Its events and endorsements have featured politicians and policy advocates such as Rick Perry, Ted Cruz, Greg Abbott, and representatives from the Heritage Foundation and Cato Institute.

Funding sources have included donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations that also support groups like the Heritage Foundation, Americans for Prosperity Foundation, Koch Industries, and the Liberty Fund; corporate donors in Texas energy and finance sectors such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, and regional banks have been part of the broader ecosystem funding conservative policy research. The institute maintains relationships with national networks including the American Legislative Exchange Council, the Heritage Foundation, the Cato Institute, and state-level organizations like the Goldwater Institute and the Institute for Policy Innovation.

The institute has faced criticism from progressive organizations such as MoveOn.org, Center for American Progress, and local Texas groups like the Texas Organizing Project and FreedomWorks, which have challenged its policy proposals on issues including voter ID laws, environmental regulation tied to the Environmental Protection Agency, and tax cuts favoring corporate donors like ExxonMobil. Media investigations in outlets including The New York Times, Houston Chronicle, and the Texas Tribune have scrutinized its funding relationships, transparency practices, and ties to legislative initiatives promoted by the American Legislative Exchange Council and allied conservative lawmakers.

Category:Think tanks based in the United States Category:Organizations established in 1996