John Bucy III
DemocraticQ1 In June 2026, USDA confirmed New World screwworm in Texas livestock for the first time in decades; as of early July, dozens of infestations have been confirmed across South Texas (USDA APHIS , 2026). USDA estimates a full-scale outbreak comparable to past infestations could cost the regional economy billions of dollars (USDA APHIS). What policies, if any, would you support to respond to the current outbreak and improve Texas’s agricultural biosecurity (practices and safeguards that prevent pests and diseases from spreading through livestock populations), and what evidence or considerations would inform that approach?
I support a strong, coordinated state and federal response to the current outbreak, including increased surveillance, rapid testing and reporting, continued sterile-fly releases, and resources to help producers and veterinarians respond quickly. We should also invest in long-term agricultural biosecurity, including research, veterinary and inspection capacity, and better coordination between state and federal agencies, universities, and producers.
Q2 Texas is on track to become the nation’s leading data center market within the next three years (Bloom Energy, 2026). The state’s grid operator has more than doubled its 2030 forecast for data center power demand over the past year (ERCOT, 2025). Such growth brings economic opportunity while placing significant demands on water, land, and energy systems, raising questions about tax incentives, utility costs, and local community impacts. What policies, if any, would you support around water/energy allocation, tax incentives, or utility costs for data center development in Texas, and what evidence informs that position?
I believe that large-load users should pay for the cost of the infrastructure needed to serve them as opposed to those being passed on to residential customers or small businesses through rate increases or fees. While I am generally supportive of economic development, I also believe we must examine tax exemptions and incentives that have drastically outgrown and outpaced the expected fiscal impact. Texans face rising costs, from groceries, gas, and necessities to larger insurance premiums and housing costs, and we need to ensure that policies intended to promote economic development do not exacerbate the inflation and affordability crises we are seeing or place additional burdens on those most impacted.
Q3 Texas faces flooding while simultaneously experiencing water scarcity driven by drought, groundwater depletion, and population growth (TWDB, 2024). Hundreds of Texas waterways are listed as impaired for bacteria, mercury, and other pollutants, threatening water quality for communities across the state (TCEQ, 2024). Agriculture is the largest consumer of the state’s groundwater, yet it is also well positioned to be a valuable partner in conservation efforts. What policies, if any, would you support to improve Texas’s water infrastructure, and what considerations would guide your approach to the state’s agricultural economy?
While I am proud of the investment we made last session with respect to water, we know that the $20 billion in funding that will be distributed over time is only a fraction of our expected need. I support water conservation, improving sustainability, and repairing aging infrastructure while protecting pristine streams and increasing water supply. Local jurisdictions do not have the resources to fix leaking and degraded pipes without support from the state and federal government. We also need to improve our planning processes and ensure that we have reliable, real-time data to make informed decisions and prevent crises such as those faced by Corpus Christi. When it comes to agriculture, we should work with farmers and ranchers to promote conservation and efficiency while protecting the long-term viability of our agricultural economy.
Q4 The Texas power grid continues to face strain from extreme heat and increasing demand, including from data centers. What policies, if any, would you support to improve grid reliability for Texas consumers and businesses?
We must invest in a diverse, reliable energy system, expand transmission capacity, reduce congestion, and continue building out renewable generation. We should also invest in workforce training so Texans are prepared for the jobs being created by the clean-energy economy or able to retrain and transition into these industries. Instead of facilitating wind and solar, or at least providing incentives on par with more traditional generation, we often pass laws that disadvantage or undermine these industries. We should also invest in geothermal, biomass, and other emerging renewables. When it comes to data centers, we must distinguish between those used to support research, advanced computing, and consumer technologies we rely on from the hyperscalers and bad actors. I support requiring industry to pay their share of costs as opposed to passing them on to consumers, strict sustainability measures, water conservation, on-site renewable energy and battery storage, and empowering local communities to have meaningful input and decision-making ability with respect to placement, safety, sustainability standards, mitigation, and similar.
Q5 Texas universities and hospitals receive approximately $1.9 billion annually in NIH funding across 118 research sites, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and driving medical and scientific innovation (FASEB, 2025). NIH grants reimburse institutions for both direct research costs and indirect costs, the facilities, administration, and support infrastructure that make research possible. A 15% indirect cost cap proposed by NIH in 2025, currently blocked by federal courts, would sharply reduce this reimbursement below the rates Texas institutions have negotiated, cutting an estimated $300 million in annual support that institutions would need to absorb or backfill (Kamerlin & Elias, 2025). What policies, if any, would you support at the state or federal level to protect the long-term stability of Texas’s research infrastructure, and why?
Research and innovation are under threat due to federal funding cuts as well as policies adopted by the state around tenure, academic freedom, curriculum, and free speech at institutions of higher education. Texas is an economic engine with great developments in space, advanced manufacturing, computing, and the sciences throughout our state’s history. We should roll back the policies that have made Texas less attractive to researchers and scientists while exploring additional state-level support for research and innovation. With as much progress as we have made in recent legislative sessions in terms of support for CHIPS, advanced electronics, and space-related industries, we should make comparable investments in our research infrastructure.
Q6 Texas kindergartners’ measles vaccination rate fell to 93.24% in the 2024-2025 school year, a decline from prior years amid a national resurgence (Texas Department of State Health Services, 2025). That year, Texas recorded 762 confirmed measles cases, including the deaths of two unvaccinated school-age children, in the state’s largest outbreak since 1992 (Texas DSHS, 2025). Measles can cause serious complications: roughly 1 in 5 unvaccinated people who contract it are hospitalized, and it can lead to pneumonia, brain swelling, or death (CDC). As a policymaker, how do you approach engaging with communities that have concerns about infectious disease outbreaks and vaccine safety, and what policies, if any, would you support related to these issues, and why?
I serve on the Public Health Committee and am strongly committed to public health programs, vaccination programs, and preventative medicine that is based in science and facts. I do not support policies that make it easier to opt out of vaccines at the expense of community health. Lower vaccination rates can put medically vulnerable Texans at unnecessary risk and make it harder to prevent outbreaks. I support policies that promote vaccination, strengthen public health education and outreach, and protect our communities through prevention grounded in the best available scientific evidence. When Texans are concerned about vaccine safety, we should respond with clear, accurate information; work with community leaders who are trusted messengers and facilitators; and make sure healthcare providers have the resources to help Texans make medically-informed decisions based on sound science.
Q7 Scientific evidence is generated through the systematic testing and evaluation of ideas. It provides knowledge the helps us understand the world and predict the likely consequences of different choices, such policy making related to public health, energy, agriculture, and environmental regulation. What role, if any, should scientific evidence and expert input play in your policymaking process, and how would you evaluate competing or uncertain scientific claims when making policy decisions? What role, if any, should that process play when scientific consensus and public opinion diverge?
The Texas Legislature routinely ignores scientific evidence and experts when devising policy. I am vehemently opposed to that and believe that scientists, researchers, and experts should play a vital role in ensuring we are making evidence-based decisions that are in the best interest of Texans. When there are competing claims, each should be evaluated independently and weighed against the credibility of the source. With fields that are fast changing, it’s important that we be willing to be nimble and learn. With a part time legislature there are many fields where it’s hard for policies and regulatory frameworks to keep up with developments, but we should endeavor to do so.