Texas Governor David Acton said Friday he has filed the Texas Strategic Investment and Job Creation Act of 2026, a state incentive proposal aimed at attracting large developments while limiting public exposure through performance standards and repayment rules.

According to Acton’s press release, the bill would create a package of incentives for major projects including sports venues, manufacturing facilities, data centers and mixed-use developments. The proposal is scheduled for debate in the Legislature in the next few days.

Acton described the measure as a way to encourage investment without what he called “blank checks.” In the release, he said the bill was shaped by stakeholder input, including from parties seeking stadium partnerships, and argued it would support growth in San Antonio and elsewhere in Texas while maintaining fiscal discipline.

The proposal’s main feature is a system of performance-based property tax abatements for qualifying projects. Under the plan outlined by the governor’s office, projects would need to meet job-creation targets and generate tax revenue exceeding the value of the abatement within seven years. If those targets are missed, the release says the bill would trigger automatic clawbacks.

The bill also includes limited infrastructure support for approved projects. The press release says that support would be fully repayable, focused first on roads and utilities, and capped at 15% of total project costs. Public-private agreements under the measure would also require defined revenue-sharing terms.

Another part of the proposal would create a 30-day fast-track permitting process for approved developments and allow regulatory waivers for projects that qualify under the act. The governor’s office said the package would also require annual reporting to the Legislature on jobs created, revenue generated and return on investment.

Acton’s release says the bill would sunset after five years, a provision the governor framed as an accountability measure. He urged lawmakers to move quickly on the legislation.

The filing comes as publicly backed development deals, particularly those involving sports facilities, draw increased scrutiny. A recent news article said Carter and Democrats would oppose publicly financed projects that do not show clear public returns. Acton’s proposal appears to address that broader concern by emphasizing revenue tests, repayment requirements and clawback provisions, though the press release does not detail how individual projects would be evaluated beyond the standards it lists.

Under DynamicSim’s legislative system, governors are voting members of the combined State Legislature, but legislation applies to one state at a time. While the debate will involve lawmakers from across the combined chamber, the bill’s effects would be specific to Texas if enacted.

No formal opposition statements were included in the release, and no cost estimate was provided in the material distributed Friday. The press release also did not specify which current or proposed projects might seek approval under the program, beyond referring generally to sports venues and other large developments.

Acton, a former Texas House Republican who now serves as governor, has recently highlighted business and development activity in public messaging. This proposal would put a more structured framework around that approach, with the administration arguing that incentives should be tied to measurable outcomes rather than awarded upfront without recourse.

Whether that argument persuades lawmakers may depend on how legislators weigh the promise of faster investment and job growth against concerns about subsidies, waivers and the state’s role in supporting private development. For now, the immediate next step is legislative debate, where members will decide whether the governor’s accountability provisions are enough to win support for the package.