The Innovation & Technology Caucus of the Texas Legislature is the largest bipartisan caucus in the Texas Legislature and is dedicated to making sure the next generation of tech innovation starts, stays, and grows in Texas. The technology industry in Texas is a key driver of our state’s economy, directly employing almost 800,000 Texans – the 2nd largest technology workforce in the country. These companies are at the forefront of innovation in information technology, biotechnology, telecommunications, e-commerce, clean energy, agriculture, education, healthcare and our day-to-day lives. For this reason, a bipartisan group of members of the Texas House of Representatives formed the Innovation & Technology Caucus of the Texas House (IT Caucus) in 2015 as a policy shop and industry partner to focus on educating and informing members on ways to further advance technology industry innovation, growth, and competitiveness here in Texas, and strengthening the already significant impact this sector has on the state’s economy. We believe it is vital that the Texas Legislature adopts the best public policies to support and not hinder innovation and technology growth. We do this by facilitating greater interaction between House members and industry leaders to drive conversation, build relationships and collaborate on common priorities from K-16 education to policies and regulatory frameworks that embrace and harness innovation and emerging technology and encourage entrepreneurship. We partner with industry leaders—big, small and startups—along with primary, secondary and higher education institutions to interact, tour and learn about what is working here in Texas and in other states with the goal of building Texas as the new frontier for innovation and technology.