Preview: Perry’s State of the State

KXAN.COM

Josh Hinkle

Updated: Jan 28, 2013 10:42 AM

Inside the State of the State address Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011 (Josh Hinkle/KXAN)

Tuesday’s State of the State could determine the state of Rick Perry’s political future for years to come. The speech will launch his seventh legislative session as governor and indicate how likely it would be to make another run for this office or possibly another stab at leading the nation as president.

The address is at 11 a.m. Tuesday during a joint session of the House and Senate. This is a chance for Perry to lay out the issues he wants state lawmakers to tackle in the current legislative session. So far, he has mentioned:

• Tax relief, based on billions in the state’s surplus
• Infrastructure and energy improvements, possibly using the rainy day fund for water supplies
• Making the small business tax exemption permanent
• Controlling college tuition, in an effort to bolster the state’s workforce
• Drug screening welfare applicants
• Expanding the ban on abortion, based on the pain felt by the fetus

Perry has not ruled out running for either office, though he has indicated he would wait to make any announcement until after the session. But after a year of very public campaign stumbles, people will be watching closely to see if he has the ability to bounce back.

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