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Levelland & Hockley County News-Press

(AUSTIN) — Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock today announced the launch of the CAPPS State of Texas Accounting and Reporting Resource (STARR) project, a major modernization initiative to replace the state of Texas’ core financial systems with a secure, user-friendly platform designed to improve efficiency, enhance transparency and ensure long-term sustainability, while ultimately reducing costs for Texas taxpayers.

Three legacy systems — the Uniform Statewide Accounting System (USAS), the Texas Identification Number System (TINS) and the State Property Accounting System (SPA) — serve as the backbone of the state’s financial operations. These systems, which date back as far as 1989, process more than 42.7 million transactions annually, representing $373 billion in revenue and $378 billion in expenditures during the last fiscal year.

“These systems have served Texas well, but technology has changed dramatically and it’s time for an overhaul,” Hancock said. “Upgrading to a modern, cloudbased platform will help us better serve other state agencies, safeguard taxpayer dollars and meet the needs of a growing Texas with forward-thinking, efficient technology solutions.”

Read more at Levelland & Hockley County News-Press.

Hill Country Community Journal

By Emily McClure

State and federal officials gathered in Kerrville to provide disaster recovery resources to small businesses devastated by July floods, with Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock delivering a keynote message of hope and practical assistance at the Governor’s Small Business Disaster Recovery Fair.

The Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office hosted the event, which marked the first time the state has held a disaster recovery fair specifically for an actively recovering community.

Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock, who took office July 1, announced that his office had restructured $200 million in broadband deployment funds to prioritize disaster-prone areas for emergency communications equipment. Kerrville could receive as much as $50 million from the program, he said.

“We are here wanting to help, and we are here wanting to encourage,” Hancock said. “Ask for those extensions, sales tax extensions, property tax extensions. We are offering them, file for them. Let us help you. We have a $380 billion budget. We have a $24 billion surplus because of businesses like yourself.”

Read more at Hill Country Community Journal.

Texas Scorecard

In this week’s edition of REAL TEXANS, Michael Quinn Sullivan visits with Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock as he settles into the job while seeking the GOP nomination. They talk about how Hancock’s faith and experience shape his approach to policy.

The Dallas Morning News

By Gromer Jeffers Jr.

The 2026 state GOP primary promises to reshuffle Texas Republican politics, as new faces emerge and some veterans seek different offices.

At least three statewide offices are likely to feature a GOP race with an uncertain outcome. Those hotly contested races have already divided the party and pitted some of the state’s top Republicans against each other in a brewing endorsement battle.

Battle lines have already been drawn in the race for comptroller.

Former state Sen. Kelly Hancock of North Richland Hills was appointed chief clerk at the comptroller’s office, and he will lead it when Hegar departs this week. Hancock announced his campaign for comptroller after his appointment, and resigned from the Senate. Abbott followed by endorsing Hancock in the primary.

Read more at The Dallas Morning News.

ABC13 Houston

In an all-new episode of This Week in Texas, ABC13 speaks with the new acting comptroller for the state of Texas, former State Senator Kelly Hancock.

Austin American-Statesman

By John C. Moritz

When Kelly Hancock decided to change political hats, it was a two-for-one deal.

Hancock, a 12-year veteran of the Texas Senate, was named acting state comptroller on Thursday to take over for Glenn Hegar when he becomes the new chancellor of the Texas A&M University System on July 1. And in almost the same breath, Hancock became a candidate in what is expected to be a competitive 2026 Republican primary followed by a general election to win the statewide office in his own right.

Officially, Hancock will be the chief clerk of the comptroller’s office and was selected by Hegar. Because Hegar’s selection as the successor to retiring A&M Chancellor John Sharp was made months earlier, it was widely assumed that Gov. Greg Abbott would name a comptroller to serve out the 18 months on the unexpired term.

Read more at Austin American-Statesman.

CBS News Texas

Republican State Senator Kelly Hancock or North Richland Hills has a new high profile job. Outgoing Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar hired him to serve as the new chief clerk and swore him into office.

WFAA

Kelly Hancock was sworn in as chief clerk in the Texas Comptroller’s office, giving him an advantage heading into the 2026 election.

The Dallas Morning News

Hancock right for comptroller

Gov. Greg Abbott’s endorsement of former Sen. Kelly Hancock as our next state comptroller was a wise choice. I’ve known Hancock for over 20 years. He’s a strong conservative, a successful businessman, and a devoted husband and father.

Where other candidates fall short, Hancock works well with his colleagues in the Texas House and Senate. He does his homework and knows the state budget like the back of his hand.

He’ll deliver immediate results just like our last comptroller. We need positive forward-thinking leaders in Austin like Hancock.

John Carona, Dallas

Former member, Texas Senate

Read more at The Dallas Morning News.

Fort Worth Report

By David Montgomery

AUSTIN — Sitting in an Austin high-rise with a spectacular view of the Texas Capitol just behind him, former state Sen. Kelly Hancock left no doubt that his two announced opponents in the Texas comptroller’s race will have a fight on their hands.

“A lot of elected officials don’t like campaigning,” he told the Fort Worth Report during an interview at his downtown campaign headquarters. “I love campaigning. I won’t see all 31 million Texans but I’ll see a lot of them. We’ll go all over the state.”

In a top-level job swap June 19, Hancock was positioned to replace departing state Comptroller Glenn Hegar as acting comptroller after submitting his Senate resignation to Gov. Greg Abbott two days earlier. Now, the 61-year-old Tarrant County Republican is plunging into a 2026 election fight against two previously announced candidates — Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick and former state Sen. Don Huffines.

Hancock announced his candidacy the same day Hegar swore him in as chief clerk in the comptroller’s office. He will become acting comptroller July 1 when Hegar, himself a former senator, leaves to become chancellor of Texas A&M University System.

Read more at Fort Worth Report.