Texas House Rep. Vikki Goodwin is seeking the lieutenant governor’s office, a role that would give her significant influence over the state Senate’s agenda. Voters looking for insight into how she might handle the state’s finances can turn to her voting record, which Texans for Fiscal Responsibility (TFR) has evaluated each legislative session.

Fiscal Responsibility Index grades

TFR’s Fiscal Responsibility Index grades lawmakers on votes related to taxation, spending, government growth, and free‑market issues. Goodwin has earned an F in the 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2025 sessions, and her overall career rating is also an F. Her 2025 score stands at 26 out of 100.

Key tax‑related votes

Goodwin voted against several constitutional amendments that would ban new taxes:

• HJR 2 – would prohibit future estate, inheritance and gift taxes, often called “death taxes,” aimed at protecting Texas families, farmers and small businesses.
• HJR 4 – would ban new taxes on securities transactions and the firms that process them, a measure intended to shield investors, retirement accounts and public pensions.
• HJR 6 – would ban any tax on capital gains, both realized and unrealized, providing long‑term certainty for families and job creators.

These votes indicate a reluctance to support constitutional tax bans that TFR argues would benefit taxpayers.

Spending decisions

Goodwin’s record also includes votes for spending measures that TFR characterizes as expanding government costs:

• HB 1268 – creates a new state grant program that layers on top of federal innovation grants, costing nearly $2 million in its first two years.
• SB 22 – directs $300 million from general revenue every two years into a Hollywood subsidy fund, projected to cost taxpayers more than $1.5 billion through 2035.

Conversely, she voted against HB 34, which would require public funds to divest from companies tied to hostile nations such as China and Iran, and against SB 17, a bill aimed at preventing hostile foreign entities from purchasing Texas real property and natural resources.

Other notable votes

Goodwin supported HB 2858, which would have authorized a state‑run guest‑worker program in partnership with Mexico. Critics argue the proposal would expand government involvement in the labor market, potentially suppress wages and add administrative costs for taxpayers. She also voted against SB 33, which would bar state and local governments from using taxpayer dollars to support abortion‑related activities, including contracts that help pay for abortions or related travel and lodging.

Implications for a lieutenant governor run

Goodwin was first elected to the Texas House in 2018 and has served four legislative sessions. Her voting record, as presented by TFR, shows no instance of a grade higher than an F on the Fiscal Responsibility Index. While campaign rhetoric may promise fiscal restraint, the documented votes suggest a pattern of opposing tax bans and supporting spending initiatives that increase the state’s financial obligations.

For Texans who prioritize protecting taxpayer money and limiting government growth, Goodwin’s record provides a concrete basis for evaluating her suitability for the lieutenant governor’s office.

Original reporting: Texans for Fiscal Responsibility — read the source article.