TEXAS — Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock submitted his resignation to Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, with an effective date of July 31, 2026. This follows his loss in the Republican primary for comptroller to Don Huffines.

Hancock assumed the role of acting comptroller on July 1, 2025, after Glenn Hegar stepped down to become chancellor of the Texas A&M University System. As comptroller, Hancock oversaw the launch of the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, which provides vouchers for parents to send children to private schools. This program began distributing funds to parents on June 24, 2026, the same day Hancock submitted his resignation. The law creating the initiative took effect in September 2025.

Hancock is a Republican from North Richland Hills, Texas. He began his political career as a school board member and served nearly two decades in the Texas Legislature, first in the state House and later as a senator. He represented a North Texas district that covers parts of Tarrant County in the state Senate. His departure from the Texas Senate led to a special election won by a Democrat, despite the fact that President Donald Trump won Hancock's former Senate district by more than 17 points in the 2024 election.

In his resignation letter, Hancock stated that the implementation of the voucher program reflected an approach to "streamline procedures and move 'at the speed of business rather than the speed of bureaucracy.'" He expressed confidence that the agency "will continue serving Texans effectively and maintain continuity for the work already underway" and indicated that Huffines, a former Senate colleague and Dallas businessman, "will build on the work."

Governor Greg Abbott stated, "Kelly led the Comptroller's office during a pivotal chapter for Texas." Abbott added, "His leadership and experience, from the local school board to the Texas Legislature, helped make possible the launch of the largest school choice program in our nation's history, expanding educational opportunity for Texas families." The Texas comptroller is responsible for managing the state's money, collecting taxes, and estimating state revenue for the state's budget of $337 billion, which earns more than $250 billion in revenue.

Why It Matters

The resignation of Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock marks a change in leadership for an office responsible for managing the state's finances, including a $337 billion budget. His tenure included the implementation of the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program, which provides school vouchers, a policy initiative in the state. The upcoming transition to Don Huffines, who defeated Hancock in the Republican primary, will place a new individual in charge of the state's financial operations and ongoing programs.