(The Center Square) – Texas continues to place first in nearly every top business ranking every year and every month. April was no different.

Texas was again named the Best State for Business – for a record-breaking 20 years in a row this month – and TIME Magazine recognized Gov. Greg Abbott as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

In its annual survey of more than 600 CEOs nationwide, Chief Executive Magazine ranked Texas first again for having the best business climate in the U.S.

By contrast, California ranked last again this year, with businesses continuing to leave there, relocating to Texas. The magazine cites no income taxes in Texas and fewer regulations, while high taxes and extensive regulations in California as the reasons for their top and bottom rankings.

After Texas won the top spot for the 20th consecutive year, Abbott said, “Texas truly is the Best State for Business and stands as a model for the nation. Freedom is a magnet, and Texas offers entrepreneurs and hardworking Texans the freedom to succeed. When choosing where to relocate or expand their businesses, more innovative industry leaders recognize the competitive advantages found only in Texas.

“The nation’s leading CEOs continually cite our pro-growth economic policies – with no corporate income tax and no personal income tax – along with our young, skilled, diverse, and growing workforce, easy access to global markets, robust infrastructure, and predictable business-friendly regulations. Our great state offers room for businesses of all sizes to grow and their employees to thrive as we build a bigger, better Texas for the next 20 years and beyond.”

In TIME Magazine’s 2024 TIME100 list, Abbott is listed among 24 international political leaders.

“During his nine years as the governor of Texas, he has proved adept at simultaneously throwing red meat to his conservative base while tempering pushback from the state’s liberal enclaves,” TIME states of Abbott. “All the while, he has masterfully needled Washington, through both unending legal challenges and agitating stunts, such as sending buses of migrants to Democratic cities. ...

“Abbott remains one of his party’s most persuasive pitchmen, especially on immigration, where he’s constantly pushing at the boundaries of what states can do on enforcement,” referring to Abbott’s border security mission, Operation Lone Star.

In response to the recognition, Abbott said, "We have worked tirelessly to ensure Texas remains a beacon of freedom and opportunity for the entire world, and it is an honor to be recognized for all we have accomplished by being named as one of the most influential people in the world by TIME100. From building the eighth-largest economy in the world to leading a historic border security mission amidst the most prolific border crisis our nation has ever seen, one thing remains clear: where Texas leads, others follow. I am proud of the work we have accomplished and look forward to building an even bigger, better Texas for generations to come."

TIME's annual list recognizes the 100 most influential individuals in the world, who it argues “have made a profound impact” in several categories, including artists, icons, titans, leaders, innovators, and pioneers.

The awards come after a series of other recognitions. In just the last year alone, The Center Square has reported that Texas ranked first for having the best business climate and was awarded 12 consecutive years as the top state for attracting the most job-creating business relocations and expansion projects.

Four Texas cities are listed among the top in the country for career growth; six out of 10 counties in the U.S. listed as talent and economic powerhouses are in Texas.

Texas added more jobs than any state in 2023 and surpassed job records on the national level for 12 months. Every month, including last month, Texas broke previous records for having the greatest number of jobs, the most workers employed, and largest labor force in state history.

More people moved to Texas in 2023 than any other state; Texas counties saw the greatest population gains by far in 2023. The Census cited Texas’ record job growth and economic expansion as hallmarks of its success in 2023.

The Texas economy has also grown faster than the national economy for six quarters in a row; Texas leads the U.S. in semiconductor manufacturing; and the Texas oil and natural gas industry broke multiple records in 2023. The industry reported the highest ever totals in production, exports, refining outcomes, crude oil supply, and paid the most taxes in state history of more than $26.3 billion.