Transcript Highlights:

• Under existing law, special utility districts must seek approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental
• Under existing law, special utility districts must seek approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental
• Okay, so you've got a special utility district.
• These general law districts serve rural communities and have no taxing authority.
• ... 1967, a taxing district with limited tax authority, and of course the local board that's locally

Bills: HB1532, HB2731, HB3483, HB4308, HB4580, HB4582, HB5509, HB5663

Keywords: Lake Houston, dredging, maintenance district, flood control, environment, public works, HB 2731, roadside vendors, solicitors, county regulation, border counties, Mexico border, Transportation Code, unincorporated areas, right-of-way, public highway, parking lot, livestock sales, live animals, vendor regulation

Summary: The committee heard and discussed several local-government-related bills, mostly with committee substitutes. House Bill 2731 would let certain border counties regulate roadside vendors selling live animals in unincorporated areas and along public rights-of-way; the substitute narrowed the bill to live animal sales only and excluded livestock and other roadside commerce. House Bill 3483 would streamline TCEQ review of special utility district revenue bonds by removing tax-bond requirements that do not apply to SUDs. House Bill 4308 would create a county industrial development district framework, limited in the substitute to certain counties including Fort Bend County, to help finance industrial sites and related infrastructure. House Bill 5663 would create a Wood County Hospital District memory-care-focused district with no taxing power, intended to help pursue grants and other funding for a new facility. House Bill 4582 addressed attainable housing in Dallas and Tarrant counties, allowing local reimbursement tools for developers under a uniform, optional framework. House Bill 5509 would let municipalities suspend or revoke a hotel’s certificate of occupancy if law enforcement and a criminal court both find probable cause of human trafficking, with the substitute adding due-process protections. House Bill 1532 created a Lake Houston dredging and maintenance district funded by revenue from dredged material sales and revenue bonds, with no taxing authority or eminent domain. House Bill 23, heard as pending business, would revise the process for local governments to rescind development documents and adjust third-party reviewer liability and eligibility rules. House Bill 4580, concerning property tax exemptions for charitable organizations such as the Houston Rodeo, was amended to remove language about exempting revenue from property use and instead focus on land used for agricultural, youth, and educational support. Public testimony was generally supportive on the bills heard, with witnesses including county officials, utility and water association representatives, hotel industry representatives, and housing developers. Several speakers emphasized the need for faster financing or permitting tools, flood mitigation, housing affordability, anti-trafficking enforcement, or local economic development. Some members raised concerns about scope, precedent, consultation with affected senators, and due process, particularly on House Bill 4582 and House Bill 5509, but the committee largely accepted the committee substitutes as improvements. No public testimony was offered on several bills, and most measures were left pending before later being voted out. The committee took recorded votes on multiple pending bills and reported them favorably, often with committee substitutes adopted in lieu of the filed versions. House Bills 1532, 2731, 3483, 5509, 5663, and 4580 were reported out, with 1532 and 5663 passing unanimously and 3483, 2731, and 5509 also receiving favorable votes despite one present-not-voting on 3483. House Bill 23 and House Bill 4582 were left pending subject to call of the chair. The committee then recessed until adjournment or later.

Transcript Highlights:

• This district is focused exclusively on local projects that directly benefit businesses and communities
• So under current law. The district is able to move your lines without your permission?
• Current law is unclear whether counties municipalities and certain special purpose districts are allowed
• government code requires municipalities with city council district.
• House Bill 5685. is a local bill that creates Waller County Improvement District number three within

Bills: HB769, HB2132, HB3383, HB3792, HB5431, HB5682, HB5677, HB5678, HB5680, HB5681, HB5683, HB5684, HB5685, HB5686, HB4078

Keywords: environmental regulation, sustainability, business compliance, state oversight, local control, pollution, renewable resources, grant program, neighborhood organization, pedestrian infrastructure, Texas Department of Housing, financial assistance, neighborhood organizations, grants, urban development, safety, public safety, housing development, low income housing, tax credits

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, this is known as a stop as yield law.
• Uh, well, in fact, we, we do believe in obeying the law, and this is the place to, to address laws that
• Navigation District.
• For example, the port's enabling statute does not align with the Texas election code or the water code
• Even though it says resident district, the residents district is defined in statute in Section 5541.102

Bills: HB 535, HB 2120, HB 2822, HB 3243, HB 3457, HB 3544, HB 4089, HB 4192, HB 4669, HB 4868, HB 4955, HB 5253, HB 5669, SB 1371, SB 1919, SB 2001

Keywords: motor vehicle, pedestrian, bicycle, traffic safety, municipality, criminal offense, pedestrian safety, traffic regulations, municipal law, bicycle regulations, motor vehicle passing, traffic law, municipalities, bicycle operation, traffic laws, municipal regulations, port commission, Corpus Christi, Nueces County, San Patricio County

Transcript Highlights:

• laws for cyclists to improve.
• This is known as a stop as yield law.
• Well, in fact, we do believe in obeying the law, and this is the place to address laws that can be improved
• Beaumont Navigation District.
• To send HB5669 to a local calendar. Okay, sure. Send HB5669 to the local calendar. Call the roll.

Bills: HB535, HB2120, HB2822, HB3243, HB3457, HB3544, HB4089, HB4192, HB4669, HB4868, HB4955, HB5253, HB5669, SB1371, SB1919, SB2001

Keywords: motor vehicle, pedestrian, bicycle, traffic safety, municipality, criminal offense, pedestrian safety, traffic regulations, municipal law, bicycle regulations, motor vehicle passing, traffic law, municipalities, bicycle operation, traffic laws, municipal regulations, port commission, Corpus Christi, Nueces County, San Patricio County

Transcript Highlights:

• This is a local bill bracketed specifically for the city of Coppell.
• Appraisal districts cannot update the records accordingly.
• Current law prohibits the chief appraiser of an appraisal district from having their compensation linked
• . lead to an increase in district property values.
• level. local level to be able to plan as you move forward.

Bills: SB1277, SB1531, SB2452, SB2520, SB2521, SB2529, SB2538, SB2539, SB2541, SB2873

Keywords: municipal sales tax, street maintenance, local option tax, Tax Code Chapter 327, sales and use tax, street repair, sidewalk maintenance, water infrastructure, wastewater system, stormwater system, local election, ballot language, reauthorization, municipal finance, infrastructure funding, Texas municipalities, street and sidewalk tax, special district tax, public works, property tax

Transcript Highlights:

• The Senate Committee on Local Government will come to order.
• It simply brings clarity to existing law and supports local volunteer fire departments.
• It's due to 352.012, which pertains to the fire marshal's local government code.
• Senate Bill 3065 amends a special district local to create the Wolf Creek Municipal Management District
• It is defined in case law and it actually comes from contract law and I think also child support law,

Bills: SB3038, SB3045, SB3065, SB3069, SB3071, HB2025, HB2149, HB3370, HB4205, HB4506, HB5424, HB5652, HB24, HB3687, HB24

Keywords: Fort Bend County, Municipal Utility District, MUD, special district, Rosenberg, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, TCEQ, ad valorem tax, bond issuance, assessments, fees, taxes, eminent domain, road district, storm drainage, infrastructure financing, development agreement, municipal consent, temporary directors, public utility district

Transcript Highlights:

• The Committee on Local Government will come to order. The clerk will call the roll.
• Are we still having a local? Okay, no, all right, the other one is right.
• Local and has a calendar as a recommendation without objection. So.
• Robert, would you like local on this? Local? Yeah. OK.
• Senator Cook moves that House Bill 3505 be recommended for local and uncontested calendar.

Bills: HB24, SB3038, SB3045, SB3065, SB3069, SB3071, HB2025, HB2149, HB3370, HB4205, HB4506, HB5424, HB5652, HB24, HB3687

Keywords: groundwater, conservation, water permits, sustainability, resource management, Fort Bend County, Municipal Utility District, MUD, special district, Rosenberg, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, TCEQ, ad valorem tax, bond issuance, assessments, fees, taxes, eminent domain, road district, storm drainage

Transcript Highlights:

• The legislature has updated the special education assessment language to provide alternative assistance
• And we've covered the military readiness in the first special session. and education in here.
• It codifies an existing law enforcement program in Harris County.
• government, property owners' associations, or owners of land to provide law enforcement services in
• Money appropriated to them for lawful purposes.

Bills: HB8, HB26, HB192

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Transcript Highlights:

• I also have nine school districts that are in my district.
• This bill, which later became law, required all political subdivisions except school districts to hold
• In my opinion, the current law says that if you've got excess funds for school districts, then you can
• So we have a lot of debt at the local level, including at the school district level.
• attend this district.

Bills: SB414, SB621, SB2395

Keywords: bond election, ballot proposition, debt obligation, municipal bonds, local government finance, property tax, ad valorem tax, school district bonds, county bonds, special taxing district, voter information document, public debt, municipal finance, tax-supported debt, election ballot language, bond transparency, homestead tax impact, capital improvements, general obligation bonds, public bank

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, so you've got a special utility district in this case. There's a revenue stream, okay.
• the district, the commissioners court must call an election held within the boundary. of the district
• The district has limited tax authority, and of course, the local board that's locally accountable built
• That would create a new district within the Wood County Hospital District—no money and no water.
• Next one, this is the Special Utility Districts, the water districts that got into our committee that

Bills: HB1532, HB2731, HB3483, HB4308, HB4580, HB4582, HB5509, HB5663

Keywords: Lake Houston, dredging, maintenance district, flood control, environment, public works, HB 2731, roadside vendors, solicitors, county regulation, border counties, Mexico border, Transportation Code, unincorporated areas, right-of-way, public highway, parking lot, livestock sales, live animals, vendor regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• With no other business to come before the Local Government Committee, the committee will stand in recess

Bills: HB1532, HB2731, HB3483, HB4308, HB4580, HB4582, HB5509, HB5663

Keywords: Lake Houston, dredging, maintenance district, flood control, environment, public works, HB 2731, roadside vendors, solicitors, county regulation, border counties, Mexico border, Transportation Code, unincorporated areas, right-of-way, public highway, parking lot, livestock sales, live animals, vendor regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• The committee sub before you clarifies that local governments must comply with state drug laws, and it
• Further, the sub requires local governments to comply with state consumable hemp product laws.
• Members, it's of vital importance that the laws of the state, the laws that this legislature considers
• OK, so, so if, if the 1925 law.
• laws.

Bills: HB 229, HB 3990, HB 5082, HB 5510

Keywords: biological sex, government information, definitions, sex-based distinctions, public health, flags, display, state law, municipalities, government buildings, drug enforcement, local control, home rule, municipal charter, county policy, ordinance preemption, state preemption, attorney general enforcement, civil penalties, mandamus

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm also the president of the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas.
• Uh, and I'm the president of the local association.
• Under current law, a constitutional.
• Um, constitutional county judges serve a great purpose at the local level.
• local products, specifically farm-raised oysters from Texas.

Bills: HB104

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, tax rate election, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, de minimis rate, local government, special district, tax increase, tax notice, public hearing, tax code, Health and Safety Code, Texas property taxes, taxing unit, election threshold, two-thirds vote, majority vote, budget approval

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, my question would be, what in this law, which you're here to testify on would require that any of
• The current, the current, uh, law caps funding for this grant at $30 million.
• This legislation addresses the challenges many Texas veterans face when attempting to purchase a HUD code
• House Bill 4601 would create a special tax fund financed by directing a portion of certain sales and
• Under current law, the Attorney general may issue emergency financial awards to crime victims, but only

Bills: HB104

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, tax rate election, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, de minimis rate, local government, special district, tax increase, tax notice, public hearing, tax code, Health and Safety Code, Texas property taxes, taxing unit, election threshold, two-thirds vote, majority vote, budget approval

Transcript Highlights:

• One, increased debt, and two, enrichment decisions by local school districts.
• Again, since all the property tax is local, and I saw that this also, it not only impacts school districts
• To your question on the loss to local governments, we do- be levy loss to cities, counties, and special
• We estimated a county of sixty five point six million and a special purpose district levy loss of a hundred
• But over on the city, county and special district side...

Bills: HB8, HB9, HJR1, HB22, HB8, HB9, HJR1, HB22

Keywords: HB 8, school finance, compressed tax rate, maximum compressed tax rate, MCR, PYMCR, property tax, school district taxes, Education Code, Tax Code, state aid, school funding formula, local school taxes, Texas school finance, tax rate compression, public education funding, ad valorem tax, tangible personal property, income-producing property, business personal property

Transcript Highlights:

• Under current law, the North Texas Groundwater Conservation District issues permits for groundwater production
• , the Texas Special District. ...and to ensure that the district's permitting process aligns with the
• Nineteen of them are lawful; one of them is not.
• In your district, Senator Blanco, your district, Senator Gutierrez, and a lot, as a matter of fact, a
• . ...83-566 for qualified local sponsors.

Bills: SB243, SB1586, SB1891, SB1959, SB2159, SB2568

Keywords: migrant labor housing, migrant housing, farmworker housing, migrant agricultural worker, agricultural labor, farm labor contractor, Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, TDHCA, civil penalty, housing code enforcement, sanitation, occupancy standards, retaliation, worker complaint, language access, Spanish-language outreach, H-2A visa, temporary agricultural workers, unlicensed housing, rural housing

Transcript Highlights:

• , to certain special districts.
• I'm the general manager of the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District.
• Uh, we live on the, our district is on the outcrop of the Trinity aquifer, so it's.
• are conservation districts or other soil and water type districts, uh, governmental entities of the
• The local districts and the state soil and water board provide money for rehabilitation, but we're trying

Bills: SB 612, SB 1855, SB 2568, SB 3058

Keywords: SB 612, Texas Water Code, Section 49.2127, conservation and reclamation district, water district, reclamation district, developer fees, pipeline construction, water pipeline, sewer pipeline, associated infrastructure, subdivision infrastructure, cost recovery, fee cap, actual reasonable documented costs, engineering fees, legal fees, inspection fees, infrastructure relocation, utility connections

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm the General Manager of the Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District.
• Our district occurs in the four counties. Immediately west of the DFW Metroplex.
• In our district, we've seen more private water wells drilled than anywhere else in the state.
• are conservation districts or other soil and water. ...water-type districts, governmental entities of
• The local districts and the State Soil and Water Board provide money for rehabilitation, but we're trying

Bills: SB612, SB1855, SB2568, SB3058, HB49

Keywords: SB 612, Texas Water Code, Section 49.2127, conservation and reclamation district, water district, reclamation district, developer fees, pipeline construction, water pipeline, sewer pipeline, associated infrastructure, subdivision infrastructure, cost recovery, fee cap, actual reasonable documented costs, engineering fees, legal fees, inspection fees, infrastructure relocation, utility connections

Transcript Highlights:

• They are currently authorized to enforce local and federal laws and statutes, but not state.
• districts, and special districts are legally authorized to work in the United States.
• Local governments cannot refuse to enforce state law.
• in current law, that a referendum local community couldn't pass a referendum.
• But here at the local level, sometimes we've got some really dumb laws here.

Bills: HB21, HB211, HB223

Keywords: HB 21, Texas Tax Code, ad valorem tax, property tax, delinquent taxes, tax delinquency, penalty reduction, interest rate, split payment, installment payment, tax relief, county tax collector, taxing unit, property owner, tax collection, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, tax increase election, supermajority, 60 percent threshold

Bills: HB468, SB366, HB468, HB561, SB227, SB32

Keywords: service of process, funding, Marion County, fees, legal documents, firefighters, rights, personnel procedures, state law, public safety, HB468, local commissions, local authorities, municipal planning commission, planning commission, zoning, land use, municipal official, municipal officer, city council