Transcript Highlights:

• I want to call our County and Municipal Government Committee meeting to order.
• Senate Bill 2135 authorizes county purchasing agents to obtain and administer a county purchase card
• Tulsa County?
• make it a higher threshold for any county to qualify.
• taking this to the vote of the people in their county.

Bills: SB1265 , SB2154 , SB1775 , SB2139 , SB1552 , SB483 , SB1198 , SB2135 , SB2118

Committee: House County and Municipal Government

Keywords: municipal ordinances, local government, ordinance publication, posting requirement, public notice, municipal law, city ordinances, town ordinances, county government, newspaper publication, effective date, Oklahoma statutes, 11 O.S. 14-106, ordinance notice, government oversight, municipalities, city government, town government, property maintenance, nuisance abatement

Summary: The County and Municipal Government Committee considered and advanced several bills related to county purchasing, municipal notice requirements, property liens, county home rule, jail funding, and local fines. Senate Bill 2135 would let county purchasing agents obtain and administer county purchase cards through county depositories, with transaction rules modeled on the state P-card program and still subject to existing purchasing procedures. Senate Bill 483 would authorize county commissioners to create a relocation assistance program. Senate Bill 1198 would require OHCA to release liens on property at the request of a county treasurer. Senate Bill 1265 would extend the deadline for municipalities to publish ordinances from 15 to 30 days, and Senate Bill 2154 would require cities to notify lienholders as well as property owners about outstanding property maintenance balances. The committee also heard Senate Bill 2139, described as clarifying language to a 2024 law after stakeholder discussion, and Senate Bill 1552, which changes population requirements in a 1992 county home rule statute. SB 1552 drew the most discussion, with members asking about its effect on rural counties, the Kenny v. Tulsa County case, and whether any county is currently affected; the sponsor said the bill raises the threshold, affects no counties now, and would still require voter approval and additional charter approval if a county later qualified. The bill passed on a 3-2 vote. Two additional bills were approved with little or no debate: Senate Bill 2118 would allow surplus funds from a county sheriff’s commissary fund to be used for jail operations, inmate care, and related expenses, and Senate Bill 1775 would cap fines in small towns. All other measures mentioned passed unanimously or near-unanimously, and the committee adjourned after completing the posted agenda.

Transcript Highlights:

• Travis County likewise faces similar challenges.
• County taxpayers.
• We see those situations, but the counties do contract out with surrounding counties. provide their services
• we were contracted, I think Tarrant County and maybe part of Dallas County were already overloaded and
• And with the growth that a lot of counties are experiencing, especially suburban and ex-urban counties

Bills: SB1370

Committee: House S/C on County & Regional Government

Keywords: medical examiner, forensic services, county coroner, autopsy, death investigation, forensic pathology, county government, commissioners court, medical examiners district, regional district, public health, criminal justice, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Article 49.25, county population threshold, interlocal agreement, 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• However, currently, if a county by agreement, if a county has been granted the authority to have sole
• county and the city, allows that, uh, county the authority to, uh, to, uh, cancel that subdivision if
• The petitioner must include a copy of the notice to the county and counties in their TCEQ petition.
• I am the Kaufman County District Attorney and as the Kaufman County District Attorney.
• Uh, notification is very important to us as county commissioners and county judge.

Bills: HB23

Committee: House Land & Resource Management

Keywords: property tax exemption, ad valorem tax, Texas Tax Code, nonprofit corporation, charitable organization, educational nonprofit, scientific nonprofit, agriculture support, youth programs, community education, county population threshold, large county, local government revenue, leasehold interest, possessory interest, county property tax, nonprofit-owned property

Transcript Highlights:

• We're going to kick off this County and Municipal Government Committee meeting.
• Last year we had a state statute bill that had local application in Coleman County, and from that we
• that bill through because I truly thought it was the right thing to do for the people of Coleman County
• and uh going people of Coleman County and uh going back<00:09:35.600><c> home</c><00:09:36.080><c> in
• So, the whole premise behind this is consolidating that into one fee.

Bills: HB117 , HB17 , HB22 , HB153 , HB140 , HB117 , HB17 , HB22 , HB153 , HB140 , SB12 , SB42 , SB93 , SB28 , SB35 , SB134 , SB12 , SB42 , SB93 , SB28 , SB35 , SB134

Committee: Senate County and Municipal Government

Keywords: procurement, county commission, administrative savings, public services, government efficiency, HB17, municipal audits, municipal audit clarification act, municipal finance, local government, city council, mayor, city manager, Department of Examiners of Public Accounts, independent public accountant, annual audit, biennial audit, annual report, financial accountability, public records

Transcript Highlights:

• It codifies an existing law enforcement program in Harris County.
• The contract deputy program is wildly popular in Harris County.
• earlier, as did the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas.
• Are they all within Harris County?
• The county auditor and treasurer in terms of money is available to him.

Bills: HB8 , HB26 , HB192

Committee: Senate Finance

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:

• to help with the mapping and delivering emergency services to our people, particularly in rural counties
• :00.480><c> particularly</c><00:14:00.720><c> in</c><00:14:00.880><c> rural</c><00:14:01.199><c> counties
• </c> people, particularly in rural counties. people, particularly in rural counties.

Bills: HB97 , HB455 , HB97 , HB455

Committee: House State Government

Keywords: absentee ballot, voting, elections, voter registration, electoral process, defective affidavit, voting rights, HB455, Clarke County, coroner, coroner's office, county commission, local act, local legislation, mileage reimbursement, county vehicle, office expenses, operating expenses, retroactive ratification, remedial and curative

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, county commission.
• Our county roads and bridges in Johnson County are crumbling.
• Our county roads and bridges are not built for this amount.
• But we had to... the state does annual bridge inspections for counties.
• county, as an example.

Bills: HB137 , HB283 , HCR114 , HB137 , HB283 , HB1398 , HB1960 , HB2153 , HB2431 , HB2638 , HB2699 , HB2999 , HB3208 , HB3389 , HB3413 , HB3510 , HB3642 , HB3859 , HB3974 , HB3986 , HB4142 , HB4173 , HB4174 , HB4542 , HB4605 , HB4663 , HB4731 , HB5064 , HB5216 , HB5218 , HB5332 , HB5453 , HB5577

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: state budget, fiscal biennium, budget repeal, financial management, state funding, Medicaid, healthcare access, Affordable Care Act, federal funding, low-income individuals, insurance coverage, memorial, pedestrian bridge, Houston, Sergio Ivan Rodriguez, city council, oversize vehicles, transportation permits, Hidalgo County, port authority

Transcript Highlights:

• County Girls Softball Association.
• Highway 183 in Eastland County as the Deputy Sheriff David Boesecker Memorial Highway.
• They were long-time residents of Leon County.
• In her district, Cecil Bell Sr. was a lifetime resident in Freestone County.
• around them, including my district in McLennan County.

Bills: HCR114 , HB137 , HB283 , HB1398 , HB1960 , HB2153 , HB2431 , HB2638 , HB2699 , HB2999 , HB3208 , HB3389 , HB3413 , HB3510 , HB3642 , HB3859 , HB3974 , HB3986 , HB4142 , HB4173 , HB4174 , HB4542 , HB4605 , HB4663 , HB4731 , HB5064 , HB5216 , HB5218 , HB5332 , HB5453 , HB5577 , HB137 , HB283

Committee: House Transportation

Keywords: memorial, pedestrian bridge, Houston, Sergio Ivan Rodriguez, city council, oversize vehicles, transportation permits, Hidalgo County, port authority, highway routes, healthcare, insurance, mental health, treatment access, state funding, transportation, axle weight, aggregates, regulations, Texas law

Transcript Highlights:

• Chairman, Senate Bill 2135 authorizes county purchasing agents to obtain and administer a county purchase
• These rules mirror the state eCard program, tailored to county needs.
• This bill authorizes the Board of County Commissioners to...
• Are you aware of a Supreme Court case, Kenney versus the Board of County Commissioners in Tulsa County
• taking this to the vote of the people in their county, and the county citizens would actually have to

Bills: SB1265 , SB2154 , SB1775 , SB2139 , SB1552 , SB483 , SB1198 , SB2135 , SB2118

Committee: House County and Municipal Government

Keywords: municipal ordinances, local government, ordinance publication, posting requirement, public notice, municipal law, city ordinances, town ordinances, county government, newspaper publication, effective date, Oklahoma statutes, 11 O.S. 14-106, ordinance notice, government oversight, municipalities, city government, town government, property maintenance, nuisance abatement

Transcript Highlights:

• That was passed, and then subsequently Consolidation of Orleans Parish courts.
• County, Illinois.
• Harris County, Texas; Cook County, Illinois. And so New Orleans is not unique in their perspective.
• So when we had the consolidation process...
• many employees would be affected by the proposed consolidation.

Bills: HB141 , HB178 , HB179 , HB187 , HB188 , HB527 , HB782 , HB911 , HB916

Committee: House Judiciary

Keywords: court proceedings, transcription, criminal law, recording, judicial discretion, court reporters, record retention, criminal cases, civil cases, legal proceedings, judicial administration, Louisiana Supreme Court, court reporting services, digital reporting, remote proceedings, virtual courts, court reporter fees, judicial district, statewide revision, costs

Transcript Highlights:

• Decades of peer-reviewed research shows that consolidations are a major part of rising costs, consistently
• for Social Responsibility and a board member of the Washington State Medical Association and King County
• In Pierce County this past fall, law enforcement obtained a 3D-printed AR-style rifle with a suppressor
• Our main printers, like those found in the King County Library Makerspaces, are made by Prusa Research
• Our main printers, like those found in the King County Library Makerspaces, are made by Prusa Research

Bills: HB2255 , HB2320 , HB2548

Committee: House Civil Rights & Judiciary

Keywords: litigation finance, legal funding, lawsuit, financial services, access to justice, firearm regulation, manufacturing, safety standards, background checks, license requirements, health care market standards, hospital consolidation, merger review, health care transaction notice, attorney general review, antitrust, provider organizations, hospital systems, contracting affiliation, material change

Transcript Highlights:

• :40.000><c> counties</c><00:02:40.400><c> are</c><00:02:40.640><c> not</c> helps ensure the county counties
• I'm the county administrator for Beltrami County.
• , counties, county agencies, counties, county representatives,<00:38:00.960><c> and</c><00:38:01.200>
• </c> County had to hire over or Ramsey County County had to hire over or Ramsey County chose<00:57:38.559
• </c> at the county level in Henipin County at the county level in Henipin County and<01:09:24.080><c>

Bills: HF4421 , HF1937 , HF4675 , HF4715 , HF4684

Committee: House Human Services Finance and Policy

Keywords: county cost share, economically distressed county, human services finance, substance use disorder treatment, SUD services, civil commitment, state aid, county levy, poverty threshold, tax-exempt acreage, property tax exemption, Minnesota human services, county fiscal relief, local government finance, chemical dependency, behavioral health, PACE, elderly, Medicaid, health services

Transcript Highlights:

• However, currently, if a county by agreement If a county has been granted the authority to have sole
• And provides the ability for that county, if there's an existing agreement between the county. in the
• The petitioner must include a copy of the notice to the county and counties in their TCE.
• The cost to the county and these are county...
• Notification is very important to us as County Commissioners and County Judge.

Bills: HB23 , HB363 , HB447 , HB954 , HB23

Committee: House Land & Resource Management

Keywords: third-party review, property development, local government, permits, construction inspection, regulatory authority, land development, liability, occupancy certificate, municipal utility district, petition, county clerk, water code, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, traffic impact studies, bonds, road projects, eminent domain, extraterritorial jurisdiction, county authority

Bills: HB23 , HB23 , HB363 , HB447 , HB954

Committee: House Land & Resource Management

Keywords: property tax exemption, ad valorem tax, Texas Tax Code, nonprofit corporation, charitable organization, educational nonprofit, scientific nonprofit, agriculture support, youth programs, community education, county population threshold, large county, local government revenue, leasehold interest, possessory interest, county property tax, nonprofit-owned property, third-party review, property development, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• This adds Montgomery County and Fort Bend County, although it is permissive, to the list of counties
• Wilson County, which is one of our neighboring counties to Guadalupe County, has a child welfare board
• to our county.
• Then I moved out of the county. Guadalupe County to Bexar County by half a mile.
• County.

Bills: HB1320 , HB2012 , HB2293 , HB2655 , HB3174 , HB4108 , HB4661 , HB4799 , HB5534 , HB5580

Committee: House S/C on County & Regional Government

Keywords: transportation, infrastructure, funding, state budget, public safety, child welfare, county boards, membership, local governance, public welfare, government service, social services, Texas Family Code, regulation, vendors, solicitors, roadside sales, county authority, Sweeny Hospital District, board of directors

Transcript Highlights:

• It has been proven that 287(g) programs do not work for counties like Hidalgo County. ...and Cameron
• Bear County, where I live.
• Some, like Maricopa County that Ms.
• Harris County, of course, is a county of over a million people that would be unable to... ...apply for
• I was born in and work in Texas' largest county, Harris County, and I currently live in Fort Bend County

Bills: HB1320 , HB2012 , HB2293 , HB2655 , HB3174 , HB4108 , HB4661 , HB4799 , HB5534 , HB5580

Committee: House S/C on County & Regional Government

Keywords: transportation, infrastructure, funding, state budget, public safety, child welfare, county boards, membership, local governance, public welfare, government service, social services, Texas Family Code, regulation, vendors, solicitors, roadside sales, county authority, Sweeny Hospital District, board of directors

Transcript Highlights:

• overweight vehicles carrying cargo in Hidalgo County.
• Requests to Dallas County are made.
• The County Transportation Code establishes the roads on which TXDOT may authorize the Doublet County
• House Bill 2560 is similar to the Adopt-a-County Road program.
• and maintenance of an adopted county road, including authorized uses for the county and road district

Bills: HB2026 , HB2427 , HB2455 , HB2560 , HB3510 , HB3966 , HB3986 , HB4429 , HB5436 , SB3062

Committee: Senate Transportation

Keywords: memorial highway, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, Archer County, highway designation, vehicle weight, ports of entry, Texas Transportation Code, truck regulations, load limits, Adopt-a-County Road, funding, road maintenance, county partnership, public recognition, memorial designation, highway, Sergeant Mark Butler, transportation, Brazos County

Bills: HB 537 , HB 594 , HB 1629 , HB 2014 , HB 2273 , HB 3733 , HB 1862 , HB 2413 , HB 3335

Committee: House S/C on County & Regional Government

Keywords: noise regulation, criminal offense, public health, residential areas, county authority, Texas, local governance, sheriff's department, civil service, exempt positions, local government, police oversight, fireworks, retail sales, permits, Texas-Mexico border, seasonal sales, election, hospital district, board of directors

Transcript Highlights:

• Members, this is my bill, uh, that, uh, takes a 2011 law and expands the number of counties to 41 that
• Show you registered as Amber Steelley on behalf of the Consolidated Water Supply Corporation close to
• especially not Houston County.
• The bill expands the SER law from 33 to 74 counties, allowing a landowner, landowner in these counties
• the vacancies filled by those same county judges.

Bills: HB 937 , HB 2078 , HB 2080 , HB 3322 , HB 3350 , HB 4212 , HB 4630 , HB 4896 , HB 4951 , HB 5348 , HB 5675 , SB 565 , SB 971 , SB 1662 , SB 2124

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: special districts, notice requirements, Water Code, government transparency, public meetings, meeting notice, transparency, public engagement, notice, elections, groundwater management, water conservation, joint planning, environmental impact, desired future conditions, groundwater, conservation district, environmental quality, regulatory review, water utility

Transcript Highlights:

• In any of the counties that I serve. Okay. Or I'm sorry, especially not Houston County.
• The bill expands the SCR law from 33 to 74 counties, allowing a landowner in these counties to file a
• And I wanted to mention one specific case, which is in Belton County.
• This bill simply allows the county judge to fill a vacancy of which...
• the vacancies filled by those same county judges.

Bills: HB937 , HB2078 , HB2080 , HB3322 , HB3350 , HB4212 , HB4630 , HB4896 , HB4951 , HB5348 , HB5675 , SB565 , SB971 , SB1662 , SB2124

Committee: House Natural Resources

Keywords: special districts, notice requirements, Water Code, government transparency, public meetings, meeting notice, transparency, public engagement, notice, elections, groundwater management, water conservation, joint planning, environmental impact, desired future conditions, groundwater, conservation district, environmental quality, regulatory review, water utility