Video & Transcript Research : 'levy district'

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MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Human Committee Meeting - 2026-04-14

Human Services Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • <00:53:45.359> Wright cost lands directly on our levy.
  • Wright cost lands directly on our levy.
  • Um, just last district the other day.
  • Representative Frederick's district. Representative Frederick's district.
  • suburban prosecutors, it was district suburban prosecutors, it was district court<01:14:42.239><
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Ways & Means May 5th, 2025

Ways & Means

Transcript Highlights:
  • It provides technical support to local soil and water conservation districts and improves transparency
  • Other issues related with appraisal districts do not assess rollback taxes on a timely basis.
  • El Paso's largest school district, El Paso Independent School District, recently closed 8 elementary
  • It does so by empowering local taxing entities, counties, school districts, and special districts along
  • ESDs are special purpose districts, that special purpose being public safety.
Bills: SB 4, SB 23, SJR 2
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Local Government Apr 22nd, 2025

Local Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • These two bills, especially SB 23, combined with the 6.8 pennies of school district tax rate compression
  • put were the taxable value of the home times the tax rate at the time for school taxes equals the levy
  • That was what was frozen, was the levy.
Bills: SB23, SJR85
Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government heard testimony on Senate Bill 23 and its companion constitutional amendment, Senate Joint Resolution 85, both by Senator Bettencourt. The bills would increase the additional homestead exemption for elderly and disabled homeowners from $10,000 to $60,000, which proponents said would significantly reduce property taxes and help seniors and disabled Texans age in place. Bettencourt and supporters described the measure as part of a broader property tax relief package, estimating combined savings of about $950 for over-65 and disabled homeowners when paired with other recent homestead exemption changes. Witnesses largely supported the proposal. Testimony in favor came from a lawyer, a private citizen, Texas Realtors, the Texas Silver-Haired Legislature, and the Texas Association of Builders, all emphasizing relief for fixed-income seniors, housing stability, and the ability to remain in their homes. Several witnesses noted rising property taxes, medical costs, and the challenges seniors face in moving or affording home modifications. One witness from Every Texan said a flat homestead exemption is the most equitable way to cut property taxes, but argued against additional tax cuts generally, favoring a circuit-breaker approach and warning that permanent tax cuts could reduce funding for schools and other needs. The committee also discussed data showing many over-65 homeowners already pay no school property taxes in some counties and that the proposed changes would increase that share. After closing public testimony, the committee voted on the measures. Senate Bill 23 was reported favorably to the full Senate by a 7-0 vote, and S.J.R. 85 was also reported favorably by a 7-0 vote. The transcript also shows Senate Bill 898 being laid out and passed unanimously earlier in the meeting, with a recommendation for the local and uncontested calendar.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Natural Resources May 21st, 2025

Natural Resources

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.
  • It is Ed McCarthy on behalf of the Plum Creek Conservation District testifying for the bill.
  • or other soil and water. ...water-type districts, governmental entities of the state.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • sponsored by Senator Middleton, relating to the implementation of projects by the Gulf Coast Protection District
  • House Bill 2970 is the House version of SB 410, the Gulf Coast Protection District two-way traffic bill
NM

New Mexico 2026 Regular Session

House - Government, Elections And Indian Affairs Jan 28th, 2026 at 08:36 am

House Government, Elections & Indian Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • , like the oil field workers and Representative of Cicortez district, just retain more of the money to
  • He's a professor, and he's a district judge. That's a lot of jobs just in between me and him.
  • At this point, Madam Chair and Representative Little, I just want to move the needle for my district.
  • “I'm Judge Jane Levy. I am a judge at the Second Judicial District Court in the family division.
  • Madam Chair, House Bill 95 is to create a 31st district judge position in the Second Judicial District
Bills: HB70, HB93, HB95, HB139, HB140, HJR4
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Natural Resources May 7th, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • and own land within the district.
  • HB 5671 allows the Johnson County Special Utility District to issue bonds.
  • I'll just give a little bit of background on Johnson County Special Utility District.
  • The Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District consists of four counties.
  • It's estimated to be the 11th largest groundwater district in the state.
Summary: The Committee on Natural Resources heard testimony on a series of water, utility, and groundwater-related bills. Early items included HB 5693, which would let Drainage District 7 hold board elections in November of odd-numbered years when a countywide election is occurring, and HB 5671, which would update the Johnson County Special Utility District by clarifying board eligibility, allowing bond issuance, and removing redundant TCEQ approval language to reduce costs and delays. Both bills were left pending after brief testimony from bill sponsors and local witnesses. The committee also heard SB 1504, which would update the Gulf Coast Authority to allow video-conference participation in meetings, and SB 1302, aimed at closing a TCEQ permitting loophole that allowed dischargers with prior denials or suspensions to reapply through an automated process without meaningful review. SB 2692 drew substantial discussion: it would change the signature threshold for outside-city-limits customers appealing municipal utility rates to the PUC by customer class. Valero supported the bill as a way to avoid requiring large-volume users to gather signatures from unrelated residential customers, while the City of Corpus Christi opposed it, arguing that lowering the threshold to one customer could trigger expensive appeals costing $500,000 to $1 million. A PUC witness said such cases are increasing and that the agency would need additional staff under the fiscal note. SB 790, creating a simplified PUC complaint process for small water and wastewater billing disputes, and SB 1663, expanding TCEQ notice requirements for nearby residents when groundwater contamination is discovered, were also heard and left pending. Additional bills included HB 3115, clarifying that the Cow Creek Groundwater Conservation District cannot require meters on exempt domestic or livestock wells; SB 1055, raising the Southeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District’s production fee cap from 1 cent to 7 cents per 1,000 gallons; and SB 1625, requiring private water and wastewater utilities to report cybersecurity incidents to TCEQ and DIR. The committee then took up pending business and adopted a substitute for SB 7, which made several changes to water fund use, eminent domain coordination, and EDAP-related provisions, and voted 10-0 to report it favorably. The committee also adopted a substitute for HB 2347, a county water conservation program bill, and reported it favorably 9-1. HB 5675 and SB 2476 were each reported favorably 10-0. The meeting concluded with adjournment.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Natural Resources Apr 23rd, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • We have several independent school districts that will be impacted. Mr.
  • The biggest expense of any school district is personnel.
  • The biggest expense of any school district is personnel.
  • And my district gets some water from a neighboring district.
  • I'm the general manager of Tarrant Regional Water District.
Summary: The Committee on Natural Resources heard House Bill 2109, which would remove certain long-proposed reservoir projects from the state water plan after 50 years without progress. Chairman Van Deaver and many landowners, local officials, timber interests, and conservation advocates testified in support, arguing that the Marvin Nichols Reservoir has burdened Northeast Texas landowners for decades with the threat of eminent domain, depressed property values, and uncertainty over homes, farms, ranches, schools, churches, and cemeteries. Supporters also said the project would flood tens of thousands of acres, require extensive mitigation, harm timber and agriculture, and that Texas now has better alternatives such as conservation, reuse, aquifer storage and recovery, and desalination. Several members expressed sympathy for the affected families and questioned whether a project could remain in the plan indefinitely without progress. Opposition came from North Texas water interests, including the North Texas Commission, Tarrant Regional Water District, and the Texas Water Association, who argued that the bill would interfere with the state’s long-term water planning process and remove needed future supply options for a fast-growing region. They said Region C faces major projected shortages by 2070, that conservation and reuse have already delayed the need for new supplies, and that reservoirs remain one tool in the state’s water-planning toolbox. TWDB staff explained the existing inter-regional conflict process and noted that the substitute would affect several unique reservoir sites, not just Marvin Nichols. After testimony, Chairman Van Deaver closed by urging passage of the bill, but the committee withdrew the substitute and left HB 2109 pending. The committee then took up House Bill 5188, a brackish groundwater bill. The author said the bill would reduce permitting burdens for wells in designated brackish groundwater production zones, and the committee substitute added requirements on monitoring, groundwater-rights ownership, and allocation of pumpage limits while removing some exclusions and export-fee provisions. Texas Wildlife Association testified against the bill, warning that the exemptions could weaken groundwater conservation districts’ ability to protect freshwater resources and surface-owner rights. San Antonio Water System testified in favor, saying brackish groundwater is a key future supply and that the substitute would help speed development of desalination and brackish projects. The Texas Alliance of Groundwater Districts testified neutrally but raised concerns about reduced district oversight, especially around injection-well exclusions and the loss of export fees, and said discussions on the bill were ongoing.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Natural Resources Apr 23rd, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • Rivercrest Independent School District in Red River County.
  • The biggest expense of any school district is personnel.
  • that's water needy, and my district gets some water from a neighboring district. ...And it's incredibly
  • I can speak to the water district as opposed to...
  • Groundwater Conservation District rules.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Natural Resources Apr 23rd, 2025

Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:
  • and Groundwater Conservation District.
  • Improvement District Number 12 to provide road facilities within the district.
  • . 104 acres to the district.
  • This water district includes seven small towns that are in my district.
  • Chairman Vandeva's district and Chairman Heffner's district.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • clarifying that tax exemptions granted to housing authorities do not apply to taxes imposed by a district
  • drainage services to a development, unless the housing authorities entered into an agreement with the district
  • to make payments to the district in lieu of taxes. ...allows housing authorities to do their own development
  • This committee substitute for Senate Bill 2520 provides a two-year comparison for the school district
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Local Government (Part I) Apr 24th, 2025

Local Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • Responsibilities to emergency service districts through interlocal agreements.
  • Do you know if there's a MUD district in that area yet or not? No, it's not.
  • County Underground Water Conservation District.
  • Part of the conversation with the groundwater district and the cities.
  • It also preserves local authority over short-term rental historic districts.
Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government met with a quorum and limited public testimony to two minutes per person. The committee heard Senate Bill 628 by Senator Zaffirini, which would clarify that counties may enter interlocal agreements with emergency service districts to administer and enforce county fire codes, including for multi-county ESDs in the committee substitute. Witnesses from Travis County ESD-11, the Travis County Fire Marshal’s Office, and a member of the public supported the bill as a way to reduce duplication, costs, and jurisdictional confusion. Public testimony was closed and the committee substitute was left pending. The committee then heard several housing-related bills. Senate Bill 208 by Senator West would create a Workforce Housing Capital Investment Fund to provide zero-interest loans to nonprofit builders for workforce housing; Habitat for Humanity representatives, a Brownsville nonprofit developer, and housing advocates supported it as a way to finance infrastructure and land development for affordable homes. Senate Bill 2835 by Senator Johnson would allow cities to opt into single-stair apartment buildings for small-scale, multi-story housing; supporters said the design is safe and could expand housing supply, while the Texas APA expressed qualified opposition over code-process concerns and fire-safety questions. Both bills were left pending after testimony. Additional bills heard included SB 1042 updating the Kimble County Hospital District’s enabling law; SB 1708, a committee substitute protecting familial property divisions from platting requirements; SB 2778 raising the ESD expenditure threshold requiring board approval from $2,000 to up to $50,000; SB 2608 expanding LIHTC eligibility for certain public housing projects; SB 3044 adding board representation for Marfa and Presidio on the Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District and adjusting an exemption; SB 2367 extending park board authority to Waller County; SB 2523 clarifying ETJ reduction procedures and owner opt-out rights; SB 2521 requiring death-certificate reporting to appraisal districts to help address squatting and homestead exemption issues; and SB 2477 easing office-to-residential conversions in larger cities. In each case, the bills were laid out, testimony was taken, and the measures were left pending subject to call of the chair. The committee then recessed until 15 to 30 minutes after adjournment.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Local Government (Part II) Apr 24th, 2025

Local Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • to make payments to the district in lieu of taxation.
  • The city of Pflugerville happens to reside within my district.
  • They are an ISO Class 1... ...of Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2.
  • I just wanted to reiterate that in my district, the City of Pflugerville resides wholly in the district
  • , or mostly in the district, so this bill would not affect them.
Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government considered and voted on several bills, adopting committee substitutes on Senate Bills 1237, 1708, 1844, 1454, 2520, and 2541. In each case, the committee substitute was explained as narrowing or clarifying the filed bill, and the committee voted to report the substitute version to the full Senate, usually with a recommendation that the filed bill not pass. The committee also recommended each of those measures for the local and uncontested calendar. SB 1237 concerned property tax exemption eligibility for charitable organizations; SB 1844 addressed annexation and disannexation limits tied to city services; SB 1454 clarified housing authority tax exemptions and agreements with districts; SB 2520 dealt with a school district tax ceiling comparison; and SB 2541 reduced the unused increment period from three years to two years. The committee then heard extensive testimony on SB 2354, which would allow developers to hire qualified third-party professionals for plat review, permit review, and inspections if local governments are delayed. Supporters included affordable housing providers, builders, Pew Charitable Trusts, housing advocates, and legal groups, who said the bill would reduce permitting delays, lower costs, and help housing production. A Corpus Christi representative testified as neutral, asking for amendments to preserve city final inspection authority, document sharing, and floodplain enforcement. Urban counties opposed the bill as written, arguing it removed too much local oversight, though they acknowledged work on a committee substitute. SB 2354 was left pending. The committee also heard SB 2703, which would clarify that condominiums are not subdivisions for local platting purposes. Builders and a land use attorney supported the bill, saying it would reduce confusion and duplicative regulation; the bill was left pending. SB 777, dealing with firefighter collective bargaining and impasse procedures, drew support from Austin and Texarkana firefighter representatives and the City of Austin, who said the committee substitute reflected stakeholder agreement and preserved voter-approved local procedures; it was left pending. SB 2965, concerning annexation and emergency service district response obligations, drew support from ESD and fire association witnesses who said it would prevent service gaps after annexation, and opposition from local officials who argued it gave unelected ESD boards too much power and lacked neutral review; it was also left pending. The committee then recessed subject to call of the chair.
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Local Government (Part I) Apr 24th, 2025

Local Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • Responsibilities to emergency service districts through interlocal agreements.
  • Do you know if there's a MUD district in that area yet or not? No, it's not.
  • Many individual hospital district enabling acts are dated.
  • Presidio County Underground Water Conservation District.
  • Part of the conversation with the groundwater district and the cities.
Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government met with a quorum at the start, adopted a two-minute limit for public testimony, and heard a series of housing, local government, fire code, and district-governance bills. Several measures were laid out with committee substitutes, including SB 628 on county fire code administration through interlocal agreements with emergency service districts; SB 208 creating a Workforce Housing Capital Investment Fund for zero-interest loans to nonprofit builders; SB 2835 allowing cities to opt into single-stair apartment buildings; and SB 2477 easing office-to-residential conversions in certain cities. Other bills addressed ESD spending thresholds (SB 2778), hospital district updates (SB 1042), subdivision/platting issues (SB 1708), public housing tax credit eligibility (SB 2608), groundwater district representation for Marfa and Presidio (SB 3044), park board authority in Waller County (SB 2367), ETJ removal procedures (SB 2523), and reporting death certificates to appraisal districts to help address squatting and homestead issues (SB 2521). Testimony was largely supportive on the housing bills. Supporters of SB 208, including Habitat for Humanity affiliates, a Brownsville nonprofit developer, Texans for Housing, and an educator, said the revolving fund would help nonprofit builders finance land, infrastructure, and development costs for affordable homes, especially for families earning 30% to 80% of area median income. SB 2835 drew support from architects, planners, and housing advocates who argued that single-stair buildings can be safe, more efficient, and better suited to missing-middle housing, though the Texas APA registered qualified opposition, saying the proposal bypasses the usual code-development process and may not be sufficiently studied. SB 2477 also received broad support from housing groups and policy organizations, who said office conversions could help address vacancy and housing shortages, though Corpus Christi raised a concern about fee recovery and local cost reimbursement. The committee also heard support for SB 628 from a county fire marshal and an ESD representative, who said the bill would reduce duplicate fire-code enforcement and costs. SB 2778 was backed by a Bexar County ESD fire chief, who said the current $2,000 expenditure approval threshold is outdated and slows emergency purchases and repairs. SB 2608 was supported by the El Paso housing authority, which said adding certain Section 8 projects to the at-risk LIHTC set-aside would help renovate aging subsidized housing. SB 3044 was presented as a way to give Marfa and Presidio representation on the groundwater district board while preserving permitting authority. Each bill heard public testimony was left pending subject to the call of the chair, and the committee recessed to reconvene after the Senate adjourns.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • In Senate District 10, which is Senator King's district, a special district...
  • , Municipal Management Districts, Water Improvement Districts, and Water Control Improvement Districts
  • Supply District.
  • You say it's your title that you are a district, or you are not a district? We're a district.
  • Okay, so you're a district. We are a district. And you have a MUD and... Tiger District.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • My name is Bob Anderson, I live in Texas Senate District 14. I'm a native of Lubbock.
  • Hill Country, you're gonna be able to cut down your Ash-Junipers anyway because they're not in a, a district
  • to help combat that a minority of property owners not inside the proposed change or zoning change district
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Local Government (Part II) Apr 7th, 2025

Local Government

Transcript Highlights:
  • I live in uh Texas Senate District 14. Uh, I'm a native of Lubbock.
  • , you're going to be able to cut down your ash junifers anyway because they're not in a, a, a, a district
  • help combat that, a minority of property owners not inside the proposed change or zoning change district