Transcript Highlights:

• Our ESD sent two tankers and an engine, and the neighboring ESD sent an engine and a chief.
• So I've been a firefighter for 25 years in the ESD firefighter in Travis County, ESD No. 2.
• It costs the ESD money to do that.
• And, of course, we're used to an unreasonable ESD in ESD 2 in Pflugerville.
• ESD.

Bills: SB208, SB628, SB777, SB1042, SB2354, SB2477, SB2521, SB2523, SB2608, SB2703, SB2778, SB2835, SB2965, SB2367, SB3044

Keywords: workforce housing, capital investment fund, affordable housing, housing development, Texas housing laws, loan programs, community development, Texas housing, zero-interest loans, low-income housing, nonprofit organizations, construction, economic stability, housing affordability, capital investment, Texas housing policy, county fire code, fire marshal, local government code, interlocal agreement

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.

Transcript Highlights:

• As you guys know, ESDs are governed by local government code 775.
• I have some notes, so forgive me, but ESDs...
• ESDs, in my opinion, are doing it far more efficiently.
• I'm not a county commissioner; I am an ESD commissioner.
• The Bexar County ESD Association is in favor of the bill.

Bills: HB334, HB583, HB605, HB1327, HB1646, HB2115, HB2379

Keywords: family leave, leave pool, county employee, sick leave, vacation leave, family care, pandemic, guardianship, fencing, reservoirs, local government, regulation, land use, conservation capacity, property regulation, fence regulation, reservoir safety, county authority, fencing regulations, counties

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill ensures that ESDs can quickly and effectively to serve their communities.
• Um, as you guys know, ESDs are governed by local, uh, government code 775.
• But until I realized that the state of Texas has more than 300 ESDs across the state.
• They have their own set of issues, and with over 300 ESDs in the state.
• Uh, the Bear County ESD Association, uh, is in favor of the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• When the ESD receives that notice, the ESD is required to disanticipate. acts of territory and cease
• I'm Patrick Schaffer, and I'm a battalion chief of Montgomery County ESD number three.
• We are in support of this bill because this bill helps fix issues that our ESD and other ESDs across
• Taxpayers of ESD number three shouldn't have to subsidize, nor should any ESD have to subsidize the municipalities
• As an ESD firefighter for 25 years, I've lived in the shadow of annexation.

Bills: HB447, HB897, HB993, HB2673, HB3671, HB3680, HB3897, HB4506, HB4753, HB4812, HB4894, HB5148, HB5437, HB5650, HB5652, HB5654, HB5656, HB5661, HB5665

Keywords: traffic impact studies, municipal utility district, bonds, road projects, eminent domain, HB 897, Texas land sale, state property, Austin real estate, Travis County, General Land Office, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, HHSC, Health and Human Services Commission, state records facility, archives building, library funding, capital improvements, lease of state land, public land disposition

Transcript Highlights:

• The issue that we've seen in ESDs is they continue to grow across the state.
• In an ESD, there is no protection.
• We're the State Association for ESDs, and we're neutral on the bill right now.
• The one thing is ESDs are unique in that their tax cap, their limit...
• So you talked about when the municipality annexes a piece of an ESD.

Bills: HB158, HB714, HB 1198, HB1630, HB1998, HB3509, HB3788, HB3875, HB3948, HB3977, HB4097, HB4313, HB4314, HB4317, HB158

Keywords: housing, veterans, surplus government property, affordable housing, funding sources, housing assistance, homeless prevention, landlord incentives, rural housing, domestic violence, community development, tenant readiness, program participants, financial assistance, homelessness, rental support, Texas Tenant Readiness Program, tenant assistance, housing stability, Texas Department of Housing

Transcript Highlights:

• Under current law, when a municipality acts to disannex territory from an ESD, notification of intent
• When the, uh, ESD, uh, receives that notice, the ESD is required to disannex the territory and cease
• Taxpayers of ESD 3 shouldn't have to subsidize or any ESD shouldn't have to subsidize the municipalities
• As an ESD firefighter for 25 years, I've lived in the shadow of annexation.
• We're the state association for ESDs. Uh, I don't want to belabor things.

Transcript Highlights:

• That does not include the ESD tax, and pretty much all the ESDs in the county are—most are at the 10
• Firefighters in Texas—municipal, county, ESD, volunteer—all alike.
• There are some cities that rely on ESD funding.
• I'm with the Bexar County ESD Number Two.
• I want you to remember, too, that ESDs are capped at $0.10.

Bills: HB17, HB23, SB 10

Keywords: property tax, school funding, enrollment changes, inflation adjustment, tax rate notice, 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

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent Travis County ESD-11 in support of this bill.
• This does not mandate the new cap for all ESDs, and... Cap of $50,000.
• This does not mandate the new cap for all ESDs.
• I am the fire chief for Bexar County ESD No. 2.
• This approach provides ESDs with the flexibility to adapt to their unique fiscal needs.

Bills: SB208, SB628, SB777, SB1042, SB2354, SB2477, SB2521, SB2523, SB2608, SB2703, SB2778, SB2835, SB2965, SB2367, SB3044

Keywords: workforce housing, capital investment fund, affordable housing, housing development, Texas housing laws, loan programs, community development, Texas housing, zero-interest loans, low-income housing, nonprofit organizations, construction, economic stability, housing affordability, capital investment, Texas housing policy, county fire code, fire marshal, local government code, interlocal agreement

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.

Transcript Highlights:

• I represent Travis County ESD-11 in support of this bill.
• The county is continuing to enforce its fire code where the ESD has adopted a fire code already.
• This bill would permit the ESD and the county to enter into an ILA to address this issue, which would
• I am the fire chief for Bear County ESD No. 2.
• This approach provides ESDs with the flexibility to adapt to their unique fiscal needs.

Bills: SB208, SB628, SB777, SB1042, SB2354, SB2477, SB2521, SB2523, SB2608, SB2703, SB2778, SB2835, SB2965, SB2367, SB3044

Keywords: workforce housing, capital investment fund, affordable housing, housing development, Texas housing laws, loan programs, community development, Texas housing, zero-interest loans, low-income housing, nonprofit organizations, construction, economic stability, housing affordability, capital investment, Texas housing policy, county fire code, fire marshal, local government code, interlocal agreement

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.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, ESDs provide critical fire protection, emergency medical services across the state.
• You're here on behalf of the Bayer County ESD 2 and Bayer County ESD Association.
• Despite our central roles, ESD. are excluded from this stable and proven funding mechanism.
• Um, ESDs, I am Clay Avery. I'm with Safety. We're the state Association for ESDs.
• ESDs are special purpose districts, that special purpose being public safety.

Bills: SB 4, SB 23, SJR 2

Keywords: redistricting, election, Texas legislature, district composition, political representation, congressional redistricting, Texas House of Representatives, U.S. House, Congressional districts, district map, district boundaries, gerrymandering, voting rights, election law, apportionment, representation, special committee, PLANC2308, redistricting plan, elections

Transcript Highlights:

• ESDs provide critical fire services... ...protection and emergency medical services across the state,
• while the ESDs can levy property and sales tax.
• Our Joshua Brown, you're here on behalf of the Bexar County ESD2 and the Bexar County ESD Association
• Despite our central roles, ESDs are excluded from this stable and proven funding mechanism.
• ESDs, I am Clay Avery, I'm with SAFE-D, we're the State Association for ESDs, and I am very much for

Bills: HB485, HB1367, HB1370, HB1827, HB1879, HB2032, HB2133, HB2357, HB3581, HB3830, HB4060, HB4085, HB4270, HB4979, HB5217, HB5268, HB5478, HJR96, HJR97, HJR119, HJR195, HJR209, SB4, SB23, SJR2, SJR85, SB 4, SB 23, SJR 2

Keywords: healthcare, insurance, access, affordability, public health, emergency services district, sales tax, gas and electricity, residential use, tax exemption, emergency services, gas, electricity, HB 485, ESD, use tax, residential utilities, utility tax, local option tax, Texas Health and Safety Code

Transcript Highlights:

• And oftentimes, you know, school districts and ESDs and the employers have detailed job descriptions
• And then we wanted to make sure we were reimbursing school districts, charter schools, and ESDs.
• So, as I said, school districts and charter schools had slightly different requirements than ESDs.
• And again, no fee for the first 10 staff trained by the ESDs.
• So again, that idea was that the ESDs are pulling in other districts and their staff and not charging

Keywords: 907, all

Transcript Highlights:

• You, you mentioned ESDs briefly.
• If I might add to that, we, we talk about the ESD.
• And ESDs are great and it provides a lot of more, um, resources.
• We do, we are ESD served. We have two ESDs, um, ESD 2 and ESD 8.
• And related to that, I know y'all are under two ESDs.

Transcript Highlights:

• ESDs providing EMS services have very few alternatives to.
• HB 5611 does not authorize any additional taxes for these services that ESDs provide.
• ESDs have the option to provide using existing revenues and have zero fiscal impact to the state.
• Really the state association for ESDs, Emergency Services Districts, often thought of.
• And this is one way for our EMS ESDs to really be true partners in the community.

Bills: HB2814, HB4477, HB5084, HB5108, HB5127, HB5383, HB5611, HB5663, HB5664, SB1563, HB2668, HB3841, HB4114

Keywords: juvenile justice, release documents, children, identification, Texas Juvenile Justice Department, civil service, staffing requirements, local government, positions exemption, Texas legislation, fireworks, Lunar New Year, retail permits, public safety, Texas law, holiday sales, HB 5108, deaths in custody, custodial death, jail death

Transcript Highlights:

• My name is Ralph Rodriguez, and I'm the Fire Chief of Bexar County ESD Number Two.
• I'm the Fire Chief at ESD located in East Aldine, Westfield Fire Department.
• Morgan, who is part of the ESD team helping to raise the funds for this project, but I asked to speak
• I support the entire bill, but mainly I'm here today for ESD 100. My name is Howard Roundwood.
• I'm with Montgomery County ESD number 7 and we could benefit greatly from this facility.

Bills: SB3, SB 3

Keywords: disaster relief, emergency funding, flood management, Meteorological forecasting, local government assistance, training facilities, flash flood, flood warning, outdoor warning siren, emergency alert, disaster preparedness, flood mitigation, Hill Country floods, Texas Water Development Board, municipalities, counties, local government mandate, public safety, grant program, backup power

Transcript Highlights:

• However, there is not enough clarity when it comes to collaboration between counties and ESDs when it
• State law does not, though, currently allow for counties to contract with ESDs to enforce a fire code
• CSB 1701 will will allow for counties and ESDs to contract with one another if they would like to to
• Uh, benefiting from countless hours of collaboration with our ESD partners in Travis County.
• Testifying self Travis County uh ESD 6 and Lake Travis Fire and Rescue for the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• Cities and emergency services districts (ESDs) can also adopt their own fire codes to enforce within
• However, there is not enough clarity when it comes to collaboration between counties and ESDs regarding
• extensive development over the last year, benefiting from countless hours of collaboration with our ESD
• The chair calls Robert Abbott, testifying self, Travis County ESD 6 and Lake Travis Fire and Rescue,
• Abbott, representing Travis County ESD 6 and Lake Travis Fire Rescue, is not testifying.

Bills: HB386, HB1449, HB1701, HB2142, HB2675, HB2857, HB3063, HB3171, HB3641, HB3732, HB4045, HB4370, HB4491, HB4505, HB4626, HB5267, HB5356

Keywords: construction contracts, change orders, local government, budget limits, Texas legislation, HB 1449, mobile food vendors, food trucks, mobile food service establishments, permits, county health permit, municipal permitting, Health and Safety Code Chapter 437A, Chapter 437, inspection agreements, permit reciprocity, fee cap, preemption, large counties, population over one million

Transcript Highlights:

• audience, so fire departments, that's a, you know, concern for people, you know, having to get into ESDs
• changes in the committee substitute those provide that areas that are subject to services from say an ESD
• if there's overlapping jurisdiction between the city and the ESD, the as filed version would have said
• if the property owner's contracting with the ESD, then that's a service that the city would not have
• But to the extent that Um, there's no, there's no ESD in a city, then I think what, what the city of

Bills: HB24

Keywords: groundwater, conservation, water permits, sustainability, resource management

Transcript Highlights:

• So where we normally see, before ESDs, certainly where I grew up in East Texas, it was.
• We have one ESD in our county, our county to the south, Williamson County. which I think has, I don't
• know how many have lost count, but they have lots and lots of ESDs.
• If I might add to that, we talk about ESD and ESDs are great.
• We are ESD served, we have two ESDs. ESD2 and ESD8, Hayes County has a bunch of them.

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• not ESDs, very expensive.
• You know, the ESDs are way more fortunate than the ones that are not ESDs.
• You know, the ESDs are way more fortunate than the ones that are not ESDs.
• It's 176 square miles that are in ESD-1.
• And out of how many ESDs was basically directed to go and support the ESD?

Summary: The joint Senate and House disaster preparedness and flooding hearing opened with quorum calls, prayer, testimony time limits, and remarks from legislative leaders emphasizing decorum, respect, and the goal of learning from the July 4 flood to prevent future loss of life. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Speaker Dustin Burrows said the special session and hearings were intended to hear directly from local officials and residents, and that the state would pursue immediate and longer-term legislation and continue working beyond the current session. The committee then heard invited testimony from Kerr County, Kerrville, Kendall County, Real County, and the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, followed by member questions. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly, Sheriff Larry Leitha, and emergency management coordinator William B. Thomas described the flood as a sudden, unprecedented event that overwhelmed local systems before many officials or residents understood the danger. They said the county received multiple National Weather Service and IPAWS alerts, but the rain fell in remote upstream areas with limited gauges, and the flood rose too quickly for normal response. They detailed the emergency response, including dispatchers handling heavy call volumes, deputies and volunteer firefighters conducting rescues, and state and federal partners assisting. County officials said 108 people died, including 37 children, and two remained missing. They called for better real-time flood detection, stronger rural emergency management resources, improved broadband and cell coverage, and more funding for swift-water rescue and warning systems. Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring and City Manager Dalton Rice said the city had floodplain rules, emergency plans, and prior preparedness efforts, but the event exposed gaps in communications and regional warning capacity. They urged the Legislature to fund a flood warning system, whether sirens, automated alerts, or a hybrid, and asked for support for predictive weather modeling, broadband expansion, a hazard mitigation fund, and disaster recovery resources. The Upper Guadalupe River Authority said it had long funded gauges and pursued flood-warning and mitigation projects, including a new software-based flood prediction system and possible retention dams, and planned to dedicate reserve funds to feasibility studies and infrastructure improvements. Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk said his county’s emergency action plan and early alerts helped prevent deaths there, and he recommended easier access to alerting tools, a river-wide warning system, simpler grant applications, and regional coordination. Real County Judge Bella Rubio said rural counties face major challenges because of limited cell service, broadband, staffing, and funding, especially for camps and visitors along the Frio and Nueces rivers, and argued that reliable alert systems should be treated as a necessity, not a luxury. Members asked about the timeline of the flood, low-water crossings, communications failures, sirens, bridges, and funding, and several witnesses said the key lessons were better communications, better warning systems, and more investment in rural flood mitigation and emergency response.