Transcript Highlights:

• During his tenure, he spearheaded the passage of legislation creating the Alabama Local Government Training
• important topics to equip them with the knowledge that they need and the resources to better serve local
• in a position where we're trying to solve a problem in Mobile and Baldwin County that may just be a local
• I appreciate our local governments for... If you build something, it better be to the standard.
• We need flexibility at the local level. ...that we need flexibility at the local level to provide for

Bills: HB324, HB252, SB80, HB241

Keywords: sheriffs, term of office, Alabama law, local government, election, residential construction, architectural approval, engineering approval, home building, single family residences, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, so, [clears throat], it's rule making for local approval and conditions and revocation, judicial
• Uh, thank it's it's rule making for uh local it's it's rule making for uh local approval<00:02:32.000
• step in the local process. step in the local process.
• For that reason, it is important that local government have a defined and meaningful role in the approval
• For that reason, it is important that local government have a defined and meaningful role in the approval

Bills: SF0045, SJ0001

Keywords: pari-mutuel wagering, simulcasting, historic horse racing, HHR terminals, horse racing, gaming commission, Wyoming Gaming Commission, local control, city approval, county approval, municipal approval, permit renewal, gaming permit, wagering regulation, racetrack, live pari-mutuel event, district court appeal, public notice, land use, public safety

Transcript Highlights:

• It is supported locally and most importantly, it is well deserved. Thank you.
• They liaise on very closely with the local veteran County service offices.
• They are in those local mental health authorities.
• I will comment that the local funding requirement has been met. Uh, thank you.
• police without diminishing local jurisdiction.

Bills: HB101

Keywords: voter approval, local tax, disaster declaration, tax rate increases, community funding

Transcript Highlights:

• In my local community in the panhandle of Texas, that excludes a lot of my hardworking patients who have
• senior fellow for healthcare at Texas Public Policy Foundation, who I'm representing and myself, I'm a local
• So we work very closely with the, with the, um, with the local, uh, healthcare providers as we try to
• transparency requirements for prior authorizations as well as procedures and requirement for reviewing and approving

Bills: HB139

Keywords: ad valorem tax, tax rates, voter-approval, taxing unit, property tax, local government

Transcript Highlights:

• Next bill for consideration is Senate File 45, local approval for simo casting.
• Uh, this bill is approval for local simo casting and, uh, went through our committee in the interim and
• We'll just start off with the first section: simo casting permits, rulemaking, local approval, and permit
• Uh, for example, the definition of the local approving authority.
• Uh, for example, the definition of the local approving authority.

Bills: SF0045, SF0058, SF0067

Keywords: pari-mutuel wagering, simulcasting, historic horse racing, HHR terminals, horse racing, gaming commission, Wyoming Gaming Commission, local control, city approval, county approval, municipal approval, permit renewal, gaming permit, wagering regulation, racetrack, live pari-mutuel event, district court appeal, public notice, land use, public safety

Bills: HB101, HB290

Keywords: voter approval, local tax, disaster declaration, tax rate increases, community funding, PFAS, agriculture, criminal offense, pollution, Johnson County, environmental regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Menendez now moves to House Bill 101 be recommended for local and contested calendar.
• We recommend for local and contested calendar. Is there an objection? Chair is none, so ordered.
• Senator Menendez now moves to House Bill 5308 be recommended for local and contested calendar.
• Senator Menendez now moves to House Bill 5329 be recommended for local and contested calendar.

Bills: HB101, HB290

Keywords: voter approval, local tax, disaster declaration, tax rate increases, community funding, PFAS, agriculture, criminal offense, pollution, Johnson County, environmental regulation

Transcript Highlights:

• Um, how long is the average wait time for state or local law enforcement to intervene on the scene on
• Yes, yes, because we, we currently work closely with all the local and state federal agencies, and I
• So most of that is a local control issue handled locally based on resource or need. OK. Thank you.
• It also allows the governor to appoint a team to meet directly with Mexican authorities at the local,
• , and federal law enforcement, and our state, local, and federal decision makers such as yourselves.

Bills: HB176, HB180

Keywords: tax, ad valorem, voter-approval, local government finance, property tax, repeal, tax rates, school finance, tax reduction, compressed tax rate, education, funding

Bills: HB101, HB290

Keywords: voter approval, local tax, disaster declaration, tax rate increases, community funding, PFAS, agriculture, criminal offense, pollution, Johnson County, environmental regulation, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Senator Menendez now moves that House Bill 101 be recommended for local and contested calendars.
• Senator Menendez now moves that House Bill 2193 be recommended for local and contested calendars.
• Senator Menendez now moves that House Bill 5308 be recommended for local and contested calendars.
• Senator Menendez now moves that House Bill 5329 be recommended for local and contested calendars.

Bills: HB101, HB290

Keywords: voter approval, local tax, disaster declaration, tax rate increases, community funding, PFAS, agriculture, criminal offense, pollution, Johnson County, environmental regulation, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• are no longer exempt from the competitive procurement requirements under Section 252.022(a) of the Local
• I approve this committee substitute and hope that all of you will.
• Laura Presley, with True Texas Elections, and this bill, we approve of this bill.
• Senator Zaffirini moves that the bill be recommended for the local and uncontested calendar.
• Senator Bettencourt moves that the bill be referred to the local and uncontested calendar.

Bills: HB223

Keywords: municipal budget, county budget, local government finance, spending cap, expenditure limit, inflation plus population growth, taxpayer impact statement, budget transparency, property tax, fees, Legislative Budget Board, voter approval, disaster spending, fiscal restraint, Texas Local Government Code, city budget, county expenditures

Summary: The Committee on State Affairs heard several House bills, with most measures left pending after testimony and later taken up in a batch of votes. Early in the meeting, HB 5624 on liability protections for motocross/off-road vehicle tracks, HB 223 on requiring competitive procurement for municipal lobbying contracts, HB 3709 on post-election audit procedures, and HB 5081 on protecting personal information of judicial officers and court staff were all discussed and left pending after testimony. Witnesses on HB 223 supported greater transparency in municipal lobbying contracts. HB 3709 drew sharp opposition from an election integrity advocate who argued the bill would reduce precinct-level granularity and make it harder to detect ballot errors, while a Secretary of State resource witness said the bill would simplify and standardize the audit process by location. HB 5081 received strong support from court administration and a district judge who described prior threats and an attack tied to publicly available personal information. The committee also heard HB 3546 on allowing school districts to move elections to November, HB 493 on barring certain felony offenders from serving as poll watchers, HB 5115 on increasing penalties for election fraud and related conduct, HB 4081 on trade secret filing procedures, HB 3909 on limiting restrictions on wireless devices at polling places, HB 2702 on limiting gubernatorial closure authority for certain veterans organizations during pandemics, HB 119 on foreign adversary lobbying, and HB 5138 on the Attorney General’s authority to prosecute election crimes. Several of these bills were explained with committee substitutes and then left pending before final action. Testimony on HB 493 and HB 5115 came from an election integrity advocate who supported both bills, saying the poll watcher restriction was appropriately narrowed and that the election fraud bill would help address invalid votes and refusal to count valid votes. Later, the committee took up pending business and voted out a large number of bills, generally along party lines or with broad support. HB 186 on minors’ social media use, HB 229, HB 2885, HB 3909 as substituted, HB 4285, HB 1661, HB 2820, HB 3181, HB 4157, HB 223, HB 521, HB 640, HB 1234, HB 2253, HB 2294, HB 3053, HB 3697 as substituted, HB 4281, HB 4463, HB 4995, HB 5081 as substituted, HB 5624 as substituted, HB 119 as substituted, HB 3225, HB 5138 as substituted, HB 5115, HB 481 as substituted, HB 3546, HB 493, and HB 4145 were reported favorably to the full Senate, with several also placed on the local and uncontested calendar. The committee also adopted committee substitutes for multiple bills, including HB 3909, HB 5081, HB 5624, HB 119, HB 5138, and HB 481. At the end, the chair noted another committee meeting would likely be needed before deadlines, possibly on a weekend, and recessed the committee subject to the call of the chair.

Transcript Highlights:

• offers a critical opportunity to improve cancer detection rates, reduce healthcare costs for state and local

Bills: HB46

Keywords: local government spending cap, expenditure limit, political subdivision, property tax, ad valorem tax, budget cap, taxpayer protection, spending restraint, inflation adjustment, population growth, voter approval, supermajority vote, county budget, municipal budget, school district finance, junior college district, hospital district, special district, attorney general enforcement, local fiscal limits

Transcript Highlights:

• And it's driving their costs and it's hurting many of the really small local businesses.
• existing local dollars and pair that with local resources to ensure those providers in low-income areas
• Senator Perry moves that the bill be recommended for the local and uncontested calendars.
• Senator Zaffirini moves that the bill be recommended for the local and uncontested calendars.
• That the bill be recommended for the local and uncontested calendar. Is there any objection?

Bills: HB223

Keywords: municipal budget, county budget, local government finance, spending cap, expenditure limit, inflation plus population growth, taxpayer impact statement, budget transparency, property tax, fees, Legislative Budget Board, voter approval, disaster spending, fiscal restraint, Texas Local Government Code, city budget, county expenditures, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We approve of this bill; it's a really good bill.
• Senator Zaffirini moves that the bill be recommended for the local and uncontested calendar.
• On the local and uncontested calendars. Is there any objection? Hearing none, it is so ordered.
• Senator Bettencourt moves that the bill be referred to the local and uncontested calendar.
• HB 4145 be recommended and certified for placement on the local and uncontested calendar.

Bills: HB223

Keywords: municipal budget, county budget, local government finance, spending cap, expenditure limit, inflation plus population growth, taxpayer impact statement, budget transparency, property tax, fees, Legislative Budget Board, voter approval, disaster spending, fiscal restraint, Texas Local Government Code, city budget, county expenditures, 1185, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• It simply empowers local officials to make that decision if they choose, based on their fiscal outlook
• Uh, and I'm the president of the local association.
• Um, constitutional county judges serve a great purpose at the local level.
• local products, specifically farm-raised oysters from Texas.
• Senator Hinojosa moves to be certified the local and uncontested calendars. It's order.

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:

• And then what, what the fund also does is, um, subject to the approval of the control of the investment
• to pay claims from existing appropriations, but the following types of claims are required to be approved
• After the Miscellaneous Claims Bill has been approved by the legislature and signed by the governor,

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:

• mandated but may uh come into that local mandated but may uh come into that local jurisdiction<00
• relates to local governments. relates to local governments.
• It would be a local, but it would be multi-county, so it will apply like a local bill.
• it's a statewide or local application. it's a statewide or local application.
• >> So, would that just make it a local >> So, would that just make it a local bill?

Bills: SB298, SB91

Keywords: Florence, Lauderdale County, municipal boundaries, corporate limits, land annexation, military installations, tall structures, local government, construction approval, wind energy facilities, aeronautics, Department of Defense, 923, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• In addition, state and local governments received approximately $300,000 from each unit.
• Charitable bingo supports our local communities and directly contributes to city, county, and state general
• And I think last night on the news there was a child here, local resources, that because of those, the

Bills: HB46, HB272

Keywords: local government spending cap, expenditure limit, political subdivision, property tax, ad valorem tax, budget cap, taxpayer protection, spending restraint, inflation adjustment, population growth, voter approval, supermajority vote, county budget, municipal budget, school district finance, junior college district, hospital district, special district, attorney general enforcement, local fiscal limits

Summary: The Senate Committee on State Affairs heard several House bills and took no final votes, leaving each bill pending after testimony. HB 272 would align venue and evidentiary rules for fraudulent use or possession of credit/debit card information with existing credit card abuse law; the sponsor said it would improve prosecutions, and the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center supported it. HB 1661 would increase penalties for certain election-related offenses, including failure to distribute election supplies and early release of election results; no substantive opposition was heard. HB 551 would protect the residential addresses of people who receive campaign expenditures on public Texas Ethics Commission reports, similar to donor privacy protections, and a witness from Texas Eagle Forum later indicated support for the privacy change. The committee also heard HB 2820, which would raise the amount charitable bingo organizations may keep in operating capital from $50,000 to $100,000. The sponsor and a Texans for Charitable Bingo representative said inflation and operating costs have made the current cap too low and that the bill would help charities maintain stable operations without expanding gaming. HB 3181 would impose stronger consequences for repeated denial of court-ordered child possession and access, including limiting probation and requiring attorney’s fees after multiple contempt findings; a family court judge and a parent testified in support, while another witness argued the bill should be paired with stronger criminal enforcement and that parents already face high costs. HB 4157 would update Texas law for commercial spaceflight by recognizing liability waivers and preserving workers’ compensation rights; no one testified against it. The committee also heard HB 4145, which would let health care providers satisfy a timely billing requirement by sending bills to a patient’s legal representative in a personal injury case, closing what supporters described as a loophole in letter-of-protection situations. Finally, HB 46, relating to the Texas Compassionate Use Program, drew the most extensive discussion: supporters said it should expand access for legitimate medical cannabis patients and add more delivery methods and conditions, while opponents warned against broader marijuana expansion and questioned adding chronic pain and other conditions. The sponsor said he still supports the program and wants a balanced, regulated expansion, but noted the bill is still being worked on. All bills were left pending at the close of the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• But the counties will approve as the governing body, once they have one of the two referenced approval
• I'll approve. I mean, do I hear... Amendment? I'll approve. I mean, do I hear a motion?
• We think this is a local decision, and that decision should be made by those local governments.
• But like Library Board... that local governing bodies, local boards... Elected.
• I guess you could do a local bill to opt out. Could you bring a local bill to opt out?

Bills: HB333, HB329, HB362

Keywords: law enforcement, training facility, regional authority, municipal cooperation, public safety, military installations, tall structures, local government, construction approval, wind energy facilities, transparency, public meetings, accountability, education, 1136, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• tax rate, and how often voters have approved tax rates in excess of the voter-approval rate. ...how
• often they have adopted tax rates at the voter-approval tax rate, and how often voters have approved
• rate, and 19% of cities approved by voters tax rates above the voter-approval rate.
• counties had tax rates above the voter-approval rate that were approved by voters.
• That is, voters have the final say when local leaders must recommend a tax increase above the voter approval

Bills: SB9

Keywords: property tax, ad valorem tax, voter-approval tax rate, no-new-revenue tax rate, tax rate calculation, Tax Code, local government finance, municipality, county, special taxing unit, sales and use tax, property tax cap, tax rollback, tax levy, maintenance and operations, debt rate, disaster relief rate, Texas Legislature, local taxing unit

Summary: The Senate Committee on Local Government met to hear Senate Bill 9, which would lower the voter-approval tax rate for certain local taxing units from 3.5% to 2.5%. Sen. Bettencourt, the bill author, argued the change would continue the state’s property tax reforms begun in 2019, slow local levy growth, and give voters more say over larger tax increases. He and supporters cited data showing property tax levies have grown faster than population plus inflation, and said the bill would help protect taxpayers while preserving the state’s broader investments in school tax relief, water, rural law enforcement, and ambulance funding. Supporters included the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association, the Texas Association of Business, the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and the Texas Association of Manufacturers. They said the bill would improve transparency, encourage more disciplined budgeting, and create certainty for homeowners and businesses. They argued that lower tax-rate growth would help attract and retain employers and investment, and that voters would still be able to approve higher rates when needed. Local officials and other opponents said the bill would constrain cities and counties facing rapid growth, inflation, infrastructure needs, and public safety costs. Testimony from county judges, city finance officials, firefighters, and urban county representatives emphasized pressures from jail operations, roads, water, EMS, police and fire staffing, and unfunded mandates. Several witnesses asked for carve-outs or exemptions for public safety and disaster-related costs, warning that a one-size-fits-all cap could force service cuts or shift costs elsewhere. The committee heard extensive questioning but no final vote or disposition on the bill was taken in the portion provided.