Transcript Highlights:

• Tax rates change every year.
• So aside from the M&O rate, but if and to the extent you have an I&S rate on your bonds, you may have
• And could that potentially also affect your bond rating?
• Thank you all for talking to the ratings agencies.
• It's capped.

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

Transcript Highlights:

• Excuse me, the old rollback rate, but now we call it the voter-approved rate.
• tax rates at the voter-approval tax rate, and how often voters have approved tax rates in excess of
• rate, and 19% of cities approved by voters tax rates above the voter-approval rate.
• All right, well, we'd be well above your cap. Okay, all right. All right. Interesting.
• It's not a hard cap.

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.

Transcript Highlights:

• The first is around a defunct mortgage maximum interest rate.
• Every month, the department publishes the maximum interest rate that lenders can...
• The maximum interest rate is the maximum interest rate that the government can charge for certain types
• is the maximum interest rate that...
• Oh, there is a maximum interest rate, and under the setup right here, that interest rate is a prime alpha

Bills: HF2601, HF2607, HF2027, HF2608

Keywords: financial institutions, insurance regulation, insurance holding company, group capital calculation, liquidity stress test, NAIC, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, insurer solvency, affiliate transactions, groupwide supervision, internationally active insurance group, lead state commissioner, policyholder protection, hazardous financial condition, deposit or bond, contract for deed, conventional loan, cooperative apartment loan, mortgage interest rate cap, average prime offer rate

Transcript Highlights:

• While dairy farmers and dairy processors struggle with high interest rates, tax-exempt financing provides
• a 2 to 3% interest rate advantage, which equates to an annual savings of approximately $25,000 to $28,000
• > equates</c> interest rate advantage, which equates interest rate advantage, which equates to<00:25:
• </c><00:30:22.080><c> in</c> development might have an interest in development might have an interest
• </c> support payroll expenses, rent, mortgage support payroll expenses, rent, mortgage payments,<00:47

Bills: HF3217, HF2252

Keywords: bioindustrial facilities, economic development, renewable energy, advanced biofuels, state funding, HF2252, Minnesota bonding, volume cap, private activity bonds, tax-exempt bonds, public facility bonds, public facilities pool, unified pool, bond allocation, municipal finance, bond cap, housing bonds, residential rental projects, manufacturing bonds, enterprise zone bonds

Transcript Highlights:

• And so it's just any interest because it was 3% if you own that much of a food company, that is a whole
• rather than the best interests of the people for the people.
• They allow industry to rate and in the food industry, they have generally accepted safe products.
• How do we keep, if we do it in Texas, how do we prevent those conflicts of interest?
• That really goes to the depths of the conflicts of interest on all of this.

Bills: HB25, HB38

Keywords: ivermectin, pharmacist authority, prescription-free, healthcare regulation, patient access, interest rate, ad valorem taxes, homesteads, property tax, tax deferral

Transcript Highlights:

• The first is around a defunct mortgage maximum interest rate.
• maximum interest rates.
• </c><00:03:19.760><c> charge</c> interest rate that lenders can charge interest rate that lenders can
• </c><00:03:38.720><c> became</c> interest rates under this section became interest rates under this section
• </c> used maximum interest rate that is used used maximum interest rate that is used by<00:03:47.840>

Bills: HF2601, HF2607, HF2027, HF2608

Keywords: financial institutions, insurance regulation, insurance holding company, group capital calculation, liquidity stress test, NAIC, National Association of Insurance Commissioners, insurer solvency, affiliate transactions, groupwide supervision, internationally active insurance group, lead state commissioner, policyholder protection, hazardous financial condition, deposit or bond, contract for deed, conventional loan, cooperative apartment loan, mortgage interest rate cap, average prime offer rate

Transcript Highlights:

• Mortgage lenders take a secured interest in a property.
• They use it as collateral for mortgage loans, and as such we have a vested interest in not only the health
• banking</c><00:52:15.760><c> uh</c> mortgage lending and mortgage banking uh mortgage lending and mortgage
• </c> release that mortgage. Thank you. release that mortgage. Thank you.
• <01:47:25.360><c> banking,</c><01:47:26.080><c> all</c> mortgage lending, mortgage banking, all mortgage

Bills: SF1750, HF704, HF3479

Keywords: common interest community, CIC, homeowners association, HOA, condominium, planned community, cooperative, unit owner, association board, declarant, declarant control, special declarant rights, assessment lien, foreclosure, late fees, fines, attorney fees, resale disclosure, annual report, maintenance plan

Transcript Highlights:

• It establishes an interest-free loan.
• Most hospital services would be capped at no more than 250% of the Medicare reimbursement rates, while
• prices at 250% of Medicare rates by 2030. ...on hospital prices at 250% of Medicare rates by 2033, addressing
• or impact them in how they go about managing their tax rate.
• There's no conflict of interest.

Bills: SB268, SB306, SB264, SB312

Keywords: federal workers, government shutdown, interest-free loans, tax deferral, public transportation, Rehoboth Beach, municipal charter, city charter amendment, commissioners, mayor, local government, election qualifications, affidavit of eligibility, domestic partner, cohabitant, conflict of interest, freeholder, leaseholder, municipal court, Alderman

Summary: The House Administration Committee met to consider a series of resolutions and bills covering arts districts, child care background checks, federal worker relief, health care reform, court transparency, school tax reassessment, municipal charter changes, constitutional amendment procedures, data center nondisclosure agreements, state employee benefits governance, and lieutenant governor vacancies. Members also noted that House Concurrent Resolution 12 had been removed from the agenda and that public comment would be limited to one minute per speaker. The committee released SCR 167 to study arts, culture, and creative districts in Delaware; HB 438 to close a loophole in the child care service letter requirement; SB 268 to provide interest-free loans, free transit, and tax deferrals for federal workers during shutdowns; SS2 for SB 1 to expand and permanently strengthen primary care investment while also addressing hospital cost growth; HCR 147 to request a Court of Chancery report on audio recordings and automated case assignment; SB 322 to replace the current post-reassessment 10% school revenue increase authority with a 2% annual increase option under safeguards; SB 306 to amend the Rehoboth Beach charter; HB 440 to require voter approval for constitutional amendments after legislative approval; SB 312 to bar nondisclosure agreements for large data center projects; SS1 for SB 289 to change State Employee Benefits Committee governance; and SB 264 to require a special election to fill a lieutenant governor vacancy. Testimony was mixed on several measures. Arts, child care, federal worker relief, primary care, court transparency, data center transparency, and the lieutenant governor vacancy bill drew mostly supportive testimony, while SB 322 and SB 306 drew both support and opposition, especially over tax impacts and the proposed spouse/partner restriction in Rehoboth Beach. HB 440 prompted debate over whether 55% voter approval was the right threshold for constitutional amendments, and SB 312 was supported as a transparency measure by residents affected by prior data center NDAs. All of the listed measures were released from committee by roll call vote, with some members voting no on HB 440, SB 306, SB 312, SS1 for SB 289, and SB 264.

Bills: HB 4, HB 1, HB 2, HB 18, HB 19, HB 20

Keywords: appropriations, funding, budget, state finance, public services, public education, teacher compensation, certification, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability

Bills: HB 4, HB 1, HB 2, HB 18, HB 19, HB 20

Keywords: appropriations, funding, budget, state finance, public services, public education, teacher compensation, certification, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability

Bills: HB 1, HB 2, HB 18, HB 19, HB 20, HB 4

Keywords: appropriations, funding, budget, state finance, public services, public education, teacher compensation, certification, school finance, educator rights, education funding, charter schools, staff compensation, state aid, retention allotment, rural health, hospital funding, healthcare access, mental health services, financial stability

Transcript Highlights:

• Because that's already their market rate, yeah?
• A market-rate one-bedroom might be $1,500, and the market rate on one-bedroom, or excuse me, 60% AMI.
• Tax rates change every year.
• That property is worth probably 12 million dollars because the rents are all capped at Section 8 rates
• There's no rent growth; it's capped.

Bills: HB21, HB211, HB223, HB323, HB524, HB530, HB636, HB762, HB21, HB211, HB223

Keywords: housing finance, multifamily residential, low income, tax exemption, audit requirements, affordable housing, local government, development bonds, housing assistance, financial assistance, low income housing, community support, affordability, veterans housing, community involvement, air conditioning, tenant support, healthcare, elderly, taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• For all those interested in submitting a public comment, please view the notice of public hearings that
• So, in Texas, members, people are experiencing homelessness at a continuously growing rate, and it is

Bills: HB21, HB211, HB223, HB323, HB524, HB530, HB636, HB762, HB21, HB211, HB223

Keywords: housing finance, multifamily residential, low income, tax exemption, audit requirements, affordable housing, local government, development bonds, housing assistance, financial assistance, low income housing, community support, affordability, veterans housing, community involvement, air conditioning, tenant support, healthcare, elderly, taxation

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:21:28.720><c> may</c> capping interim rates, utilities may capping interim rates, utilities may
• If interim rates exceeded final rates, there is a refund with interest, not with nominal interest, with
• Uh, how are interest rate interest back.
• Uh, how are interest rate interest rates<00:29:58.320><c> determined?
• <00:32:35.919><c> rate</c><00:32:36.559><c> was</c> interest rate was interest rate was 50%<00:32:39.360

Bills: HF4236, HF4122, HF4377

Keywords: public utility, interim rates, utility rates, rate case, general rate case, Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, PUC, rate increase cap, rate freeze, refunds, customer refunds, ratepayer protection, electric utility, gas utility, regulated utility, ratemaking, return on equity, rate base, test year, rate design

Transcript Highlights:

• What inflation rate are we using?
• This is a notification even if you're not planning on raising the tax rate.
• So, they're going to have to raise the tax rate to accommodate all the mail.
• You generally set your rates by...
• Kelly Rasty: We took an interesting approach.

Bills: HB17, HB23

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:

• What inflation rate are we using?
• Even if you're not planning on raising the tax rate?
• Well, we don't know what the tax rate is going to be because the tax rate should be going down as the
• They're going to have to raise the tax rate to accommodate all the mail.
• You all do set your rates much earlier than everybody else. You generally set your rates by now?

Bills: HB17, HB23

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:

• The rate was called the rollback tax rate.
• Interesting.
• This bill caps the rate at which...
• That rate, to lower, to cap that rate, is difficult at best. Your words, something has to give.
• Frankly, adding a 2.5% cap to the tax rate election that the city council... ...is currently going for

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:

• avoid shifting the financial burden to property taxes or other funding mechanisms, keeping overall tax rates
• above the voter approval tax rate for a specific purpose.
• Taxpayers have raised concerns that taxing units re-propose bond propositions and tax rate increases
• Built into that bill was what we call an unused increment rate.
• That rate allowed a taxing entity that adopted a rate below the cutoff to... ...be able to bank the difference

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:

• We appreciate and recognize the rate compression policies in place today and lowering the rate for all
• rate.
• Sure, so we have the voter approved rate, which is the highest rate that you could approve without a,
• to keep our property tax rate low.
• But what you're saying is right, that yes, tax rates go up and then that tax rate is paid by everyone

Bills: HB8, HB9, HJR1, HB 22

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:

• Everything is the same tax rate right now, right? It's the same. Yeah, there's a uniform tax rate.
• Okay, the total amount of tax rate increase was 15 percent.
• above the voter approval tax rate for specific purposes.
• cents back in 2018. to our current rate of $0.379, which is actually the no-new-revenue rate for the
• They kept the tax rate the same and they say, "Hey, it wasn't us; we kept the tax rate the same."

Bills: SB467, SB325, SB867, SB994, SB1052, SB1237, SB1449, SB1531, SB2063, SB2172, SB2173, SB2520, SB2529, SB2538, SB2541, SJR46, SJR84

Keywords: SB 467, Texas property tax, ad valorem tax, homestead exemption, residence homestead, fire damage, house fire, destroyed home, temporary tax relief, appraisal district, chief appraiser, local taxing unit, tax rollback, tax refund, Tax Code Chapter 11, prorated exemption, homestead improvement, disaster relief, property tax exemption, residential property