April 15, 2022, Number 15


Download the full .pdf version here: TML Legislative Update Number 15


house and senate committee interim hearings

The Texas House and Senate Committees have begun their committee work to study interim charges outlined by Speaker Phelan and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick. Below is a full list of committee hearings set to hear certain city-related charges. All hearings will be held at the Texas Capitol unless otherwise indicated. If a committee is newly posted and was not in last week’s edition of the Legislative Update, it is indicated as such.

*NEW* Senate Local Government Committee

The committee will meet on April 20 at 10:00 a.m. to hear invited and public testimony on the following charges:

Bond Elections: Review and report on voter participation and bond election result differences between November and May elections. Make recommendations for improved voter turnout, increased election efficiencies, and better accountability of local debt.

Ballot Language: Study the development of the language used for constitutional amendment and local ballot propositions. Recommend changes to make ballot propositions more easily understood by voters.

Information on how to testify or provide written testimony can be found here.

House Committee on International Relations & Economic Development 

The committee will meet on April 20 at 11:00 a.m. to hear invited testimony only on the following charge:

Economic Development Incentives
Examine current economic development incentive programs and identify opportunities to enhance job creation in Texas. Make recommendations to promote transparency and enhance effectiveness of such programs.

Information on how to view this hearing and how to submit electronic testimony can be found here.

House Committee on Ways & Means

The committee will meet on April 21 at 10:00 a.m. to consider and hear invited and public testimony on the following charges:

Study and consider methods of providing additional property tax relief, including the use of $3 billion in available American Rescue Plan Act funds that were held for future tax relief by the 87th Legislature, and other sources of revenue. Explore options to reduce business property tax burdens and options for limiting the growth of property tax bills.

Evaluate the impact of shifting to destination sourcing for local sales and use tax purposes, including the benefits of reduced taxpayer confusion. Monitor the implementation of the Comptroller’s amendments to 34 Tx. Admin. Code §3.334, relating to local sales and use taxes, and the Comptroller’s Sales Tax Rate Locator. Make recommendations for legislation to improve Texas’ local sales and use tax sourcing.

The League previously reported an in-depth Legislative Update article that outlines the sales tax sourcing charge. More information, including how to submit comments electronically or register to testify, can be found here.

House Committee on State Affairs 

The committee will meet on April 26 at 9:00 am. to hear invited and public testimony on the following charge:

Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee's jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:

  • H.B. 5, relating to the expansion of broadband services to rural areas;
  • H.B. 1505, relating to attachments for broadband service on utility poles owned by an electric cooperative and establishing and funding a pole replacement program for deployment of certain broadband facilities.

Information on the hearing, including information on how to register to testify at the hearing, submit comments electronically, and watch the hearing, can be found here. 

House Committee on Transportation

The committee will meet on April 26 at 12:30 p.m. to hear invited and public testimony on the following charges:

Study current and future transportation needs and consider improvements to ensure that Texas is adequately planning for the state’s population growth forecasts. Evaluate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on transportation projects and investment decisions. 

Study the impact of the increasing sale and use of electric and alternatively fueled vehicles on revenue predictions for the state highway fund. Recommend a road use revenue equalization methodology to create fairness and parity between gasoline, electric and alternatively fueled vehicles.

Information on the hearing, including how to submit electronic testimony and watch the hearing, can be found here. 

*NEW* Senate Transportation Committee

The committee will meet on May 3 at 9:00 a.m. to hear invited testimony only on the following interim charges:

Safety: Study the contributing factors leading to fatal crashes and make recommendations to prevent and reduce traffic fatalities and serious injuries.

Alternatively Fueled Vehicles: Review the Texas Department of Transportation’s plan for federal funding related to alternatively fueled vehicle infrastructure development. Examine the increase of private and public owned alternatively fueled vehicles registered in the state and make recommendations for road user fee fairness between alternatively fueled vehicles and gasoline and diesel vehicles.

Information on the hearing can be found here.

*NEW* House Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety

The committee will meet on May 3 at 10:00 a.m. to hear invited testimony only on the following charges:

Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislation outcome of all legislation, including the following:

  • House Bill 3712, relating to the training of and policies for peace officers; and
  • Senate Bill 24, relating to the procedures required before a law enforcement agency hires a peace officer.

Study incidents of law enforcement injuries and fatalities to determine those situations that pose the greatest risk to law enforcement. Make recommendations on best practices for increasing and preserving the safety and security of law enforcement officers, including those undercover.

Compare incident crime reporting requirements with those of other states and determine whether a standardized reporting requirement should be implemented for Texas law enforcement. Study opportunities to modernize and improve local and statewide data collection and dissemination throughout the criminal justice system to promote transparency and ensure uniform data collection processes.

Information on the hearing, including how to submit electronic comments and watch the hearing, can be found here.

*NEW* Senate Finance Committee

The committee will meet on May 4 at 10:00 a.m. to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:

Inflation: Review and report on the impact of inflation on units of local governments’ revenue collections and property taxpayers’ tax bills, including the homestead exemption.

Information on the hearing, including how to register and testify, can be found here.

*NEW* Senate Finance Committee

The committee will meet on May 17 at 10:00 a.m. to hear invited and public testimony on the following interim charges:

Property Tax Relief: Examine and recommend ways to reduce Texans’ property tax burden. Review and report on proposals to use or dedicate state revenues in excess of the state spending limit to eliminate the school district maintenance and operations property tax.

Tax Exemptions: Examine Texans’ current tax exemptions and report on whether adjustments are merited because of inflation or any other factors.   

Information on the hearing, including how to register and testify, can be found here.


comptroller survey on texas' broadband development plan

H.B. 5 created the Broadband Development Office (BDO) for the purpose of closing the digital divide in Texas. In preparation to use significant funding in the most efficient way, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar, who has oversight of the BDO, has toured the state to hear what Texans have to say about internet access. The feedback collected from the tour will be used to develop the state’s first broadband plan.

Part of that feedback process is hearing directly from local elected officials, which is critical to understanding unique broadband needs and learning what initiatives are currently being pursued at the local level. All local elected officials are encouraged to take this online survey that will help Texas be the most connected state in the nation. The BDO has created a survey for non-elected officials; that survey can be found here or you can call 833-3-TEXBDO to offer feedback.


reminder: slfrf project and expenditure report due april 30

The State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) Project and Expenditure Report is due for all SLFRF receipts on April 30, 2022. Treasury encourages all Non-Entitlement Units of local government (NEUs) recipients to access the Treasury Portal as soon as possible in order to confirm their accounts, designate SLFRF reporting roles, and submit the required agreements and supporting documentation to Treasury prior to the submission of the first Project and Expenditure Report. An NEU User Guide has been created to assist recipients with logging into Treasury's Portal. More information on the SLFRF program can be found here including the latest version of the Compliance and Reporting Guidance. For any questions or additional information, please email SLFRP@treasury.gov.


disclaimer

TML member cities may use the material herein for any purpose. No other person or entity may reproduce, duplicate, or distribute any part of this document without the written authorization of the Texas Municipal League.