March 3, 2023

LEGISLATIVE HEADLINES

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Texas Legislative Leaders — Dan Patrick, Dade Phelan — Jab Each Other’s Priorities in Dueling Speeches

texastribune.org

The leaders of the two chambers in the Texas Legislature gave a preview of their major sticking points in priorities Thursday, setting an uncertain tone on some of the biggest issues as the session starts to ramp up.

During dueling speeches to a conservative think tank in Austin, state House Speaker Dade Phelan and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who have a history of animus, split most starkly on the best way to deliver lasting property tax relief to Texans. But there was also clear tension on display when it came to their approaches to criminal justice reform and school choice.

Phelan is in his second term as speaker, while Patrick is presiding over the Senate for his fifth regular session — and with his most loyal chamber ever. The two got off to a rocky start in 2021 as the chambers diverged on how to respond to the power grid collapse — and then again as Patrick criticized Phelan’s handling of a priority elections bill that Democrats tried to stop by leaving for Washington, D.C.

Phelan spoke to the Texas Public Policy Foundation hours before debuting his priority property tax bill, which would reduce the limit on annual appraisal increases from 10% to 5% — and expand it to all types of property, including businesses. Phelan trumpeted it as “meaningful, real relief” in his speech, but Patrick panned the idea in his address.

“I must say something, and this is not a criticism whatsoever, so please understand that, but I know the House is pitching appraisal caps,” Patrick said. “Appraisal caps — lowering them now will destroy everything we just accomplished. … I think the intentions of the House are good, but that would be a disaster and undo everything we’ve done.”

Patrick was referring to changes that lawmakers made to the property tax system in 2019, when Patrick said they “decoupled appraisals from your tax bill.” It was not immediately clear how exactly Patrick saw Phelan’s bill undermining that, and Patrick himself pushed to lower the appraisal cap when he was a senator over a decade ago.

A Little Birdy Told Me...

House Transportation met for the first time this week, and the Senate Transportation Committee will meet for the first time next week...seems late.

TRANSIT RELATED BILLS

HB 366 Bell, Cecil (R)

Relating to the filing of a bond by a private high-speed rail operator with the Texas Department of Transportation.

General Remarks: This legislation requires a private high speed rail operator to file a bond with TxDOT in an amount that would be sufficient to restore property used for the service to its original condition, should the service cease operation.

Companions: HB 1054 Bell, Cecil (Refiled from 87R Session)

Bill History: 02-23-23 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Transportation

HB 485 Gervin-Hawkins, Barbara(D)

Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for certain offenses committed in a vehicle operated by a public transportation system.

Companions: HB 435 Gervin-Hawkins, Barbara (Refiled from 87R Session)

Bill History: 02-23-23 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Criminal Jurisprudence

HB 1187 Jones, Jolanda (F)(D)

Relating to the inclusion of affordable housing as a qualifying project for public-private partnerships.

Companions: HB 2317 Coleman, Garnet (Refiled from 87R Session) and SB 610 Alvarado, Carol (Refiled from 87R Session)

Bill History: 03-02-23 H Introduced and referred to committee on House County Affairs

HB 1343 Rosenthal, Jon(D)

Relating to prohibiting carrying a firearm while intoxicated.

Bill History: 03-03-23 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Select on Community Safety

HB 1379 Ortega, Lina(D)

Relating to the development and operation by a regional mobility authority of an urban green space or aesthetic enhancement located above, adjacent to, or connected to an interstate highway.

Bill History: 01-17-23 H Filed

HB 2190 Canales, Terry(D)

Relating to the terminology used to describe transportation-related accidents.

Bill History:02-10-23 H Filed

HB 2290 Cortez, Philip(D)

Relating to the eligibility for grants for alternative fueling facilities.

Companions: HB 286 Cortez, Philip (Refiled from 87R Session)

Bill History: 02-14-23 H Filed

HB 2341 Guillen, Ryan(R)

Relating to procedures governing a regional mobility authority in relation to certain federal public transportation funding.

Companions: HB 2503 Guillen, Ryan (Refiled from 87R Session)

Bill History: 02-15-23 H Filed

HB 2357 Harris, Cody(R)

Relating to provision to the Texas Department of Transportation of information regarding certain high-speed rail projects.

Bill History: 02-15-23 H Filed

HB 2449 Anchia, Rafael(D)

Relating to the creation of the Dallas Municipal Management District.

Bill History: 02-17-23 H Filed

HB 2518 Bell, Keith(R)

Relating to public work contracts, including contracts on public property leased to a nongovernmental entity.

Bill History: 02-21-23 H Filed

HB 2745 Thompson, Ed(R)

Relating to the appointment of members to policy boards of certain metropolitan planning organizations.

Bill History:02-23-23 H Filed

HB 2763 Guillen, Ryan(R)

Relating to an exemption from motor fuel taxes for certain fuel used by a rural transit district to provide public transportation.

Bill History: 02-23-23 H Filed

HB 2832 Reynolds, Ron(D)

Relating to the funding of multimodal transportation projects.

Bill History:02-24-23 H Filed

HB 3146 Shaheen, Matt(R)

Relating to information contained in the annual financial audit of certain regional transportation authorities.

Companions: HB 3867 Shaheen, Matt (Refiled from 87R Session) SB 1370 Paxton, Angela (Identical) 3- 1-23 S Filed

General Remarks: This bill requires DART to separate out expenditures by city in their annual financial audit.

Bill History: 03-01-23 H Filed

HB 3234 Troxclair, Ellen (F)(R)

Relating to the withdrawal of a unit of election from certain metropolitan rapid transit authorities.

Bill History: 03-02-23 H Filed

HB 3281 Leo-Wilson, Terri (F)(R)

Relating to a prohibition on certain roadway projects and to the distribution of affordable housing funds to local governmental entities that violate that prohibition.

Companions: SB 1293 Hall, Bob (Identical) 2-28-23 S Filed

Bill History: 03-02-23 H Filed

HB 3323 Goodwin, Vikki(D)

Relating to food system security and resiliency planning.

Companions: SB 758 West, Royce (Identical) 3- 1-23 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Water, Agriculture and Rural Affairs

Bill History: 03-02-23 H Filed

HJR 77 Walle, Armando(D)

Proposing a constitutional amendment to permit additional uses of certain dedicated general revenue transferred each fiscal year to the state highway fund.

General Remarks: This constitutional amendment adds public transportation, public bicycle paths, and public sidewalks to the uses in the constitution that Proposition 1 for which the funds can be used.

Companions: HJR 109 Walle, Armando (Refiled from 87R Session) SJR 40 Miles, Borris (Refiled from 87R Session)

Bill History: 01-17-23 H Filed

SB 505 Nichols, Robert(R)

Relating to imposing an additional fee for the registration of an electric vehicle.

Bill History: 02-17-23 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Transportation

SB 848 Blanco, Cesar(D)

Relating to the development and operation by a regional mobility authority of an urban green space or aesthetic enhancement located above, adjacent to, or connected to an interstate highway.

Companions: HB 1379 Ortega, Lina(Identical) 1-17-23 H Filed

Bill History: 03-01-23 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Transportation

SB 936 Hancock, Kelly(R)

Relating to certain agreements with collective bargaining organizations related to certain publicly funded public work contracts.

Bill History: 03-03-23 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Business and Commerce

SB 1370 Paxton, Angela(R)

Relating to information contained in the annual financial audit of certain regional transportation authorities.

Companions: HB 3867Shaheen, Matt (Refiled from 87R Session) HB 3146Shaheen, Matt (Identical) 3- 1-23 H Filed

General Remarks: This bill requires DART to separate out expenditures by city in their annual financial audit.

Bill History:03-01-23 S Filed

SJR 37 Miles, Borris(D)

Proposing a constitutional amendment to permit additional uses of certain dedicated general revenue transferred each fiscal year to the state highway fund.

Companions: HJR 109 Walle, Armando (Refiled from 87R Session) SJR 40 Miles, Borris (Refiled from 87R Session) HJR 77 Walle, Armando (Identical) 1-17-23 H Filed

Bill History: 02-17-23 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Transportation

Back at the Ranch...

From Railway Age: Transit Briefs: Metrolinx/GO Transit, DART, Valley Metro

From Fort Worth Report: Historic Northside Revitalization Project Leader Says Inclusivity, Business Support are Among Top Priorities

From Community Impact: DART Partially Postpones Silver Line Construction in Coppell

From KERA: Project Delays May Cost Taxpayers $150K Daily as DART Officials and Dallas Council Members Squabble