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12

Texas Association of Builders

January/February 2016

Legislative Interim Charges

Will Keep TAB Busy in 2016

I

t is my sincere pleasure to serve as your

new Chairman of the TAB Government

Relations Committee (GRC). This

committee stays abreast of the many

legislative and regulatory issues that arise at

the state and federal level. Given the amount

of topics that involve the home building

industry, there is never a dull moment in

GRC. I personally enjoy this committee not

only because of the learning opportunity to

become a stronger expert in my field, but

because I am involved with the greater effort

to preserve and strengthen our industry and

the American dream of home ownership.

Currently, the Texas Legislature is operating

during their interim. The interim is a period

of time between legislative sessions, when the

legislative process of introducing and passing

bills is on hold. The interim provides an

opportunity for state agencies to implement

new rules based on recently passed legislation,

for elected officials to be present and active

in their districts, and for the Legislature to

conduct studies on existing policy issues.

The Texas Senate and House of

Representatives recently released interim

charges for committees to study. Over the

course of the next several months, more

than 45 committees will hold public hearings

to obtain expert input on important issues

affecting the state. This will allow legislators

to be educated on the topics at hand and will

help guide the Legislature’s decisions during

the upcoming 85

th

Legislative Session, which

will begin in January 2017.

The TAB Government Relations team and

lobbyists have reviewed the extensive list of

interim charges and identified which charges

are related to the residential construction

and development industry. They will attend

committee hearings, provide witness

testimony as needed and upon request,

schedule TAB members to testify when

needed, and offer expert recommendations

to committees. Considering the length of the

selected interim charges, TAB staff will surely

have their hands full.

If you’re interested in learning the outcome

of the study of these interim charges, attend

future GRC meetings and be sure to sign up

for updates on TAB’s Advocacy & Action

Center at

www.TexasBuilders.org

.

The following is a shortened list of some

interim charges that will be closely monitored

by the TAB staff. The complete list is available

on TAB’s website.

Senate Finance Committee

Reduce Tax Burden:

Examine and

develop options to further reduce the tax

burden on property owners. (Charge to

a select subcommittee on Property Tax

Reform and Relief)

Senate Higher Education Committee

HB 5 Implementation, 60x30TX/

Higher Education Alignment:

Monitor

the ongoing implementation of HB 5

(83R), and examine current projections

for preparation of Texas high school

students for postsecondary education

and workforce training. Examine best

practices and recommend strategies

to align the implementation with

the 60x30TX higher education plan,

including, but not limited to, dual credit,

credit transferability, and fields of study.

(Joint Charge with Senate Education)

Senate Inter-Governmental

Relations Committee

Annexation:

Identify areas of concern

in regards to statutory extraterritorial

jurisdiction expansion and the processes

used by municipalities for annexation,

specifically reviewing whether existing

statute strikes the appropriate balance

between safeguarding private property

rights and encouraging orderly growth

and economic development. Make

recommendations for legislative action,

if necessary.

House Committee on

Business & Industry

• Examine the regulatory powers of

property owners associations, and the

procedures available to home owners

when an association restricts individual

or property rights. Review current best

practices to help clarify the balance

of property rights, transparency in

governance, and the best interests of

property owners in the state.

House Committee on

Defense & Veterans’ Affairs

• Explore how encroachment

(environmental, technological, and

architectural) impact the vital missions

of our military bases in Texas and which

policies can be put into place while

retaining respect for private property

By Eddie Martin

Government Relations