Texas Builder, Jan/Feb 2016

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rights, economic growth, and the
operation of military facilities.
• Explore adding notifications to the
Texas Real Estate Commission Seller
Disclosure Form, as well as a notification
to buyers of new home construction,
in order to inform buyers that a
property may be located near a military
installation or a military airport and
could be affected by high noise or its
air installation compatible use zones, or
other operations.
House Committee on
Land & Resource Management
• Examine current regulatory authority
available to municipalities in their
extraterritorial jurisdiction. Study
current annexation policies in
Texas. Make necessary legislative
recommendations to ensure a proper
balance between development,
municipal regulations, and the needs of
citizens in Texas.
House Committee
on Natural Resources
• Examine the regional and state water
planning processes, with emphasis on
the following:
a. the integration of HB 4 (83R);
b. the appropriate role of the state
in ensuring that the process both
supports regional goals and priorities
and the water needs of the state as
a whole, and how the state might
encourage strategies to benefit
multiple regions;
c. the structure and operation of the
regional planning groups;
d. the interaction between the
planning process and groundwater
management;
e. whether the "drought of record"
remains the appropriate benchmark
for planning; and
f. any impediments to meeting the
conservation, agricultural, and rural
project goals set by HB 4 (83R), and
possible new approaches to help meet
these goals.
House Committee on Urban Affairs
• Study the effectiveness and efficiency
of current programs in Texas as well
as best practices to determine how to
decrease the risk and mitigate the impact
of wildfires, floods, and other natural
hazards in the wildland-urban interface.
Examine the duties, performance,
and jurisdictions of water districts,
municipalities, Emergency Services
Districts, other similar districts, and
state offices like the Fire Marshal and
Extension Services. Evaluate current
regulations and identify best practices.
Recommend approaches for hazard
mitigation and response to natural
disasters. (Joint charge with the House
Committee on County Affairs)
House Committee on Ways & Means
• Monitor implementation of the increased
residence homestead exemption as
approved by the voters in Proposition
1 (SJR 1 (84R)). Determine the amount
of property tax relief for home owners,
taking into account increases in
appraisals and local property tax rates.
Additionally, determine the cost to the
state to make up the revenue loss for
school districts.
Eddie Martin is the volunteer chair of TAB’s
Government Relations Committee. Eddie
is the President and CEO of Tilson Home
Corporation, a family owned and operated
company building custom homes across
Texas since 1932. Eddie served as president
of the Texas Association of Builders in 2012.
Government Relations