AT THE CAPITOL
News from the 88th legislative session
QUOTE OF NOTE
Texas Senate approves package for $16.5B in property tax relief
TAX RELIEF TRIO Three bills aimed at property tax relief have passed in the Texas Senate. Senate Bill 3 • Increases the portion of a home’s value that cannot be taxed from $40,000 to $70,000 • Increases exemption for people over age 65 and the disabled from $10,000 to $30,000 Senate Bill 4 • Cuts school property tax rates by $0.07 per $100 valuation • Has the state of Texas pay school districts at least $5.38 billion to make up for lost revenue Senate Bill 5 • Increases the portion of a business’s property that cannot be taxed from $2,500 to $25,000 • Provides businesses with a 20% tax credit for inventory and property WHAT’S NEXT? The bills were sent to the Texas House, which crafted its own property tax relief package. If both chambers and the governor pass either package, Texas voters will decide the matter in November. ?
NUMBER TO KNOW That is how many Texans were affected by the end of emergency Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits in March, according to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. 3.6M UPDATES FROM LOCAL LEGISLATORS SEN. SARAH ECKHARDT, D-AUSTIN, COMMENTING ON SENATE BILL 15, WHICH, IF PASSED, WOULD REQUIRE COLLEGE STUDENTS TO COMPETE ON SPORTS TEAMS BASED ON THEIR SEX ASSIGNED AT BIRTH “TRANS ATHLETES IN COLLEGIATE COMPETITIONS ARE RARE. WHEN THEY DO SEEK TO COMPETE, THE NCAA HAS ALREADY EXHIBITED AND WILL CONTINUE TO EXHIBIT THE EXPERTISE TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD ON A CASE- BY-CASE BASIS.”
BY HANNAH NORTON
bill would increase the portion of a home’s value that cannot be taxed from $40,000 to $70,000, which lawmakers have said would save the average homeowner $341 annually. SB 4, which is also by Bettencourt, would cut school property tax rates by $0.07 per $100 valuation. The bill states Texas would provide school districts with at least $5.38 billion to make up for the lost revenue. SB 5 was filed by Parker, a freshman senator. The bill is intended to save business owners money by increasing the business personal property tax exemption—or the portion of a busi- ness’s personal property that cannot be taxed—from $2,500 to $25,000. Business owners would also receive a 20% credit for the taxes they pay on inventory and property. Parker said the goal of SB 5 is to give money back to Texans. The bills have been sent to the Texas House.
$120M set for state internet expansion package, Senate Bill 3, would impact the state’s homestead exemption, which is a reduction in a portion of a home’s value for tax purposes. The In a unanimous vote, Texas senators passed a $16.5 billion property tax relief package on March 22. Cutting property taxes for home- owners and businesses has been listed as a top priority for Republicans this session, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Gov. Greg Abbott. The package aims to save Texans money on their property tax bills by increasing the state homestead exemption, cutting school district property tax rates and limiting how much businesses can be taxed for their personal property. Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, authored two of the bills alongside Sen. Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound. The first component of the
SOURCE: TEXAS LEGISLATURE ONLINE/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
TxDOT seeks input on statewide 2050 transportation plan
GETTING THE GRANT Local governments, school districts and
SEN. LOIS KOLKHORST Brenham Republican Elected: 2014
internet service providers across Texas have until May 5 to apply to receive a portion of $120 million in grants to expand broadband service. April 3 May 5 After May 5 grant applications opened application window ends the Texas Broadband Development Office will post submitted applications online. Texans will have 30 days to challenge the eligibility of any applications before the office makes its final decisions.
BY HANNAH NORTON
BY HANNAH NORTON
Senate Bill 26 The bill creates a $15 billion “innovation grant” program to help local mental health centers provide early intervention and treatment for children and their families. SB 26 was sent to the House on April 14.
The Texas Broadband Develop- ment Office will award $120 million in grants to governments, school districts and internet providers bringing broadband access to underserved communities, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar said. Applications opened April 3 for the Bringing Online Opportunities to Texas program. Eligible projects must be designed to provide inter- net service that “reliably meets or exceeds” speeds of 100 megabits per second. The application will be open until May 5, at which point all eligible applications will be posted online for public review, according to Hegar’s office. The Broadband Development Office was formed in 2021 to create a broadband development plan and publish a map highlighting areas that are eligible for broadband expansion, among other initiatives.
The Texas Department of Transpor- tation is turning to local residents as it works on its long-range transportation plan, Connecting Texas 2050. Through May, Texans can attend open houses in their communities or access an online meeting room to share their ideas about the future of Texas transportation and provide input on department goals. According to TxDOT officials, Connecting Texas 2050 is aimed at making the state’s transportation system as safe, reliable and resilient as possible. The project is ongoing and will be updated every four years. In-person meetings will be held until May 4 in 13 of TxDOT’s 25 dis- tricts. TxDOT officials also said there is a plan to host a statewide public hearing early next year, before the plan is adopted in summer 2024. For more information, visit www.txdot.gov.
SEN. BRANDON CREIGHTON Conroe Republican Elected: 2014
For more information and to access the application form, scan the QR code:
Senate Bill 8 The bill creates an education savings account program with state dollars, commonly known as private school vouchers. Parents could receive $8,000 per student going to private school. After passing the Senate, SB 8 was referred to the House Public Education Committee on April 17. Sign up for our newsletter at communityimpact.com for daily updates throughout the session. SUBSCRIBE TODAY
SOURCES: OFFICE OF THE TEXAS COMPTROLLER, TEXAS BROADBAND DEVELOPMENT OFFICE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
“This infrastructure is the interstate highway system of this century, and ensuring Texans have access to reliable, high-speed inter- net is critical for Texas’ continued economic growth and prosperity,” Hegar said in the release.
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CONROE - MONTGOMERY EDITION • APRIL 2023
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