News from the 88th legislative session Property tax relief among leading House priorities AT THE CAPITOL
QUOTE OF NOTE
NUMBER TO KNOW This is how much the Texas Department of Transportation plans to use to fund roadway safety and mobility projects across Texas for the next 10 years. $100B UPDATES FROM LOCAL LEGISLATORS “TO BUILD THE TEXAS OF TOMORROW, WE MUST CONTINUE THE STATE’S UNRELENTING EFFORTS TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE, GROW THE ENERGY SECTOR, IMPROVE JOB TRAINING AND PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND ENSURE HEALTH CARE ACCESS.” GOV. GREG ABBOTT IN HIS STATE BUDGET PROPOSAL FOR 2024-25
BY HANNAH NORTON
that relocate to Texas. The legislation would replace Chapter 313, a similar program that expired in December. Rep. Andrew Murr, R-Junction, filed HB 19, which would create a state business court system to handle lawsuits and regulatory cases. Rep. Gary VanDeaver, R-New Boston, filed HB 8, which would overhaul the funding system for Texas community colleges with a focus on measurable student outcomes, such as graduation rates and credentials earned. The changes were recom- mended by the Texas Commission on Community College Finance. Phelan also endorsed HBs 4 and 18, filed by Reps. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, and Shelby Slawson, R-Stephenville, respectively. The bills aim to give Texans more authority in how companies collect and monetize data from themselves and their chil- dren. Many minors are overexposed to social media, which can increase suicide rates and other mental health issues, Slawson said.
STATE PRIORITIES House Speaker Dade Phelan has endorsed several bills as his top priorities for the 2023 Texas Legislature. House Bills 1-20 are typically reserved for the speaker’s priorities, which include:
End of emergency SNAP benefits impacts 3M state residents Two months into the 88th Texas Legislative Session, Speaker Dade Phelan has announced eight priority bills that are likely to pass in the Texas House and include property tax relief and corporate tax incentives. Other bills focus on data privacy, Medicaid eligibility and feminine hygiene products. Rep. Morgan Meyer, R-Dallas, filed House Bill 2, also known as the Property Tax Relief Act. According to a news release, the bill would cut school property taxes by 28% and prevent property values from increasing by more than 5% each year. Phelan’s office said this would be the largest property tax cut in Texas history, with a $460 reduction for homeowners in 2024. If HB 2 is approved, Texans could vote on the policy change during the Nov. 7 general election. Rep. Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, filed HB 5, which would give substantial tax breaks to corporations
HB 2 : Property tax relief
HB 5 : Corporate tax breaks
HB 19 : New state business court HB 8 : Community college funding redesign HB 4 and HB 18: Online data privacy HB 12 : Expanded postpar- tum Medicaid eligibility HB 300 : Tax-free baby and period products
SOURCE: TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
STATE REP. VIKKI GOODWIN Austin Democrat Elected: 2018
Abbott against new tax breaks for renewable energy companies
NEW BENEFIT AMOUNTS
House Bill 27 This bill seeks to protect employers from liability and certain other penalties in connection with the provision of employee benefits, which refers to compensation other than wages. Specifically, an employee may not sue an employer based on the employer’s choice to provide particular benefits.
Beginning in March, Texans who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will receive at least $95 less each month. Under normal conditions, monthly benefits are determined based on household size, income and expenses, such as rent. Household size Maximum monthly SNAP benefit
BY HANNAH NORTON
BY HANNAH NORTON
Approximately 3.6 million Texans began receiving reduced Supplemental Nutrition Assis- tance Program benefits in March, after the federal government ended emergency allotments to help with food costs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each SNAP household lost at least $95 in monthly benefits, but some Texans will see a much larger reduction. Monthly benefits are typically determined based on household size, income and expenses, such as rent, but states provided recipients with the highest possible dollar amount for their household size under the emergency allotment. In total, Texas will experi- ence a $340 million decrease in benefits from February to March, according to the Texas Health and
At a March 1 news conference, Gov. Greg Abbott said he did not support offering extra tax breaks to renewable energy companies that relocate to Texas. Abbott’s statement applies to the proposed House Bill 5, which would cap property valuations within school districts to reduce property taxes for businesses and replace Chapter 313, a similar program that expired in 2022. Abbott said HB 5 is an “inno- vative approach” to creating new economic incentives, but renew- able energy companies should be exempt. “There’s already a federal incen- tive for renewable projects, and those will continue to be allowed,” Abbott said. HB 5 does not include details about renewable energy.
STATE REP. DONNA HOWARD Austin Democrat Elected: 2006
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$281 $516 $740 $939 $1,116 $1,339 $1,480
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Houses Bill 112 This bill seeks to amend the Texas Health and Safety Code by requiring certain health care facilities to create workplace violence prevention committees to create plans to help stop violence. Health care facilities named in the bill include home support service agencies, hospitals, nursing facilities, ambulatory surgical centers and freestanding emergency centers. Sign up for our newsletter at communityimpact.com for daily updates throughout the session. SUBSCRIBE TODAY
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8 $1,691 SOURCE: TEXAS HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Human Services Commission. For information about social services, including food pantries, housing, child care and rent assis- tance, Texans may call 211.
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LAKE TRAVIS - WESTLAKE EDITION • MARCH 2023
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