January 13, 2021
The 87th Session of the Texas Legislature commenced Tuesday, Jan. 12. The new Speaker of the Texas House, Dade Phelan, was elected, Gov. Abbott addressed both chambers with a message about the importance of working together on behalf of all Texans in the months ahead, and other opening day ceremonies were carried out as possible under coronavirus-related protocols.
The Texas Capitol is open, but visitors must receive a clear COVID-19 rapid test before they are allowed to enter the building. Once inside, there are State Preservation Board protocols that must be followed, including wearing masks. Additionally, the House and Senate have their own rules and guidelines, so visitors are finding some legislators' offices open without an appointment, while other offices require clear COVID-19 tests, appointments and more before visitors are allowed to enter.
House and Senate rules are expected to be adopted by tomorrow, and we've been told that their general rules will include new or altered coronavirus-related protocols. If you are planning to travel to the Capitol, we encourage you to call ahead or contact us for current rules.
Additionally, it's worth noting that Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar issued the
Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE) on Monday, Jan. 11. The BRE provides direction for appropriators who are trying to determine the volume of discretionary funds available to craft the state budget for the next biennium. Every issue discussed at the Texas Capitol is impacted by the development of the state budget. And, as Comptroller Hegar hinted when he spoke at TLTA's Town Hall Meeting late last year, the BRE was stronger than expected, giving legislators more wiggle room as they work on the issues important to them and their districts.
TLTA's legislative priorities
Our
legislative priorities for the 87th Legislative Session were approved by
TLTA's Board of Directors as recommended by our
Legislative Committee , which is chaired by Steve Streiff.
Bills we are monitoring
We are currently tracking the following
bills of interest .
If you hear something that causes concern, or you have questions, please let us know
TLTA staff and our lobby team work under the direction of
TLTA's Board of Directors and
Legislative Committee to pursue the fulfilment of our legislative priorities, work with industry allies on broader legislative issues that could impact the real estate marketplace, and monitor all legislation filed during the legislative session. Working alongside the TLTA members who make up our corps of Local Legislative Liaisons, we maintain open lines of communication with legislators and legislative leadership, make ourselves available to answer questions, and actively work the legislative process to protect and strengthen our industry.
While our team is strong, there's always room for one more. If you hear anything about legislation or legislative activity that causes you concern,
would you alert us, please? Our legislative footing is most stable when we identify and address problems early in the process, so please let us know if you hear about issues that could impact our industry, or if you have relationships with legislators or staff of which we should be aware.