May 23, 2024
In This Issue:
- Texas Legislature's Interim Charges Include Issues That Could Impact Our Industry or the Real Estate Market
- ICYMI: Texas Title Industry Connects With Congressional Delegation During ALTA's Advocacy Summit in D.C.
- Early Voting for Primary Runoff Election Ends Tomorrow - Know Who Represents You
Texas Legislature's Interim Charges Include Issues That Could Impact Our Industry or the Real Estate Market
TLTA | May 23, 2024
The Texas Senate and House recently published their interim charges. House and Senate committees will study the subjects covered by the charges and produce reports with recommendations on policy changes that could spur legislation during the upcoming 89th Legislative Session, which will commence January 2025.
The following interim charges might include discussion of ideas related to our industry or the real estate marketplace.
TEXAS SENATE
Business & Commerce Committee
Assess the rising cost of insurance
(see page 3 in link to Senate Charges below for full text of this charge)
Finance Committee
Monitor property tax relief and infrastructure funds
(see page 7 in link to Senate Charges below for full text of this charge)
Local Government Committee
- Additional property tax, relief, and reform
- Housing affordability
- Secure Texas against squatters (note: Adverse possession laws as they relate to this charge were discussed at a recent hearing of this committee
(see page 10 in link to Senate Charges below for full text of these charges)
State Affairs Committee
Protecting Texas land and assets
(see page 12 in link to Senate Charges below for full text of this charge)
Review the Senate charges noted above »
TEXAS HOUSE
Committee on Agriculture and Livestock
Foreign-owned agricultural land
(see page 2 in link to House Charges below for full text of this charge)
Committee on Business & Industry
- Housing affordability
- Protections against fraudulent deeds
(see page 4 in link to House Charges below for full text of these charges)
Committee on Culture, Recreation, and Tourism
Conservation of Texas farm and ranchlands
(see page 2 in link to House Charges below for full text of this charge)
Committee on Land and Resource Management
Housing affordability
(see page 15 in link to House Charges below for full text of this charge)
Committee on State Affairs
Economic challenges impacting insurance premiums
(see page 20 in link to House Charges below for full text of this charge)
Committee on Ways and Means
Property tax relief
(see page 23 in link to House Charges below for full text of this charge)
Review the House charges noted above »
TEXAS HOUSE SELECT COMMITTEE ON SECURING TEXAS FROM FOREIGN ORGANIZATIONS
Item 2
“evaluate the ways in which hostile foreign organizations may acquire property, including real property, and Texas as well as the attendant risks.…”
Review item 2 in the proclamation that created this select committee »
TLTA NEXT STEPS, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS
Your TLTA Advocacy team is engaged in the Texas Legislature's interim charge process. We will continue to monitor the issues noted above and alert you if there are concerns or opportunities of which you should be aware.
If you see charges that cause you concern or your have questions related to a specific charge, please send those to TLTA Vice President of Government Relations and Counsel,
Aaron Day, thank you.
ICYMI: Texas Title Industry Connects With Congressional Delegation During ALTA's Advocacy Summit in D.C.
TLTA | May 16, 2024
TLTA members and staff traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in ALTA's Advocacy Summit May 6-8, attending 25 meetings with members of the Texas congressional delegation and their staffs.
The following Texas title professionals participated as part of TLTA's delegation: TLTA President Rodney Anderson, Jim Dunkerley, Celia Flowers, Anna Grace Hallmark, April Gentry, Scott Gillen, Chad Hansen, J. Christopher Phillips, Brian Pitman, Paul R. Rodriguez, Michael L. Rubin, Mary Thomas, John T. Updegraff Jr., Eugene Urcan, Jonathan Wu, Blaine Yeager, Brooks Yeager, TLTA Vice President of Government Relations and Counsel Aaron Day, TLTA CEO Leslie Midgley, and TLTA Federal Counsel Jim Hyland.
TLTA's delegation met with members and staff from the following congressional offices: U.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz. U.S. Reps. Monica De La Cruz, Veronica Escobar, Sylvia Garcia, Marc Veasey, Jasmine Crockett, Pete Sessions, Keith Self, Wesley Hunt, Nathaniel Moran, Roger Williams, Dan Crenshaw, Lance Gooden, Lizzie Fletcher, Pat Fallon, Colin Allred, Jake Ellzey, Henry Cuellar, Beth Van Duyne, Vincente Gonzalez, Chip Roy, Randy Weber, Al Green, and Kay Granger.
From left to right: Michael Rubin, TLTA President Rodney Anderson, Chad Hansen, Jim Dunkerley, Congressman Lance Gooden, Celia Flowers, Anna Grace Hallmark, John T. Updegraff Jr., Blaine Yeager, Brian Pitman, Brooks Yeager
All the meetings TLTA's delegation participated in during the advocacy summit were productive, and we took the opportunity to share with federal lawmakers our industry's strong concerns related to Fannie and Freddie’s proposed pilot program to waive title insurance and the FinCEN proposed rule, as well as CFPBs inclusion of title insurance in a study of junk fees. The meetings were extremely positive and we are confident that there is bi-partisan support for the Protecting Property Rights legislation, HR 5837, that would require a state regulated title insurance policy on all loans purchased by Fannie and Freddie.
See More Photos From TLTA's Advocacy Meetings with Federal Lawmakers and Staff »
Early Voting for Primary Runoff Election Ends Tomorrow - Know Who Represents You
TLTA | May 23, 2024
Most elections in Texas are decided during the primaries. It is crucial that our industry get out the vote for the elected officials who share our values, support our industry, and serve as good stewards of Texas' real estate marketplace.
Early voting for the primary runoff election ends tomorrow, Friday, May 24. If you voted in a party primary in March, you can vote only in that same party’s runoff. Voters who didn't cast a ballot in the primary can vote in either party’s runoff. Please make your plan to vote today, and encourage your network to do the same.
Who represents me?
Identify your local officials using this
search tool from Texas Legislative Reference Library.
How do I know if one of my local officials is in a runoff?
See who's on the ballot with Texas Tribune's
interactive tool.
Where to vote and other need to know info
Find polling location and more using these
resources from TX Secretary of State's office.
Primary Runoff Election dates to note on your calendar
May 20 - 24 - Early Voting
May 28 - Election Day