This Week in Texas: Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Posted March 22, 2017 in The Mignon Memo

Senate approves property tax bill.The Texas Senate voted 18-12 in favor of Senate Bill 2 by Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston). This bill seeks to curb the growth in property taxes that local government agencies like cities and counties can levy on landowners, by requiring an election vote for a property tax increase of 5 percent or more.  To read more…

Red light green light.Senate Bills 87 and 88, which together would ban red light cameras across Texas, passed out of the Senate Transportation Committee late last week. Some law enforcement officers say that red light cameras reduce intersection crashes, but others say that they are less effective than law enforcement officers and are not worth the hefty cost. To read more…

A farewell to state franchise tax?On Tuesday, the Texas Senate voted 23-7 to send Senate Bill 17 by Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) to the House. The bill would cut the state’s franchise tax in future years, so long as state revenue continues to grow at a certain rate. No amendments were made to the bill on the floor. To read more…

An Uber important hearing.Last week, the Senate Business and Commerce Committee heard three bills aimed at overriding local regulations concerning ride-hailing companies, such as Uber and Lyft. At issue is whether these companies must require their drivers to undergo fingerprint-based background checks. To read more…

Only in Austin…Last Thursday was City of West Day at the Texas Capitol. West residents delivered kolaches to various offices and Czech dancers performed the chicken dance in the Rotunda. To read more