Austin's Intergovernmental Relations Officer Carrie Rogers expressed optimism regarding the current special session of the Texas Legislature. Key concerns for local governments include preemption of authority related to gun regulation and taxation. Funding for critical infrastructure is a major issue, with bills looking at city funding holistically rather than separately assessing taxes and user fees. The expenditure cap could negatively impact bond ratings, resulting in higher costs for taxpayers. Rogers noted Austin's success in advancing HB 2802 for firefighter pensions but omitted details about the newly-filed SB 12 on lobbyist regulations.
Rogers highlighted several overarching issues that could be a concern to local governments, including attempts to preempt the authority of Texas cities regarding regulations on guns or raising taxes.
One major piece of legislation that Austin successfully pushed this spring was related to the pension fund for Austin firefighters HB 2802, signed by Governor Greg Abbott.
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