The House Committee On Special Purpose Districts Convenes for Two Days to Prepare for the 86th Session

The Texas Legislature is currently in the 18-month interim period between sessions. The interim is a time for members and their committees to discuss issues and study topics in preparation for the next legislative session. In addition to issues important to each individual member, the Speaker of the House issues interim charges for each standing committee to study. Our interim charges have already been issued by the Speaker and we have been charged to focus on three major points during the interim: supporting private sector growth, creating opportunity through education, and making government more transparent and accountable. I am the chairman of the House committee on Special Purpose Districts, which has jurisdiction over special districts in Texas.  There are thousands of these districts, each with a unique purpose. When considering the creation and expansion of these districts, our goals are to protect private property owners, limit district annexation powers, and limit unnecessary taxes and assessments on property owners.

Our committee of seven members will undertake at a 2-day hearing this week to consider four charges: Harvey impact on special districts, water district bonds, special district dissolution, and municipal management districts. We hope that you will be able to follow along, and if you have questions about the proceedings, my staff is happy to assist. All of the House Committees will be having hearings over the next year, so hopefully you will be able to keep up with other hearings as they happen. The Legislature doesn’t stop simply because we are not in session. There is still work to do.

The committee will be meeting this Thursday, November 30th, and Friday, December 1st to consider these charges.  Please watch our Facebook and Twitter accounts for more information.  You can watch the hearings online hereor come to Austin to participate.  For information about how to offer testimony before the committee, send us an email or call our Capitol office at 512-463-0514.

It is an honor to serve you,