2019

SB 944 - Public Information Act & the Temporary Custodian

November 04, 2019| Legislative News

Several bills during the 86th legislative session made modifications to the Public Information Act (PIA). Senate Bill 944 by Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin) garnered a lot of attention for its potential impact to county government operations.

Election Security December Deadline Approaches

November 01, 2019| Legislative News

House Bill 1421 by Rep. Celia Israel (D-Austin), which became effective Sept. 1, 2019, requires county election officials to request annual cybersecurity training and a cybersecurity assessment of their county's election system from the Texas Secretary of State.

November 2019 Elections

November 01, 2019| Legislative News

On the Nov. 5 ballot, voters will be asked to decide on 10 constitutional amendments and, depending upon their location, may have the chance to participate in special elections and local city and county propositions.

DRP Repeal Allows More Than 1.6 Million People to Drive Again

November 01, 2019| Legislative News

Since the Driver Responsibility Program (DRP) was repealed under House Bill 2048 by Rep. Zerwas (R-Richmond) during the 86th Legislative Session and the program ended on Sept. 1, 2019, more than 1.6 million people have become eligible to apply for their driver's license.

Mental Health Update and Newly Released Resource Guide

November 01, 2019| Legislative News

The Engage & Excel 2019 Conference, hosted by the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute in September 2019, brought together the state’s top minds in mental health policy, philanthropy, and practice to share ideas on emerging issues.

Tax Assessor-Collectors Continue to Influence Policy Change

November 01, 2019| Legislative News

At a recent Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Board meeting, the Tax Assessor-Collectors Association of Texas (TACA) continued their involvement in influencing policy well after the legislative session adjourned.

AG Opinions and Requests

November 01, 2019| Legislative News

TAC has highlighted recent Attorney General Opinions and Requests for Opinions of interest to counties.

Senate Bill 2 Deadlines

September 27, 2019| Legislative News

The Property Tax Assistance Division of the Comptroller’s office released a summary of the deadlines added or amended in Senate Bill 2 on Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019.

Uniform Election Proposed Constitutional Amendments

September 27, 2019| Legislative News

On November 5, 2019, registered Texas voters will go to the polls to decide which proposed amendments will be approved and added to the Texas Constitution.

Grant Opportunities

September 27, 2019| Legislative News

Numerous state and federal grants and other resources are available to eligible counties. See how the search for these funding opportunities has been made easier for you.

House Elections Committee Hears Testimony on Countywide Voting Centers

September 27, 2019| Legislative News

High voter turnout in Texas is expected in the 2020 election. With a history of long ballots and confused voters showing up to the wrong voting precinct, counties are working to resolve as many anticipated issues as possible prior to November.

HUD Releases Disaster Recovery Grant Rules for Public Discussion

September 27, 2019| Legislative News

Get The Details: There is federal funding available for 140 eligible Texas counties for flood mitigation related disasters from 2015, 2016 and 2017. To find out how the money will be allocated, read this information for local governments.

NACo Immigration Reform Task Force Visits El Paso, Ciudad Juarez

September 27, 2019| Legislative News

El Paso hosted a contingent of county officials from across the country to see for themselves the challenges faced by communities on the border.

2019 Legislative Conference Recap

September 27, 2019| Legislative News

The 2019 Legislative Conference is officially in the books! What did you learn during the breakout sessions and through networking opportunities? Here’s a short recap to take you through some highlights in case you weren’t able to make the trip to Austin.

AG Opinions and Requests

September 27, 2019| Legislative News

TAC has highlighted recent Attorney General Opinions and Requests for Opinions of interest to counties.

It's Not Too Late: TAC's Legislative Conference is Sept. 4-6

August 30, 2019| Legislative News

The Texas Association of Counties (TAC) 2019 Legislative Conference, Sept. 4-6 in Austin, will offer county officials and staff an overview of the 86th legislative session and identify issues the Legislature will likely deliberate on during the interim.

2019 Legislative Analysis Report

August 30, 2019| Legislative News

TAC has compiled the 2019 Legislative Analysis Report (LAR), which is a compilation of newly enacted legislation that will affect counties and county operations. The 2019 LAR identifies roughly 160 bills arranged by subject matter and contains a concise bill summary, valuable links, news clippings, effective date, and more.

Senate Bill 2 Resources

August 30, 2019| Legislative News

Senate Bill 2, the Texas Property Tax Reform and Transparency Act of 2019, by Sen. Bettencourt, was signed by the governor on June 12, 2019. However, most of the provisions of the bill will become effective over a staggered schedule starting in January 2020.

HB 1421 & SOS Election Advisory Opinion

August 30, 2019| Legislative News

On Aug. 5, 2019, the Secretary of State (SOS) issued Election Advisory Opinion No. 2019-12 to all county election officials and county judges providing additional requirements to HB 1421, authored by Rep. Cecelia Israel, (D-Austin), that becomes effective on Sept. 1, 2019.

Texas Water Development Board Seeks Input on State Flood Plan Rules

August 30, 2019| Legislative News

The 86th Legislature passed Senate Bill 7, SB 8, SB 500 and House Joint Resolution 4 directing the Texas Water Development Board to play a substantial role in developing the necessary flood planning and rules associated with financing flood mitigation efforts.

Counting Texans in 2020

August 30, 2019| Legislative News

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins and Texas State Demographer Dr. Lloyd Potter recently announced a joint effort to develop and assist Census 2020 Complete Count Committees across the state.

Focused on the Future: TAC's Legislative Conference is September 4-6

July 26, 2019| Legislative News

The Texas Association of Counties 2019 Legislative Conference, Sept. 4-6 in Austin, will offer county officials and staff an overview of the 86th legislative session.

Transportation Infrastructure Fund Grant Program

July 26, 2019| Legislative News

The 86th Legislature allocated $250 million to provide grants to counties for transportation infrastructure projects in areas affected by oil and gas development and production.

Border Security Grants

July 26, 2019| Legislative News

The federal government provided $15 million in federal Operation Stonegarden Grant Program (OPSG) funding to our state. The funding is meant to increase the operational capabilities of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies along the border.

Preparing for the 2020 Census

July 26, 2019| Legislative News

We are less than a year from the 2020 U.S. Census and the fallout could be either very beneficial or very problematic for individual counties. Much will depend on how thoroughly the U.S. Census Bureau manages to count the people in each area because that count will have a huge impact.


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