Legislative Services

With the 89th Texas Legislature headed into the final weekend of its regular session, Tuesday concluded this year’s weekly legislative breakfast briefings. Since Jan. 14, county officials and members of the Texas Association of Counties’ Legislative Services team have gathered early each Tuesday morning at the TAC building in Austin and online to review the latest legislative developments important to Texas counties.

Although the session doesn’t officially enter the history books until noon on Monday, counties have already started to process the outcomes. And we’ve already begun work on TAC’s 2025 Legislative Analysis Report, which will summarize the significant county-related bills passed this session. Look for it this summer.

Meanwhile, TAC’s 2025 Legislative Conference will take place Aug. 27-29 in Austin. The conference will examine the Legislature’s actions and what they mean for Texas counties. If you haven’t already done so, register today to take advantage of discounted rates. You can choose to attend in person or virtually.

Bill Highlights

Over the course of the session, we have featured dozens of key bills in these recaps. One of the most discussed was House Bill 3000 by Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian). The bill, a priority for the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas, would create a rural ambulance grant program for counties with populations up to 68,750.

“What we get out of this bill is what we’re willing to lift,” Rick Thompson, CJCAT’s program director, said at a February breakfast after HB 3000 was filed. Late last week, county officials rallied to revive HB 3000, which passed the House on May 2, after it appeared to be stalled in the Senate Finance Committee. The committee unanimously sent the bill to the full Senate on Sunday, and the Senate passed an amended version on Tuesday.

Another CJCAT priority, HB 1109 by Rep. Gary VanDeaver (R-New Boston), is set to become law on July 1. The bill exempts counties from motor fuel taxes and allows for related tax credits or refunds.

Two other priority bills, supported by the Justices of the Peace and Constables Association of Texas, were also sent to the governor this week: HB 2282 by Rep. Janie Lopez (R-San Benito) would increase the warrant execution reimbursement fee from $50 to $75 if signed, and HB 2492 by Rep. Rhetta Bowers (D-Rowlett) would extend the “cooling off“ detention period for individuals arrested for family violence offenses.

Also heading to the governor is Senate Bill 3 by Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock), which would ban all products containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The bill was a priority for the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas.

We will continue tracking all bills affecting county government until the very end. You can follow those updates here.

Reflecting on the Session

Williamson County Tax Assessor-Collector Larry Gaddes, chair of the Tax Assessor-Collectors Association’s Legislative Committee, said on Tuesday that for his affiliate, this was “a session of skirmishes rather than a session of a big battle or two,” resulting in “more work with fewer resources at the end of the day, but we’re coming out not too bloodied.” That description perhaps captures the tone of the session for counties overall.

Thank you for your participation in our weekly Tuesday Morning Breakfasts. From our first meeting in January to this weeks’ final gathering, these briefings have provided a platform to discuss issues vital to counties. Your commitment to public service is both commendable and inspiring, and we sincerely appreciate your valuable contributions and continued dedication.