Legislative Services

More than 800 county officials along with legislators, policy experts and representatives of the National Association of Counties gathered in Austin Aug. 26-28 for the Texas Association of Counties’ 2026 Legislative Conference.

With the 90th Texas Legislature set to convene Jan. 12, the three-day conference, held both in person and online, offered county leaders an opportunity to consider issues that could shape their work in the coming years.

“The issues counties face are real, they are complex and they are growing,” TAC President and Denton County Treasurer Cindy Brown said during opening remarks.

The conference theme, Stronger Together, emphasized the importance of engagement and collaboration. In his keynote address, author and journalist S.C. Gwynne discussed what makes a story compelling and encouraged attendees to find and celebrate the people behind the issues they face. Speakers highlighted counties’ role as the level of government closest to the people — and the importance of helping state and federal policymakers understand how their decisions affect local communities.

Transportation, economic development, elections and property taxes were among the major issues discussed.

In one panel discussion, NACo Chief Government Affairs Officer Eryn Hurley outlined federal transportation and grant policy developments, while Grayson County Commissioner Josh Marr discussed the local impact of infrastructure decisions.

Rapid development, particularly data centers, was the focus of another panel. State Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian), Medina County Judge Keith Lutz and Somervell County Attorney Trey Brown discussed the challenges counties face in regulating large-scale development and possible legislative approaches.

A panel on Texas elections examined changes resulting from last year’s Senate Bill 2753, including the elimination of the four-day gap between the end of early voting and Election Day. Secretary of State’s Office Elections Director Christina Adkins praised county officials and emphasized the importance of coordination between state and county election officials as the new requirements are implemented.

“Our county election officials do a phenomenal job running our elections,” she said.

The conference also included sessions on disaster preparedness and recovery, rural affairs, county operations and funding, death inquests, communications and federal issues. Attendees had opportunities to connect with state agencies and vendors in the exposition hall and state agency expo.

The conference concluded with a discussion of property taxes and their implications for counties’ ability to fund roads, public safety, infrastructure and other essential services.

Across the three days, one message emerged: Counties may not control every decision made in Austin or Washington, but they can help lawmakers understand what those decisions mean for Texans at home. That starts with making the case for county government in terms people can understand, and with telling the stories of the Texans who depend on it.

Save the date: TAC’s 2027 Legislative Conference is scheduled for Aug. 25-27 in Austin. Registration will begin in January.