Texas Senate
Subject: Pro-Taxpayer, House Bill 1038 (HB 1038)
- Author: State Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park)
- TFR Position: Support
- Background: HB 1038 seeks to require the Texas Bond Review Board to submit a biennial report on the state’s lending and credit support programs which would include details on the amount of state money (taxpayer money) lent through or debt supported by each program and estimates of default costs associated with them, among other information. HB 1038 seeks to provide both transparency and accountability via oversight to taxpayers in an effort to understand the risk and rewards involved in each program as well as to avoid the misuse of such resources. For these reasons, TFR supports HB 1038.
Subject: Creation of a Grant Program, House Bill 2209 (HB 2209)
- Author: State Rep. J.M. Lozano (R-Kingsville)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: HB 2209 seeks to create the Rural Pathway Excellence Partnership (R-PEP) program to incentivize and support rural college and career pathway partnerships for underserved students while promoting rural economic development. Further collectivizing the cost of individual choices on the part of Texans who choose to reside in certain areas of the state burdens taxpayers who did not make that same choice. HB 2209 is estimated to have a negative fiscal impact on Texas taxpayers of almost $55.5 million through the biennium and a potentially growing burden every year thereafter. For these reasons, TFR opposes HB 2209.
Texas House of Representatives
Subject: Growing Government, House Joint Resolution 102 (HJR 102)
- Author: State Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Allen)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: HJR 102 seeks to legalize sports wagering in Texas. HJR 102 is problematic for a number of different reasons, but from a fiscal standpoint, it simply grows government. HJR 102 seeks to create licenses and new taxes while also being operated through the Texas Lottery Commission. Giving the state power to regulate gambling which almost always hurts the poorest Texans and those with addictions is a bad precedent and is not the role of government. TFR opposes
Subject: Growing Government, House Bill 1942 (HB 1942)
- Author: State Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Allen)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: HB 1942 is the enabling legislation for HJR 102. HB 1942 seeks to legalize sports wagering in Texas. HB 1942 is problematic for a number of different reasons, but from a fiscal standpoint, it simply grows government. HB 1942 seeks to create licenses and new taxes while also being operated through the Texas Lottery Commission. Giving the state power to regulate gambling, which almost always hurts the poorest Texans and those with addictions, is a bad precedent and is not the proper role of government. TFR opposes HB 1942.
Subject: Growing Government and Expanding Corporate Welfare, House Joint Resolution 155 (HJR 155)
- Author: State Rep. Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: HJR 155 ultimately seeks to expand casino gambling in Texas. among other provisions. All done under the guise of economic development, HJR 155 seeks to grow the government by creating an entirely new bureaucratic entity to oversee the expansion. HJR 155 also creates a “limited number of resorts” by which this expansion of casino gambling and other provisions can take place, inevitably resulting in the government picking winners over losers, continuing to set yet another bad precedent. Expanding state power to regulate gambling, which almost always hurts the poorest Texans and those with addictions, continues to set a bad precedent and is not the proper role of government. TFR opposes HJR 155.
Subject: Growing Government and Expanding Corporate Welfare, House Bill 2843 (HB 2843)
- Author: State Rep. John Kuempel (R-Seguin)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: HB 2843 is the enabling legislation for HJR 155. HB 2843 ultimately seeks to expand casino gambling in Texas. among other provisions. All done under the guise of economic development, HB 2843 seeks to grow the government by creating an entirely new bureaucratic entity to oversee the expansion. HB 2843 also creates a “limited number of resorts” by which this expansion of casino gambling and other provisions can take place, inevitably resulting in the government picking winners over losers, continuing to set yet another bad precedent. Expanding state power to regulate gambling, which almost always hurts the poorest Texans and those with addictions, continues to set a bad precedent and is not the proper role of government. TFR opposes HB 2843.
Subject: Eliminating the Position of Galveston Co. Treasurer, House Joint Resolution 134 (HJR 134)
- Author: State Rep. Greg Bonnen (R-Friendswood)
- TFR Position: Support
- Background: HJR 134 seeks to abolish the office of the County Treasurer in Galveston County. The currently elected County Treasurer ran on the platform of abolishing the office and the duties of the office can be absorbed by other offices that already exist within county government. SJR 28 would shrink the size of the government by eliminating a superfluous office. For all of these reasons, TFR supports HJR 134.
Subject: Enshrining the Right of Texans to Agree Upon a Medium of Exchange, House Joint Resolution 146 (HJR 146)
- Author: State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake)
- TFR Position: Support
- Background: HJR 146 seeks to enshrine in the Texas constitution the right of the people of Texas to agree upon a medium of exchange or currency. There have been a number of concerns with the U.S. dollar, the possibility of a digital dollar, and the potential move to a cashless society. HJR 146 states that it is the right of all Texans to use multiple mediums of exchange as currency, protecting Texans. For these reasons, TFR supports HJR 146.
Subject: Eligibility for Tax Credits for Higher Education Institutions, House Bill 3487 (HB 3487)
- Author: State Rep. Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: HB 3487 seeks to establish that the costs and expenses incurred by public higher education institutions and university systems be eligible for tax credits for certified rehabilitation of certified historic structures under certain federal provisions. Higher Education simply does not need any more money or tax credits. The system is already overfunded and has multiple problems. The entire higher education system needs to be audited and the financial funding mechanisms need to be reconsidered entirely. For these reasons, TFR opposes HB 3487.
Subject: Conflicting Language Regarding Eminent Domain Authority, House Bill 5406
- Author: State Rep. Glenn Rogers (R-Graford)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: HB 5406 seeks to create the Cross Timbers Regional Utility Authority. HB 5406 includes conflicting language surrounding its eminent domain powers. For this reason, TFR opposes HB 5406.
Subject: Creation of a License for Sewage Disposal System Pumping Technicians, House Bill 3128 (HB 3128)
- Author: State Rep. Stan Kitzman (R-Brookshire)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: HB 3128 seeks to require that sewage disposal system pumping technicians obtain a license or registration from the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality (TCEQ). This represents just another burdensome regulation placed by the state on hardworking Texans and ultimately makes it more difficult to work in Texas. For this reason, TFR opposes HB 3128.
Subject: Creation of a Grant Program, House Bill 4845 (HB 4845)
- Author: State Rep. Steve Allison (R-San Antonio)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: HB 4845 seeks to establish a bullying prevention pilot program in Texas government schools and provide for grants to eligible government school districts to implement such a program on campus to support bullying prevention efforts. HB 4845 is estimated to cost Texas taxpayers over $4 million through the biennium and an additional almost $2.5 million every year thereafter. This is not the appropriate role of government. For this reason, TFR opposes HB 4845.
Subject: Study on the Economic Impact & Potential For Growth of Navigation Districts, House Bill 4483 (HB 4483)
- Author: State Rep. J.M. Lozano (R-Kingsville)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: HB 4483 seeks to require the Texas A&M Transportation Institute to conduct a study to examine the economic impact and potential for economic growth of navigation districts in the state. HB 4483 is estimated to have a negative impact on Texas taxpayers of over $500k in the next two years. This is not the proper role of government. For this reason, TFR opposes HB 4483.
Subject: Local Government Preemption of Burdensome Regulation, House Bill 2211 (HB 2211)
- Author: State Rep. Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa)
- TFR Position: Support
- Background: HB 2211 seeks to amend current law giving exclusive jurisdiction to the state to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, preempting the regulation of such by local governmental jurisdictions. This protects local businesses from local governments seeking to push radical environmental agendas that hurt the free market and businesses across the state. For these reasons, TFR supports HB 2211.
Subject: Rollback of Medical Regulation, House Bill 638 (HB 638)
- Author: State Rep. Steve Toth (R-The Woodlands)
- TFR Position: Support
- Background: HB 638 seeks to allow patients with a “severe chronic disease” to access experimental drugs. This is a rollback of medical regulation and we need far more of this in the medical industry as a whole. The less regulation, the more freedom patients have and the more chance for innovation when it comes to experimental drugs. For this reason, TFR supports HB 638.
Subject: Election Integrity, House Bill 1299 (HB 1299)
- Author: State Rep. Candy Noble (R-Lucas)
- TFR Position: Support
- Background: HB 1299 seeks to require a signature on a mail-in ballot envelope be signed using ink on paper and that an electronic or photocopied signature would not be permitted. For this reason, TFR supports HB 1299.
Subject: Expanding Corporate Welfare, House Bill 4429 (HB 4429)
- Author: State Rep. Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: HB 4429 seeks to establish an incentive for the construction of new dispatchable natural gas generation facilities through tax abatement agreements with school districts. Ultimately, HB 4429 amends Chapter 312 to provide for a tax abatement to natural gasfired electric generating facility projects that provide dispatchable electric power for the ERCOT power grid in a reinvestment zone created by a school district. Tax abatements merely shift the tax burden to those who do not qualify for such abatements. If Texas lawmakers truly want to ensure that Texas’ economy remains strong, they would spend their efforts ensuring that all Texans benefit from a low regulation and low tax environment. Government should not be in the business of stealing from taxpayers to give corporate welfare in the form of tax abatements. This practice is antithetical to free enterprise and TFR opposes all subsidies and corporate welfare.
Subject: Encouraging an Inequitable Tax System, House Bill 4433 (HB 4433)
- Author: State Rep. Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: HB 4433 seeks to provide cities and counties with an optional program to support longtime “legacy” homeowners in designated reinvestment zone. Ultimately, HB 4433 would allow a board to dedicate, pledge, or provide the use of money in a tax increment fund to prevent homeowner displacement by providing annual payments on behalf of the legacy homeowner to offset the increase in property taxes imposed on the residence homesteads of those homeowners. A “legacy” homeowner is defined in HB 4433 as someone who is the owner of a residence homestead located in a reinvestment zone and who has continuously resided in the property for at least 7 years. Ultimately this will create exemptions and special classes that end up making the tax system inequitable. Taxes should be lowered for all equally and governments should avoid picking winners and losers. TFR opposes HB 4433.
Subject: Study of Opportunities in Attracting Offshore Wind Energy, House Bill 4734 (HB 4734)
- Author: State Rep. Janie Lopez (R-San Benito)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: HB 4734 would require the Economic Development and Tourism Office, in conjunction with the Texas Workforce Commission to conduct a study to report identifying and analyzing the state’s potential economic and workforce growth opportunities and challenges related to attracting offshore wind energy supply chain industries in the state. Inevitably this study will find that even more taxpayer money needs to be thrown into corporate welfare programs under the guise of economic development. Studies are just the legislature showing that they intend to spend more money in a particular area in the future. We oppose all corporate welfare and we certainly do not need studies to try to justify their use. TFR opposes HB 4734.
Subject: Allowing Higher Education Institutions to Further Restrict Freedom, House Bill 3124 (HB 3124)
- Author: State Rep. Suleman Lalani (D-Sugar Land)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: HB 3124 seeks to allow public institutions of higher education to adopt a policy that prohibits the use of cigarettes, e-cigarettes, or other tobacco products on campus. Taxpayer-funded institutions should not be imposing such restrictions on adults in public institutions. Adults that attend universities should be free to use whatever products they want so long as they are legal to possess. If Texas thinks these products are dangerous, or that Texans should not be allowed to use them, then they should ban them outright. We cannot allow universities to be zones where limited freedom can be exercised. TFR opposes HB 3124.
Subject: Creation of a License for Child Swim Instructors, House Bill 1568 (HB 1568)
- Author: State Rep. Steve Allison (R-San Antonio)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: HB 1568 seeks to require child swim instruction operators to obtain an occupational license from the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. This represents just another burdensome regulation placed by the state on hardworking Texans and ultimately makes it more difficult to work in Texas. For this reason, TFR opposes HB 1568.
Reminder: Vote Notices are provided to both Texas state lawmakers and the general public in advance of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility’s position on issues to be rated as part of the Fiscal Responsibility Index prior to votes being taken in each legislative chamber.
Disclaimer: We reserve the right to consider amendments to legislation that may be introduced without notice as a part of issues to be rated as part of the Fiscal Responsibility Index. We will make every effort to provide notice on amendments that are pre-filed.
