Texas Senate
Subject: Regulating EV Charging Stations, Senate Bill 1001 (SB 1001)
- Author: Senator Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: SB 1001 seeks to regulate charging station owners for electric vehicles. Licensing and regulation are the enemy of the free market and always end with higher prices, barriers to entry, and the government ultimately picking winners and losers. With the introduction of EVs and new technology, Texas has a real opportunity to let this new industry flourish without government interference and burdensome regulations. SB 1001 violates free-market principles. For this reason, TFR opposes SB 1001.
Texas House of Representatives
Subject: Family Care Item Sales Tax Exemption, House Bill 300 (HB 300)
- Author: State Rep. Donna Howard (D-Austin)
- TFR Position: Oppose
- Background: HB 300 seeks to add family care items like children’s diapers, baby wipes, menstrual products, maternity clothing, and breast milk-pumping products to the list of sales tax-exempt items. Approving such an exemption would subsequently narrow the tax base and leave less revenue for tax relief that could benefit everyone, as opposed to only those who would purchase such products. Sales taxes should tax all final consumer purchases, without regard to whether items are classified as necessities or luxuries. Exempting such products from the sales tax base would result in less revenue for the state, leading to higher overall rates in the long run if spending is also not simultaneously cut to make up for the shortfall. For these reasons, TFR opposes HB 300.
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 a 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 a part of the Fiscal Responsibility Index. We will make every effort to provide notice on amendments that are pre-filed.
