Texas Legislature Gets Down to Business

Before the Texas Legislature got down to business a month ago, there was a strong feeling among insiders that the big issues would be water, transportation, and taxes. So far, the leadership has kept true to those projections.

Already, Governor Abbott has called for a $2.2 billion reduction in property taxes and a $2 billion franchise tax decrease.

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus also have stated their belief that a primary goal should be tax reduction, and funding for transportation.

The House Energy and Natural Resources committees already have held a joint hearing on water and the oil and gas industry’s use, disposal, and desalination of water.

Abbott said there needs to be a reduction in property taxes. “It’s time for property owners – not government – to truly own their property.” He further stressed that: “the property tax reduction must be lasting” and that “it can’t be allowed to evaporate by rising property values.”

Of course, the oil and gas industry is one of the largest payers of property taxes, paying an estimated $4 billion in property taxes in fiscal year 2014.

Lt. Governor Patrick and Senate Finance Committee Chair Jane Nelson also seek property tax changes and will begin hearings on several bills this week.

In the House, Speaker Straus and House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Dennis Bonnen are thinking similarly. Bonnen and other members of the committee indicate that they are focused on making tax cuts that will provide an economic stimulus, especially capital investment and job creation.

Abbott has made statements that advocate job creation, too. “The best way to create more jobs is to permanently reduce the business franchise tax,” he said. Abbott vowed to “reject any budget that does not include genuine tax relief to Texas employers and job creators.”

As part of his program to increase transportation funding by $4 billion a year, he called for constitutionally dedicating one-half of motor vehicle sales tax receipts to the highway fund. The Comptroller estimates motor vehicle sales tax receipts will total $10.1 billion for the 2016-17 biennium, which means the Governor’s proposal would increase highway funds in the next state budget by about $5 billion and reduce general revenue available for appropriation by a like amount.

The three Railroad Commissioners, who regulate the oil and gas industry, testified on Feb. 23 regarding advances the commission has made in water protection and water recycling during a joint meeting of the House Energy and Natural Resources committees.

Chairman Christi Craddick said the RRC revised its water recycling rules in 2013 to make it easier for oil and gas operators to recycle water, and industry has reported significant advancements in their water recycling efforts with some operators reporting they no longer need to use fresh water in their operations.

Commissioner David Porter pointed out that the RRC recently revised it drilling, completion and cementing rule to give even more protection to fresh water zones. “The only thing more important to the economic future of Texas than oil and gas is water,” Porter said.

Commissioner Ryan Sitton, the newest member of the RRC, believes that the RRC is instilling confidence in the manner oil and gas is produced to protect the health and safety of the public.

The House and Senate have completed the committee assignments and are beginning to conduct hearings. The next major deadline is March 13, which is the deadline for filing bills.

TX:Governor Elect Abbot says he will sign Constitutional Carry if it Comes to his Desk
http://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2014/11/txgovernor-elect-abbot-says-he-will.html
November 14, 2014

Governor elect Greg Abbot said that he supported open carry when he was running for governor. Some said that he did not mean it. Shortly after he was elected, he took the time to re-iterate his support for an open carry reform, saying that he would sign such a reform if it came to him from the legislature. He said: If it is good enough for Massachusetts, it is good enough for Texas.

“If open carry is good enough for Massachusetts, it’s good enough for the state of Texas,” Abbott said.

Now he has solidified and expanded his remarks, making it clear that he will sign *any* open carry reform sent to him. These remarks strengthen the case for constitutional carry a great deal. Its opponents can no longer claim that it would not be supported by the Governor elect. Five states now have constitutional carry, and bills have passed in others, only to be stymied by a hostile governor’s veto, such as in Utah by Governor Herbert in 2013, even though it passed by over a 2-1 margin.

Greg Abbott has said that will not happen in Texas. From ktrh.com:

Another issue facing the incoming Governor is the one involving open carry in Texas. Abbott supports it, and there will be a choice for lawmakers to make between open carry and Constitutional carry.

“There will be robust debate between the two. I will sign whichever bill comes to my desk,” Abbott stated.
Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina has also said that she would support constitutional carry, in February of this year.

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Abbott’s Tune Has Changed on Gun Laws
http://www.texastribune.org/2015/02/18/abbott-changes-tune-gun-laws/
Feb. 18, 2015

Abbott made a similar shift on so-called open carry laws in November, when he told KTRH-TV in Houston that he supported both proposed versions — one that requires gun holders to have a license and one that lets people openly tote a handgun without a permit. The former is known as “licensed carry.” The latter is called “constitutional carry.”

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