Capitol Activities
 

The big news at the Texas capitol this week is that Speaker Straus has appointed House committee chairs and members. The TCAA staff is busy getting to know the newly appointed legislators who will be working on issues important to community associations.

TCAA is also reviewing and monitoring all bills related to community associations and property owner issues. There are currently about 40 bills with a potential direct impact on community associations.

The annual Capitol Rally Day is scheduled for March 28, 2017. To sign up, visit: www.txcommunityassociationadvocates.org
 

New Legislative Developments

The filing deadline is now less than a month away. Friday, March 10, 2017, is the last day that legislators are permitted to file most types of bills. The pace of bill filings – and life at the capitol – will steadily increase between now and that deadline.

The most notable recent action is that House bills are now being referred to House committees, including several bills relating to the authority of municipalities to restrict sex offenders from child safety zones in the municipality (see HB 207 by Rep. Drew Springer). Also being referred for committee hearings are bills dealing with carrying a handgun on prohibited property or recreational property (see HB 246 and HB 255 by Rep. Rafael Anchia, and SB 618 by Sen. Craig Estes). TCAA will watch each of these bills as they proceed through the legislative process. The final bill of note is SB 852 by Sen. Jane Nelson, which prohibits local governments from imposing certain fees on new construction. As currently drafted, this bill does not impact property owners’ associations, but TCAA will continue to monitor.

It is also worth noting that HB 522 by Rep. Schofield, relating to regulation of religious displays by a property owners’ association, has been referred to the House Committee on Business and Industry.
 
Key Committee Appointments
 
The House Committee on Business & Industry will hear most bills that are specific to community associations. The House Calendars Committee will also be important, serving as the gatekeeper for bills going to the House floor. In the Senate, the key committees for community association issues are likely to be the Intergovernmental Relations Committee and the Business & Commerce Committee. Below are some details on each member of these committees. If you have a personal or professional relationship with any of these legislators, please let us know by filling out the contact form online at http://re.spon.se/xEGgnU .
 

HOUSE BUSINESS & INDUSTRY

Rene Oliveira – returning Committee Chair, Democrat from Brownsville
Hugh Shine – new Committee Vice Chair, Republican from Temple
Nicole Collier - returning committee member, Democrat from Fort Worth
Ramon Romero – returning committee member, Democrat from Fort Worth
Jonathan Stickland – new committee member, Republican from Bedford
Jason Villalba – returning committee member, Republican from Dallas
Paul Workman – new committee member, Republican from Austin
 

HOUSE CALENDARS

Todd Hunter – returning Committee Chair, Republican from Corpus Christi
Donna Howard – new committee member and Vice Chair, Democrat from Austin
Roberto Alonzo – returning committee member, Democrat from Dallas
Trent Ashby – returning committee member, Republican from Lufkin
Byron Cook – returning committee member, Republican from Corsicana
Sarah Davis – returning committee member, Republican from Houston
Charlie Geren – returning committee member, Republican from Fort Worth
Helen Giddings – returning committee member, Democrat from Dallas
Kyle Kacal – new committee member, Republican from College Station
Ken King – returning committee member, Republican from Amarillo area
Linda Koop, new committee member, Republican from Dallas
Poncho Nevarez – new committee member, Democrat from Eagle Pass
Chris Paddie – new committee member, Republican from Longview area
Dade Phelan – new committee member, Republican from Beaumont
Toni Rose – new committee member, Democrat from Dallas
 

SENATE INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS

Eddie Lucio, Jr. – returning Committee Chair, Democrat from Brownsville
Paul Bettencourt – returning Committee Vice Chair, Republican from Houston
Donna Campbell – returning committee member, Republican from New Braunfels
Sylvia Garcia - returning committee member, Democrat from Houston
Don Huffines – new committee member, Republican from Dallas
Jose Menendez – new committee member, Democrat from San Antonio
Van Taylor – new committee member, Republican from Plano
 

SENATE BUSINESS & COMMERCE

Kelly Hancock – new committee member and Chair, Republican from Fort Worth
Brandon Creighton – returning Vice Chair, Republican from Conroe
Donna Campbell – new committee member, Republican from New Braunfels
Craig Estes – new committee member, Republican from Wichita Falls
Robert Nichols – new committee member, Republican from Tyler area
Charles Schwertner – returning committee member, Republican from Georgetown
Larry Taylor – returning committee member, Republican from Friendswood
John Whitmire – returning committee member, Democrat from Houston
Judith Zaffirini – new committee member, Democrat from Laredo