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Capitol Pipeline will be in your inbox every Tuesday with links to the bills being tracked by TRWA, updates on the progress of key pieces of legislation, and calls to action on legislation that directly impacts rural water systems across Texas. Click here to learn more!
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Stay in the know: follow us online!
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The Texas Legislature returned from its Easter break today and has a little over a month to conclude the 86th Regular Session, which ends May 27th. Most of the TRWA-sponsored legislation and bills of concern were heard in various committees over the past two weeks, which we’ve covered in previous editions of the Capitol Pipeline.
The only immediate action item for TRWA members and their customers is Senator Charles Perry’s SB 2026 – click here to view our call to action on this bill and to let your senator know you oppose this bad groundwater permitting bill!
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Eminent Domain Hearings on Thursday: The House Land & Resource Management Committee is set to hear several eminent domain bills on Thursday, including:
- SB 421 by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham)/HB 991 by Rep. DeWayne Burns (R-Granbury). TRWA will testify against this bill. TRWA has been working with stakeholders and the House Land & Resource Management Committee to remove onerous requirements placed on water supply corporations (WSCs) in the exercise of their eminent domain authority.
- HB 1157 by Rep. Cecil Bell (R-Magnolia). This bill requires entities who condemn property to provide landowners with new or amended appraisal reports that they receive after making an initial offer but before the statutory special commissioners’ hearing. It also mandates the dismissal of any condemnation case if the landowner is not provided with a copy of the petition or if the petition fails to recite certain statutory factual information.
- SB 555 by Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown). This bill makes those who condemn property using eminent domain responsible for any additional taxes due when the use of condemned property is diverted from an agricultural to a non-agricultural use.
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The Legislature is primarily focused on two of the Governor’s priority issues: school finance reform and property tax reform. The Senate’s version of a property tax reform bill, SB 2, was voted out on April 15, and now is being considered by the House. Meanwhile, the House has passed its version of a school finance bill, HB 3, which the Senate will now be working on.
Important Dates for the Remainder of Session:
- Monday, May 6 – Last day for house committees to report house bills and joint resolutions.
- Friday, May 10 – Last day for the house to hear all house bills and joint resolutions.
- Saturday, May 18 – Last day for House committees to report senate bills and joint resolutions.
- Wednesday, May 22
- Last day for house to hear all senate bills.
- Last day for senate to hear all house and senate bills and joint resolutions.
- Monday, May 27 – Last day of the 86th Regular Session
- Sunday, June 16 – Last day the governor can sign or veto bills passed during the regular session.
- Monday, August 26 – Date that bills without specific effective dates, other than bills with immediate effect, become law.
- Sunday, September 1 – Date most bills will become effective if passed by the Legislature and not vetoed by the Governor.
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Engage Your Board and Customers in our Legislative Efforts
TRWA members provide quality water service to almost 3 million Texans, and lawmakers need to hear from them on our legislative priorities and bills of concern. You can help us mobilize your customer base in support of rural water in the following ways:
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- Forward each week’s Capitol Pipeline to your system’s email list and provide your customers with a link to the newsletter on the front page of your website.
- Link to www.waterforalltexans.com on your system’s website to help educate your customers on our issues and encourage them to contact their legislators.
- Ask your board members and customers to let us know if they are a member of Farm Bureau, a major opponent of rural water on groundwater permitting issues. We would like to work cooperatively with them for the benefit of Rural Texans! For more information, direct customers to our blog post.
- Disseminate TRWA’s legislator contact guides (linked below) to provide your customers with sample talking points for phone calls, sample email language, and contact information for key legislators.
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