Legislative Services

The Texas Association of Counties will host its 2024 Legislative Conference in Austin from Aug. 28 to Aug. 30. The conference will help county officials prepare for next year's 89th Legislature by addressing key issues affecting county governance.

The event begins on Wednesday, Aug. 28, with a keynote address by Peter Cressy, a retired admiral and distinguished educator. His speech, "Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Churchill: A Strategic Approach to Leading in Times of Crisis and Change," promises to be both timely and insightful.

Over the gathering's three days, county officials will connect with peers, legislators, policymakers and National Association of Counties representatives. The agenda includes 10 panel discussions moderated by TAC's Legislative Services team. Topics include:

• Setting County Priorities for Texas' Behavioral Health System
• Engagement Drives Results: Congress and Counties
• Emergency Preparedness and Safety in the Polling Place
• Maximizing Benefits, Minimizing Burdens: Grant Funding for Texas Counties
• The Use of AI in County Government
• Managing First Amendment Audits: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities
• Long-Term Emergency Management Response and Recovery
• Strategies for Protecting Judges, Staff, and the Public
• Senate Bill 22: Audits, Applications, and Next Steps
• Truth in Taxation: What Your County Needs to Know

The conference will conclude with a discussion on the federal State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program and the implications of Senate Bill 4, which authorizes local law enforcement to enforce immigration law.

For more details and registration, visit www.county.org/legeconference.