Legislative Services

Legislative Exchange Meetings Continue

In the interim between legislative sessions, TAC Legislative Services team members travel the state to meet with county officials to better understand regional priorities and challenges. These meetings help us identify opportunities to deliver additional value to our members.

This year's regional legislative exchange series is nearly complete. We have visited Yoakum, Jefferson, Cameron, El Paso, Smith and Montgomery counties. The final meeting will be held on Monday, Nov. 4, in Comal County. The meetings are open to all appointed and elected county officials in the host and selected surrounding counties. Invitees from those counties may also bring members of their staff.

Details and a registration link are available here.

Early Voting Wrapping Up

Early voting began Oct. 21 and ends today, Nov. 1. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Detailed election information, including voting requirements, sample ballots, polling locations and more, is available on the Secretary of State's website, votetexas.gov.

General Election Will Cement New Look House

The 150-member Texas House of Representatives will look very different when the 89th Legislature convenes Jan. 14. Many long-serving members did not seek reelection, while others lost to primary challengers. With 32 confirmed departures, at least one-fifth of last session's representatives will not to be back. It seems all but guaranteed that additional veterans of the 88th Legislature will join them after the Nov. 5 general election.

Senate Committee Meets Three Days in a Row

Responding to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's atypical issuance of a second round of interim charges, the Senate Committee on State Affairs convened for back-to-back-to-back hearings. On Oct. 15, the committee took up impeachment reform, as well as issues related to the lottery, homelessness and public trust in government. The second hearing, on Oct. 16, covered runoff elections, noncitizen voting, election audit reports, unmasking protesters and last session's Senate Bill 2284 by Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston). The week's third and final hearing, held Oct. 17, covered minors' use of social media, state pension investment restrictions and beverages with THC. All three hearings are archived and available for viewing online.

Veteran Support Initiative

Many Texas counties provide veteran service offices to assist veterans and their families in accessing and obtaining state benefits and benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. From Nov. 4 to Nov. 11, Texans and county government may show their support for our veterans by participating in Operation Green Light, a nationwide awareness initiative. A toolkit is available on the National Association of Counties' website, www.naco.org, and participation can be as simple as changing a lightbulb – as NACo's website puts it, "by shining a green light, county governments and our residents will let veterans know that they are seen, appreciated and supported."

This map shows some of the efforts counties and parishes across the country have undertaken to show their support in past years.

For more information about this article, please contact Pete Winckler.