Tag Archives: Texas Municipal League

Houston sues over “Death Star”bill

Posted on July 4, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

First out of the gate. I’m sure they will have company. Houston city attorneys on Monday filed a lawsuit against a new state law that blocks an array of local regulations, marking the first legal challenge to the sweeping crackdown on cities and … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

How bad is the “Death Star” bill going to be?

Posted on June 1, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

We’ll soon be finding out. House Bill 2127 has been approved by the state House and Senate, and Gov. Greg Abbott is expected to sign it any day. Crafted by state Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock), the bill aims to create a statewide, uniform set … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on How bad is the “Death Star” bill going to be?

House passes bill to outlaw cities

Posted on April 19, 2023 by Charles Kuffner

That’s not literally what this does, but it may as well be. In a major escalation of Republicans’ efforts to weaken the state’s bluer cities and counties, lawmakers in the Texas Legislature are advancing a pair of bills that would … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on House passes bill to outlaw cities

There’s a lot of COVID litigation out there

Posted on July 25, 2020 by Charles Kuffner

Texas Lawyer surveys the landscape. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a growing subset of new business litigation in Texas: companies suing the government over shutdown orders or definitions of essential versus nonessential businesses. One of the latest examples to make … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The real goal of SB2

Posted on June 30, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

Let’s take a look at the quotes from the supporters of SB2, the new law that will impose revenue caps on all Texas cities, to see what they say about it. “They’re going to have to start looking at spending … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The real goal of SB2

Lawsuit planned over cable franchise fee bill

Posted on June 25, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

I sure hope Houston gets involved in this. Fort Worth and cities across Texas stand to lose millions of dollars due to a new law that slashes fees telecom providers pay to them. But before the savings go into effect … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Lawsuit planned over cable franchise fee bill

A tale of screwed cities

Posted on May 15, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

That’s my unofficial title for this legislative session. The interest group representing Texas cities used to be one of the most powerful legislative forces at the Capitol. This session, it has become the GOP’s most prominent adversary. Its members have … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Always beware revenue caps

Posted on February 2, 2019 by Charles Kuffner

They’re always a bad idea. Flanked by the state’s top legislative leaders, Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday that both chambers of the Texas Legislature will push to curb property tax growth by limiting how much money local governments collect without … Continue reading →

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Supreme Court affirms trashing Laredo’s plastic bag ban

Posted on June 25, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Not really a surprise. The Texas Supreme Court handed a loss to local government on Friday, striking down a Laredo ban on plastic bags. The decision imperils about a dozen other cities’ bans across the state. In a decision viewed … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Supreme Court hears bag ban arguments

Posted on January 16, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Hoping for the best, but not really expecting it. In the case Laredo Merchants Association v. The City of Laredo, lawyers spent almost an hour arguing whether Laredo’s 2015 ban was illegal under state law. If the Republican-led court rules … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

War on local control update

Posted on July 23, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Example one: Sen. Craig Estes’ Senate Bill 18 would require cities and counties to get voter approval if they plan to spend a certain amount more than they did in a previous year. His bill ties such an election trigger … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Greg Abbott’s war on trees

Posted on June 15, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

This is just bizarre. One of the 20 items Gov. Greg Abbott has asked lawmakers to consider during the upcoming special session, which will begin July 18, is outlawing local tree regulations. More than 50 cities and towns in Texas … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Greg Abbott wants to kill off cities

Posted on April 17, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s the only way to describe it. As state lawmakers gather for their biennial session this spring, they’re weighing whether to rein in localities that ban plastic grocery bags, extend civil rights protections to LGBTQ residents, discourage cooperation with federal … Continue reading →

Posted in Show Business for Ugly People | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Senate proposes to make our tax system more broken

Posted on March 22, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

That’s what this will surely do. The Texas Senate on Tuesday approved a controversial bill that seeks to curb the growth in property taxes that local government agencies like cities and counties levy on landowners. Senate Bill 2, which passed … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Senate committee hears rideshare bills

Posted on March 18, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

One of these, in some form, is likely to become law. Senate Bill 176, by state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, and Senate Bill 361 by state Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, received a joint hearing after [Senate Business & Commerce Committee] … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Laredo plastic bag ban overturned

Posted on August 19, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Ugh. The Fourth Court of Appeals on Wednesday sided with merchants and free-market groups who argued that Laredo’s ban on single-use bags is illegal because it is pre-empted by state law regulating solid waste disposal. The 2-1 ruling overturned a … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Plastic bag litigation update

Posted on July 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

This could be a big deal. Is a plastic bag a container? Does the definition of “solid waste management” include litter control? If a state appeals court answers yes to both of those questions, regulations on plastic bags in several … Continue reading →

Posted in Legal matters | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Plastic bag litigation update

Three bad bills

Posted on May 2, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Bad bill #1: State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, has been trying for months to pass legislation that would make it tougher for local entities to bring in more tax revenue by taking advantage of rising property values. On Thursday, he … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Bill to ban anti-fracking ordinances likely to go forward

Posted on April 16, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Disappointing. Despite vociferous opposition from local elected officials, environmentalists and citizens, many Democrats in the Texas Legislature are supporting controversial legislation that would strip local governments of the power to regulate or ban fracking. House Bill 40, by Rep. Drew … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Somewhat watered down fracking bill advances in House

Posted on April 1, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

By “fracking bill”, I mean a bill to limit how cities can regulate fracking, because that’s how things are these days. In a 10-1 vote, the House Committee on Energy Resources approved an updated version of House Bill 40, among … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Somewhat watered down fracking bill advances in House

Local control deathwatch: Environment

Posted on March 18, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

Unsurprisingly, the Denton fracking ban has provoked a strong reaction. As policy dilemmas go, the one triggered when Denton voters decided last fall to ban hydraulic fracturing in their city looked like a whopper: The oil and gas industry versus … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Local control deathwatch: Environment

Cities and counties push back on state meddling attempts

Posted on February 22, 2015 by Charles Kuffner

They’ve got their work cut out for them. The mayors of Texas’ largest cities on Monday pushed back against an initiative by state lawmakers to place new revenue caps on local communities as a way to answer conservatives’ demands to … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Appraisal caps back on the agenda

Posted on December 5, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

The idea will never die, unfortunately. No matter what the effects are. Local officials in the Houston area say they are concerned that incoming state leaders will push for tax relief measures that could limit their ability to meet the … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Appraisal caps back on the agenda

No notary needed

Posted on September 15, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Seems reasonable. Many Houston business owners are celebrating a new ordinance that drops the need for a notary when applying for hundreds of permits and allows the city to offer more applications online. The Houston City Council lauded the change … Continue reading →

Posted in Local politics | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Less is more, local legislative edition

Posted on June 5, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Harris County and the city of Houston generally play more defense than offense when the Legislature is in session, so as a rule the fewer bills that get passed that affect them, the better. County and city lobbyists said their … Continue reading →

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment