The City Council discussed the City’s legislative agenda Monday night for the upcoming 90th State of Texas Legislature & 120th United States Congress, both of which begin in January. The legislative agenda serves as a guide for Council and staff to promote and protect municipal interests and establishes policy direction for topics that could affect the City.
The four highest priority items on the City’s proposed legislative agenda are:
- To preserve the ability for locally elected officials to govern and respond effectively and efficiently to the individual and market driven needs of its residents, and other stakeholders
- Oppose any legislative action that would erode home rule authority of municipalities or establish unfunded mandates that constrain the ability of cities to allocate scarce resources to locally determined priorities
- Support legislation seeking to restore local control/home rule authority eroded by prior legislation
- Support legislation that blocks any attempts to prohibit the authority of the City Council to use public funds to communicate with legislators and state agencies as well as pay membership dues to organizations that hire lobbyists
The City Council will formalize and approve the agenda at a future meeting. The Texas Legislature convenes its 90th Legislative Session on Jan. 12, while Congress begins its session Jan. 3.
