DEPARTMENT HEAD: Jeff Coyle
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
State Legislative Program for the 86th Texas Legislative Session
SUMMARY:
This item is a briefing and action approving the City of San Antonio's 2019 State Legislative Program for the 86th Texas Legislative Session, which begins January 8, 2019.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Texas Legislature meets every two years in odd numbered years. The 86th Texas Legislative Session begins on January 8, 2019.
Prior to the convening of each regular Texas Legislative Session, the City of San Antonio identifies policy priorities and legislative initiatives that it would like to have addressed by the Legislature. These priorities and initiatives are codified in a City of San Antonio State Legislative Program. In May 2018, the City's Government & Public Affairs (GPA) Department began the process of identifying the issues for the upcoming session. Staff worked with City departments, community partners, elected officials, and others to determine which issues would be included in the draft of the City's proposed State Program. An initial draft was presented and approved by the Intergovernmental Relations Council Committee on September 12, 2018. The Committee recommended the State Program be further refined in collaboration with City partners and leadership.
The City's 86th legislative program is organized into the following categories:
Priorities: Issues that have a significant city-wide impact and/or promote or protect the interest of the community. The following priorities were discussed at the August IGR Committee meeting:
* Property tax relief
* Municipally owned utilities
* Local authority
* Military protection
* Economic growth
Initiatives: Issues the City will actively support through the drafting of legislation, finding a bill sponsor, filing, providing testimony and active pursuit of the bill's passage. At this time, staff has requested one ini...
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