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GOOD MORNING,[Budget and Fiscal Affairs on July 11, 2023.]
MR. CHAIR.MY NAME IS DAVE MARTIN AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
I CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER AND WE WOULD LIKE TO ALL WELCOME ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE.
WE HAVE COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK, AND COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON, STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN'S, OFFICE, ED POLLARD'S OFFICE, AND ROBERT GALLEGO SINCE AUGUST, HIS OFFICE LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UM, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND THE STAFF.
PLEASE HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS TILL THE END OF THE PRESENTATION.
AS OF OUR DEADLINE YESTERDAY AT 3:00 PM WE HAVE ONE PUBLIC SPEAKER, MR. DOUG SMITH.
AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO WELCOME CONTROLLER CHRIS BROWN AND DIRECTOR WILL JONES TO PROVIDE THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT, WHICH IS ALWAYS A GOOD ONE AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.
RIGHT GENTLEMEN AL AND COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
COUNCIL MEMBERS AND STAFF, I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT THE MONTHLY FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING MAY 31ST IN THE GENERAL FUND, THE CONTROLLER'S OFFICE IS PROJECTING AN ENDING FUND BALANCE OF 396.5 MILLION FOR FY 23.
THIS IS $24 MILLION LOWER THAN THE PROJECTION OF THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
BASED ON OUR CURRENT PROJECTIONS, THE FUND BALANCE WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 221.2 MILLION ABOVE THE CITY'S TARGET OF HOLDING 7.5% IN RESERVES.
OUR REVENUE PROJECTIONS INCREASED BY 16.3 MILLION FROM THE APRIL 23 REPORT, AND THAT WAS DUE TO THE FOLLOWING SALES TAX INCREASED BY 10 MILLION AND THAT WAS DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED RECEIPTS.
CHARGES FOR SERVICES INCREASED BY 2 MILLION AND THAT WAS DUE TO HIGHER THAN ANTICIPATED AMBULANCE FEE COLLECTIONS.
MUNICIPAL COURTS FINES AND FORFEITS INCREASED BY 668,000, AND THAT WAS PRIMARILY DUE TO HIGHER FINES COLLECTED FROM MOVING VIOLATIONS AND NON-TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS.
INTEREST INCOME INCREASED BY 2 MILLION AND THAT WAS DUE TO INCREASE IN INTEREST RATES ON BANK DEPOSITS.
MISCELLANEOUS, OTHER AND, UH, OTHER REVENUES INCREASED BY 1.7 MILLION DUE TO A ONE-TIME PAYMENT FROM THE HARRIS COUNTY APPRAISAL DISTRICT FOR UNCLAIMED PAYMENTS.
UH, THE EXPENDITURE ESTIMATES ARE UNCHANGED FROM THE APRIL 23 REPORT IN THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS.
THERE ARE NO PROJECTED CHANGES FOR THE ENTERPRISE AND SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT OUR COMMERCIAL PAPER AND BONDS, ALL OF THE VARIABLE RATE DEBT IS BELOW THE 20% THRESHOLD.
UH, THIS IS THE 11 PLUS ONE FINANCIAL REPORT FOR THE PERIOD ENDING MAY 31ST, 2023.
PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON 11 MONTHS OF ACTUAL RESULTS AND ONE MONTH OF PROJECTIONS.
UH, IN THE GENERAL FUND, OUR REVENUE PROJECTION IS 101.3 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET AND REMAINS UNCHANGED FROM LAST MONTH.
OUR EXPENDITURE PROJECTION IS 29.3 MILLION HIGHER THAN THE ADOPTED BUDGET, AND ALSO REMAINS UNCHANGED FROM THE PRIOR MONTH.
UH, WE ARE CURRENTLY PROJECTING THE END IN FUND BALANCE OF 420.5 MILLION, WHICH REMAINS UNCHANGED FROM PRIOR MONTH AND IS 18% OF ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES LESS DEBT SERVICE AND PAY AS YOU GO.
THE FUND BALANCE IS 245.1 MILLION ABOVE THE TARGETED 7.5% OF EXPENDITURES, LESS DEBT SERVICE AND THE ENTERPRISE SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS WE'RE PROJECTING, UH, NO CHANGES FOR THE MONTH.
FIRST QUESTION COMES FROM SALLY ALCORN.
WELL, I'LL GO AHEAD AND ASK ONE SINCE YOU'RE, I WENT IN THE QUEUE, BUT SINCE ON THE, ON THE NEW TAX PROPERTY TAX THING, I MEAN, IT'S JUST COME OUT, BUT THAT WILL THAT, WHAT KIND OF IMPACT WILL THE, UM, INCREASED EXEMPTION HAVE, IF ANY? I MEAN, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THAT, WHERE IT'S GOING FROM? YEAH, I GOT 40 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
YEAH, THAT, THAT'S ONLY RELATED TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
SO THAT EXEMPTION DOESN'T APPLY TO THE YEAH, THE COMPRESSION PART IS ONLY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
UM,
THAT THAT TAX BURDEN WOULD BE LESSENED.
BUT I THOUGHT THERE WAS ANOTHER PART THAT LESSENED THE HOMESTEAD OR THAT GREW THE HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
'CAUSE WE, WE ALREADY HAVE, UM, HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS WITH THE CITY.
I THINK IT'S 20% OF THE THE VALUE.
RIGHT? SO THAT'S A TOTALLY SEPARATE THING.
SO WHAT THE, THE, I GUESS THE MAJOR POINT OF THE BILL IS THAT IT'S GOING TO, UM, NON HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES LESS THAN 5 MILLION, UH, WILL GET A 20%, UH, CAP.
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PROPERTIES, RIGHT.I KNOW THAT AND I KNOW THAT PART OF IT, BUT WASN'T THERE ANOTHER PART I THOUGHT I JUST READ IN THE, IN THIS MORNING'S PAPER THAT THERE'S ANOTHER THING THAT DOES AFFECT HOMESTEAD.
THERE IS, SO WHAT YOU WERE SAYING, WHERE'S MY NOTE? SO FOR THE, I THAT MIGHT BE A BETTER, BETTER QUESTION FOR THE NEXT PRESENTATION.
SORRY FOR THE LEGISLATIVE THING, BUT FOR THE ISD HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION, IT WILL INCREASE FROM 40 TO A HUNDRED THOUSAND.
OKAY THEN SEE I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A GOOD QUESTION, UH, CHAIR.
SO I'D LIKE TO WELCOME COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS CISNEROS AND STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER KNOX'S OFFICE, PLUMBER'S OFFICE, AND CAROLYN EVAN'S OFFICE.
SO CONTROLLER'S PROJECTION, WE'RE AT FUND BALANCE OF 3 96 5, FINANCES AT 4 25, 2 21 ABOVE 7.5 2 45 ABOVE 7.5.
EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY HEALTHY FUN BALANCE WITH ONE YEAR LEFT TO CLOSE OUT OUR BOOKS FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
UM, GIMME YOUR THOUGHTS WRAPPED AROUND WHAT WE'RE SEEING ON THE SALES TAX REVENUE BECAUSE EACH AND EVERY MONTH WE LOOK AT SALES TAX REVENUE, WHICH IS A BIG PART OF OUR PROJECTIONS AND WE'RE TRYING TO BE, UH, VERY CONSERVATIVE, BUT YET THE NUMBERS ARE BEING BLOWN OUT OF THE WATER.
HOW MUCH OF THIS WAS RELATED TO, CAN WE PUT OUR ARMS AROUND FINAL FOUR SALES TAX VERSUS NORMAL SALES TAX? AND THEN WE LOOKING AT, UH, OUR PROJECTIONS FOR FY 24 ON SALES TAX.
I KNOW THAT DIRECTOR JONES, YOU HAD SAID FLAT WHEN WE DID THE BUDGET.
NO, WE ACTUALLY DECREASED WHEN DECREASED.
UM, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, FOR THE PAST, WHAT, 18 MONTHS, CLOSE TO TWO, ALMOST TWO YEARS WE'VE BEEN SEEING DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH.
SO THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS WE HAVE SEEN A SINGLE DIGIT GROWTH.
UM, AND FOR THE, THE MAY SALES TAX WILL BE PROBABLY A REALLY GOOD INDICATOR ON IF WE'RE SEEING A TREND OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE DOUBLE DIGIT GROWTH SLOWING DOWN AND GETTING TO A SINGLE DIGIT GROWTH.
SO IT MAY, WE, WE MAY SEE A START TO, TO BALANCE OUT NOW.
UM, SO WHICH IS WHY WHEN WE DID THE 24 BUDGET, WE, WE DIDN'T ASSUME WE'RE GOING TO SEE GROWTH IN SALES TAX.
'CAUSE THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THAT, THAT LARGE GROWTH.
SO WE ARE, WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING, UM, THAT THAT BOOM WE SAW FROM SALES TAX TO CON CONTINUE.
SO THAT, THAT, THAT WHEN WE BUILT OUR BUDGET, WE, WE KIND OF TOOK THAT INTO ACCOUNT.
ANY RELATIONSHIP TO FINAL FOUR ACTIVITY OR CAN WE PINPOINT THAT? DO WE TAKE A LOOK AT IT? BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE THE EARLY PART VERSUS THE LATTER PART.
YEAH, WELL, WHEN WE DO OUR SALES TAX PROJECTION, WE NEVER TRY TO ACCOUNT FOR THOSE TYPE OF THINGS.
'CAUSE YOU REALLY HAVE NO IDEA.
SO IF IT COMES IN AND IT BRINGS IN MORE, WE, WE TAKE THAT IN.
BUT TO TRY AND BUILD THAT INTO YOUR PROJECTION WOULDN'T BE VERY WISE FOR US TO DO.
SO YEAH, IF IT COMES IN AND WE GET MORE, THEN THAT'S GREAT, BUT THAT'S NOT HOW WE BUILD OUR SALES TAX.
WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE REGULAR ECONOMIC INDICATORS, EMPLOYMENT PRICE OF OIL TO MAKE SURE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE JUST DOING A CONSERVATIVE AND DON'T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THOSE, YOU KNOW, THOSE BIG EVENTS.
WELL, THE SALES TAX HAS BEEN A, UM, A WELCOME, UH, BENEFIT, I THINK DIRECTLY A RESULT OF THE FEDERAL MONEY THAT'S BEEN PUMPED INTO THE SYSTEM.
UM, I JUST WANT TO, BECAUSE I'M A MATH GEEK, UH, I WANT TO JUST READ SOME NUMBERS TO YOU.
FY 2017, ACTUAL SALES RECEIPTS, 630 MILLION FY 18 673 FY 19 690 MILLION FY 26 83 FY TWENTY ONE SEVEN HUNDRED AND SIX FEDERAL MONEY COMES INTO THE SYSTEM.
WE'RE BETWEEN 880 AND 892 MILLION FOR FINANCE.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, I THINK, THINK FINANCE IS MORE ACCURATE.
THAT NUMBER COULD BE CLOSER TO 900 MILLION.
SO WHAT I CAUTION COUNCIL TODAY IS THAT WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN $200 MILLION IN SALES TAX, UM, AND A PERCENTAGE BASIS THAT'S, UH, QUITE SUBSTANTIAL.
THAT'S ABOUT 25% INCREASE OVER THE MEAN.
SO WHAT DOES THAT TELL YOU? IF YOU FOLLOW STATISTICS AND MATH THE WAY I DO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA SEE THIS PRINCIPLE OF MEAN REVISION.
THAT NUMBER WILL COME BACK DOWN TO, UH, THE MEAN, WHICH IS PROBABLY SOMEWHERE AROUND, YOU KNOW, 750 TO 800 MILLION.
SO I JUST CAUTION, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A LARGE FUND BALANCE, BUT BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT I THINK THAT POST, UH, FEDERAL COVID FUNDS, WE WILL SEE SALES TAX, UH, GO DOWN AT SOME POINT.
UM, I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THAT'S AS A RESULT OF A RECESSION.
THERE'S A LOT OF TALK NOW THAT MAYBE THERE ISN'T GONNA BE A RECESSION EVEN WITHOUT A RECESSION.
I THINK, UH, WE WOULD SEE SOME OF THESE NUMBERS, UH, CURTAIL.
AND, AND THE CHALLENGE IS, AGAIN, WE BUILD OUR BUDGETS BASED ON, YOU KNOW, INCREMENTAL GROWTH AND, AND WHENEVER THESE NUMBERS MOVE SO
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SUBSTANTIALLY, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO, UH, PROJECT IN THE OUT YEARS.SO I WOULD SAY THE PLUSES ARE, WE DO HAVE A PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL FUND BALANCE, BUT I WOULD SAY OVER THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY ONE TO THREE YEARS, UH, I WOULD EXPECT THE SALES TAX NUMBERS TO KIND OF PUSH BACK DOWN TOWARDS, UH, THE MEAN.
I'D LIKE TO WELCOME VICE CHAIR, ED POLLARD.
UM, ON THAT NOTE, UM, JANUARY WE HAD $334 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE.
A LOT OF THE FEDERAL MONEY, A LOT OF PEOPLE USED IT IN A FISCAL YEAR THAT ENDS IN DECEMBER 31ST.
SO I WAS LOOKING FOR A LITTLE BIT OF A STABILIZATION AND I REALLY HAVEN'T SEEN IT.
WE GO FROM 3 34 TO 3 96, WE GO, YOU KNOW, ALMOST TO $400 MILLION.
UM, NOW IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THE EMPLOYEES ARE, YOU KNOW, MY EXPERIENCES, A LOT OF THE EMPLOYEES THAT I HAD WORKING IN, IN THE FIRM THAT I WORKED FOR, UM, WE'RE LOSING THEM FOR, FOR MULTIPLES OF SALARY.
AND WE HAVE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT 4 0 1 KS, PROFIT SHARING, STOCK PURCHASE, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SEEMS TO ME THE NEWER GENERATION ISN'T LOOKING FOR THAT ISN'T LOOKING LIKE I DID, OR MAYBE WE ALL DID 40 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD AND SEE WHAT RETIREMENT LOOKS LIKE.
THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SORT OF INSTANT GRATIFICATION.
SO I THINK THE SPENDING HABITS OF THE GENERATION THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW IS A LOT DIFFERENT THAN THE GENERATION THAT, YOU KNOW, I CAME FROM AND MAYBE YOU GENTLEMEN CAME FROM AS WELL.
SO, I MEAN, IT'S GONNA BE INTERESTING TO WATCH THE NUMBERS AS WE PROCEED THROUGH THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.
'CAUSE UM, CONTROLLER BROWN, YOU'RE, YOU'RE CORRECT ON YOUR MATH AND WHERE WE ARE TODAY VERSUS WHERE WE WERE BEFORE IN THE HYSTERICAL TRENDS, AS THEY'RE GOING UP AND UP AND UP SOMEWHERE, THERE HAS TO BE A STABILIZATION.
AND I WAS LOOKING AT IT AS A STABILIZATION, MAYBE BEGINNING IN 23, BUT, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT IT, IT WENT FROM 3 34 TO 3 27 AND THEN THE 3 58 AND THEN THE THREE 80.
SO IT DID A NUMBER WHERE IT DROPPED IN FEBRUARY AND THEN IT WENT UP MARCH, APRIL AND MAY.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE AN INTERESTING TREND FOR US TO WATCH AND IT'S GONNA BE AN INTERESTING TREND FOR THIS COUNCIL TO LOOK AT AS A NUMBER OF US DEPART AND, UH, AND NEW FOOT COUNCIL MEMBER COMES, COME INTO THE, UH, INTO THE HORSESHOE.
SO, UM, IT'S AN INTERESTING DYNAMIC.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE REAPING THE BENEFITS OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY IN THE SPENDING HABITS OF, UH, OF PEOPLE.
AND, UH, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SAVE OUR MONEY FOR THAT RAINY DAY.
'CAUSE IT, IT WILL COME EVENTUALLY.
COUNCIL MEMBER SALLY ALCORN AND I DID MENTION COUNCIL MEMBER PHI, THE WELCOME TO COUNCIL MEMBER CARLOS SNE AS WELL, I CAMAN AND IBY CAYMAN, THANK YOU CHAIR AND THANK YOU CONTROLLER FOR THAT, UM, SYNOPSIS OF THAT.
FROM 630 MILLION, ALMOST 900 MILLION.
IT UNFORTUNATELY ALONG THE, THE LINES OF OF, I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT THIS IS VERY REMINISCENT OF, UH, THE 1990S, 1999 AND THE.COM BOOM.
RIGHT? UM, WHERE WE SAW, YOU KNOW, REALLY SUBSTANTIAL REVENUE AND THEN IT JUST, YOU KNOW, BUBBLE BURST AND GOT IT.
AND, AND CHAIR YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE, THE, UH, KIND OF WORKFORCE NOW, UM, LOOKING AT SALARIES PRIMARILY AND, AND ON THE QUESTION'S REALLY TO YOU ON THE COMPENSATION STUDY, UM, WHEN I KNOW WHEN IS THAT COMING? BECAUSE WE ARE PAYING PEOPLE NOT ENOUGH.
WE'LL GET BACK WITH YOU ON THE ANSWER.
AND, UM, UM, I GUESS THEY DON'T FEEL THE SENSE OF URGENCY THAT YOU FEEL AND THAT MAYBE I FEEL, 'CAUSE THERE IS A DISPARITY REPORT, WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE BECAUSE I, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK IT'S JUST US, BUT I THINK A LOT OF COMPANIES ARE, ARE LOSING, YOU KNOW, VALUE OF PEOPLE.
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY AND, UM, JOB MARKET'S IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, I DON'T EXPECT TO MATCH PUBLICS, BUT I MEAN PRIVATE SECTOR, BUT WE, WE'VE GOTTA DO BETTER 'CAUSE WE'RE PAYING, YOU KNOW, 15 YEAR EMPLOYEES.
AND WE'RE NEVER GONNA BE ABLE TO RETAIN PEOPLE.
AND, AND MAYBE BILL COULD HAVE SOME COMMENTS WHEN HE PRESENTS HIS FIGURES, UH, AS WELL AND SOME INFORMATION THAT WE'LL SEE IN A COUPLE MINUTES.
BUT, UH, GREAT QUESTION AND WE'LL, WE'LL DO SOME CHECKING AND MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO, TO BRING IT BACK HOPEFULLY WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS FOR PFA.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? COUNCIL MEMBERS? SEEING YOU NONE, GENTLEMEN.
GLAD WE HAVE YOU TWO IN THOSE SEATS.
THIS TIME I'D LIKE TO WELCOME MR. BILL KELLY, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
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TO PROVIDE THE 88TH POST TEXAS LEGISLATURE UPDATE AND ALEXA, THERE WE GO.SO BILL, JUST, YOU KNOW, IS THE PRETTY FACE THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT ON THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S 2023 LEGISLATIVE REPORT.
MY NAME IS BILL KELLY AND FOR THE PAST SEVEN YEARS, I'VE BEEN THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS FOR HOUSTON MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER.
I'VE BEEN SERVING IN THIS POSITION SINCE APRIL OF 2016.
SO THIS MARKS MY FOURTH AND FINAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION LEADING OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS IN AUSTIN.
IT HAS BEEN AN HONOR LEADING OUR FOUR PERSON CITY OF HOUSTON GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TEAM.
DURING SESSION, BOTH MYSELF AND DEPUTY DIRECTOR ALEXA EZ ACTUALLY MOVED TO AUSTIN TO BE THERE FULL-TIME, UH, TO MEET WITH LAWMAKERS AND THEIR STAFF, SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST, DESMOND TAYLOR, WHO'S OPERATING OUR WEBSITE TODAY.
AND LEGISLATIVE MANAGER ANDY MATAY STAY IN HOUSTON TO HELP COORDINATE THE VARIOUS CITY DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS THE COMMUNICATION EFFORTS OUT OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE.
TOGETHER, THE GR TEAM ANALYZES OVER 2000 PIECES OF LEGISLATION EVERY SESSION.
WE HAVE PRODUCED THIS WEBSITE CONTAINING HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR WORK.
WE BELIEVE IT IS THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE WEBSITE OF ANY LEGISLATIVE REPORT IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND THE TWO LINKS AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR CONTEXT AND TRANSPARENCY.
FIRST, UNDER LEGISLATIVE LINK, UNDER THE LEGISLATIVE TEAM LINK, WE SHOW THE REGISTERED CON CONTRACT LOBBYISTS, THE PRIME CONTRACTOR, LOCK LORD, AND THE SUBCONTRACTORS WHO ARE MEMBERS OF OUR LOBBY TEAM.
BUT WE'D LIKE TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE DOZENS OF CITY EMPLOYEES WHO WORK WITH OUR OFFICE TO ANALYZE BILLS, COORDINATE WITH OUR TEAM, AND OFFER WRITTEN AND IN-PERSON TESTIMONY BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE.
AND WE WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK THOSE CITY EMPLOYEES THAT SERVE AS LEGISLATIVE LIAISONS AND ANALYSTS FOR ALL THEIR WORK.
AT THE TOP IS OUR TESTIMONY PAGE.
THIS WEBSITE CONTAINS EVERY PIECE OF WRITTEN TESTIMONY THAT THE CITY OF HOUSTON SUBMITTED LEADING UP TO AND DURING THE 2023 LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITH 136 PIECES OF TESTIMONY LISTED.
THIS LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY IS NOT AN EASY TASK AND I WANT TO THANK THE AUTHORS AND OUR FRIEND BOB NOAC, WHO POSTED THESE TESTIMONIES ON A DAILY BASIS THROUGHOUT SESSION.
OUR TEAM ALSO LEANED ON BOB TO CREATE THIS WEBSITE THAT HIGHLIGHTS THE CITY'S WORK DURING THE 88TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
SO FIRST, HOUSTON'S PRIORITIES AS WE LOOK AT OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
I WANT TO THANK MAYOR PRO TIMM, DAVE MARTIN, VICE MAYOR, PRO TEM MARTHA CASTEX, TATUM, COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON, COUNCIL MEMBER AMY PECK, AND COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN FOR THEIR WORK AS PART OF, OF OUR AD HOC LEGISLATIVE ADVISORY GROUP THAT PRESENTS DEPARTMENTAL, UH, DEPARTMENTAL SUGGESTIONS TO THE MAYOR FOR INCLUSION IN OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITY LIST.
DURING THIS SESSION, THE MAYOR'S OFFICE HAD SEVEN LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES RECOMMENDED BY OUR GROUP AND APPROVED BY THE MAYOR OF THOSE THREE PASSED AND BECAME LAW FIRST RACING ON PUBLIC STREETS OR ROAD ROADWAYS OR NAMED STREET TAKEOVERS HAS BECOME A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON AND COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT TEXAS.
THESE EVENTS HAVE RESULTED IN PROPERTY DAMAGE INJURIES AND UNFORTUNATELY, DEATH LEGISLATION ENACTED IN 2021 INADVERTENTLY IMPEDED THE SEIZURE OF VEHICLES USED IN STREET RACING AND TAKEOVERS.
HOUSE BILL 1442 BY REPRESENTATIVE ANN JOHNSON MAKES THE CORRECTIONS NEEDED TO ENABLE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE ABILITY TO ORDER THE SEIZURE OF VEHICLES USED IN THESE CRIMES.
WHILE THE WEBSITE GOES INTO MORE DETAIL, TWO THINGS I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ARE THAT ONE, THE CITY OF HOUSTON PRESENTED THIS LEGISLATION IN JANUARY BEFORE THE FEBRUARY, 2023 INCIDENT WHERE SEVERAL CARS AND TRUCKS DID BURNOUTS AND DONUTS IN THE MIDDLE OF VARIOUS INTERSECTIONS ACROSS AUSTIN THAT WERE CAPTURED ON VIRAL VIDEO.
AND TWO, THE CITY OF HOUSTON WAS PROUD TO PARTNER WITH A BIPARTISAN DUO.
OUR GOOD FRIEND, REPRESENTATIVE ANN JOHNSON AND SENATOR PAUL BETTENCOURT.
DID YOU SAY SENATOR PAUL BETTENCOURT? THE VERY SAME YES.
OUR SECOND PRIORITY THAT PASSED WAS THE EFFICIENT DELIVERY OF FORENSIC SCIENCE DOCUMENTATION.
WE WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH DR. PETER STOUT IN OUR HOUSTON FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER STAFF ON VARIOUS BILLS DURING THE SESSION.
AS THE COURTS RAMP UP THEIR DOCKETS, THE HOUSTON FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTER HAS SEEN A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE DEMAND FOR DOCUMENTATION, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN A SUBSTANTIAL DRAIN ON RESOURCES.
SENATE BILL 9 9 1 BY SENATOR CHUA WILL REQUIRE THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A CENTRAL COMPUTERIZED PORTAL, SIMILAR TO HOW ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORDS HAVE HELPED WITH THE SPEED AND ACCURACY OF PATIENT CARE.
THIS NEW PORTAL WILL FACILITATE THE PROCESS OF TRANSPARENT TRANSFERRING REQUESTED CRIME LABORATORY RECORDS AMONG CRIME LABORATORIES, ATTORNEYS AND PARTIES AUTHORIZED TO ACCESS THESE RECORDS AS PART OF DISCOVERY.
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WHOSE TESTIMONY IS LINKED ON OUR WEBSITE, THIS WILL DRAMATICALLY SAVE TIME AND IMPROVE THE PROCESS FOR WHAT IS OFTEN AN IGNORED AREA OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.NOW, WE WOULD NOT BE MAYOR TURNER'S GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TEAM IF WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE TO HELP SOLVE SOME OF HOUSTON'S NEEDS.
AND IN THIS EXAMPLE, UH, POST HURRICANE HARVEY, THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UH, LOOKED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE STATE TAKE UP, UH, WHERE CIRCUMSTANCES LEFT US SHORT.
CITY OF HOUSTON WAS AWARDED A HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROJECT FOR 46.8 MILLION TO CONSTRUCT NEW GATES ON THE LAKE HOUSTON DAM STRUCTURE.
NOW DURING PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING, SEVERAL GATE OPTIONS WERE EVALUATED WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO CONSTRUCT OBERMEYER GATES ON THE EXISTING STRUCTURE.
BUT ENGINEERING ANALYSIS YIELDED A SAFER OPTION, BUILD MULTIPLE GATES ON THE EARTH AND EMBANKMENT PORTION OF THE DAM.
THIS NEW OPTION RESULTED IN A PRICE COST ESCALATION.
SO WE WORKED WITH THE LEGISLATURE TO HELP SECURE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO COVER THE COST ESCALATION GAP WHILE CONTINUING TO PULL DOWN THOSE FEDERAL MATCHING DOLLARS IN THE BUDGET.
HOUSTON WAS AWARDED AN ADDITIONAL $50 MILLION FOR THE LAKE HOUSTON DAM SPILLWAY TO DIRECTLY ADDRESS THIS INCREASED COST.
NOW, I'LL NOTE THAT THE ADDITION OF FORMER STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAN HUBERTY AND, UH, BEN NELSON TO OUR LOBBY TEAM WERE KEY TO SECURING THIS FUNDING.
HOWEVER, THIS WOULD'VE NOT EVER HAPPENED WITHOUT THE DOGGED DETERMINATION OF MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN IN HELPING TO SECURE THIS FUNDING.
NOW SHIFTING AWAY FROM HOUSTON SPECIFIC PRIORITIES TO THE POLAR OPPOSITE PREEMPTION WITH DOZENS OF PREEMPTION BILLS FILED.
THE 2023 LEGISLATIVE REPORT WEBSITE HIGHLIGHTS, UH, A FEW AS BEING ILLUSTRATIVE OF THIS THEME.
THE SUPER PREEMPTION BILL 2127 BY REPRESENTATIVE DUSTIN BURROWS AND SPONSORED BY SENATOR BRANDON CREIGHTON WAS A BIG TOPIC AND STILL IS OF DISCUSSION AS YOU ALL AND CITY COUNCIL KNOW THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION IN ARTICLE NINE SECTION FIVE GRANTS THE POWER OF LOCAL HOME, UH, SELF-GOVERNMENT TO HOME RULE CITIES FOR OVER 100 YEARS.
A HOME RULE CITY MAY ACT IN ANY WAY THAT IS AUTHORIZED BY HIS CHARTER.
HOWEVER, THAT CHARTER MAY NOT CONTAIN ANY PROVISION INCONSISTENT WITH THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION OR STATE LAW.
HOUSE BILL 2127 EFFECTIVELY UNDOES THAT CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT AND PREEMPTS ALL REGULATION ON TEXAS'S AGRICULTURE, FINANCE, INSURANCE, PROPERTY, LABOR, NATURAL RESOURCES, BUSINESS AND COMMERCE AND OCCUPATION CODES.
ON JULY THE THIRD, THE CITY OF HOUSTON FILED SUIT AGAINST THE STATE OF TEXAS CHALLENGING THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF HOUSE BILL 2127.
AND OUR PETITION IS ALSO LISTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
I WOULD ALSO NOTE CALLING YOUR BILL THE DEATH STAR.
PRETTY MUCH PROVES YOU DIDN'T WATCH TO THE END OF ANY STAR WARS MOVIE WHILE HOUSE BILL 2127 DOES SUCK MOST OF THE AIR OUT OF THE ROOM.
WE DID WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE THREE BILLS THAT DID NOT PASS, UM, THAT WOULD'VE TIED THE CITY'S HANDS EVEN FURTHER.
SENATE BILL 1 49, HOUSE BILL 2350 AND HOUSE BILL 2266 ALL DEALT IN VARIOUS AMOUNTS WITH PREEMPTING THE CITY REGULATING BUSINESS IN GENERAL HOUSE BILL 2350 BY REPRESENTATIVE CODY HARRIS WOULD'VE PREEMPTED A MUNICIPALITY FROM REGULATING ANY OCCUPATION THAT ALSO REQUIRES A STATE LICENSE IN A MATTER THAT IS MORE STRINGENT OR INCONSISTENT WITH STATE RULE.
HOUSE BILL 2266 BY REPRESENTATIVE JEFF LEACH WOULD'VE AUTHORIZED LEGAL ACTION AGAINST A CITY TO ENJOIN THE ENFORCEMENT OF A LOCAL LAW THAT IS STRICTER THAN A STATE LAW OR WOULD'VE RESULTED IN AN ADVERSE ECONOMIC IMPACT ON THEM.
AND LASTLY, SENATE BILL 1 49, A SWEEPING PREEMPTION BILL BY SENATOR DREW SPRINGER WOULD'VE ESTABLISHED THAT A MUNICIPALITY MAY NOT ADOPT OR ENFORCE AN ORDINANCE REGULATION OR OTHER MEASURE THAT IMPOSES ANY RESTRICTION CONDITION OR REGULATION ON COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY IN GENERAL, BY HAVING THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT ADVOCATE ON THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS THESE BILLS COULD HAVE HAD ON THE HOUSTON'S TOWING LICENSE APPLICATION.
AND BY PARTNERING WITH OTHER CITIES ON THEIR OWN ISSUES, THE CITY SUCCESSFULLY HELPED TO KILL ALL THREE BILLS AFTER PREEMPTION.
PERHAPS THE MOST EFFORT BY THE GR TEAM WAS PUT INTO BILLS AFFECTING THE HOUSTON FIRE DEPARTMENT SENATE BILL 7 36 BY SENATOR JOHN WHITMEYER AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE MARIANNE PEREZ MANDATES BINDING ARBITRATION IN THE EVENT AN AGREEMENT IS NOT REACHED BETWEEN LOCAL 3 41 AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON LIKELY IMPOSING ADDITIONAL COST.
AND UNLIKE THE MANDATORY ARBITRATION MEASURES PASSED IN THE CITIES OF SAN ANTONIO AND AUSTIN SENATE BILL 7 3 6 ITSELF CONTAINS NO FINANCIAL GUARDRAILS IN THOSE CITIES.
ARBITERS MUST ONLY CONSIDER THE CERTAIN ITEMS INCLUDING REVENUES AVAILABLE TO AND CONTRACTUAL CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS OF THE CITY ALONG, UH, ALONG WITH OTHER SPECIFIC AREAS.
THESE GUARDRAILS ARE JUST THAT THEY PROTECT THE CITY'S FINANCIAL STATE
[00:25:01]
WHEN UNDERGOING NEGOTIATION WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE FIRE UNIONS.THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS EFFORTS BY THE CITY INCLUDED TESTIMONY FROM MAYOR PRO TEM DAVE MARTIN, FIRE CHIEF SAM PENA CITY ATTORNEY ART THO MICHEL, ALONG WITH DOZENS OF CALLS AND MEETINGS WITH REPRESENTATIVES, SENATORS AND THEIR STAFFERS.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON CONTINUES TO RESPOND TO LAWSUITS BROUGHT BY THE FIRE UNION AND UNDOUBTEDLY SB 7 36 WILL COME UP.
I WOULD NOTE THIS BILL HAS NO LEGISLATIVE REFERENCE TO BEING RETROACTIVE AND WAS NEVER PRESENTED AS SO BY ITS AUTHORS.
THIS IS ABOUT FUTURE CONTRACTS AND THE CITY WILL FIGHT FOR THAT POSITION.
NOW, DURING MY FIRST SESSION IN 2017, WE PASSED SENATE BILL 2190 REFORMING HOUSTON'S PENSION SYSTEM AND REDUCING AN $8.2 BILLION UNFUNDED LIABILITY TO LESS THAN $2.2 BILLION.
TODAY, HOUSE BILL 33 40 WAS A DIRECT ATTEMPT TO END THE FRAMEWORK ESTABLISHED BY THESE HARD FOUGHT PENSION REFORMS. AS DEPUTY FINANCE DIRECTOR MELISSA DEBOWSKI TESTIFIED, STATE STATUTE ALREADY HAS PROVISIONS IN PLACE THAT WOULD ALLOW THE CITY AND THE PLANS TO WORK TOGETHER ON A SUSTAINABLE AND AFFORDABLE ENHANCEMENT OF BENE BENEFITS.
BUT ONLY ONCE THE PLANS WERE FULLY FUNDED, REACHING A LEVEL OF 100% INCREASING BENEFITS NOW WOULD JEOPARDIZE THE GAINS OF SB 21 THAT IT SOLIDIFIED.
WHEN PRESENTING HOUSE BILL 33 40, THERE WAS NO ACTUARIAL ANALYSIS PRESENTED ON THE COST OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES.
AS MAYOR TURN NOTED, THAT IS EXACTLY HOW WE GOT INTO THIS POSITION IN THE FIRST PLACE.
VIGILANCE MUST BE PAID TO FUTURE LEGISLATION ALTERING THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S PENSION SYSTEM.
HOUSTON'S PENSION SYSTEMS HAVE BECOME A NATIONAL MODEL AND ANY CHANGES MUST BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED AND COST THOROUGHLY EXAMINED.
AND WHEN YOU THINK OF FIRE, YOU ALSO THINK OF HEAT.
AND IN THIS HEAT YOU CAN BE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON CARE ABOUT THE COST AND RELIABILITY OF ELECTRICITY.
YOU AS A COUNCIL HAVE WORKED HARD ON BEHALF OF TECH RATE PAYERS TO CHALLENGE INCREASES TO DISTRIBUTION AND TRANSMISSION CHARGES THAT WOULD'VE BEEN ADDED TO ELECTRICITY BILLS.
BECAUSE OF THE BILLS THAT PASSED THIS SESSION, WE ARE DI DISAPPOINTED TO REPORT THAT HOUSTONIANS MAY NOW FACE HIGHER ELECTRIC BILLS DUE TO LESS ACCOUNTABILITY FROM CORPORATIONS.
A RA DIRECTOR TINA PYA LED INTERVENTIONS ON BEHALF OF THE CITY ON FOUR PERIODIC RATE HIKES FROM 2015 TO 2019, SAVING $80 MILLION FOR RATE PAYERS FROM CENTERPOINT.
THE INVESTOR OWNED UTILITY THAT PROVIDES ELECTRIC DISTRIBUTION AND TRANSMISSION SENATE BILL 10 15 AS FILED WOULD HAVE COMPLETELY ELIMINATED THE CITY OF HOUSTON'S ABILITY TO PROTEST ANY FUTURE RATE HIKES.
IF NOT FOR THE ADVOCACY AND DIRECT TESTIMONY OF DIRECTOR PEZ HOUSTON WOULD'VE LOST THE ABILITY TO PROTEST IN THE DISTRIBUTION COST RECOVERY FACTOR D CRFS.
THE HEARINGS THAT HAVE DIRECTLY SAVED, AND AGAIN, I'LL STATE THIS, RATE PAYERS IN HOUSTON, $80 MILLION AFTER WORKING WITH REPRESENTATIVE DAVID SPILLER IN THE HOUSE SENATE BILL 10 15 WAS AMENDED TO ENSURE FULL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION REMAINED WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON, BUT WOULD ALSO ALLOW FOR AN ADDITIONAL DCRF ANNUALLY.
AS LONG AS THE CITY OF HOUSTON CAN PROTEST, WE FEEL THAT OUR RATE PAYERS CAN BE PROTECTED.
HOWEVER, ALL THE HARD FOUGHT CHANGES WON IN SB 10 15 COULD BE WIPED OUT UNDER HOUSE BILL 25 55, HOUSE BILL 25 55 BYPASSES CITY JURISDICTION OVER UTILITY RATES AND COST RECOVERY AND AUTHORIZES AN ELECTRIC UTILITY TO FILE THEIR RESILIENCE PLAN DIRECTLY WITH THE PUC.
THE PUC CAN THEN ALLOW ANY PLANNED RESILIENCY COSTS TO BE DIRECTLY BAKED INTO THE RATE AHEAD OF THOSE COSTS ACTUALLY OCCURRING.
HB 25 55 UNDER, UNDER HB 25 55, THERE WILL BE NO MECHANISMS TO HOLD UTILITIES ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR SYSTEM RESILIENCE OR OUTAGES DESPITE THE RESILIENCE INVESTMENTS.
IN FACT, THERE ARE NO PROTECTIONS EVEN IF THE ACTUAL RESILIENCE IMPLEMENTATION NEVER MATERIALIZES.
THE NEXT TOPIC THAT WAS A HOT BUTTON ISSUE AT THE CAPITAL WAS PUBLIC SAFETY FIRST SEND A BILL 2 52 BY SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO AND REPRESENTATIVE HUBERT VO MAKES IT LEGAL FOR CERTAIN LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENTS TO BE HIRED AS LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.
ELIGIBLE LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENTS ARE THOSE WHO ARE HONORABLY DISCHARGED OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES WITH AT LEAST TWO YEARS OF SERVICE AND HAVE APPLIED TO BE A US CITIZEN.
HOUSTON POLICE CHIEF TROY FINNER WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE AND PROVIDED WRITTEN TESTIMONY AND STATED, THERE ARE LOTS OF REASONS WHY PEOPLE DO NOT WANNA BE BECOME POLICE OFFICERS IN THE CURRENT CURRENT CLIMATE.
SO WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE THOSE THAT DO ANYONE ELIGIBLE TO DEFEND THE COUNTRY SHOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO SERVE THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES BY KEEPING THE STREETS SAFE.
THE SECOND GOOD BILL IS SENATE BILL 2 24.
THE CITY OF HOUSTON IN MAY OF 2022, PASSED A NUDE ORDINANCE TO DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE RISE IN
[00:30:01]
CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFTS BY STOPPING BUSINESS TO BUSINESS, RESELLING OF STOLEN EXHAUST EMISSION CONTROL DEVICES AND REQUIRING ANYONE IN POSSESSION OF A CUT CATALYTIC CONVERTER TO SHOW PROOF OF OWNERSHIP.WHEN COMPARING THE DATA IN THE YEAR SINCE IMPLEMENTATION, THIS NEW ORDINANCE HAS PROVED EXTRAORDINARILY EFFECTIVE.
IN MARCH OF 2022, THE CITY OF HOUSTON REPORTED 1,200 CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEFTS.
IN THE YEAR SINCE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ORDINANCE, THERE'S BEEN A 71% DECREASE IN MARCH OF 2023.
AFTER A FIELD HEARING IN HOUSTON BY THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE, SENATOR CARROLL ALVARADO HELPED CRAFT AND FILE, UH, SENATE BILL 2 24 NAMED DEPUTY DARREN ALMOND ACT.
THE BILL PROVIDES A NEW OFFENSE, ENHANCES PENALTIES AND MAKES CHANGES TO THE REGULATORY SPECIFIC, UH, REGULATORY REGIME SPECIFIC TO CATALYTIC CONVERTERS.
NOW SWITCHING GEARS, AS THE CITY OF HOUSTON DOES NOT HAVE ZONING, IT IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE MAINTAIN WHAT LAND USE REGULATIONS WE DO HAVE.
DURING THE 87TH INTERIM SESSION, THE CITY OF HOUSTON WAS ACTIVE IN DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, THE TEXAS CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION, AND THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION IN ORDER TO WORK THROUGH THE PERMITTING SHOCK CLOCK IMPACTS FROM HOUSE BILL 31 67 FROM 2019, WHILE THERE ARE QUITE A BILLS THAT IMPACTED OUR LAND USE, WE WANT TO REGULATE, WE WANT TO HIGHLIGHT ONE BILL IN PARTICULAR THAT DEALS WITH PLATTING.
THE BILL THAT PASSED HOUSE BILL 14 BY REPRESENTATIVE CODY HARRIS AND SENATOR PAUL BETTENCOURT AFFECTS THE WAY THE CITY OF HOUSTON PROVIDES PLAT APPROVALS.
HB 14 ALLOWS AN APPLICANT TO HAVE A PLAT PLAN OR INSPECTION DONE BY A THIRD PARTY REVIEWER.
IF THAT REGULATORY AUTHORITY DOES NOT COMPLETE THE REVIEW AND APPROVE THAT PLAT PLAN OR INSPECTION BY 15 DAYS AFTER THE SHOCK CLOCK DEADLINE.
IN ADDITION TO PROHIBITING AN ADDITIONAL FEE FOR THIRD PARTY REVIEW, HB 14 PROHIBITS THE REGULATORY AUTHORITY TO REQUEST OR REQUIRE AN APPLICANT TO, TO WAIVE THEIR DEADLINE.
HB 14 ALSO ALLOWS AN APPLICANT TO APPEAL TO A GOVERNING BODY, THE REGULATORY, A AUTHORITIES TO DECISION TO APPROVE OR DENY AN APPLICATION OR THE INSPECTION RESULTS.
THIS BILL TAKES EFFECT SEPTEMBER ONE OF THIS YEAR.
NOW, AS MORE AND MORE EVENTS WANT TO COME TO HOUSTON, THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TEAM CREATED A SECTION DESCRIBING LEGISLATION THAT WILL HAVE A BIG IMPACT ON OUR CITY'S ABILITY TO COMPETE FOR MAJOR HOSTING EVENT FOR, UH, TO HOST MAJOR EVENTS.
ONE OF THE BIG SUCCESSES FOR HOUSTON FIRST WAS SENATE BILL 10 57 BY SENATOR JOHN WHITMEYER AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE SAM HARLESS.
NOW, LEGISLATION PASSED IN 2013 ALLOWED DALLAS AND FORT WORTH TO USE CERTAIN REVENUE, SPECIFICALLY HOT TAXES TO FUND A CONVENTION CENTER FACILITY, A MULTIPURPOSE ARENA, AND RELATED INFRASTRUCTURE.
SENATE BILL 10 57 AMENDS THAT CURRENT LAW TO NOW INCLUDE THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
THE MEASURE IS ESTIMATED TO YIELD 1.8 BILLION OVER 30 YEARS AND WAS STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP, THE HOTEL ASSOCIATION OF GREATER HOUSTON, AND THE TEXAS HOTEL AND LODGING ASSOCIATION.
WHEN IT COMES TO CONCRETE BATCH PLANTS IN THE CITY OF HOUSTON, UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF OUR LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES OF COLOR ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTED BY THE HEALTH RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH LIVING NEAR THESE SITES.
THATIT EMIT TOXIC AIR POLLUTANTS DAILY.
OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND ORGANIZATIONS AND ARTISTS FROM OUR FIVE MOST IMPACTED NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGH THE HOUSTON INSPIRA PUBLIC HEALTH CAMPAIGN.
I WANNA GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO DESMOND TAYLOR, DIRECTOR, UH, OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS NICOLE IRVIN AND DR. LAUREN HOPKINS, ALL OF WHOM ARE LEADING THE CHARGE FOR THE CITY AS WELL OF OUR, AS WELL AS ALL OF OUR CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT CAME TO AUSTIN TO ADVOCATE ON THESE CHANGES.
SENATE BILL 1397 BY SENATOR CHARLES SCHWART AND REPRESENTATIVE KEITH BELL BENEFITED HOUSTON HOUSTONIANS BY CAPPING ANNUAL PRODUCTION RATE LIMITS, REQUIRING HEALTH MEASURES FOR WORKERS AND INCREASING THE MINIMUM DISTANCE REQUIREMENT FOR CONCRETE BATCH PLANTS FROM FENCE LINE COMMUNITIES.
IN ADDITION TO SB 1397, REPRESENTATIVE ARMANDO WALLY WAS SUCCESSFUL AND ABLE TO SECURE MEASURE IN THE STATE BUDGET THAT DEVOTES AN EXTRA $2.5 MILLION TO THE TCE Q'S AIR QUALITY MACHINERY AND STAFFING NEEDS.
THE LAW WAS SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR ON JUNE 18TH AND BECOMES EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST.
WHILE THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS WEBSITE DON'T SHOW EVERYTHING THE GOVERNMENT RELATIONS TEAM DID WHILE IN AUSTIN, THEY SHOULD HIGHLIGHT WHAT WAS MOST IMPORTANT TO MAYOR TURNER.
MAKING SURE HOUSTON HAS A STRONG VOICE IN STATE POLICY IS VITAL.
IF THE STATE IS GOING TO ADDRESS THE CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE AS HOUSTONIANS.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS I PERSONALLY HAVE IS THE FAILURE TO PASS HOUSE BILL 32 66 BY REPRESENTATIVE FREDERICK FRAZIER, A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL HIMSELF, WHO PASSED HIS MEASURE OUT OF THE HOUSE ONLY TO SEE IT FAIL IN THE TEXAS SENATE, AS YOU ALL KNOW, BECAUSE YOU WENT TO HIS FUNERAL, HOUSTON HOUSTON, SENIOR HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT
[00:35:01]
OFFICER WILLIAM JEFFREY WAS KILLED.AND ANOTHER OFFICER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED BY A SUSPECT WHO ALLEGED, WHO, WHO ILLEGALLY MODIFIED HIS WEAPON WITH AN AUTO SHEARER.
IT TOOK 2.23 SECONDS FOR THAT INDIVIDUAL TO FIRE 30 BULLETS.
NOW, THIS BILL WOULD'VE CRIMINALIZED POSSESSING MANUFACTURING, TRANSPORTING, REPAIRING, OR SELLING DEVICES DESIGNED TO MAKE HANDGUNS CAPABLE OF AUTOMATICALLY SHOOTING MORE THAN ONE SHOT WITHOUT RENT, MANUALLY RELOADING BY A SINGLE FUNCTION OF THE TRIGGER.
AND SIMPLY PUT, IT INCORPORATES THESE DEVICES INTO THE STATE'S DEFINITION OF A MACHINE GUN.
IT IS INEXCUSABLE THAT FOR ALL OF THEIR RHETORIC, THE TEXAS SENATE FAILED TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT OUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
I PRAY THAT NO ONE, ESPECIALLY OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY, IS INJURED BY ANY OF THESE DEVICES BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT SESSION.
BUT I WOULD NOT BET ON IT THIS LEGISLATION AND OTHERS LIKE IT REPRESENT WHAT WE WORK SO HARD FOR ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF HOUSTON.
IT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT GIVEN THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LOOKING TO SILENCE WHAT CITIES CAN SAY, WE BELIEVE THESE MEASURES ARE IMPORTANT AND WE DESERVE TO HAVE AN EQUAL SAY WITH EVERYONE ELSE IN AUSTIN.
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS PRESENTATION AND LOOK FORWARD TO TAKING YOUR QUESTIONS.
GREAT PRESENTATION COUNCIL MEMBER ABBY CAYMAN.
THANK YOU CHAIR, UM, TO BOTH OF YOU AND TO THE ENTIRE TEAM.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU NOT ONLY FOR THIS SESSION, BUT BILL FOR ALL OF YOUR SERVICE, UM, AND TO YOUR FAMILIES TO HAVE TO GO UP TO AUSTIN EVEN WHEN YOU'RE NOT IN AUSTIN.
IT IS ALL CONSUMING DURING SESSION.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU AND PLEASE CONVEY TO EVERYONE, AND I APPRECIATE Y'ALL SCROLLING THROUGH THAT ENTIRE LIST OF WHAT IT TAKES TO ADDRESS ALL OF THE CITY AND HOUSTONIANS INTERESTS IN AUSTIN.
MY FIRST QUESTION IS, UH, WE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AROUND CITY PROHIBITIONS AND ONE OF THOSE, AND I MAY HAVE MISSED IT, HAD TO DO WITH THE CITY'S ABILITY ABILITY TO LOBBY IN AUSTIN.
WHAT WAS THE STATUS OF THAT? I MAY HAVE MISSED IT.
UH, I BELIEVE THAT WAS, UH, IT WAS A SENATE BILL BY REPRESENTATIVE MAYS MIDDLETON, I WANNA SAY IT WAS SENATE BILL 1 75.
UM, THERE HAD BEEN GATHERING MOMENTUM TO PROHIBIT, UH, WHAT HAD BEEN CALLED TAXPAYER LOBBYING, UH, BY, BY SOME GROUPS.
UH, AND AFTER THAT, BILL HAD A HEARING IN THE SENATE, UH, IT WENT ON TO PASS THE SENATE, UH, AND IT NEVER EVEN RECEIVED A HEARING IN THE HOUSE.
AND I REALLY THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ISSUES THAT WE WORK ON AS ILLUSTRATED BY THIS WEBSITE, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHY.
UH, AND THAT'S A GOOD THING AND WE UNDERSTAND WHY AND WHAT IT TAKES TO ACTUALLY ADDRESS HOUSTONIAN INTERESTS IN AUSTIN.
JUST THE SAME WAY THE STATE NEEDS RESOURCES TO ADDRESS WHAT HAPPENS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
UM, A LOT OF BILLS THAT WE COVERED, UH, IN THE NEWS, I SHOULD SAY THE GOVERNOR IS NOW VETOING A LOT OF BILLS, UM, THAT HAVE PASSED THAT HAD BIPARTISAN SUPPORT AND THAT WERE VERY POPULAR.
DID HAVE ANY OF THOSE BILLS BEEN VETOED THAT WE WERE EXCITED ABOUT THAT HELPED HOUSTONIANS DANGEROUS DOGS? OH, YES.
SO BIG SHOUT OUT TO BARK AND TO A RA FOR THIS BILL THAT DEALT WITH THE DEFINITION OF DANGEROUS DOGS AND HOW WE, UM, IT'S UNDER PUBLIC SAFETY IF Y'ALL ARE INTERESTED IN LOOKING INTO IT.
BUT, UM, THIS BILL WOULD AFFECT THE WAY THAT WE TREAT DANGEROUS DOGS, HOW WE INVESTIGATE.
AND OUR TEAM IN A RA WENT TO THE AUTHOR AND WE SAT DOWN AND SPOKE WITH THEM AND ACTUALLY MADE SOME GOOD CHANGES TO THE BILL THAT WOULD CLARIFY WHAT CONSTITUTES AS IT AS A DANGEROUS DOG.
IT OFFERS BOTH PROTECTIONS TO THE OWNER, THE DOG, WELL TO THE OWNER DOG, AND THE VICTIM OF DANGEROUS DOG ATTACKS.
UM, WE WERE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
WE HAD SUPPORT FROM OUR ANIMAL COMMUNITY AS WELL, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THAT BILL WAS VETOED.
AND, UH, IF I COULD GO BACK IN QUEUE PLEASE GO AHEAD.
I'LL GIVE YOU THE LEEWAY TO ANSWER.
UM, WE TALKED ABOUT THE PREEMPTION BILLS AND JUST TO CLARIFY, WE KNOW THAT THE DEATH STAR BILL PASSED AND WILL BE ENFORCED AND THERE'S A LOT OF MAY BE ENFORCED DEPENDING ON HOW THE LITIGATION GOES.
UM, THE, JUST TO CLARIFY, THE OTHER PREEMPTION BILLS THAT Y'ALL COVERED DID NOT PASS OR DID PASS? THAT'S CORRECT.
UM, DESMOND I THINK HAS THE, UH, LIST OF PREEMPTION BILLS THAT, UH, THAT WE HAVE FEATURED ON THE WEBSITE, THE THREE THAT, UH, ALEXA MENTIONED, UH, DID NOT PASS.
UH, AND THEN WE, UH, SO YES, IF, UH, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ON THAT.
AGAIN, I JUST WANNA THANK YOU ALL.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT TO UNPACK IN HERE.
UM, AND I WANNA ACKNOWLEDGE THE COALITION THAT WE AS A CITY HAVE BUILT, BUILDING BIPARTISAN SUPPORT PRETTY MUCH ON EVERY BILL.
IT WAS NOT A D OR AN R, IT WAS BIPARTISAN AND EVERYONE COMING TOGETHER FOR THE BENEFIT OF HOUSTONIANS.
[00:40:01]
I HAD ONE LAST QUESTION, HB 2 5 5 25 55, WHERE IT GIVES THE PUC CONTROL, UM, OVER THOSE DECISIONS.DOES THE CITY HAVE A WAY TO CONTEST IN THAT CASE? NO.
AND THERE ARE VERY LITTLE DEFINITIONS OF WHAT THE PUC SHALL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION BEFORE BAKING THOSE INTO RATES.
SO NOT ONLY DO WE NOT HAVE ORIGINAL JURISDICTION OR THE ABILITY TO BE AT THE TABLE, WE HAVE NO ABILITY TO CONTEST THOSE RATE INCREASES.
AND I WOULD, UH, I WOULD 0.1 OF THE, UH, UH, DOCUMENTS THAT WE'VE GOT ONLINE, I BELIEVE IS OUR FAQ WITH REGARDS TO 25 55 THAT'S ON THAT WEBSITE, UH, WHERE DIRECTOR PEZ AND HER TEAM, UH, WERE ABLE TO DETAIL OUR SEVERE CONCERNS WITH THAT LEGISLATION.
AND I WILL MENTION THAT SB 10 15 AND, UH, HB 25 55 BOTH PASSED AND THEY, THEY DEAL SIMILARLY AND I THINK THE PUC WILL NEED TO, UH, HASH OUT THE DIFFERENCES AND ANY DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN THOSE TWO BILLS.
YOU KNOW, I WAS GONNA ASK ABOUT IT AND I THINK YOU HAVE SOME GOOD NEWS ON THAT FRONT.
UH, AND FIRST THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS, UH, IN BEING ABLE TO, UH, HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
I KNOW THAT A NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN AUSTIN SAW YOUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY, UH, IN TALKING ABOUT OUR, OUR CITY OF HOUSTON SOUND ORDINANCE.
UM, UH, I SEE DESMOND HAS GOT PULLED UP HERE, SENATE BILL, UH, 5 77, UH, WE MENTIONED SENATOR DREW SPRINGER, WHO IS MM-HMM
FROM MUNSTER, TEXAS, WHOSE POPULATION IS ABOUT 30, 3200.
I KNOW BECAUSE MY BROTHER LIVES THERE.
UH, HE IS NOT EXACTLY A FRIEND TO LARGE URBAN, UH, CITIES WHEN IT COMES TO OUR REGULATORY, UH, UH, POWER.
BUT, UH, WE MET WITH SENATOR SPRINGER.
HE HAD A BILL THAT, UH, PRIMARILY TALKED ABOUT STANDARDIZING, UH, A NUMBER OF HEALTH DEPARTMENT, UH, UH, PROGRAMS WITH REGARDS TO PERMITTING FOR RESTAURANTS.
AND AT THE END OF HIS BILL, THERE WAS A COMPLETE STATE, UM, PREEMPTION OF ALL SOUND ORDINANCES AND ESTABLISHING ONE STATEWIDE STANDARD.
WE SAID WE'RE THE LARGEST CITY IN AMERICA WITHOUT ZONING.
WE JUST TOOK TWO YEARS TO BE ABLE TO, UH, GET STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK AND TO COORDINATE WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ON THE ENFORCEMENT PART OF IT.
UH, AND TO, TO GIVE, UH, SENATOR SPRINGER FULL CREDIT.
HE SAID, I'M NOT TRYING TO DISRUPT THAT RIGHT, UH, REGULATORY REGIME.
AND SO HE STRUCK THAT, UH, THAT PORTION OF HIS BILL AND IT REMAINED OUT.
UH, AND THEN I WANNA MAKE SURE AND THINK, UH, SO I WANNA GIVE HIM AND HIS STAFF A LOT OF CREDIT FOR THAT, UH, BECAUSE THEY WERE, UH, THEY HAD UNMISTAKABLE CLARITY IN WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING TO, UH, UM, DO WHEN THE BILL WENT BACK OVER TO THE HOUSE.
THERE WERE SOME TALK ABOUT ADDING IT BACK IN.
UH, AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE GENE WU, ALONG WITH OUR OTHER, UH, HOUSTON REPRESENTATIVES, HELPED MAKE SURE THAT THAT, UH, WAS NOT ADDED BACK, UH, ONCE IT WAS ON THE LOCAL AND CONSENT CALENDAR.
SO THE GOOD NEWS IS HOUSTON SOUND ORDINANCE WAS NOT PREEMPTED THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION GREAT.
AND NOT, NOT IN ANY OF THE CODES OF 2127, NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE IN ANY OF THOSE EIGHT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IN THE COURTS.
AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE, THE TML MEETING A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, THAT MOST CITIES ARE KIND OF TAKING, I MEAN, I'M GL I MEAN, WE'RE, WE WERE AGGRESSIVE, AND I THINK OTHER CITIES WILL BE KIND OF JOINING US IN THE, IN THE, IN THE LAWSUIT.
BUT W IT KIND OF A LET IT RIDE STANCE.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT GONNA GO BACK THROUGH EVERY RULE AND, AND SEE IT, BUT ULTIMATELY THE COURTS, BY THE LAW ITSELF, THE COURTS END UP DECIDING A LOT OF THIS PREEMPTION, RIGHT? THAT'S, THAT'S CORRECT.
IF, UM, IF AN INDIVIDUAL FROM ANY ADJACENT COUNTY WANTS TO BE ABLE TO SUE, THEY ARE ABLE TO SAYING THAT WE BELIEVE THIS LAW SHOULD BE PREEMPTED NOW, LIKE FOR THE OCCUPATION CODE ALONE, AND I THINK DESMOND HAS IT PULLED UP, UH, THE, UH, UH, IT MENTIONS OUTDOOR MUSIC FESTIVALS.
IT MENTIONS, UH, THE TOWING OF VEHICLES.
IT MENTIONS HOW PEOPLE WITH A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKERED, UH, UH, BACKGROUND CHECK OR, OR TREATED, UM, WITH PREVIOUS CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS.
AND ACCORDING TO THE LAW, IF IT MENTIONS THEN THE STATE IS DEEMED THAT THEY OCCUPY THAT CODE, OR, AND SO IT IS, IT IS SO NEBULOUS.
UH, I I REALLY WANNA GIVE CREDIT TO COLLEEN, UH, PETTY FROM OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT WHO TALKED ABOUT THE STATE HISTORY OF PREEMPTION AND WHERE SHE SAID THE STATE ABSOLUTELY HAS THE RIGHT TO PREEMPT LOCAL ORDINANCES.
THEY DO SO WITH UNMISTAKABLE CLARITY.
TWO WORDS YOU WOULD NOT ASSOCIATE WITH HOUSE BILL 2127 ARE UNMISTAKABLE OR CLARITY.
ONE QUICK MORE ONE, OR NO, I'LL GO BACK IN.
COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID ROBINSON.
UM, THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING.
YOU'RE REPORTING ON YOUR HARD WORK.
IT'S CLEAR IT'S PAYING OFF IN, IN MANY IMPORTANT WAYS.
I, ONE, UH, COMMENTARY THAT I THINK WAS EDITORIALIZED IN THE PAPER ABOUT WAS, UH, SOME OF WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAS VETOED, UH, INCLUDING ONE PARTICULAR INITIATIVE WITH THE GULF COAST PROTECTION
[00:45:01]
DISTRICT.AND I THINK THAT FAILED TO PASS HIS DESK, UH, VETOED, UH, IN THE DISCUSSION CENTERED ON SOMEHOW, UH, HIS PERSONAL, UH, FEELINGS TOWARD BILLS AND THAT THIS MIGHT HAVE BEEN RELATED TO THE PROPERTY TAX BILL THAT APPEARS TO HAVE JUST PASSED AND, UM, FOUND SOME WAY THROUGH.
AND SO, I GUESS, GIVEN THAT THIS SPECIAL SESSION HAS BEEN UNDERTAKEN AND IS WHERE IT IS TODAY, I WONDER IF YOU COULD SPECULATE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF THOSE PARTICULAR, UH, ISSUES, WHETHER VENDETTA OR NOT, WHETHER, UH, PERSONALLY KILLED OR WHERE THEY MIGHT GO, WHAT WE COULD LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING.
AND WHEN YOU ALL MIGHT GET A BREAK.
I WOULD, I WOULD POINT TO THE GOVERNOR'S VETO STATEMENTS ON A NUMBER OF THOSE MEASURES.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT HIS VETO STATEMENT WAS ON THAT ONE IN PARTICULAR, BUT HE WOULD, HE WOULD OFTEN SAY, UH, THIS LEGISLATION DESERVES REVIEW AFTER PROPERTY TAXES PASSED.
UH, I, I DID NOT SEE THE CONTROVERSY OR OPPOSITION FOR THE BILL YOU MENTIONED.
UH, AND SO I'M HOPEFUL THAT THAT VETO MESSAGE NOW THAT THERE IS A DEAL WITH REGARDS TO STATE, UH, SCHOOL PROPERTY TAXES CAN HOPEFULLY BE RECONSIDERED BECAUSE, UH, THAT'S A VITALLY IMPORTANT.
SO HOW, HOW WOULD THAT RECONSIDERATION PLAY OUT? WILL THOSE THINGS COME BACK? UH, IF YOU COULD EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT WHETHER THAT REQUIRES FURTHER ACTION AT THE HILL, OR WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? SO DURING, UH, UH, GIVEN THAT THE 140 DAY SESSION IS OVER, WE ARE NOW IN OUR SECOND SPECIAL SESSION.
SPECIAL SESSIONS ARE BYLAW 30 DAYS.
UH, AND THE SUBJECT MATTER FOR A SPECIAL SESSION CAN ONLY BE WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAS PUT ON WHAT'S CALLED THE CALL.
UH, AND SO IT WOULD BE, IT IS COMPLETELY AT THE GOVERNOR'S DISCRETION ON WHETHER HE, UH, WOULD ADD SUBJECT MATTER AREAS TO THE CALL, UH, THAT WOULD ALLOW FOR, YOU KNOW, THESE, THESE PIECES OF VETOED LEGISLATION THAT I THINK HE HIMSELF SAID, DESERVE FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
SO IT, IT IS REALLY A, A GOVERNOR'S DECISION.
SO WHEN THAT COMES BACK, THAT, SO THAT BE A PRETTY CLEAR INDICATION OF WHAT MIGHT BE ON THE TABLE, WHAT HE DIDN'T REALLY BELIEVE WAS, UH, WORTH KILLING AND VETOING.
UM, DOES THAT CREATE A ROLE FOR YOU ALL OR FOR ANY OF US IN TERMS, UH, I'VE HEARD VARIOUS LEGISLATORS, UM, SPEAK TO THEIR ASPIRATIONS AND HOPES THAT WE WOULD TAKE THINGS BACK UP, BUT I WONDER IF OUR ROLE IS DONE OR IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO DO.
UH, I WOULD, I WOULD, UH, I THINK THOSE, THOSE INDIVIDUAL STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS, UH, BEING ABLE TO JOIN IN THEIR ASPIRATIONS WITH IT, IT, IT IS A GOVERNOR'S DECISION.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S, UM, AND GIVEN THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY DONE ALL THE HARD WORK, THE VERY HARD WORK TO PASS LEGISLATION, BEING ABLE TO CONTACT THEIR OFFICES AND SAY, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP, IS PROBABLY THE, THE, THE ONLY THING THAT WOULD REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE, THANKS, UH, FOR YOUR HELP, BOTH OF YOU WITH THE LAKE HOUSTON SPILLWAY DAM GATE PROJECT, UH, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT THE EFFORTS OF THE TWO PEOPLE THAT SIT TO MY RIGHT, WHO WORK HARD EACH AND EVERY DAY IN THEIR EFFORTS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAD THE FINAL PUSH.
AND ABOVE ALL PEOPLE, THE HARD WORK AND EFFORTS OF STEVEN COSTELLO MM-HMM
WHO WAS THERE MORE THAN ANYONE.
AND, UH, HE WAS A GREAT ASSET.
HE'S THE MOST BRILLIANT ENGINEER THAT I'VE EVER WORKED WITH.
UM, AND HE JUST DOES A GREAT JOB OF PRESENTING THE FACTS IN A GREAT FASHION.
SO THANK YOU, UH, RECOVERY OFFICER STEVEN COSTELLO, AND ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE DAN HUBERTY AND BEN NELSON FROM YOUR TEAM.
UM, AND ALSO MAYOR TURNER, BECAUSE HE WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH A LOT OF THE FOLKS THAT HE WORKED WITH, ESPECIALLY, UM, MR. ANDREW LYFORD MM-HMM.
AND SENATOR HUFFMAN WHO, UH, WE NEEDED SOME LAST MINUTE HELP FROM.
AND THANK YOU, UH, AGAIN TO STEVEN COSTELLO, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER OF SALLY ALCORN, COUNCIL MEMBER.
I DO WANNA MAKE SURE AND SAY, NO ONE WOULD'VE GOTTEN THIS DONE WITHOUT YOUR EFFORTS
AND TO BE VERY CLEAR WITH THAT AND, AND THOSE OF YOUR STAFF, UH, ON BEING ABLE TO, TO DO THIS, THIS WAS, I I SAID THAT DOGGED DETERMINATION AND VERY MUCH MEAN THAT I THINK, UH, UH, STEVEN COSTELLO, WHO WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH IN OUR OFFICE, UH, HELPED THAT.
BUT I, I, ONE PERSON I DID WANNA MAKE SURE, UH, AND MENTION AGAIN, WAS REPRESENTATIVE SAM HARLESS YES.
WHO HOSTED OUR DELEGATION BRIEFING ON THAT TO GET ALL OUR HOUSE MEMBERS ON THE SAME PAGE WITH IT.
SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE AND GIVE HIM A SHOUT OUT AS WELL.
BUT, UM, THAT, THAT I THINK IS A, A, UH, OF ALL THE, OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WE HAD DURING THIS SESSION, THAT IS PROBABLY OUR BIGGEST SUCCESS.
COMES FROM MEMBER SALLY ALCORN.
THANK YOU, CHAIR ON FORENSIC SCIENCE.
YOU MENTIONED THE, THE PORTAL, BUT WAS ANY STATEWIDE MONEY GIVEN MORE MONEY GIVEN TOWARDS THAT, TOWARDS, UH, FORENSIC SCIENCE CENTERS ACROSS THE STATE? WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA, WE'LL HAVE TO CHECK IN WITH, UH, DR.
DR. STOUT BECAUSE A NUMBER OF THOSE BUCKETS ARE OKAY.
[00:50:01]
UH, UH, A LITTLE COMPLICATED WITH IT, BUT I WILL SAY, UM, PROBABLY MORE THAN ANY SINGLE MEASURE, IT WAS MAKING SURE THAT BILLS THAT WEREN'T VERY WELL THOUGHT THROUGH DIDN'T PASS.I CAN THINK ONE ON FENTANYL, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAD A STATEWIDE BILL THAT SAID, YOU HAVE TO TEST EVERYTHING THAT WE THINK MIGHT BE FENTANYL, WHICH SURE SOUNDS GREAT, BUT IF DR.
PERS GETS A HUNDRED PILLS AND HE TEST FIVE OF THEM, AND THEY ALL FIVE POP FOR FENTANYL, DO WE REALLY WANT HIM TO WASTE TIME AND EFFORT TESTING THE OTHER 95? UH, AND SO WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, SLOW DOWN AND MAKE SURE AND, UH, GIVE CREDIT TO SENATOR WHITMEYER ON HIS SENATE, UH, CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMITTEE FOR NOT, UM, NOT JUST PASSING THINGS THAT SOUND GOOD, UH, BUT TOOK THAT INTO ACCOUNT, SO, OKAY.
AND THE, TALK TO ME MORE ABOUT THE SHOCK CLOCK SITUATION.
I GUESS I'M JUST NOT THAT FAMILIAR WITH, SO HOUSE BILLS, UH, HOUSE BILL, UH, 14 WAS PASSED AND THAT WAS A SPEAKER PRIORITY BILL, AND THAT BASICALLY DIRECTLY RELATES TO THIRD PARTY REVIEW.
SO WE HAVE A DEADLINE, AND 15 DAYS PAST THAT DEADLINE, A PERSON CAN FILE OR CAN REQUEST A THIRD PARTY.
AND THAT'S A, THAT'S A STATE IMPOSED DEADLINE, CORRECT.
AND THAT GOES BACK TO 2019 WHEN WE HAD THAT HB 31 67, UM, THAT PASSED.
SO THAT WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT THAT SHOCK CLOCK THAT, THAT, UM, THOSE AMOUNT OF DAYS.
SO AFTER THAT STATE IMPOSED DEADLINE, AFTER 15 DAYS, A PERSON THEN CAN REQUEST A THIRD PARTY TO REVIEW.
UM, SO EL PASO DOES SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS, WHERE THEY HAVE A THIRD PARTY REVIEWER, BUT THEY WORK WITH THEM KIND OF A THINK ABOUT A CONTRACT OUT.
UM, THIS BILL DOES LITTLE TO DEFINE WHAT, UM, WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO BE A THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR.
BUT IT DOES MANDATE THAT THESE CONTRACTORS LOOK AT ALL OUR APPLICABLE LAWS.
SO THAT'S IMPORTANT, UM, AND REGULATIONS, BUT IT DOESN'T ALLOW US TO, YOU KNOW, CHARGE FOR THAT FEE FOR THE ADDED STAFF COSTS THAT ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THIRD PARTY REVIEW.
AND THEN AFTER THAT THIRD PARTY REVIEW, UM, THEN THEY, IF THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT THIRD PARTY REVIEWER GIVES IT TO OUR REGULATING BODY.
SO OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, UM, AND THEY WHETHER AFFIRM OR DENY WHAT THAT THIRD PARTY REVIEWER, BASICALLY IT'S LIKE A SECOND SET OF EYES.
AND IF THAT PERSON DOES NOT LIKE WHAT THE REGULATORY AUTHORITY HAS SAID FOR, UH, HAS AFFIRMED THAT THIRD PARTY REVIEW, THEN THEY CAN APPEAL TO THE GOVERNING AUTHORITY.
AND THAT TAKES, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, WAY OF LOOKING AT PLANS AND, AND, AND ENGINEERING AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
IT MAKES IT MORE OF A POLITICAL DECISION THAN A PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY ONE.
UM, SO THAT'S THE KIND OF THE SUMMARY OF HB UH, 14.
UH, WE'RE STILL NOT, WE'RE STILL UNCERTAIN HOW IT IT'S GONNA IMPACT US OR HOW IT'S GONNA WORK IN HOUSTON.
AND I WANTED TO PIGGYBACK ON COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN WITH THE SOUND ORDINANCE AND THE CONCERNS THERE TO ALSO RECOGNIZE TEXAS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION AND OTHER OUTSIDE GROUPS THAT REALLY DID COME TO THE TABLE TO MODIFY AND PREVENT UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
UM, WE HAD TALKED A LITTLE BIT, UH, AND I WANNA RECOGNIZE WE HAVE CHIEF PAY IN THE AUDIENCE AND WANNA ALSO, WE'VE TALKED A LOT ABOUT HPD, I KNOW THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND CHIEF PENA UNDER HIS LEADERSHIP HAS ALSO BEEN VERY HEAVILY INVOLVED.
AND, UM, BILL, SOMETHING NEAR AND DEAR TO YOU, ME AND I THINK, THINK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, UM, WAS, UH, CHEMICAL PLANT DISCLOSURES AND TIER REPORTING.
CAN YOU ALL GIVE AN UPDATE? WE HAVE TRIED FOR YEARS ON THIS, AGAIN, WE'VE HAD PLANT EXPLOSIONS.
UM, OUR BOOMING ECONOMY AROUND THE PORT IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT, BUT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT FOR RESIDENTS TO KNOW WHAT'S AROUND THEM.
UH, CAN YOU GIVE AN UPDATE ON WHERE WE STAND WITH THAT? I KNOW, UH, UM, REPRESENTATIVE ANNA HERNANDEZ AND SENATOR CAROL ALVARADO, UM, WORKED WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO TRY AND BREAK THE LOG JAM OF TIER TWO REPORTING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY WITH THE PUBLIC.
UM, CHIEF PENA MADE MULTIPLE CALLS, UH, VISITED MULTIPLE OFFICES, UH, BUT FRANKLY, UM, OUR, OUR, UH, COLLEAGUES AND PARTICULARLY TEXAS CHEMICAL COUNCIL WAS NOT INTERESTED IN BEING ABLE TO WORK, UH, WITH THE CITY OF HOUSTON TO HELP PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION TO OUR NEIGHBORS.
AND IT IS REALLY DISAPPOINTING BECAUSE WE THINK WE HAVE COME TO THIS IN A VERY REASONABLE POSITION, WANTING NEIGHBORS TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.
WE UNDERSTAND THE INTELLECTUAL, UH, PROPERTY THAT COMES WITH SPECIFIC CHEMICAL LISTING.
WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM TO, UH, UH, ENSURE THAT IT, WE MAINTAIN OUR VERY BUSINESS FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, IF NEIGHBORS WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE, UH, UM, THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
SO, UM, I WANT TO THANK REPRESENTATIVE HERNANDEZ, UH, AND SENATOR ALVARADO FOR CONTINUING THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
AND I REALLY WISH THAT PEOPLE WOULD SIT DOWN WITH US TO BE ABLE TO TALK ABOUT, UH,
[00:55:01]
WHAT WE COULD DO TO GET SOMETHING DONE THAT HELPS NEIGHBORHOODS.'CAUSE IT WAS EXTREMELY, EXTREMELY FRUSTRATING.
AND WE CONTINUE TO SEE THE CONSEQUENCES OF NEIGHBORHOODS NOT KNOWING ON A DAILY AND WEEKLY BASIS, NOT EVEN A STAY AT HOME ORDER.
AND KATIE, DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, MOVED THESE ASSOCIATIONS AND THESE FOLKS TO SIT WITH US AND TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TIER TWO LEGISLATION.
IF WE GAVE THEM THE HOUSTON CHRONICLE ARTICLE FROM THE DAY BEFORE, IT STILL MET NO IMPACT.
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO REPRESENTATIVE AN HERNANDEZ AND CAROL ALVARDO FOR ALL THEIR WORK.
UM, BUT WE'RE GONNA KEEP ON WORKING.
YEAH, WE'LL, WE'LL KEEP AT IT.
AND AGAIN, GOING BACK TO THE IMPORTANCE OF FIRE AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND PREVENTION AND PROTECTION.
UM, DO WE HAVE AN UPDATE I'VE WORKED ON AND I KNOW, AND THANKS TO ANDY FOR ALSO HELPING ME TRACK THROUGHOUT, UM, HB FIVE 70, UH, THAT I WORK ON WITH, UH, RICHARD RAYMOND, UH, EACH SESSION TO FUND STATEWIDE STUDIES, UM, TO LOOK AT WHAT THE ACTUAL COST OF DROUGHT AND WILDFIRES ARE TO, UM, OUR CITIES, TO THE PUBLIC, TO OUR DEPARTMENTS AS A WHOLE.
UM, AGAIN, WE'RE SEEING INCREASED DROUGHTS AND WILDFIRES.
DO WE, WAS THAT ABLE TO PASS? LET ME, LET ME CHECK ON THAT.
I, I REMEMBER IT PASSING THE HOUSE.
UH, I DON'T IT NOT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, SO, BUT I, WE CAN DEFINITELY CHECK HIS HOUSE.
AND AGAIN, I'M JUST GOING BACK TO, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF BILLS THAT LOOKED AT IMPORTANT FUNDING OR DISCLOSURES AND ALL OF THESE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE TACKLING.
AND I DON'T THINK, I THINK THERE'S UNIVERSAL, PRETTY MUCH ACCEPTANCE OF THAT.
BUT THEY CONTINUE TO NOT PASS.
UM, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN QUEUE? I JUST HAVE TWO MORE.
BACK IN QUEUE STAFF FROM COUNCIL MEMBER CAROLYN EVANS SHABAZZ'S OFFICE.
AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR SUCH A WELL DETAILED PLAN AS WELL AS YOUR TEAM COUNCIL.
LADY EVANS SHABAZZ IS INTERESTED IN KNOWING MORE ABOUT THE HIRING VETERANS TO FILL ADDITIONAL POSITIONS WITH HPD.
AND THE QUESTION WOULD BE, HOW WILL THE COST FOR THOSE POSITIONS BE COVERED? OR ARE THOSE TO BE CADETS INCLUDED INTO THE EXISTING CADET PROGRAM? SO THIS BILL, I MEAN THIS LAW THAT JUST WENT INTO EFFECT, BASICALLY IT JUST ALLOWS US TO HIRE THESE ELIGIBLE, UM, LEGAL, PERMANENT RESIDENTS.
SO IT DOESN'T CHANGE OUR QUALIFICATIONS, DOESN'T CHANGE THE NUMBER OF POSITIONS THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE.
IT REALLY JUST OPENS THE DOOR.
IT INCREASES OUR POOL OF, OF ELIGIBLE OFFICERS.
UM, SO IT DOESN'T CHANGE THE WAY WE DO HIRING IN HOUSTON.
THEY STILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THE TRAINING REQUIREMENTS, BACKGROUND CHECKS, ET CETERA.
BUT IT JUST BASICALLY ALLOWS THEM TO BE AN OFFICER.
SO IT'S, IT'S MORE OF AN ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.
AND I, I WANT TO GIVE, UH, SENATOR ALVARADO FOR FINALLY GETTING THIS DONE.
THIS IS A BILL THAT WE HAVE PUSHED FOR A WHILE, SO I WANNA GIVE HER CREDIT, UH, BUT REPRESENT HUBERT VO IN BEING ABLE TO GET THIS PAST THE HOUSE.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS HE SAID, UH, WAS WHY SHOULD A LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENT BE ELIGIBLE TO BE LAW ENFORCEMENT? HE SAID HE WAS A FORMER LEGAL PERMANENT RESIDENT BEFORE BECOMING A US CITIZEN.
UH, THESE FOLKS HAVE SERVED, YOU KNOW, IN THE CRITERIA THAT THE BILL OUTLINES.
YOU HAVE HAD TO DO TWO YEARS IN THE US ARMED FORCES, UH, AND HAD, UM, UH, BE HONORLY, BE HONORLY, BE HONORABLY DISCHARGED.
SO, I MEAN, THE FACT THAT THESE PEOPLE CAN SERVE OUR COUNTRY, THEY SHOULD BE ABSOLUTELY ABLE TO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
THE LANGUAGE ASPECT OF IT IS HUGELY IMPORTANT.
BOTH SPANISH VIETNAMESE, THAT IS A BIG, BIG DEAL FOR RECRUITING FOR HPD.
UM, SPEAKING ON THE BILL THAT PASSED IN THE HOUSE, BUT NOT IN THE SENATE REGARDING, UM, THE DEVICES ON THE, UH, WEAPONS THAT WOULD TURN IT INTO MORE LIKE A MACHINE GUN.
WHAT WERE THE ARGUMENTS THAT WERE GIVEN IN THE SENATE THAT, UM, I GUESS WORKED FOR, UM, WHOEVER WAS LOBBYING AGAINST IT THAT DIDN'T WORK IN THE HOUSE? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
COUNCIL MEMBER, AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR, THIS BILL IS NOT IN THE PARTISAN DEBATE FOR GUN CONTROL POLICY.
THESE ARE ALREADY ILLEGAL AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
WE'RE TRYING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THEM ILLEGAL AT THE STATE LEVEL.
RIGHT NOW, IF HPD PULLS OVER SOMEBODY AND THEY HAVE 20 OF THESE 3D PRINTED IN THE FRONT SEAT OF THEIR CAR, AS LONG AS THEY'RE NOT ON A GUN, THEY'RE NOT ILLEGAL ACCORDING TO STATE LAW.
UH, HPD, UH, OR EXCUSE ME, UH, SPECIFICALLY, HPOU CAME UP TO BE ABLE TO GIVE IN-PERSON DEMONSTRATIONS TO OUR SENATORS ABOUT WHAT THESE DEVICES LOOK LIKE, THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEM.
UM, AND, UH, I KNOW FOLKS, UH, UM, KNOW THAT I'M PROBABLY NOT THE BIGGEST FAN OF TED OBERT, UH, FORMERLY WITH A BBC 13.
HE DID A FANTASTIC NEWS STORY THAT WE HAVE LINKED ON OUR WEBSITE ABOUT THESE.
UH, AND, UM, HONESTLY, COUNCIL MEMBER, THEY DIDN'T EVEN GIVE IT A HEARING.
SO I WISH I COULD HAVE HEARD SOME OF THESE ARGUMENTS BECAUSE I SURE WOULD WANNA BE ABLE TO TAKE WHAT
[01:00:01]
WE'RE SEEING HERE IN HOUSTON.THESE DEVICES ARE HAVING A DISPROPORTIONATE EFFECT AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO AND FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS TO JUST IGNORE WHAT IS GOING ON.
UH, ONE OF THE, THE REASON I BRING UP OBERG IS HE ACTUALLY GOES TO THE GUN RANGE TO BE ABLE TO TALK WITH GUN OWNERS.
THEY HAD ONE THAT WAS A FEDERALLY STAMPED DEVICE THAT WAS LEGAL AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL THAT NOBODY THERE USES BECAUSE IT KIND OF TEARS UP YOUR GUN.
IT IS IN NO WAY SOMETHING THAT LEGAL GUN OWNERS HAVE OR USE.
IT IS, IT IS SIMPLY SOMETHING THAT THREATENS THE LIVES OF OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS.
SO I WANT TO THANK REPRESENTATIVE FRAZIER AND EVERYONE IN THE HOUSE, PARTICULARLY REPRESENTATIVE SAM HARLESS, WHO HELPED PUSH THIS.
AND THAT'S GOTTA BE AT THE TOP OF OUR AGENDA FOR NEXT YEAR ON THE SENATE TO GET THESE DONE SO OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS CAN BE SAFE.
ON THAT NOTE, UM, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF BILLS RELATED TO THE NEED TO PROTECT LAW ENFORCEMENT IN OUR COMMUNITY.
THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING.
DID THE STATE ALLOCATE ANY MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING THIS SESSION? I BELIEVE THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT BILL THIS SESSION IS ONE THAT'S NOT ON OUR WEBSITE.
IT'S BY REPRESENTATIVE TONY ROSE.
REPRESENTATIVE ROSE FROM DALLAS IS THE ONLY MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL IN THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE.
SO, UH, THAT, THAT SHOULD SAY SOMETHING.
REPRESENTATIVE ROSE PASSED THE, UH, UH, 12 MONTH ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAID COVERAGE FOR ALL NEW MOTHERS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
OVER HALF OF ALL BIRTHS IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.
UH, THE MOTHER IS ON MEDICAID 'CAUSE SHE'S MEDICAID ELIGIBLE.
THIS ENSURES THAT THAT MOTHER WILL HAVE INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THE FIRST YEAR, UM, OF, OF, UH, POST BIRTH, WHICH IS HUGELY, HUGELY IMPORTANT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE, UM, THE ADVERSE OUTCOMES THAT WE'VE SEEN ON OUR MATERNAL MORTALITY.
UM, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT STUDIES, EVERY STUDY WE HAVE EVER DONE SAYS, UM, MATERNAL MORTALITY SAYS THE NUMBER ONE THING YOU CAN DO IS EXTEND THAT COVERAGE FOR, UH, 12 MONTHS.
SO I WANT TO GIVE SPEAKER PHELAN A LOT OF CREDIT.
UH, HE'S STUCK WITH, UH, WITH THIS PROVISION AFTER IT PASSED LAST TIME AND GOT HELD UP, UM, UH, FOR A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REASONS WITH IT, THEY KEPT AT IT AND WERE ABLE TO PASS IT THIS TIME.
SO, UH, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE STATE IS DOING MORE WITH REGARDS TO MENTAL HEALTH FUNDING, BUT MY FAVORITE ANALOGY TO USE IS LIKE A NASCAR RACE.
IF YOU ARE 50TH IN A NASCAR RACE AND YOU RUN A REALLY FAST LAP, YOU ARE STILL 50TH BECAUSE IT'S A LONG, LONG RACE AND IT'S HARD TO GET TO THE FRONT.
AND TEXAS IS SO FAR BEHIND WITH REGARDS TO OUR ABILITY TO ACCESS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
AND IT IS A TOUGH, TOUGH OUTFIT.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS WE HAVE IS A, A STAFFING SHORTAGE.
THERE'S A LOT OF, LOT OF DIFFERENT BARRIERS FOR PROVIDERS AND WE'VE, WE'VE TAKEN STEPS TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS IT, BUT WE'RE 50TH IN THE NASCAR RACE, SO WE'RE GONNA NEED A NUMBER OF FAST LAPS JUST TO TRY AND GET IN THE RACE.
SO I'M ENCOURAGED BY THE STEPS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKEN, BUT WE ARE REALLY, REALLY, REALLY FAR BEHIND.
AND LAST QUESTION, UM, I KNOW THERE WERE A LOT OF PARTNERS AND IT TAKES A LOT OF PEOPLE.
UM, BUT I THINK, UH, IT'D BE HELPFUL FOR US TO KNOW AND FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW, UH, WHO ARE SOME OF HOUSTON'S CHAMPIONS IN, IN THE LEGISLATURE WHO HAVE WE TIME? AND AGAIN, THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M GETTING ASKED BY OUR RESIDENTS, WHAT ARE SOME OF THESE BILLS? WHO ARE SOME OF THOSE REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS THAT HAVE REALLY GONE TO BAT FOR HOUSTON TIME? AND AGAIN, UH, I WOULD SAY FROM MY FOUR YEARS, UH, THERE'S PROBABLY NOT A BETTER REPRESENTATIVE THAN STATE REP ARMANDO WALLY.
I THINK HE IS SO IN TOUCH WITH HIS COMMUNITY.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE CONCRETE BATCH PLANTS, THEY AFFECT HIS DISTRICT.
IF HE'S NOT ABLE TO CHANGE THE REGULATORY SCHEME, HE'S GONNA BE ABLE TO WORK ON THE, UH, APPROPRIATION SIDE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MONITOR SO THAT PEOPLE ARE VERY CLEAR ON THE CONSEQUENCES.
HE'S ABLE TO GET THINGS DONE, UH, ON THE HOUSING SIDE.
AND THEN I WANT TO, UH, ALSO GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO, UH, UH, SENATOR BORIS MILES, UH, WHO ALWAYS HAS HIS OFFICE DOOR OPEN, UH, WORKS WITH US, HAS WORKED WITH US ON OUR BANDIT SIGN LEGISLATION, IS ALWAYS WILLING TO BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT EVEN ON THINGS WE DISAGREE WITH, UM, HOW, HOW THIS BEST AFFECTS THE CITY.
SO, UM, BETWEEN REPRESENTATIVE WALLY AND, AND SENATOR MILES, I DO ALSO WANT TO SAY THIS SESSION, WE HAD A REMARKABLE PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR FRIENDS FROM THE GREATER HOUSTON PARTNERSHIP.
THEY WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH US.
I THINK THEIR SUCCESS ON HB FIVE, WHICH IS A BIG PRIORITY FOR THEM, UM, WAS, WAS, WAS VERY IMPORTANT.
THEY WORKED WITH US ON A NUMBER OF PIECES OF LEGISLATION.
SO AS AN OUTSIDE GROUP, WANNA GIVE THEM CREDIT AS WELL.
BUT IF I HAD TO NAME TWO MEMBERS THAT I'VE WORKED WITH OVER MY TIME HERE AT THE CITY, UH, SENATOR MILES AND, UH, UM, UH, REPRESENT WALLY, THEY'RE, AND, AND I KNOW I DON'T WANNA MAKE THAT PARTISAN WITH IT.
THE, SOMETIMES YOU MAY JUST CARRY ONE THING, BUT IT'S A BIG THING.
I WILL NEVER FORGET THE WORK THAT SENATOR HUFFMAN HAS DONE TO BE ABLE TO BRING US TO THE POSITION THAT WE ARE IN NOW ON OUR PENSIONS.
UH, AND AND HER WORK TO BE ABLE TO DEFEND THAT.
[01:05:01]
WE, WE'VE REALLY GOT SOME GOOD PARTNERS THAT I HOPE CAN HELP CHANGE THE TONE, UH, THAT WE'VE SEEN WITH REGARDS TO A LOT OF THESE ATTACKS ON HOMEOWNER AUTHORITY IN CITY OF HOUSTON PROGRAMS WITH IT.BECAUSE WHEN YOU REALLY GET DOWN AND LOOK AT IT AND YOU GET OUTTA THE PARTISAN MESS, THEY DID THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BILL BASED ON OUR ORDINANCE.
SO ARE WE THE BAD GUYS HERE LOCALLY? I DON'T THINK SO.
AND ALSO ANOTHER BIG SHOUT OUT TO ANOTHER WOMAN, UH, REPRESENTATIVE ANN JOHNSON.
I MEAN, THERE WAS A, ANOTHER BILL THAT WE DIDN'T COVER HERE 'CAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE TIME, BUT A MASS SHOOTING BILL THAT SHE GOT A DEFINITIONAL CHANGES.
SO WE CAN STACK THOSE CHARGES ON SOMEBODY THAT SHOOTS INTO, INTO, UM, INTO A CROWD.
SO, UM, SHE'S BEEN A BIG CHAMPION AND NOT ONLY FOR US, BUT FOR THE STATE AND HER WORK IN THE INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE.
UM, SO WE APPRECIATE ANN JOHNSON AS WELL, COUNCIL MEMBER ALCORN REAL QUICK.
UH, ANYTHING HAPPEN ON THE PRO, UM, PARK IT IN THE YARD DEAL AND THEN ONCE AGAIN DIED? I KNOW REPRESENTATIVE WOOD FILED IT.
WE HAD A NUMBER OF, UH, SUPPORT LETTERS AND IT JUST, FOR WHATEVER REASON.
WELL, AGAIN, THANK YOU BOTH, UH, FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK, YOUR DILIGENCE.
I KNOW SESSION CAN BE, UH, GRUELING AT TIMES AND, AND THE WORK THAT YOU ALL PUT EVEN IN PREPARATION FOR GOING TO SESSION.
AND THEN THOSE LAST LIKE MONTH AND A HALF OR SO, IT, IT'S LIKE A, A TRACK MEET.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THAT YOU DO.
I WANT TO THANK YOU, YOUR STAFF AND EVERYONE THAT SUPPORTS YOU ALL, UM, TO REALLY HELP GIVE US A CLEAR IDEA OF THE ISSUES THAT GO ON IN AUSTIN AND HOW THEY AFFECT OUR CONSTITUENTS.
WE'LL NOW GET INTO THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD.
I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT YARD PARKING, UH, BECAUSE I GOT A YARD PARKING ORDINANCE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THERE? IT'S ABOUT WHAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO HAVE HPD GO OUT AND FIND THE OWNER OF THE CAR AND ALL THAT TO DO, TO ENFORCE MM-HMM
SO THIS WOULD MAKE IT MORE LIKE THIS.
OUR CIVIL, OUR OUR OUR NON-CLASSIFIED STAFF COULD GO OUT AND IT WOULD MAKE IT A CIVIL OFFENSE MORE THAN OTHER THAN A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.
SO WE COULD HAVE LIKE PARK HOUSTON GO OUT AND YEAH.
UH, I JUST HAVE A COUPLE COMMENTS.
UH, ON PAGE 11 OF THE, UH, MOFI THIS, THIS MONTH.
UH, IT SHOWS THAT, UH, THERE'S EXPECTED FUND BALANCE AT THE END OF 2023 IN AVALOR D-D-S-R-F OF 64 MILLION, AND IN THE DRAINAGE CHARGE OF 153 MILLION.
AND I THINK I MIGHT HAVE MENTIONED THIS BEFORE, BUT I'M CURIOUS AS TO WHY THERE'S SUCH A HUGE CARRY FORWARD.
AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT BOTHERS ME IS THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MOST RECENT C CER UH, THE UH, UH, DEPARTMENT, THE THE WATER DEPARTMENT, THE ENTERPRISE DEPARTMENT, UH, HAD A $62 MILLION, UH, UNREALIZED LOSS IN INVESTMENTS, WHICH SAYS THEY'RE NOT DOING A GOOD JOB OF, THEY'RE BETTER OFF TO SPEND THE MONEY RATHER THAN SAVE IT.
AND, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY'RE, WE'RE LOOKING AT $210 MILLION WORTH OF CARRY FORWARD AND, UH, THERE'S SO MUCH TO DO IN THIS AREA, UH, IT JUST BOTHERS ME.
AND THEN THE FINAL QUESTION, UH, RELATES TO PAGE 14.
AND I THINK I'VE ASKED THIS BEFORE, BUT, UM, RELATES TO, YOU LOOK AT, UH, BONDS ISSUED IN 2017 AND FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, WE STILL HAVE $118 MILLION WORTH OF BONDS, UH, OR COMMERCIAL PAPER THAT HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED.
AND I'M WONDERING WHY THAT IS STILL SITTING THERE SIX YEARS LATER.
UH, AND THOSE ARE THE ONLY QUESTIONS THAT I HAVE.
DOES ANYONE WANT TO ANSWER THE FIRST QUESTION OR, OR THE SECOND QUESTION? WELL, LATER, THOSE, THOSE ARE VERY DETAILED QUESTIONS.
UH, YEAH, SUBMIT THOSE IN A LOT OF TIMES WITH THE, WITH THOSE, UH, BOND MEASURES, UM, THERE'S ALREADY ITEMIZED, UM, ALLOCATIONS THAT THAT MONEY IS DESIGNATED FOR.
IT JUST HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO GO THROUGH, BUT IT'S STILL ON THE BOOKS.
BUT WE'LL, WE'LL GET YOU, UM, A CLEAR ANSWER ON THAT.
YEAH, THIS IS SIX YEARS LATER AND IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A LONG TIME.
THERE ARE NO OTHER PUBLIC SPEAKERS.
UH, BEFORE WE ADJOURN, PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NEXT REGULARLY SCHEDULED BUDGET AND FISCAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE ON AUGUST 1ST AT 10:00 AM AND THAT'S IT.