Skip to main content

Legislative Session Update: Week 17

Published May 03, 2019 by Taylor Landin

During the 86th Legislative Session, the Partnership will provide a weekly update on our top executive priorities and other newsworthy items from Austin. 

As we kicked off the final month of the 86th Legislative Session this week, three issues took significant steps forward. The House voted its property tax bill off the floor, the Senate Education Committee voted House Bill 3, the school finance reform legislation, out of committee, and Senate bills related to flood resilience were heard in the House Natural Resources Committee.
  
PARTNERSHIP EXECUTIVE PRIORITIES
FLOOD RESILIENCE

On Tuesday, the House Natural Resources Committee heard the committee substitute for Senate Bill 7 by Senator Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), which passed the Senate on April 20. As passed by the Senate, SB 7 would create the Texas Infrastructure Resiliency Fund, which would contain accounts to provide for FEMA local matching funds for Hurricane Harvey recovery projects, local matching funds for United States Army Corps of Engineers projects and a statewide program for future flood mitigation projects. The committee substitute for SB 7 focuses solely on future flood mitigation by creating a State Flood Plan Implementation Account that would be used to fund projects contained in a state flood plan. It is important to note that while SB 7 creates an account by which flood-related projects would be funded, appropriations for key programs related to flooding and resiliency are contained within Senate Bill 500, the supplemental appropriations bill, by Senate Finance Chairwoman Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound), which includes more than $600 million in matching funds for Hurricane Harvey recovery projects. 
  
Taylor Landin, the Partnership's SVP of Public Policy, testified before the committee alongside the City of Houston and Harris County Flood Control District in support of the committee substitute for SB 7. Landin emphasized the business community’s strong support for making Texas more resilient and encouraged key leaders to continue to focus on this issue until legislation is sent to Governor Greg Abbott.

SCHOOL FINANCE REFORM
The Senate Public Education Committee, led by Chairman Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), met this week to consider a second Senate committee substitute to the school finance reform legislation, House Bill 3 by House Public Education Committee Chairman Dan Huberty (R-Kingwood). The new substitute for the bill contained perfecting language with technical changes to the original substitute introduced last week. 
  
Before voting on the bill, the committee discussed four primary issues that were reflected in the committee substitute:

  • The inclusion of a $5,000 across-the-board pay raise for all full-time teachers and librarians, limiting the amount of new funding that is available for local school districts to use at their discretion.
  • A move from using prior year property tax values to calculate the state's share of public education funding to using current year property tax values. Witnesses against this proposal argue that using prior year property values allows the state Comptroller’s Office to properly certify the property values, giving school districts more predictability when developing their budgets.
  • Major property tax provisions include: Local school district property tax compression of 15 cents by year three, an increase of the Homestead Exemption to $40,000 and a 2.5 percent revenue rollback rate for school districts.
  • An increase of the state sales tax by one percent in exchange for reducing local school district property taxes.

Following debate, the committee passed the bill with a vote of 8-0. Three Republican members of the committee, citing concerns that they did not have sufficient time to read the entire substitute prior to voting on the legislation, decided not to cast a vote for or against the bill. HB 3 is currently scheduled to be considered on the floor of the Senate this Monday.
  
WEEK IN REVIEW
University of Houston College of Medicine

Governor Greg Abbott signed HB 826 by Rep. John Zerwas (R-Richmond) into law this week, officially establishing the University of Houston College of Medicine. The new UH Medical School will focus on training students to be primary care physicians with the goal of filling the shortage of physicians practicing in underserved urban and rural communities. Texas ranks 47th among U.S. states in primary care physicians to population ratio, and graduates of existing medical schools are practicing in primary care at a rate of less than 20 percent. The first class of 30 students is expected to begin in the fall of 2020. 
  
Property Tax Reform 
The House debated property tax reform for six hours on Tuesday. As discussed in last week's Legislative Update, the House language mirrors much of the Senate’s priorities, with a 3.5 percent property tax revenue rollback rate for larger cities and counties, as well as significant transparency and procedural reforms to the appraisal setting and appraisal review process. One amendment made to the bill after committee hearings allows smaller taxing entities to exceed the 3.5 percent trigger for the purchase of one-time purchases of up to $500,000. 
  
House leadership, including bill sponsor and Ways & Means Committee Chairman Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock), stated multiple times that property tax reform is inextricably linked to school finance funding. The bill passed the House by more than a two-thirds vote. Senate Bill 2 will now go to a conference committee composed of members from the House and Senate to work out the remaining differences and align the language with the ongoing school finance reform negotiations.
  
Municipal Issues
House State Affairs Committee heard four bills by Senator Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) designed to overturn various local ordinances governing employer-employee relationships, such as paid sick leave and predictive scheduling. Numerous business organizations, including the Partnership, have asked that language protecting local non-discrimination ordinances be added to these bills.
  
Senate Bill 2486 was voted out of committee with the non-discrimination ordinance language restored. Now the focus will turn to the Senate and how the upper chamber responds to the amended version of SB 2486.

Stay up-to-date with our Policy Team throughout the 86th Legislative Session by opting-in to this weekly update or follow the team on Twitter @GHP_Policy

Related News

Membership

The Power of Mentorship: Why Building a Personal Board of Directors Matters

7/30/25
Mentorship takes many forms and doesn’t always follow a traditional path. For professionals navigating growth and leadership, the right connections often emerge through formal programs and everyday experiences.  Through Women on the Rise, one of the Greater Houston Partnership’s leadership programs, emerging female leaders like Allison Marshall, Managing Principal at Huitt-Zollars, Inc., are finding a space to build meaningful connections, gain perspective, and strengthen their leadership journey.  In this thoughtful reflection, Allison shares how she reframed her expectations, built her own “personal board of directors,” and found strength in a mix of formal and informal relationships that helped her grow personally and professionally.  The value of mentorship is well documented across industries and career stages. Research shows that the right mentorship can have a profound impact:  75% of executives credit their success to mentors and recent research shows that 90% of employees with a career mentor are happy at work. (Harvard Business Review).   Employees who participate in mentoring programs are five times more likely to be promoted than those who don’t (Association for Talent Development).  For women, mentorship is linked to higher career satisfaction, increased leadership readiness, and stronger networks, especially in male-dominated industries (Harvard Business Review; McKinsey & LeanIn.org).  Allison’s insights show that with a little courage and intention, mentorship can be one of the most impactful tools for professional development and personal fulfillment.  “When I was a little girl, I spent a lot of time alone and rarely saw mentorship modeled—especially among women. As I started thinking about my career path in my teens and early twenties, I realized mentorship was something I deeply longed for, even if I wasn’t sure what it looked like.  My career has been non-linear, full of unexpected turns and what I like to call “side quests,” which has made it hard to find that perfect mentor. For a long time, I thought I needed some magical combination of a C-suite mom and a power-suit bestie—someone who would sit across from me with a calm presence, listen deeply, and then drop life-changing advice over coffee. Needless to say, I never found Gayle King moonlighting as Miranda Priestly.  What I have found is that, when you pay attention, mentors are everywhere—in both formal programs and unexpected, organic relationships.  Sometimes I’ve stumbled into mentorships by accident; other times, I’ve had to take a deep breath and ask someone I admire directly. More than once, I’ve realized mentorship was happening only after the relationship ended—which made me even more intentional about strengthening the more formal mentorships I’ve built since.  These days, I like to think of my mentors as my own personal board of directors. I don’t rely on one person to walk with me through every chapter of my career or meet every need. Instead, I’ve built a circle of trusted voices: some are in my industry, some outside of it. Some are working moms, others have navigated challenges I’m facing now. Some have succeeded in areas where I still struggle. All of them are people I admire—for their wisdom, integrity, perspective, and the lives they’ve built.  Like any relationship, mentorship takes time. It takes time to build trust, to create space for vulnerability, and to prioritize the relationship in the midst of everything else. It also takes courage. The first time I said to someone, “Hey, I’m building a personal board of directors, and I’d love for you to be on it,” I felt ridiculous. But to my surprise, I was met with laughter—and then, wholehearted enthusiasm. People want to share what they’ve learned. And more often than not, they want to share in your success, too.  Participating in the WOTR mentorship program is another way to connect with incredible women that can provide friendship, guidance and perspective. Whether through WOTR or your own circle, purposeful mentorship is one of the most powerful tools for growth.” Ready to build your own board of directors?  Women on the Rise, part of the Partnership’s Greater Houston Leadership Institute, is a community of rising leaders committed to growth, connection, and mentorship. Whether you're seeking guidance, offering support, or both, this exclusive network offers opportunities to learn, lead, and lift others along the way.  Learn more and get involved at houston.org/womenrise  ____________________________________________________ Mentorship Statistics with Citations:  “75% of executives credit their success to mentors and recent research shows that 90% of employees with a career mentor are happy at work.” Source: Harvard Business Review, “A Better Approach to Mentorship” by Christopher “CJ” Gross  "Employees who participate in mentoring programs are five times more likely to be promoted than those who don’t." Source: Association for Talent Development (ATD), Mentoring Matters: Developing Talent with Formal Mentoring Programs (2017).  "For women in particular, mentorship is linked to higher career satisfaction, increased leadership readiness, and stronger networks—especially in male-dominated industries." Source: Harvard Business Review, “Why Men Still Get More Promotions Than Women” by Herminia Ibarra, Nancy M. Carter, and Christine Silva (2010); and McKinsey & LeanIn.org, Women in the Workplace report (2023).   
Read More
Public Policy

Constitutional Ballot Could Have Big Implications for Houston Region

7/10/25
This November, millions of Texas voters will head to the polls to decide whether to approve or reject 17 proposed constitutional amendments by state lawmakers. It’s an annual process that plays out in the fall during odd-numbered years following a legislative session.  This year, however, the potential benefits for the Houston area are greater based on two key funding proposals: $1 billion annually for water projects and $300 million annually for a newly created Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT). Secretary of State Jane Nelson drew the order for the November 4 ballot last month, following the end of the veto period. As the state’s top election official, the Secretary of State oversees organizing the constitutional election. The propositions are drawn at random to determine the order in which they appear on the ballot. The two key propositions supported by the Partnership are as follows: Prop 4: "The constitutional amendment to dedicate a portion of the revenue derived from state sales and use taxes to the Texas water fund and to provide for the allocation and use of that revenue." Prop 14: "The constitutional amendment providing for the establishment of the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, establishing the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund to provide money for research on and prevention and treatment of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders in this state, and transferring to that fund $3 billion from state general revenue." The language above is precisely what will be included on the ballot. However, there is much more to these propositions and the legislation passed into law that makes these initiatives possible. Click here to read more about the potential $20 billion investment in water. Click here to learn more about the potential impact $3 billion in total funding for DPRIT could have on Houston’s medical research community. Included in the additional 15 propositions are recommendations related to the creation of a dedicated fund to support skilled trade programs at Texas State Technical College, changing the state’s tax code, and providing a tax exemption to surviving spouses of fallen veterans in specific scenarios.  A complete list of the ballot order and prop language is available on the Secretary of State’s website.  
Read More

Related Events

Membership

Future of Texas featuring District Attorney Sean Teare

We invite our members to an engaging conversation with Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear firsthand about his vision, priorities, and the challenges shaping our local…

Learn More
Learn More
Executive Partners