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Top Issues in the 87th: The Work That Remains

Top Issues in the 87th: The Work That Remains

Top Issues in the 87th: The Work That Remains

Over the last several weeks, we’ve shared which pieces of pro-business legislation crossed the finish line and became law. However, like with any legislative session, some priorities didn’t quite reach the Governor’s desk for one reason or another. Here are the top issues that weren’t resolved during the regular session.


ERCOT Reliability
 
Passage of SB 2 and SB 3 stepped in the right direction for management of the state electrical grid. However, as we witnessed last week when ERCOT encouraged customers to conserve electricity, there is still work to be done in order to enhance the reliability of the grid. HB 1607 aimed to enhance transmission but stalled in the Senate after passing the House. Last week, the Lubbock Chamber wrote a letter to the office of Governor Abbott requesting that additional reforms to ERCOT be placed on any special session agendas. 


Chapter 313 Renewal
 
Chapter 313 of the Texas tax code is used as an economic development tool that keeps Texas competitive with other states. It is set to expire at the end of 2022 before the next Legislature convenes, so the Chamber supported a 10-year extension of the program in the form of HB 1556. When it became apparent that legislation would not reach the Governor’s desk, the Chamber supported a simple two-year extension in the form of HB 4242 so that the next Legislature could work on a more long-term extension before Chapter 313 expired.
 
Neither version cleared both chambers of the legislature. The Lubbock Chamber joined a letter authored by the Texas Association of Business requesting the Governor include Chapter 313 on a special session agenda.
 

Pre-Empting Local Employment Regulations
 
The Chamber supported SB 14, which would prevent localities from regulating employment practices such as sick leave, minimum wage, and scheduling practices. In the absence of such legislation, Texas leaves itself vulnerable to a patchwork of employment regulations across the state, creating potentially burdensome compliance issues for businesses operating in several cities and counties. As with the Chapter 313 extension, the Lubbock Chamber joined a letter requesting consideration of SB 14 during a special session.
 

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