Category Archives: Local Governmental Entities
How can I drive in Texas with a foreign driver’s license?
In Texas, as in many other U.S. states, you can drive with a valid foreign driver’s license for a certain period of time after you arrive in the United States. However, there are some important considerations and rules to keep in mind: International Driving Permit (IDP): While neither Texas nor the United States requires… Read More »
County Appraisal District Chaos?
If you are a property owner in Texas, you were probably thrilled last November to vote in the constitutional amendment election to reduce your property tax liability and to increase the homestead exemption from $40,000 to $100,000. Given the unprecedented increases in property values across most of the state over the last several years,… Read More »
New Laws Texas Cities Must Keep in Mind When Making New Year’s Resolutions
The 88th Texas Legislature Session ushered in hundreds of new laws that directly affect the way Texas municipalities conduct business. Through the latter half of 2023, cities across the state have already been making necessary adjustments to the manner in which they regulate agricultural and farming operations (H.B. 1750, H.J.R. 126), interact with their… Read More »
Legalization of Bingo in Texas
Bingo is a straightforward game that virtually everyone has played at some point in their lives. In Texas however, the road to allow this simple game is somewhat complicated. Legalized bingo actually began with an amendment to the Texas Constitution in 1980. The Constitutional amendment allowed the legislature to authorize and regulate bingo games… Read More »
Holiday Gifts vs. Holiday Bonuses
The question is often-asked this time of year: May a city give holiday gifts to its employees, such as a turkey, ham or gift basket? The analysis is important because our Texas Constitution prohibits the grant of public money or things of value to any individual unless it is for a public purpose. Article… Read More »
The End of the “Dead Suspect Loophole” and Other TPIA Changes
During the last legislative session, changes were made to Chapter 552 of the Texas Local Government Code which altered important government transparency provisions related to the release of information under the Texas Public Information Act (TPIA). Public Information Officers (PIOs) need to be aware of these changes which impact: 1) the release of information… Read More »
When is an Advisory Committee Subject to the Texas Open Meetings Act?
Under the Texas Open Meetings Act – except in certain scenarios dictated by the Act – Texas cities are required to hold every regular, special, or called meeting of the governmental body open to the public. The Act defines a governmental body to include any deliberative body that has rulemaking or quasi-judicial power and… Read More »
Stafford’s Case Study in No Property Taxes
Texas cities rely on taxpayer dollars to generate revenue to fund local governmental services and infrastructure. The vast majority of cities across our state generate the bulk of their revenue from property taxes. For nearly 30 years, however, the City of Stafford, Texas has operated without collecting any property taxes. Due to their unique… Read More »
Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)
The federal law to regulate telephone solicitations is known as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA); implemented by President Bush over 30 years ago. Any person, business, or entity that conducts telephone solicitations should comply with the TCPA; this includes voice calls, faxes, VoIP calls, and text messages. The TCPA also introduced the requirement… Read More »
Order in the Council Chambers
At the beginning of a City Council meeting, the Mayor says: “I call this meeting of the city council to order.” But what does order in a city council meeting look like and how can it be established and maintained? Texas state law does not establish rules of order for city council meetings; however,… Read More »