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WE'RE GONNA CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER.
UM, AND OUR CLERK WILL CALL THE RULE COUNT.
COUNCIL MEMBER SANDOVAL IS HERE.
[Approval of Minutes ]
GREAT.THE FIRST THING WE NEED TO DO OUTTA THE GATE IS, UH, APPROVE THE MINUTES OF OUR NOVEMBER 28TH MEETING, UM, SEEING AS COUNCILWOMAN ROCHE GARCIA IS NOT HERE.
DO YOU MIND DOING THE HONORS
SO WE'VE GOT A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL, DO YOU WANNA MAKE A SECOND? ALL RIGHT.
UH, WE'VE GOT A SECOND FROM COUNCILWOMAN SANDOVAL.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE SAY, AYE.
[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
AND SO OUR FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS IS OUR BRIEFING ON THE 88TH STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.UH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY THIS MORNING.
WE'RE COMING EARLY, UH, TODAY TO THE COMMITTEE, UH, COMING RIGHT OUT OF THE NOVEMBER 14TH GATE, UH, THAT BEGAN, UH, BILL FILING, UH, FOR THE STATE SESSION.
AND, UM, LOOKING QUICKLY AT SOME OF THE DATES THAT WE'RE WORKING, UH, WITH RIGHT NOW, BILL FILING STARTED ON NOVEMBER 14TH, FIRST DAY OF SESSION, JANUARY 10TH, AND THEN THE LAST DAY OF BILL FILING IS MARCH 10TH.
I THINK WE'VE ALL HEARD THAT THERE ARE CONTINUOUS, ONGOING DISCUSSIONS, UH, ABOUT THE BUDGET.
THIS IS GOING TO BE FRONT AND CENTER, UH, WITH STATE LEADERSHIP, UM, AND INCLUDING OUR ENTIRE DELEGATION.
WE HEARD SOME COMMENTS YESTERDAY AND SOME FEEDBACK DURING THE STATE DELEGATION BREAKFAST ABOUT, UH, POTENTIAL IDEAS ON WHERE THIS FUNDING'S GONNA BE, UH, APPLIED.
WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 149 BILLION FOR THE NEXT BIENNIUM, AND THAT INCLUDES 27 BILLION, UM, ESTIMATED SURPLUS.
WE'VE SEEN THIS NUMBER, UH, MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES AND DISCUSSED.
UH, WE KNOW THE COMPTROLLER WILL BE MAKING ANOTHER RELEASE EARLY IN JANUARY, AND THAT COULD POTENTIALLY INCREASE UP TO 40 BILLION OF SPECIAL NOTE CONSTITUTIONALLY.
THE LEGISLATURE CAN'T SPEND, UM, ALL THE FUNDS AND THE L B B RECENTLY SET THE SPENDING CAP AT 12 POINT 33% GOING BE BEYOND THE SPENDING CAP WOULD, UH, REQUIRE, UH, A MAJORITY VOTE, UH, IN BOTH, UH, CHAMBERS.
SO THIS IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT, UM, THE LEGISLATURE HAS TO WORK WITH.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE, UH, LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
THESE ARE, UM, ESSENTIALLY ITEMS THAT ARE PART OF, OF WISHLISTS OF PRIORITIES FOR THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR.
UM, HE MADE HIS PUBLIC THERE ARE 21, UH, PRIORITIES, INCLUDING PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, WHICH, UM, WE ARE VERY HAPPY ABOUT, UH, IMPROVING THE RELIABILITY OF THE ELECTRIC GRID, WHICH OF COURSE WE'RE ALSO TRACKING VERY CLOSELY AS, UM, HIS, UH, C P S AND CONTINUING TO SPEND MONEY ON BORDER SECURITY.
UM, WE ARE HEARING THAT THE GOVERNOR WILL LAY OUT HIS AGENDA, UH, DURING HIS STATE OF THE, UM, STATE ADDRESSED DURING THE OPENING WEEK OF SESSION.
UH, WE KNOW THAT THE GOVERNOR ALSO HAS, UM, MADE COMMITMENTS TO ADDRESS PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
WHAT WE DON'T KNOW, UM, IS, UH, HOW THIS WILL LOOK OR HOW THIS WILL BE UNPACKED.
THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME NEGOTIATIONS THAT ARE GOING TO TAKE PLACE TO AGREE ON WHAT EXACTLY THAT'S GONNA LOOK.
THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING, UH, VERY, VERY HARD ON TRACKING, UM, CITY RELATED BILLS.
A QUICK LOOK HERE AT WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING SINCE BILL FILING ON NOVEMBER 14TH.
THERE ARE 1,051 BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED IN THE HOUSE, AND THEN SENATE BILLS 270.
UM, A SPECIAL NOTE, UH, CURRENTLY THE PROCESS IS THAT THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS STAFF, PRIMARILY, UH, CHRISTINE AND AIA IDENTIFY, UH, THE BILLS THAT WE'RE GONNA BE TRACKING CLOSELY.
THEY ASSIGN THOSE TO THE CITY DEPARTMENTS, AND SO IT IS VERY EARLY IN THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW, THE DEPARTMENTS ARE HELPING US WITH, WITH THAT ANALYSIS AND DETERMINING, UM, IF THERE ARE ANY FLAGS, UM, TO IDENTIFY THERE.
UH, OF SPECIAL NOTE, UH, FIRST 60 DAYS OF SESSION ARE FOR EMERGENCY ITEMS ONLY, UH, DECLARED BY THE GOVERNOR.
AND THEN OF COURSE, THE HOUSE RESERVE HOUSE BILLS, UM, ONE THROUGH 20 FOR PRIORITY LEGISLATION, AS WELL AS THE SENATE ONE THROUGH 30.
UM, BILLS, UM, HAVEN'T BEEN FILED YET.
A QUICK LOOK HERE AT THE STRUCTURE OF THE PROGRAM ONCE AGAIN, UM, IT'LL BE, UM, OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THE UPDATES PROVIDED TO YOU ALIGN WITH THESE FOUR PILLARS.
AND JUST FOR THE UNDERSTANDING AND, UH, THE COORDINATION IN OUR COMMUNICATION WITH YOU, WE WANTED TO PUT THE
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PILLARS IN FRONT OF YOU.ONCE AGAIN, THE STAFF WILL PULL THOSE PARTICULAR, UH, CITY AFFECTED BILLS, AND WE WILL PUT THEM, UM, UNDER EACH OF THE PILLARS SO THAT WE'RE ABLE TO MAKE THE ALIGNMENT, UM, WITH THIS CITY COUNCIL APPROVED, UH, LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM, PROTECTION OF COMMUNITY INTERESTS, ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY AND INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, AND RESILIENCY.
UM, ASIDE FROM THE BILLS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE STAFF'S WORK, I'M ALSO GONNA BE SPRINKLING IN SOME VARIOUS UPDATE RELATED TO THESE PILLARS AND THE SLIDES TO COME, IT LOOK UNDER PROTECTION OF COMMUNITY INTEREST.
UM, THANKFULLY, REPRESENTATIVE CORTES ON THE FIRST DAY OF BILL FILING FILED OUR ELECTRONIC COURT REPORTING BILL.
UM, AS I SAID ON THE FIRST DAY, THAT'S HB 1 96.
WE THANK THE REPRESENTATIVE YESTERDAY, AND WE, UM, REQUESTED THAT THE DELEGATION, UM, SUPPORT CARRY THIS BILL THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE SESSION TO THE FINISH LINE UNDER A BALLOT PROPOSITIONS SB 2 21.
THAT WAS SENATOR UM, BETTEN COURT.
THIS IS CITY BALLOT LANGUAGE SUBJECT TO LEGAL CHALLENGE, LACK OF GOVERNMENT IMMUNITY, AND INCREASED LIABILITY FOR CITIES.
SO AGAIN, WE ARE IDENTIFYING THESE BILLS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY, UH, BE FLAGS FOR US, AND THEY'RE CURRENTLY BEING, UH, REVIEWED AND ANALYZED BY THE RESPECTIVE CITY DEPARTMENTS UNDER, UH, COMMUNITY ADVOCACY.
WE ANTICIPATED THESE BILLS SIMILAR TO THIS ONE WOULD BE FILED AS IN THE PREVIOUS SESSION.
THIS IS SB 1 75 BY MIDDLETON, AND THIS IS REGARDING HIRING LOBBYISTS AND JOINING TRADE INDUSTRIES.
UM, THIS WOULD, UH, PREVENT US FROM, UH, JOINING AND, UH, PAYING FEES AND DUES, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, TO T M L, THE TEXAS MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, OR TO HIRE LOBBYISTS.
UM, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER BILLS.
SPILLER, UM, FOCUSES ON ADDING MORE TRANSPARENCY ON HIRING LOBBYISTS.
SO THAT'S KIND OF A MIDDLE GROUND WITH, WITH THE BILLS OF, OF THIS NATURE, STILL UNDER PROTECTION OF COMMUNITY INTEREST UNDER SUPER PREEMPTION, SB 1 49 SPRINGER, THIS BILL WILL, WOULD PROHIBIT A CITY FROM ADOPTING OR ENFORCING AN ORDINANCE THAT IMPOSES RESTRICTIONS ON COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY.
SO WE'LL BE TRACKING THIS ONE VERY CLOSELY, UH, UNDER THE PUBLIC NOTICE.
UH, THIS IS, UH, THIS WOULD ALLOW A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION TO POST THE REQUIRED, UM, LEGALLY REQUIRED NOTICES, UH, ON SOCIAL MEDIA, H O A NEWSLETTERS, UH, UTILITY BILLS, ET CETERA.
SO THIS ESSENTIALLY GIVES CITIES, UH, ADDITIONAL, UH, FLEXIBILITY TO POST THE REQUIRED NOTICES UNDER ISSUING DEBT.
UH, WE'RE LOOKING AT HB 180 7.
UH, THIS BILL WILL ESSENTIALLY MOVE ALL THE DEBT ELECTIONS TO NOVEMBER UNDER THE DAG FUNDING.
THIS IS PRIMARILY A FLAG FOR YOU.
UM, THIS WILL BE IN AN APPROPRIATION SPILL.
THE GOVERNOR REQUESTED 30 MILLION.
UH, BUT AS YOU WE'VE SHARED WITH YOU, THE T M UH, M C IS PUSHING FOR 50 MILLION.
THAT'S IN OUR PROGRAM, SO WE'LL BE ADVOCATING FOR THAT AS WELL.
UNDER ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UH, PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, WE'RE LOOKING AT, UH, THESE BILLS VERY, VERY CLOSELY IN THEIR, CURRENTLY WITH OUR, UH, FINANCE TEAM AND OUR HOUSING TEAM.
UH, YOU'LL RECOGNIZE, UH, SOME OF THESE BILLS.
UH, THEY WERE FILED BY REPRESENTATIVE AL, UH, FIRST UNDER THE APPRAISAL CAP.
UH, THIS REDUCES PROPERTY TAX APPRAISAL CAPS.
UM, THERE ARE VARIOUS PROPOSED PERCENTAGES FROM 10% TO 5% TO 3.5%, OR 2.5%, SO VARIOUS BILLS THAT WE'RE TRACKING CLOSELY ALREADY.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THAT WOULD PUT A MANDATORY FREEZE, UH, FOR THE ELDERLY OR DISABLED, UH, ANCHOR NEIGHBORHOODS BILL BY REPRESENTATIVE BERNAL, HE SHARED WITH US YESTERDAY THAT HE'S VERY INTERESTED IN MAKING SURE THAT, UM, HOMES THAT ARE WITHIN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD IS WHAT THE, THE COMPARISON THAT'S TAKING PLACE, UH, IN ORDER TO HAVE THAT EQUITY, UM, WITHIN, WITHIN THOSE RESIDENTS, UNDER HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS.
UM, THIS, THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR WOULD AUTHORIZE A TAXING UNIT TO ADOPT, UH, A LOCAL OPTION PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION AS A DOLLAR AMOUNT.
A LOT OF BILLS THERE TO TRACK.
UM, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES.
UH, WE'RE EXPECTING BILLS, UM, TO BE FILED REGARDING CHAPTER THREE 80 AGREEMENT, TRANSPARENCY AND LIMITATION.
DURING, DURING, UH, THE DURATION TO 10 YEARS, WE'RE TRACKING BILLS RELATED, UM, TO THE, THE THREE 80 AGREEMENTS THAT'S IMPORTANT TO OUR FINANCE TEAM IN THE CITY.
UNDER PUBLIC, UM, HEALTH AND SAFETY SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM THAT SNAP THIS PARTICULAR BILL, UH, SB 75 EXPANDS THE PERIOD OF ELIGIBILITY FOR CERTAIN
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INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS VETERANS UNDER MENTAL HEALTH.THIS FUNDING, UH, PARTICULAR BILL WOULD BE INCLUDED IN AN APPROPRIATION BILL AS WELL.
AND OTHER BILLS, UM, WILL, WILL BE FOCUSED ON EXPANDING CARE AND SERVICES UNDER THE GUN REFORM SECTION.
UM, THERE HAVE BEEN BILLS FILED REGARDING ACCESS RISK PROTECTION ORDERS, INCREASED REPORTING IN PARTICULAR, UM, SENATOR GUTIERREZ FILED SSB 1 44 RELATING TO THE, UM, UH, EXTREME RISK PROTECTIONS, UM, ORDERS AGAINST A PERSON EXHIBITING, UH, DANGER DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR OR CONDUCT.
UM, AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO RELINQUISH THEIR FIREARMS UNDER DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
UM, THERE ARE PARTICULAR BILLS AROUND, UM, EMPLOYMENT PROTECTIONS EXTENDING THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON VIOLENCE, LIMITING ACCESS TO FIREARMS AFTER FAMILY VIOLENCE CONVICTIONS.
UM, THE, THE PIECE ABOUT THE EMPLOYMENT PROTECTIONS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THIS WOULD ALLOW, UH, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS IN, UH, UNDERGOING, UM, UH, THEIR RESPONSIBILITY UNDER THE JUDICIARY SYSTEM TO TAKE TIME OFF FROM WORK, UM, TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS AND TAKE CARE OF THEIR LEGAL MATTERS AND NOT, UH, BE IN FEAR OF, OF, YOU KNOW, LOSING THEIR JOB, UM, AS AN EXTREME SITUATION ONTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND RESILIENCY PILLAR.
UM, JUST A QUICK UPDATE FOR YOU.
WE ARE COORDINATING CLOSELY WITH OUR INNOVATION TEAM.
WE HAVE ONGOING PARTICIPATION WITH B D O.
UM, THE F C C FILED THEIR, UM, UH, BEAD MAPS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.
AND SO THERE IS A F C C CHALLENGE PERIOD GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
UH, THE DEADLINE IS JANUARY 13TH, SO WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH, UM, UH, BRIAN DILLARD IN INNOVATION TO MAKE SURE THAT WITH, UH, ALONG WITH OUR PARTNERS, UH, WE SUBMIT, UM, THE F C C, UH, CHALLENGES, UH, REGARDING THE MAPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY REPRESENT, UM, THE NEEDS, THE NEEDS OF SAN ANTONIO UNDER TRANSPORTATION.
JUST A QUICK NOTE, UH, CHAIRMAN CANALES, UM, HOSTED, UM, THROUGH SAMCO.
THERE WAS A SAMCO HOSTED EVENT LAST WEEK.
UM, WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, NADIA ISLAM, OUR GA ADMINISTRATOR, HAD A REALLY GREAT MEETING WITH, WITH, UM, CHAIRMAN CANALES, UH, THAT REALLY ESTABLISHED A, A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR, FOR A RELATIONSHIP WITH, UH, THE CHAIRMAN.
WE ANTICIPATE OR HOPE THAT HE WILL LAND AGAIN ON THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
SO THE ESTABLISHING THAT RELATIONSHIP WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO US.
AND SO I WANTED TO RECOGNIZE THAT, THAT NADIA, UM, REALLY, REALLY, UH, DID A GREAT JOB LAST WEEK HOSTING HIS, UH, CHIEF OF STAFF AS WELL AT THE CITY TABLE UNDER PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE SAFETY.
UH, REPRESENTATIVE LOPEZ, UM, FILED THE BILL THAT ADDRESSES ADEQUATE SPACE, JUST AS ONE NOTE BETWEEN THE VEHICLES AND BICY.
IT'S ESSENTIALLY A BI, A BICYCLIST, UH, SAFETY BILL.
UM, WE KNOW FROM REPRESENTATIVE LOPEZ THAT HE REALLY HOPES TO BE ON THE, UH, TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, AND WE DO HOPE THAT HE LANDS THERE.
UH, THE CITY WOULD BENEFIT FROM HAVING A, A REPRESENTATIVE ON THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE.
UM, UNDER SUSTAINABILITY, THERE HAVE BEEN, UH, BILLS FILED TO STUDY AND REPORT ON THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE.
AND AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE GONNA BE TRACKING THOSE CLOSELY BECAUSE THEY ALIGN WITH OUR, UM, SA CLIMATE READY PROGRAM.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
UM, IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, UM, OR THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS IN DOING A SLIGHTLY DEEPER DIVE ON ANY OF THE, UH, BILLS THAT I IDENTIFIED OR THE UPDATES, WE HAVE THE GA BENCH TEAM HERE READY TO DIVE INTO ADDITIONAL BILL LANGUAGE, SO WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
UH, WE'LL, UH, WE'LL START OFF WITH QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS? UM, JUST A COUPLE.
AND THANK YOU, SALLY, FOR, FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, I'M CURIOUS, DIDN'T, UH, LI LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PATRICK BRING UP SCHOOL SAFETY FUNDING AS A PRIORITY? I KNOW THERE'S A LIST OF ABOUT 21.
DOES THAT ONE STAND OUT TO YOU? YES, YES, PLEASE, CHRISTINE.
DID, CAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THAT? SO, UM, HERE, DO YOU WANT ME TO SIT IT? YEAH, IT'S JUST, OKAY.
IT'S, UM, NEW FUNDINGS FOR NON P U F SCHOOLS EXPAND USAGE OF CURRENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS FOR TEACHERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, INCREASE TEACHER PAY 13, CHECK FOR COLA FOR RETIRED TEACHERS, EMPOWER PARENTS BY GIVING THEM A VOICE IN THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION, CONTINUE SCHOOL SAFETY FUNDING AND REFORM TENURE IN HIGHER EDUCATION.
THOSE WERE THE SPECIFIC BULLETS SYSTEM.
I DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING, UH, TERRIBLY NEW IN THAT QUICK OVERVIEW.
I MEAN, THERE'S NOTHING KIND OF EARTH SHATTERING THERE.
UM, WHAT WE WILL DO, I'M SORRY, SALLY, COULD YOU REPEAT THE
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QUESTION? UM, I CAN HEAR SALLY WELL, BUT I, I COULDN'T HEAR THE COUNCILWOMAN.I, UM, I ASKED ABOUT, UH, I UNDERSTOOD THAT LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR PATRICK BROUGHT UP SCHOOL SAFETY FUNDING AS A PRIORITY.
SO I WAS JUST ASKING FOR MORE INFORMATION ON, ON THAT.
AND, UM, THEY WENT OVER THE LIST.
THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S THE PART YOU HEARD.
AND, AND COUNCILMAN I'LL ADD TO IT, THERE ISN'T MUCH DETAIL AT THIS POINT.
THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR LAYS OUT A LIST.
THESE ARE MY PRIORITY ITEMS. THEY'RE NOT SPECIFIC, UM, SOLUTIONS.
UM, AS THE PRESIDING OFFICER OF THE SENATE, HE'S SIGNALING, THESE ARE THE THINGS I WANT TO SEE THE MEMBERSHIP COME TO ME WITH SOLUTIONS FOR.
SO WE'LL HAVE MORE, MORE DETAILS AS WE GET GOING.
I DON'T THINK THERE WAS ANYTHING TO OUR SHATTERING THERE.
I MEAN, I THINK THE PROFESSORS ACROSS THE STATE ARE PRETTY CONCERNED ABOUT THE ELIMINATION OF TENURE ITEM, BUT SURE.
AND, AND, UM, HAVE THERE BEEN ANY BILLS RELATED? YES, THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF, UM, MENTAL HEALTH.
WE'LL SEE WHO GETS TO THAT SECTION FIRST, SO GO FOR IT, NADIA.
WELL, WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT, UH, CAN YOU TELL ME, HAVE Y'ALL TALKED WITH SOME OF OUR, OUR PARTNERS, THE CITY'S PARTNERS, ABOUT THEIR MENTAL HEALTH POLICY PRIORITIES? UM, SO WE CONTINUE WITH THE COORDINATION, UM, WITH OUR I G R ROUND TABLE.
THEY'RE UNDERGOING THE SAME PROCESS, UH, AS WE ARE RIGHT NOW FLAGGING THOSE BILLS.
RIGHT NOW, THE BILLS ARE AT FACE VALUE.
SO WHAT'S GONNA BE REALLY IMPORTANT IS ONCE THE BILLS START BEING HEARD, THEN WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE REALLY TRACKING TO MAKE SURE HOW THEY'RE EVOLVING AND THEN DOING A CONTINUING ANALYSIS.
BUT THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES, WE ARE COMMUNICATING WITH THEM.
WELL, I CAN, WE CAN TAKE THIS OFFLINE.
I KNOW THIS IS KIND OF AN OVERVIEW.
I'M JUST, THOSE ARE TWO OF THE THINGS THAT I'M, I'M KIND OF ALERTED TO.
UM, NOT JUST MENTAL HEALTH FOR OUR COMMUNITY, BUT ALSO FOR OUR FIRST RESPONDERS.
SO I'M CURIOUS IF THERE'S ANYTHING FILED IN THAT REGARD.
AND SO WE'LL MAKE A NOTE COUNCILWOMAN.
AND THEN WE CAN REPORT BACK TO YOU.
WE'LL DO A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A DEEPER DIVE IN THOSE SECTIONS, AND THEN GIVE YOU A, UM, A WRITTEN UPDATE.
ARE QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? OOPS.
UM, YES, YOU MENTIONED A COUPLE OF BILLS EARLY ON, SALLY.
ONE OF THEM WAS MORE TRANSPARENT, TRANSPARENCY REGARDING LOBBYING EFFORTS, AND THE OTHER ONE HAD TO DO WITH, UM, RESTRICTIONS ON COMMERCIAL ACTIVITIES.
COULD YOU, UH, JUST GIVE US ANY MORE DETAIL ON THOSE, IF THERE IS ANY AT THIS POINT IN TIME? THANK YOU.
UH, YES, COUNCILWOMAN, THE FIRST ONE, UM, WAS HB ONE 70.
THAT ONE FOCUSES ON ADDING MORE TRANSPARENCY ON HIRING, TRANSPARENCY ON HIRING LOBBYISTS.
UH, I'LL HAVE NADIA PULL UP A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ON THAT ONE HERE MOMENTARILY.
I, I'LL JUMP IN WHILE YOU'RE DOING THAT.
UM, IT, THAT'S A BILL COUNCILWOMAN THAT, UM, HISTORICALLY WE'VE NOT SEEN AS A, AS AN ISSUE FOR US.
UH, IN FACT, IT'S A GOOD ALTERNATIVE TO THE LEGISLATION THAT MEMBERS PROPOSE THAT PROHIBIT LOBBYING.
UH, FROM A TRANSPARENCY STANDPOINT, WE'VE NEVER BEEN OPPOSED TO THE TRANSPARENCY.
IN FACT, I WOULD ARGUE NOBODY'S LOBBYING EFFORTS ARE MORE TRANSPARENT THAN A CITY GOVERNMENT, UH, AT THE CAPITOL.
BUT, UM, BUT THE OTHER ONE THAT WOULD PROHIBIT US FROM LOBBYING AND FROM JOINING GROUPS LIKE T M L IS, IS MORE OF THE SAME THAT WE'VE SEEN FROM PAST SESSIONS.
IT'S ACTUALLY THE SAME SPONSOR, UH, MAYS MIDDLETON, WHO HAS NOW MOVED FROM THE HOUSE TO THE SENATE.
UH, THE HOUSE HAS NOT BEEN SUPPORTIVE OF THAT LEGISLATION IN PAST SESSIONS, AND WE'RE HOPING THAT DOESN'T CHANGE, OBVIOUSLY.
WHEN I HEARD TRANSPARENCY, I WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE I FELT LIKE OUR, OUR PROCESS WAS FAIRLY TRANSPARENT, SO I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT, WHAT MORE WE WOULD BE REQUIRED TO DO.
SO I APPRECIATE THAT, UM, EXPLANATION.
UH, COUNCILWOMAN, I BELIEVE THE SECOND ONE YOU ASKED ABOUT WAS SB 1 49.
THIS BILL WOULD PROHIBIT A CITY FROM ADOPTING OR ENFORCING AN ORDINANCE, UM, THAT IMPOSES RESTRICTIONS ON COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY.
UM, ALSO, I RE RETREAD FROM PAST SESSIONS.
IT'S CONSIDERED BY T M L A SUPER PREEMPTION.
IT BASICALLY SAYS THAT A GOVERNMENT CANNOT, A LOCAL GOVERNMENT CANNOT PASS ORDINANCES THAT REGULATE, UH, COMMERCIAL ENTERPRISES THAT GO BEYOND STATE LAW.
SO THERE'S A WHOLE VARIETY OF THINGS THAT IT WOULD PROHIBIT US FROM DOING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
ALL, ALL THE REGULATIONS ESSENTIALLY THAT WE HAVE, UH, HERE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
SO, UM, IT'S NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ALARMED BY THE WIDESPREAD IMPLICATIONS OF IT.
UH, BUT OF COURSE, IT'S CONCERNING THAT IT'S
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BEEN FILED AGAIN AND, AND SOMETHING THAT WE'RE PROBABLY GONNA BE PAYING A LOT OF ATTENTION TO.UM, DOESN'T THAT VIOLATE THE, THE CONCEPT OF HOME RULE, THOUGH, IS WOULDN'T THAT SUPERSEDE THAT VERY GOOD POINT.
BUT, UM, WHEN YOU UNDERSTAND, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE HIERARCHY OF THE STATE VERSUS LOCAL, UH, CITIES ARE CREATIONS OF THE STATE.
UM, YOU KNOW, UNDER STATE LAW, THERE'S GENERAL LAW CITIES THAT JUST FOLLOW THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
AND THERE ARE HOME RULE THAT HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO PASS OUR OWN ORDINANCES.
UH, THE STATE GOVERNMENT CAN PREEMPT HOME RULE BY PUTTING INTO STATE LAW.
CITY MAY NOT DO X OR CITY MAY NOT DO Y.
SO WE PRESERVE OUR HOME RULE IN ALL THE OTHER AREAS THAT AREN'T EXPLICITLY PROHIBITED BY THE LEGISLATURE.
SO WHEN WE TALK PREEMPTION, THAT'S ESSENTIALLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
IT'S, IT'S SAYING, YES, YOU HAVE HOME RULE EXCEPT FOR IN THIS AREA.
BUT THIS WOULD BE SO BROAD THAT THERE ARE NO E EXACTLY.
YOU'RE MA YOU'RE MAKING THE LOGICAL CONCLUSION.
JUST, UH, FOR, UM, MY COLLEAGUES' REFERENCE, WE PRESENTED THIS YESTERDAY TO, UM, A HANDFUL OF DELEGATES, UH, SENATORS AND, UH, WELL, ACTUALLY ONLY ONE SENATOR.
BUT WE HAD A PRETTY GOOD SHOWING MM-HMM.
I, YOU KNOW, OR ARE WE MISSING ANY OPPORTUNITIES HERE? OR ANY GAPS WE NEED TO CLOSE? I DIDN'T HEAR A SINGLE ONE OF 'EM IDENTIFY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENT ON THIS.
I THINK ALL OF THEM APPRECIATED, UH, THE FLEXIBILITY THAT'S BUILT INTO THIS AGENDA.
THEY KNOW, UM, HOW WE OPERATE DURING, UH, THE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.
SO, UH, I, I THINK THAT THERE'S GONNA BE NO SURPRISES FOR THEM AS FAR AS OUR APPROACH GOES.
THERE WAS, UH, TWO OR THREE NEW MEMBERS, UH, MARK DERAZIO, JOHN LUHAN, UH, JOSIE GARCIA.
UM, AND WE ASKED THEM, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS? AND, AND, YOU KNOW, NO SURPRISE, THEY, WE, WE CAUGHT THEM A LITTLE FLATFOOTED.
AND, UH, THEY REALLY DIDN'T HAVE TOO MANY SUBSTANTIVE ANSWERS FOR US.
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY HAVEN'T EVEN SHOWED UP TO THEIR FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL YET.
UM, BUT, BUT THEY, THEY ALL EXPRESSED THE DESIRE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH, UH, WITH THE ENTIRE DELEGATION WITH US, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO DELIVER ON, ON WHAT WE'RE ASKING 'EM TO DO.
UM, WE HEARD VERY COMMON THEMES.
UH, SCHOOL FUNDING WAS IMPORTANT TO ABSOLUTELY EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.
UM, MENTAL HEALTH, UH, CAME UP OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
UM, WE HEARD, UH, TIME AND TIME AGAIN ABOUT THE, UM, THE SURPLUS, UH, DEBATE AND, YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT THAT MONEY SHOULD BE USED HERE OR THERE.
UH, AND SO I'M ENTHUSED THAT WE'VE GOT, UH, TREY MARTINEZ FISHER NOW IN A UBER LEADERSHIP POSITION UP THERE.
UM, I THINK THAT WE ALSO DROVE HOME THE POINT THAT THIS LEGISLATIVE AGENDA FEATURES, UM, SOME INTENTIONALITY, UH, ON OUR PART TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS A REAL SERIOUS AND SOBER, UH, DOCUMENT, AS OPPOSED TO PIE IN THE SKY ITEMS THAT REALLY HAVE NO CHOICE, YOU KNOW, NO CHANCE OF GETTING CONSIDERED BY, UH, THAT LEGISLATURE.
INSTEAD, IT'S A REALLY PRAGMATIC AND REALISTIC, UH, DOCUMENT.
UM, BUT ALSO IT IS IN LINE WITH, UH, OUR VALUES THAT WE HAVE, UH, THAT I THINK WE'VE HELD TRUE TO, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS.
AND SO, UH, I'M PROUD OF THE DOCUMENT.
THIS IS A DOCUMENT THAT CAN CHANGE ON A DIME ALSO, DEPENDING ON WHAT CARDS ARE DEALT TO US UP IN, UM, UP IN AUSTIN.
AND SO WE'VE ALSO HAD TO CHANGE THE DOCUMENT IN THE PAST.
AND SO, UH, THANKFULLY THE, THE, THE TWO COUNCIL MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE ARE OLD HANDS AT THIS.
AND SO WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE JUST FINE, UH, WITH THAT.
UH, CAN I JUST, YEAH, JEFF, UH, THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN.
ON THE NOTE OF CHANGE OF THE CHANGING DOCUMENT, UM, YOU MIGHT SEE OUR PARTNERS HERE FROM THE SAN ANTONIO FIRE POLICE PENSION FUND.
UM, THEY HAVE A LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE, UM, THAT, UH, THAT WE HAVE SUPPORTED FOR SEVERAL SESSIONS NOW, THAT HAS A NUMBER OF UPDATES AND TWEAKS TO THE STATE LAW THAT AFFECTS OUR, OUR PENSION FUND FOR OUR RETIRED FIRE AND POLICE.
UM, THEY ARE, WE'RE, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH, UH, ONE ISSUE RIGHT NOW THAT, UM, I THINK WE'RE MOVING IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION TOGETHER.
AND, UH, PROVIDED WE GET THERE, WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU WITH, UH, RECOMMENDATION THAT WE SUPPORT THE PACKAGE THAT THEY BRING FORWARD.
UH, WE'RE, THEY'RE ANXIOUS, WE'RE ANXIOUS TO GET IT RESOLVED.
I THINK IN JANUARY WE'LL BE READY TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION AND, AND SHARE THE DETAILS.
BUT I WANTED TO MAKE THE, THE COMMITTEE AWARE THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE ONGOING WITH BETWEEN BEN AND OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND WARREN SCH AND THE TEAM THERE AT THE PENSION FUND.
AND AT THE RISK OF SOUNDING, UH, PLATITUDES, UH, I, I, I DO MEAN IT WHEN I SAY IT, AND I THINK THAT MY
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COLLEAGUES AGREE, YOU GUYS ARE IMPORTANT TO US, AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALL, WE'RE ALL WALKING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AND SINGING FROM THE SAME, UH, HYMNAL ON THIS ONE.UM, IF IT'S, IF THE CAKE ISN'T BAKED YET ENOUGH TO PRESENT IT TO THE COMMITTEE, UM, THEN MAYBE WE SAVE IT FOR ANOTHER DAY FOR, FOR A MORE THOROUGH PRESENTATION.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE'VE NEVER, WE'VE NEVER NOT BEEN YOUR ALLIES AND, UM, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE THAT.
SO, ANY HELP WE CAN GIVE YOU GUYS AT THE, AT, AT THIS LEVEL, ALL YOU GOTTA LET US, ALL YOU GOTTA DO IS LET US KNOW.
AND, UH, FRANK BERNIE IS AN EXCELLENT CALLING CARD, UH, AND, UM, HE KNOWS HOW TO REACH ALL OF US.
WHAT ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE? WE'RE GOOD FOR NOW.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY.