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AND WELCOME TO THE TUESDAY, JANUARY 19TH, MEETING OF THE GROWING CITIES.COUNCIL'S LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
I HAVE WITH ME TODAY, COUNCIL MEMBERS ALBAN, UH, WILLIAMS ALSO JOINING US COUNCIL MEMBER HENDRICK AND DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM MORRIS.
UH, WE ARE POSTED, UH, FOR A QUORUM, SO WE'RE GOOD THERE.
UM, C FIRST ON THE AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES, UH, FROM THE DECEMBER 21ST MEETING, HAS EVERYBODY HAD THE CHANCE TO REVIEW THOSE? AND DO WE HAVE A MOTION MOVE APPROVAL SECOND.
WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE BY COUNCIL MEMBER ROBYN SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE.
THOSE ARE APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY AND WE'RE, I'LL GET THOSE SIGNED AND SCANNED AND EMAILED OVER TO YOU AFTER THE MEETING AGENDA ITEM NUMBER TWO ITEMS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSIDERATION, UH, ITEM TWO-WAY IS CONSIDERED DRAFT LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, UH, MEMBERS.
THIS HAS BEEN IN THE COUNCIL'S BOX FOR ABOUT A MONTH, SO HOPEFULLY EVERYBODY'S HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW IT.
UH, LAURA, IF YOU HAVE A PRESENTATION OR YOU WANT TO PUT, GO AHEAD AND PRESENT THE DRAFT AGENDA, THAT'S ALL YOURS.
AND, UM, BRAD, I WANTED TO ASK, SHOULD WE GO AHEAD AND DO THE PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD, UH, GONE OVER OR JUST BRING UP THE DRAFT AGENDA? YEAH.
AND, AND THANKS TO LAURA FOR PUTTING THOSE TOGETHER.
AND SHE DID A, UM, A PRESENTATION, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NUMBER ONE ON THE AGENDA TONIGHT ON THE CIP AGENDA, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A BUDGET MEETING, WE WENT AHEAD AND PUT, UM, APPROVAL OF THE LEGISLATED, UH, PROGRAM OR AGENDA, UH, ON THIS, UH, MEETING FOR TONIGHT.
IT'S SIX FIRST ITEM, UH, SO THAT THE COUNCIL COULD, UM, UH, UH, GIVE US APPROVAL AND WE CAN MOVE ON.
AND THAT WAY ALL THE COUNCILS ON BOARD, AS YOU ALL KNOW THE AGENDA AS SIDE, SHE IS A MORE OF A BROAD STATEMENT OF, UM, DIRECTION OR GUIDELINE OR PARAMETERS FOR US, UH, ON HIS MEETING, IN HIS COMMITTEE.
AND, UH, UH, THE STAFF MEMBER, UM, AS FAR AS, UM, WHAT WILL GUIDE US THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE SECTION, UH, AND I'VE SAID OVER AND OVER, WE CAN'T CHASE EVERY BILL DOWN THERE.
I, I DON'T KNOW THAT TIDE'S ON AND NATHAN PROBABLY ANSWER THIS OFF THE TOP OF HIS HEAD, BUT I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY BILLS HAVE BEEN FILED ALREADY.
UH, AND IT'S GOING TO BE MAYBE A RECORD SESSION AGAIN, RECORD-BREAKING AS FAR AS THE NUMBER OF BILLS THAT ARE GOING TO BE FILED, UM, WHEN, AND LAURA HAS PUT TOGETHER A SHORT PRESENTATION, I THINK WE'RE, UH, HOPE TONIGHT.
WE'LL JUST LEAVE THROUGH, UM, WITH THE ENTIRE COUNCIL, UH, AND THEN PAUSE AND ASK FOR QUESTIONS, BUT I'LL DEFER TO YOU, UH, CHAIRMAN, COULD IT KIND KINDA, IT'S NOT PENETRATED THE COMMITTEE REPORT, BUT IT REALLY A COMMITTEE REPORT.
UM, UH, AND LET ME PAUSE THERE AND ASK, UM, DO YOU WANT, UH, LAURA AND ME TO DO THIS PRESENTATION TO THE COUNCIL TONIGHT OR MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU WANT TO TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT? UH, I THINK IT, UH, I THINK IT WOULD BE BEST COMING FROM THE BOTH OF YOU, SO I'LL DEFER.
AND LIKE I SAY, UM, WE INTEND TO MAKE IT SHORT AND SWEET.
UM, THEY, UH, AS FAR AS, UH, WHAT WE'RE PRESENTING, IT'S REALLY JUST THE HIGHLIGHTS, UH, OF WHAT Y'ALL HAVE, IF YOU GIVE US APPROVAL.
AND THEN WE MOVE ON, UM, THERE'S ONE OTHER HOUSEKEEPING MATTER, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS SMITHS, OR EXCUSE ME, WILLIAMS. UH, YOU HAD SOME PROPOSED CHANGES, UH, SOME ADDITIONS TO, AND THE COUNT COMMITTEE HASN'T TAKEN THOSE UP.
UH, WE CAN WORK A MAN, UM, TO OUR PRESENTATION AND THIS AGENDA, UH, TONIGHT, BUT, UH, I'VE GOT TO LEAVE THAT DECISION UP TO THE COMMITTEE SO WE COULD TAKE UP THAT ITEM OR, OR BJ'S, UM, CHANGES, UH, SUGGESTION.
THEN WE CAN GET THOSE ROLL DAN, BEFORE WE HIT THE FULL COUNCIL TONIGHT.
UH, LET'S SEE WHAT YOU GOT PRESENTATION PRESENTATION-WISE AND THEN, UH, WE'LL DISCUSS COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS HAS CHANGES AND SEE IF WE CAN DO THIS QUICKLY ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU TIME TO MAKE THOSE CHANGES BEFORE WE TAKE IT TO COUNCIL TONIGHT.
AND I THINK LAURA HAS A SLIDE ON IT.
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FULL PRESENTATION? YES MA'AM.AND, UM, JUST AS, UM, MR. NEIGHBOR MENTIONED, IT'S THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDAS.
AND SO, UM, BRAD, DID YOU WANT TO DO THIS, OR DID YOU WANT ME TO GO AHEAD AND GO THROUGH THIS QUICKLY? UH, WHY DON'T WE JUST, UH, SCROLL THROUGH REAL QUICKLY COURTS THAT YOU'VE SEEN ALL THIS, DO WE HAVE ANY, UH, CHANGES AS TO THIS PAGE? UM, I DON'T THINK SO.
I'M JUST KIND OF TOUCHING THE MAIN GOALS, PROTECT AND PROMOTE, AND JUST TO HAVE OUR RESIDENTS PRESERVE LOCAL CONTROL WITH THE AUTHORITY AS PROVIDED IN THE TEXAS CONSTITUTION, UH, GIVE GENERAL IMPACT FOR STAFF TO KNOW WHICH BILLS TO MONITOR PURSUE, UM, EXCELLENT MAIN PRINCIPLE, UH, JUST LIKE THE BILL SAYS, UM, AND, UH, UH, COURTS THAT WHY WE'RE HERE IS, UH, PROMOTES, UH, THE CITY'S INTEREST OR PROTECT THE CITY'S INTERESTS.
THIS LAST BULLET POINT ON HERE, UH, I THINK IS REALLY IMPORTANT, UH, FOR THE REASONS THAT I JUST OUTLINED.
WE CAN'T CONSTANTLY CHASE EVERY BILL.
UM, WE CAN KIND OF GROUP THEM INTO CATEGORIES, UM, THAT WE CAN PRIORITIZE.
AND EVEN THOSE CATEGORIES ARE GOING TO BE A SMALL, SMALL SUBSET OF ALL OF THE BILLS THAT ARE GOING IN AND OUT.
BUT, UM, FROM WHAT WE GET THROUGH THE APPROVAL OF THIS AGENDA, UH, WHAT I PROPOSE NEXT, AND I'M, I'M DELVING A BIT MR. CHAIRMAN AND THE NEXT ITEMS DOWN THE LIST, UH, TONIGHT THIS EVENING.
UM, BUT WHAT WE'LL GET IS, IS A SENSE OF CATEGORIES TO PUT TOGETHER.
UH, WE'RE WORKING ON A TRACKING LIST.
UM, FROM THERE, WE'RE GOING TO PAIR THAT DOWN.
AND WHAT I INTEND TO DO IS CUT OUT MOST OF THOSE THINGS THAT, UM, WELL CUT OUT ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT REALLY DON'T IMPACT GARLAND DIRECTLY.
AND THEN FROM THERE, WE'LL ALSO CUT OUT THOSE OF GENERAL INTEREST TO THE STATE AND NOT SPECIFIC INTEREST TO GARLAND AND THE LEAD, THOSE TWO TML AND OTHER CITIES TO PURSUE ALL OF THOSE BILLS, UM, HAVE, UH, SOME KIND OF SPONSOR SOMEWHERE AROUND IT, AS FAR AS IF THEY'RE PROMOTING CITY INTEREST.
UM, AND, AND AS FAR THEY'RE ADVERSE TO CITY INTERESTS, WELL, SOMEBODY'S GOING TO ADDRESS THOSE, UH, ON DOWN THE ROAD.
UM, BUT WE WOULDN'T HAVE TIME TO, UH, TRACK EVERY ONE OF THOSE KINDS OF BILLS.
AND THEN FROM THESE CATEGORIES AS WE GO THROUGH, UM, WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO CUT THEM DOWN TO MANAGEABLE CATEGORIES.
I DON'T KNOW THE TOTAL NUMBER OF BILLS, UM, IN THE PAST, WE'VE HAD HUNDREDS ON OUR LIST AND IT'S, UH, UNMANAGEABLE.
UM, NOW THAT SAID JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE A LIST, UH, BASED UPON, UM, THE INPUTS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE CAN'T ADD SOMETHING TO IT OR TAKE SOMETHING OFF OF THAT LIST.
UH, IF SO, DIRECTED BY Y'ALL GO AHEAD, LAURA.
UM, SO SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL CATEGORIES THAT, UH, MR. HEBERT MENTIONED, WE'RE A FISCAL FINANCIAL STRENGTH, UTILITIES, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND SAFETY DEVELOPMENT, AND LAND USE, UH, MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, THE, AND THEN WE ESSENTIALLY DELVE INTO EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES INDIVIDUALLY, UM, AND, UH, WE'VE PUT TOGETHER SOME STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT AND OPPOSITION REGARDING THOSE.
AND SO, UM, JUST AS IT MENTIONED IN THE DRAFT LEGISLATION FOR FISCAL AND FINANCIAL STRENGTH, SUPPORTING LEGISLATION THAT PROMOTES CREATIVE WAYS TO FOSTER ECONOMIC GROWTH AND OPPOSED LEGISLATION THAT HINDERS THE CITY'S ECONOMIC GROWTH OR FINANCIAL STABILITY, UH, SUPPORT LOCAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROPERTY TAXATION DECISIONS AND APPRAISALS, AND THEN OPPOSE LEGISLATION, WHICH ERODES THE CITY'S TAXING AUTHORITY, BOND RATING, AND ABILITY TO MANAGE OR ISSUE DEBT.
UM, AND THAT, UH, THAT LAST STATEMENT CAN REALLY COVER BOTH THE ISSUANCE OF BONDS AND CERTIFICATES OF OBLIGATION AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, OPPOSE LEGISLATION
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THAT IMPOSES UNFUNDED MANDATES ON MUNICIPALITIES.NOW, LET ME PAUSE THERE VERY QUICKLY.
UM, WHAT I'M, W WE'VE TALKED, UH, OR SAFT DID EARLIER TODAY, UH, AS FAR AS THESE LISTS, THESE TRACKING, UH, LISTS.
I THINK WHAT WE'LL DO, UM, ALSO IS KEEP US A SEPARATE LIST OF THE, ANYTHING THAT IMPOSES AN UNFUNDED MANDATE.
AND THE REASON WE DO THAT IS BECAUSE NOT BECAUSE WE'RE SO INTERESTED IN THE SUBSTANCE OF THOSE BILLS, UM, BUT RATHER IN HAVING A LIST THAT WE CAN POINT TO AND SAY, HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF AN UNFUNDED MANDATE, UH, AND, AND IT WILL BE MANY.
AND SOME OF THESE, UH, ARE VERY STEALTHY.
UM, UH, I DON'T MEAN THAT IN, IN, IN AN UNDERHANDED WAY, BUT THEY'RE STEALTHY IN THAT THE PROPONENTS OF THESE BILLS DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT CUMULATIVELY, THESE THINGS COST THE TAXPAYER MONEY.
I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, ANY BILL THAT PROPOSES, UM, SOME KIND OF CERTIFICATION OR ADDITIONAL TRAINING ON THE PART OF CITY PERSONNEL, ALL SOUNDS GOOD.
AND MORE OFTEN THAN NOT WHEN WE DON'T OPPOSE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, BUT IT COSTS MONEY.
IF YOU'RE GOING TO REQUIRE TRAINING, IT COSTS MONEY.
IT COSTS MONEY OUTSIDE TO THE INITIAL TRAINERS THAT TRAIN THE TRAINERS, AND THEN IT COSTS MONEY, UH, TO REASSIGN STAFF, TO A TRAINING SEGMENT, OR, UH, THE COST OF PAYING FOR THAT CERTIFICATION BECAUSE THE STATE WANTS ITS MONEY BACK FOR, UH, ISSUING THESE KINDS OF CERTIFICATION AND IT COSTS US MONEY.
AND IT ISN'T SOMETHING THAT LOOKS AWFUL ON THE FACE OF IT, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A LIST THAT WE CAN POINT TO AND SAY, HERE'S SOME MONEY, HERE'S SOME MORE MONEY.
HOW MUCH IS IT? I DON'T KNOW, BUT IT'S MORE MONEY.
AND IF WE KEEP ADDING THESE THINGS ON AND MAINTAIN A THREE AND A HALF PERCENT REVENUE CAP AND CUT OTHER REVENUE, WE'RE GOING TO RUN INTO TROUBLE.
BACK ON THE PRIOR SLIDE, PLEASE.
UM, IT, AND MAYBE THIS IS MAYBE I'M GETTING TOO MUCH IN THE, IN THE DETAIL, BUT, YOU KNOW, ARE WE REALLY OPPOSING THE LEGISLATION OR REIMPOSING, OR WERE YOU OPPOSING THE MANDATE? AND WHAT I MEAN IS THAT THERE MAY BE, I, I WONDER IF OUR POSITION AND THIS MAY BE HOW WE GO FORWARD MAY BE DIFFERENT WHEN WE PUT IN WHATEVER OUR AGENDA, THIS, BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY OPPOSING THE LEGISLATION.
COULD YOU MAKE IT OUT AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS IS AN AWESOME PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
HOWEVER, MY QUESTION TO YOU IS HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR IT? AND ARE YOU WILLING TO EITHER GIVE US THE FUNDS OR ALLOW US TO RAISE FUNDS WITHOUT PENALTY IN ORDER TO FURTHER THIS LEGISLATION? SO, I MEAN, AND MAYBE I'M TOO NUANCED FOR, FOR WHAT I KNOW IS KIND OF A BROAD DOCUMENT, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T TAKE A POSITION OF, OF WE'RE JUST HERE TO KNEE JERK.
I DON'T WANT TO GET CHARACTERIZED AS KNEE JERK OPPOSITION.
AND IN FACT, EVEN WHEN WE POINT TO THE LIST, IT'S LIKE, HEY, I'M NOT SAYING THAT WE'RE OPPOSED TO ANY OF THIS STUFF.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT HERE'S, HERE'S A POT OF MONEY WE HAVE TO COME UP WITH, AND I'M NOT REALLY SURE HOW WE DO IT.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT CARD, RIGHT? THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
I'M HOPING TO START SEEING THINGS AND BILLS THAT SAY, AND THE AMOUNT AND THE, THE FUNDS USED TO DO THIS ARE EXCLUDED FROM THE CAP.
UM, I'M HOPING THAT IT BECOMES MORE OF A GENERAL IDEA AND I'D LOVE TO SEE IT.
I WOULD BE HAPPY FOR LITERALLY NOT EVEN A LOT.
I MEAN, LITERALLY EVERY ONE OF THOSE BILLS THAT GETS IDENTIFIED, WE JUST SEND A, YOU KNOW, YOU SEND AN EMAIL OR A LETTER TO THE SPONSORS OF THE BILL THAT SAY, WE SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING AMENDMENT, YOU KNOW, AND BAM, BAM, BAM DOWN DONE.
AND THAT'S THE SAME ONE THAT YOU SEND IT TO ALL OF THEM.
UM, THERE MAY BE AN OPTION TO DO THAT.
I'M SORRY, MR. CHAIRMAN, I'M NOT WAITING FOR YOUR LEAVE TO SEE.
WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THAT FOR THE FORMALITY.
UM, THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT BUILDING ON THAT IDEA BECAUSE, UM, IN MOST BILLS, UH, OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, WHAT A FISCAL NOTE IS, WHICH TELLS THE STATE OF IT'S GOING TO COST THE STATE MONEY.
THEY HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S ANALOG FOR, UM, BILLS THAT AFFECT LOCAL.
OFTENTIMES, UM, IF IT'S, UH, UH, A BIG EXPENSE, THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD REACHES OUT TO US TO, UM,
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UH, ASK FOR INPUT, HEY, HOW MIGHT YOU THINK THIS IS GONNA COST AND SURPRISE, SURPRISE? THE IRONY OF ALL IRONY IS THAT'S AN UNFUNDED MANDATE BECAUSE IT TAKES TIME OUT AT SOMEBODY.IT TAKES TIME TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, OFTEN CONCERN WITH THE AMOUNT OF TIME AND OFF TIME.
WE, WE CAN'T REALLY QUANTIFY THE AMOUNT OF MONEY BEING EXPENDED.
SO, UH, PERHAPS WHAT WE CAN START GOING IS, UH, RESPONDING TO THOSE, UH, THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD SAYING, WE CANNOT QUANTIFY THESE COSTS WITHOUT EXPANDING A LOT OF MONEY.
AND EVEN THEN WE AREN'T SURE, UH, OF THE IMPACT, BUT, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO LIVE WITH THIS BILL IF YOU'LL ALLOW US, UH, SOME KIND OF LEEWAY IN THE REVENUE CAPS, BUT TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT AND LEAVE IT AT THAT AND HAVE THAT AS A CANNED RESPONSE CHAIR.
CAN YOU, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I CAN START.
UH, LAURA, CAN YOU FLIP ONE BACK ONE, ONE SIDE BACK THINGS.
UM, MY FIRST NOTE THAT I'D SEND TO THE CHAIR IT'S, IT'S BEEN IT'S ADDRESSED AND SHARE, SHARE.
I SEE, I SEE, I SEE IT IN THERE.
UM, IT HAD TO DO WITH HOME RULE.
OH, WHICH I THINK I'M TALKING MESSAGING AN OPTIC SINGER.
I THINK TO ME, THAT'S THAT, THAT SHE, THIS IS THAT SORT OF SUMMARIZES WHAT'S AT STAKE HERE.
SO, SO I DUNNO HOW WE, WHETHER WE WANT TO EMBOL THAT OR SOME WAY SET IT OUT, BUT IT'S THERE.
SO, UM, IF WE COULD SORT OF FIGURE OUT SOME KIND OF WAY, JUST MAYBE GRAPHICALLY TO, TO, UH, PUT HOME RULE, PROTECTING HOME RULE, UM, THAT'S, UH, I THINK A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE, UM, THAT, UH, THAT FOLKS UNDERSTAND.
UM, SO IF WE CAN THAT SLIDE FIGURE OUT A WAY MAYBE WE CAN PUT, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING HOME RULE ON OUR AS, AS, UH, MAYBE OUR STANCE.
UM, MY SECOND POINT, UH, GOING BACK TO, UH, WHAT, UH, UH, TO RICHEST, UH, UH, COMMENT TONIGHT.
I AGREE WITH HIM ONE OF THE THINGS, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT BRAD, WHETHER WE WANT TO PUT THIS ON A LIST, UH, BUT, UH, UH, COVID, COVID-19, UH, VACCINE, UH, DISTRIBUTION.
UH, I, I SAT IN ON A, A, A TOWN HALL, UM, BUT, UH, WE CAN HAVE TO GO, UH, WHERE I'D HAVE TO LEGISLATE LEGISLATURE OPEN, UH, FROM ONE OF OUR SENATORS.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S BEING KICKED AROUND DOWN THERE, THERE'S SOME FUSSING GOING ON BETWEEN SOME MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE REGARDING THE GOVERNOR'S AUTHORITY AND DECISION MAKING PROCESSES RELATED TO COVID-19, UH, VACCINE DISTRIBUTION AND, AND SOME DISCUSSION OF SOME PROPOSED LEGISLATION HAVE NO, NO IDEA.
HE DIDN'T SAY WHAT IT WAS GONNA LOOK LIKE, BUT MY CONCERN IS THAT WHATEVER COMES OUT OF THAT, IT'S GOING TO LAND IN, IN OUR, IN THE LOCAL FOLKS LAB.
AND I KNOW THERE GOING TO BE SOME COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH, WITH THAT.
SO I'M JUST KIND OF THROWING THIS OUT THERE, A BRAND, FOR SOME THOUGHTS OF SOMEWHERE IN THIS DOCUMENT, I THINK WE OUGHT TO DROP SOME LANGUAGE, WHETHER IT'S ON, UM, THAT THE, THE WAITING LIST OR THE UNFUNDED MANDATE LIST, BUT SOME SOMEPLACE IN THIS PRESENTATION, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO SEE, UH, THE COVID-19 VACCINATION DISTRIBUTION JUST AS A CONCERN.
I'M NOT, I'M NOT THERE YET TO, YOU KNOW, TO PUT SOME, SOME SORT OF SOME MEAT ON THE BONES THERE, BUT I KNOW THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS IS, THIS HAS ALREADY, UH, UH, BECOME A BIG ISSUE WITH THE LEGISLATURE.
AND, AND, UH, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME FURTHER DISCUSSIONS AND SOME LEGISLATION COMING OUT OF THIS.
AND I THINK IT'LL BE ON OUR LIST SOMEPLACE BECAUSE I THINK THE PARACHUTE'S GOING TO LAND IN OUR LAP.
AND IF IT'S PUSHED IN OUR LABS, UH, THERE THEY'RE GOING TO BE SOME FUNDING, SOME RESOURCE NEEDS.
SO I JUST WANT TO THROW THAT OUT FOR DISCUSSION, MR. CHAIR.
UM, LAURA, COULD YOU, UH, SCROLL AHEAD TO THAT, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH SLIDE, UH, THE PUBLIC OR THE ONE
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WITH THE COMMENTS? UH, THIS ONE.UM, WE, WE HAVE, UM, THIS KIND OF GENERAL STATEMENT IT'S, UM, NOT REAL PARTICULAR FOR A REASON.
UM, ONE OF THE BIG TOPICS OF DISCUSSION THAT WE ANTICIPATE THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS, UM, UH, POLICE POLICE SERVICES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND HOW WE GO ABOUT LAW ENFORCEMENT.
YOU WERE AT, YOU WERE AT MY NECK.
CAUSE THAT WAS ONE THING I DID NOT MENTION, BUT I HAD IT NOTED HERE.
UM, AND, UM, WITHOUT GETTING INTO TOO MUCH DETAIL ON POINT, UH, I THINK WE COULD ADD A BULLET POINT HERE IF IT'S THE PLEASURE OF THE COMMITTEE, UM, TO MENTION IT IN GENERAL TERMS, UM, LIKE YOU SEE HERE ON, ON POLICE LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, SOMETHING RELATING TO COVID 19 AND, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY WITH RESPECT TO COVID-19 OR OTHER PANDEMIC FOR THIS SPECIFIC PANDEMIC.
LET'S HOPE THERE'S ONLY ONE THAT I EVER HAVE TO REFER TO.
UH, WE ARE RECEIVING FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING HERE CURRENTLY.
WELL, UH, ENOUGH TO COVER OUR COSTS.
CERTAINLY I KNOW WE HAD THAT LARGE WINDFALL, WE HAVE SET ASIDE, BUT, BUT, UH, TO COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS, HIS POINT, UM, YOU KNOW, ANYTHING THAT THE STATE WOULD LIKE FOR US TO DO ON BEHALF OF THEIR DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, CERTAINLY THERE NEEDS TO BE FUNDING ATTACHED TO IT.
UH, WELL, UH, NOT, WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M THINKING.
UM, A COUPLE OF THINGS ON THE, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE LANDSCAPE IS GONNA LOOK LIKE ON COVID-19 DISTRIBUTE.
I MEAN, THAT COULD ALL CHANGE IT AT 12:01 PM TOMORROW AND IT WILL.
AND SO EVERY ASPECT OF THAT MAY CHANGE AND IT MAY TAKE THE STATE'S ENTIRELY OUT OF IT.
I COULD SEE, YOU MAY HAVE A CIRCUMSTANCE THAT'S COMPLETELY FEDERAL PRO.
I MEAN, WE DON'T KNOW IT'S SO IT'S, SO I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER.
IT'S BETTER TO KEEP, I THINK THIS, THIS ASPECT OF IT VERY GENERAL.
UM, I DO THINK WE WANT TO KEEP AN EYE ON, I MEAN, THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME INTERESTING BILLS THAT COME UP THAT WE MAY WANT TO BRING IN LATER.
AND I THINK AS WE LOOK AT STUFF LATER IN PARTICULARLY WHAT I'M THINKING OF IS, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A REAL PUSH ON JUST GENERAL LOCAL CONTROL.
WHAT ROLE DOES THE COUNTY DOES THE COUNTY HAVE? DOES THE CITY HAVE, DOES THE STATE HAVE A MORE SEEING WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF THAT AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S NOT A FIGHT THAT WE CHOSE TO GET INVOLVED IN THIS YEAR.
UH, ALTHOUGH WE CERTAINLY COULD HAVE, UH, BUT THAT'S CERTAINLY ONE THAT I'LL PASS OVER, GET INTO.
AND, AND SO I, I THINK WE MAY SEE A LOT OF LEGISLATION AROUND THAT.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LEGISLATION WE'LL SEE WITH RESPECT TO THE PAIN.
I MEAN, MY HOPE IS THAT BY THE TIME WE REACH SEEN A, SEEN A DA WOULD THAT, THAT WERE, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT TH NOT THAT WE NECESSARILY HAVE EVERYBODY VACCINATED, BUT THINGS ARE MOVING IN SUCH A WAY THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE AN ISSUE, BUT I DEFINITELY THINK IT'S AN AREA THAT WE WANT TO MONITOR.
UM, AND SO, BUT I WOULD MAYBE BREAK THE SLIDE UP INTO A HEALTH SLIDE AND A SAFETY SLIDE, YOU KNOW, THAT GET, THAT, MAKE SURE THAT WE RETAIN A VOICE, UM, WITH RESPECT TO PROTECTING OUR RESIDENTS FROM A PUBLIC SAFETY STANDPOINT.
AND THEN ALSO FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, CER CERTAINLY I AGREE WITH BJ THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH, WE'VE HAD, WE'VE HAD ISSUES BROUGHT INTO FOCUS THAT, UM, THAT ONLY COME INTO FOCUS WHEN YOU HAVE HAD SOMETHING LIKE THIS KIND OF CATASTROPHIC EVENT.
SO, UM, I THINK IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO MONITOR AND, AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, HAVE A VOICE IN.
I THINK PART OF IT IS, IS, IS EVERYONE'S PRETTY MUCH MENTIONED DOES COME UNDER THINGS LIKE UNFUNDED MANDATES AND, AND STUFF LIKE THAT.
I, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE AN ISSUE WITH THAT.
I THINK MY, I HAVE NOT LOOKED AT THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATIONS, UM, YOU KNOW, ADDITIONAL BILL THAT THEY HOPE TO PASS.
IT'S A $1.9 TRILLION BILL, BUT I WOULD IMAGINE THERE'S A LOT MORE MONEY IN THERE FOR DISTRIBUTION IN, FOR MUNICIPALITIES AND WHATNOT.
ALTHOUGH THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING WE MAY WANT TO LOOK AT, WOULD WE BE COMFORTABLE WITH A BULLET POINT THAT SAYS SOMETHING ALONG THE LINES OF, UH, MONITOR AND RESPOND TO, UH, BILLS REGARDING EMERGENCY AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT FOR THE LOCAL LEVEL, JUST A SORT OF A PLACEHOLDER MORE THAN ANYTHING THAT, THAT GIVES OUR STAFF, THE AUTHORITY TO ACT ON THAT KIND OF BILL AND BRING IT BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE.
I AGREE WITH RICHARD AND I THINK SPLITTING
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IT OUT, LIKE WOULD SAY, UH, WOULD, WOULD DO IT AND WE COULD HAVE, MAYBE IT WAS JUST ONE BULLET POINT.UM, AND YOU SHARE LANGUAGE WITH THE CHAIR, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO USE YOUR LANGUAGE IF, EVEN IF, IF, IF FOR ONLY FOR EXAMPLE, UM, AND AGAIN, I'M GOING BACK TO MESSAGING, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS BEFORE FOR US BEFORE US IS, COVID-19 NOT SAYING A LOT ABOUT IT, BUT SURE.
UM, THE PUBLIC SAFETY SLIDE PUT FOR AN EXAMPLE, LAURA, WHAT I'M SAYING IS IT MAKES SENSE JUST SPLIT THAT, HAVE THAT ON A PUBLIC SAFETY AND MAKE, HAVE THAT GENERIC STATEMENT.
AND THEN AS A PART OF THAT GENERIC STATEMENT, YOU KNOW, INCLUDE, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, COVID-19 RELATED AND THAT THAT'S A GLOBAL STATEMENT, WHATEVER IT IS.
SO, SO WE, WE DO ON A ONE BULLET POINT FOR KEEPING US ENGAGED IN, IN UPCOMING BILLS FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
AND WE ALSO HAVE ANOTHER BULLET POINT THAT SAYS, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO STAY FOCUSED ON COVID-19 AS WELL AS, UH, AS A PRIMARY TASK.
SO IT'LL STILL REMAIN PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY, BUT IT WILL HAVE THOSE TWO BULLET POINTS.
WE'D HAVE TO, WE'D HAVE TWO BULLET POINTS, HAVE ONE FOR SAFETY AND OTHER FROM PUBLIC COUNCIL.
I'VE GOT TO STEP OUT REAL QUICK.
RICHARD, YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THE DOUBLE BULLET POINT S AS RICH, AS RICH MENTIONED, AND THAT ONE WOULD BE ON THE PUBLIC HEALTH LOWER AS, AS RICHARD MENTIONED.
I MEAN, I THINK WE DEFINITELY NEED A, I WOULD BREAK IT INTO TWO BULLET POINTS.
I DON'T KNOW, AGAIN, I DON'T KNOW HOW SPECIFIC IT SHOULD BE.
I DON'T KNOW THAT WE NEED TO MENTION COVID-19 SPECIFICALLY, OR WE JUST NEED TO REFERENCE, YOU KNOW, PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES.
MY CONCERN IS THAT WE'RE GONNA SEE, UM, WE'RE GONNA SEE A LOT OF BILLS THAT MAY NOT MATTER IN TERMS OF LEGISLATIVE, A DEN AGENDA IN TERMS FOR WHAT THE LEGISLATURE IS DOING.
I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE MUCH WITH, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE'LL SEE MUCH WITH RESPECT TO COVID-19 SPECIFIC BILLS, ALTHOUGH YOU MAY SEE PUBLIC HEALTH AND PANDEMIC RELATED BILLS, THE COVID-19 PIECE.
I THINK YOU'RE MORE LIKELY TO SEE ADDRESS THROUGH THINGS LIKE EXECUTIVE ORDERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, WHICH THEN BEGS THE QUESTION OF FROM A, FROM A LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS TYPE PERSPECTIVE.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS OUR MISSION AT THIS MOMENT, BUT, YOU KNOW, TO WHAT EXTENT SHOULD WE HAVE A STANDING COMMISSION, UH, COMMITTEE ON INTER-GOVERNMENTAL ISSUES, WHETHER IT'S LOBBYING ON LEGISLATURE, SPECIFIC LEGISLATIVE STUFF, OR EXECUTIVE BRANCH STUFF DEALING WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, UH, AND HOW WE DEAL WITH THAT AND HOW YOU DEAL WITH STUFF ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
BUT I THINK THAT'S, I'M GETTING A LITTLE OUT OF THE SCOPE.
SO ARE Y'ALL ABLE TO SEE MY, UM, EDITING POWERPOINT, STRESS THIS, SO THIS IS WHAT Y'ALL ARE ASKED.
I JUST WANT TO BE COMPLETELY CLEAR.
UM, AND SO THIS WOULD INCLUDE, UH, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, MONITOR, RESPOND TO, I HOPE THIS IS OKAY.
UM, UH, REGARDING COVID-19 IS THAT, IS THAT WHAT YOU SAID, CO CHAIRMAN, UM, MONITOR AND LET'S SEE IF MONITOR AND RESPOND TO BILLS CONCERNING OKAY.
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, UH, UH, I WOULD SAY CONCERNING EMERGENCY AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT.
UM, I THINK THAT LEAVES IT NICE AND BROAD.
YOU KNOW, I, TO SAY HE SAID, BECAUSE I LIKE WHAT RICH SAID ABOUT GOVERNMENTAL, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE THIS THING IS GOING.
AND THAT'S FROM THE CONFERENCE CALL THAT PARTICIPATED THAT'S, THAT'S THE ISSUE THAT THE LEGISLATORS, SOME OF THE LEGISLATORS ARE HAVING THAT, THAT THIS THING IS THAT'S WHERE THE FIGHT IS.
I DON'T KNOW WHETHER THERE WAS NO INDICATION GIVEN WHETHER YOUR SCHOOL IS GOING TO GET TO THE POINT OF ACTUALLY DOING LEGISLATION OR WHETHER IT'S RICH MANSION, WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE EXECUTIVE ORDERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE OR ADMINISTRATIVE.
BUT, BUT THE INDICATIONS THAT I GOT WAS IT, THERE ARE SOME VERY STRONG DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW THIS WHOLE PROCESS IS GOING TO HANDLE AND WHAT IT'S GONNA LOOK LIKE LOCALLY MOVING FORWARD.
[00:30:01]
I THINK RICH INDIGO MEMBER, I'M SORRY, UH, UM, ON, ON AN INTER-GOVERNMENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVES, AND THERE'S ALREADY A COUPLE OF BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED RELATED TO, UM, LIMITING THE GOVERNOR'S AUTHORITY THROUGH EXECUTIVE AND ALSO LOCAL MORE LOCAL AUTHORITY, LIKE THE, UM, UM, JUDGE JENKINS, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A, THERE'S ALREADY BEEN A BUILD INTRODUCED TO HELP LIMIT THOSE LOCAL OFFICIALS FROM DOING EXECUTIVE ORDERS LIKE THAT.THE THING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF AND ENRICH, SPOKE ON THIS ALREADY IS, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE SCOPE OF THIS PARTICULAR COMMITTEE IS PURELY LEGISLATIVELY DRIVEN.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, SCOTT'S BEEN DOING A GOOD JOB ACTING AS OUR EXECUTIVE, UH, FOR DEALING WITH THE, THE ONGOING DISCUSSIONS, UH, AND THE ANNUAL GOVERNMENTAL TYPE OF TYPE OF DISCUSSIONS.
I WOULD NOT WANT TO GET TOO FAR DOWN THAT PATH WITHOUT TAKING THAT BACK TO THE COUNCIL AND ASKING THEM FOR AN EXPANSION OF OUR AUTHORITY.
UH, SO LET'S STICK TO THIS FOR NOW, I THINK, AND THEN GO ON FROM THERE.
I, I THINK TOO, UM, ON BOTH OF THESE POINTS, UH, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT BILLS, UH, HAND, UH, EMERGENCY AND DISASTER MANAGEMENT, UH, HARD POSITION REALLY IS GOING TO BE ONE OF LETTING THE PARENTS FIGHT BECAUSE THEY'RE REALLY NOT GOING TO WANT TO LISTEN TO US TOO MUCH.
ALL WE CAN DO IS BE A RESOURCE AND TRY TO BE HELPFUL, UM, WITHOUT GETTING IN THE WAY OF WHATEVER TRAIN IS RUNNING, UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE STILL NOT GOING TO BE, UM, VERY WELL-RECEIVED DOWN THERE, BUT IN THE BACKGROUND, WE CAN TRY TO, UH, TWEAK WHATEVER BILLS BECOME MORE PROMINENT IN THE PROCESS AND, UH, ADD OUR THOUGHTS IN THAT MANNER.
UM, I DON'T THINK WE'D WANT TO TEE US UP TO MEETING MEETINGS, UH, TRYING TO ADAMANTLY OPPOSED SOME OF THE BILLS BECAUSE THEY'RE STOPPING SOME OF THEM, BUT IT'S, IT'S A POLITICAL FIGHT.
UH, WE'RE GOING TO SEE BILLS ON BOTH WAYS, A GOOD BILL IN OUR VIEW, BAD BILL IN OUR VIEW.
UM, AND WE'LL LET THE LEGISLATOR FIGHT THAT OUT.
AND THEN WHATEVER COMES OUT OF THAT PROCESS, IT SEEMS TO BE MOVING FORWARD, HAS LEGS AS WE CALL IT.
UM, THEN WE'LL TRY TO, UH, FIX THOSE AS THEY MAKE THEIR WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS.
I CAN LIVE WITH YOUR LANGUAGE THERE AS THE CRAFTED, UH, O U T W.
WE WENT TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY SLIDE.
THAT'S ALL GOOD THROUGH THREW ME A SECOND.
AND THIS WAS JUST A, KIND OF A MINOR NET, WHICH IS ON ALL OF THIS.
I WOULD ALSO NOTE THAT WE'RE PROTECT, WE'RE PROTECTING AND SERVING ANYWHERE WHERE WE HAVE RESIDENTS, GARLAND RESIDENTS.
WE SHOULD ALSO HAVE BUSINESSES WITH A REMINDER TO THE LEGISLATURE THAT, THAT WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO, TO PROTECT OUR BUSINESSES, THEIR, THEIR HEALTH, THEIR WELFARE AS WELL.
AND THAT REALLY COMES THROUGH THAT, THAT COMES THROUGH EVERYTHING THAT WE DO, AND MAYBE GOES AT THE VERY TOP AS WELL ON THE FIRST SLIDE.
THE BIGGER YOUR AUDIENCE IS BY THE WAY, THE MORE TYPOS YOU'LL HAVE IT'S IT'S OH, DEAR.
UM, NOW, UH, WHILE WE'RE KIND OF CHANGING THINGS, UH, DID WE WANT TO, I KNOW, UM, COUNCILMAN ALBAN MENTIONED, UH, THE UNFUNDED MANDATES.
DID WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND CHANGE THIS TO RESPONDING, RESPONDING TO BILLS THAT IMPOSED? YEAH.
OR JUST OPPOSE HIM UNFUNDED MANDATES.
I'D JUST LIKE YOU TO RANK, YOU CAN MISINTERPRET THAT.
UH, WERE THERE ANY OTHER, BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO PUBLIC SAFETY? OKAY.
NOW WE JUST SPLIT THIS FROM PUBLIC HEALTH.
[00:35:01]
IT STILL HAS THE SAME VERBIAGE FROM THE PUBLIC, UH, THE FIRST BULLET POINT FROM PUBLIC HEALTH.AND SO I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WANTED TO KEEP THAT THE SAME, OR I THINK THE STATEMENT STILL CARRIES A LOT OF WEIGHT AND IT'S STILL CORRECT.
WE JUST LOOK AT, WE'RE LOOKING AT IT THROUGH A DIFFERENT LENS WHEN YOU SHIFT FROM PUBLIC HEALTH TO PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO I LOVE THE WORDING IN BUSINESSES AND GREAT.
I MEAN, THE MISSION IS THE SAME.
IT'S JUST THROUGH A DIFFERENT RESOURCE.
THE INPUT THAT WENT IN THERE TO, UH, UH, JUST COPIED AND DROP IT IN THERE.
WELL, WHAT'S THE, UM, DO, DO WE HAVE ANY MORE NARROWLY DEFINED PUBLIC SAFETY GOALS? UH, ONE, UH, SO ONE COMMENT THAT, UH, I BELIEVE IT WAS, UH, COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS HAD MENTIONED WAS, UH, THE IMPACT OF, AND INCLUDING THE IMPACT OF POLICE REFORM LEGISLATION.
AND SO I, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT YOU WANT US TO ALSO INCLUDE HERE.
AND, AND AGAIN, I JUST, I JUST KINDA THREW IT OUT TO THE COMMITTEE.
NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE.
NOBODY KNOWS WHAT THAT'S GOING TO BE.
YOU KNOW, WE COULD, YOU KNOW, I'M A COUNTRY IF WE DON'T EVEN TEST, IF WE DON'T DETECT THAT.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT THERE IS, UM, THERE'S MULTIPLE LEGISLATION BEING BALES THAT ARE GOING TO BE PUSHED IN THAT AREA.
WHAT THE, YOU KNOW, WHAT IF, WHAT, IF ANYTHING COMES OUT OF THE LEGISLATURE, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE IF IT DOES NOPE, NO IDEA WHAT IT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE, BUT I KNOW IT'S, IT'S, UH, IT'S, UH, IT'S GOING TO BE, UM, IT'S A, IT'S A PRIORITY, UH, WITH A LOT OF, WITH THE NUMBER OF FOLKS OUT THERE.
AND I KNOW THERE ALREADY BEEN SOME BILLS, UM, UM, UH, DRAFTED, UH, IN THAT AREA.
UH, WHAT'S GOING TO BE THE SCOPE OF THOSE BILLS TO SEE WHAT THE COMMITTEE THOUGHT, SHOULD WE, SHOULD WE PUT ANYTHING IN THEIR BODIES OR, YOU KNOW, I'M JUST, JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.
I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT IN THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SEE WHAT WE'RE HANDED.
UH, DO WE JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO MONITOR AND REFINE AS THE, AS THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION PROGRESSES, WE'LL SEE WHAT BILLS END UP REFERRED INTO COMMITTEES AND, AND GO FROM THERE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION, JUST BECAUSE I JUST WENT THROUGH A LIST OF OVER 20 BILLS RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY AND POLICE REFORM.
UM, I SENT A LIST TO MIKE MATTES AND HE'S GOING TO SIT DOWN WITH JEFF BRIAN AND DISCUSS THAT LIST.
AND PART OF THE ISSUE WITH THAT IS, UM, JEFF DID A GREAT CHIEF.
BRIAN DID A GREAT JOB OF, UM, UM, UM, FOLLOWING THE EVENTS OF THE SUMMER, DID A GREAT JOB OF GOING THROUGH AND IMPLEMENTING A BUNCH OF POLICY CHANGES.
AND SO SOME OF THE BILLS ARE RELATED TO POLICIES WE ALREADY HAVE IN PLACE, AND THEY'RE JUST, CAUDIFYING THOSE POLICIES.
AND SOME OF THEM ARE RELATED TO COMMON LAW.
UM, UH, THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE BY THE COURTS.
I'VE BEEN PUT IN PLACE BY THE COURTS THAT THAT'S JUST BEING CODIFIED.
AND SOME OF THE BILLS, UM, THE STATE AND LOCAL ASSOCIATIONS ARE SUPPORTING, UM, UM, BECAUSE THEY RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR REFORM.
AND SO WE NEED TO KIND OF SEE WHERE SOME OF THIS IS ALL GONNA, UM, FOR SOME OF THESE INTEREST GROUPS ARE GOING TO LAND AS FAR AS THEIR POSITIONS AND HAVE THOSE DISCUSSIONS MOVING FORWARD BEFORE WE HAVE A DEFINITE POLICY STATEMENT ON IT.
WELL, AND I, AND I WILL TELL YOU GUYS, UH, I DO HAVE SOMETHING IN THE PIPELINE.
UH, WE SHOULD HAVE, UH, THE ASSOCIATION HEADS, UH, MATT SMITH, L CREWS, AND OUR COMMAND STAFF, UH, SPEAKING TO THIS COMMITTEE WITHIN A FEW WEEKS.
UH, THERE'S A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS ON THEIR LEGISLATIVE AGENDAS.
AND, UH, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL AWARE OF WHAT THE OTHER, UH, LEFT-HAND RIGHT-HAND MAKES SURE WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE ALL DOING AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE.
UH, I KNOW ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT'S GONNA COME UP IS PRESUMPTIVE ILLNESS FOR, FOR COVID, WHICH HAS ALREADY A CITY POLICY.
UH, BUT THEY'RE LOOKING TO ENSHRINE THAT AND STATE LAW, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE, WE, WE PASS THAT NINE TO NOTHING, UH, I GUESS, SIX TO NINE MONTHS AGO.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'D HAVE COME THROUGH HERE, UH, BUT WE CAN LEAVE THIS GENERIC FOR NOW AND, AND TIGHTEN THINGS DOWN IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS.
WE'RE DOWN TO 10 MINUTES GUYS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ROLL PRETTY QUICK.
UH, THE NEXT ONE IS DEVELOPMENT AND LAND NOUS, REINSTATE REGULATION OF BUILDING MATERIALS THROUGH THE USE OF BUILDING CODES, UH, SUPPORTING LEGISLATION, WHICH AMENDS THE 30 DAY SHOT CLOCK REGARDING PROPOSALS FOR NEW LAND USE.
UM, AND THAT'S IN ORDER TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TIME FOR PUBLIC INPUT AND PARTICIPATION.
ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS I HAD WITH A NG BUTTON STAFF WAS GETTING THE 30 DAY MOVE TO 60.
UH, THIS WAS PROBABLY SIX MONTHS AGO WHEN WE TALKED ABOUT IT.
UH, THEY FELT LIKE IT WAS POSSIBLE TO MOVE THAT SHOT CLOCK OFF BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN RESTRICTING PUBLIC INPUT.
WE'VE RUN INTO THAT IN A NUMBER OF CASES.
UH, BUT, UH, I SPOKE TO THEM AT THE TIME AS A, AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN AND NOT AS A, AS A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE CITY.
UH, WHAT WOULD THE COMMITTEE LIKE TO DO AS FAR AS THAT SHOT CLOCK IS CONCERNED.
[00:40:01]
WANT TO TRY AND MOVE IT OUT, ABOLISH IT.WHAT, WHAT IS THE COMMITTEE'S PREFERENCE, UH, UNDERSTANDING THAT THE DIFFICULTY OF ACHIEVING THE ABOLITION IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THE DIFFICULTY OF GETTING IT EXTENDED.
IS THERE ANY, ANYBODY WANT TO THROW A NUMBER OUT OR AN IDEA? IS IT, WOULD WE BE COOL TRYING FOR 60 DAYS INSTEAD OF 30? I CAN'T REMEMBER.
W HAS THE, UH, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THE ENGINEERING AND BUILDING, UH, REVIEW DEPARTMENT, AFTER THEY HAD MANY ISSUES MEETING THIS.
I KNOW IT WAS INITIALLY THERE WAS SOME CONCERNS, BUT HAVE THEY BEEN ABLE TO ADAPT TO THIS AND ARE THERE STILL ONGOING PROBLEMS MR. CHAIRMAN? UM, IN THAT REGARD, WE HAVE A MEETING SET UP, UH, IS IT TOMORROW LOWER SIX TOMORROW WITH, UH, THE BUILDING OFFICIAL AND THE DIRECTOR OF PLANNING GET THEIR INPUT ON A SAYING? UH, SO UNFORTUNATELY, COUNCILMAN ERIC, WE, WE DON'T HAVE A GOOD SENSE RIGHT NOW, THE BEST APPROACH ON A SAYING, UH, RECOGNIZING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO RUN INTO A BUZZSAW, UH, OPPOSITION TO ANYTHING WE DO DOWN THERE.
UM, BUT WE MAY HAVE SOME GOOD IDEAS AND FLOATING SOME IDEAS AMONGST OURSELVES WITHOUT HAVING TALKED TO JIM OR WILL, OH, I DON'T KNOW ANY PARTICULARS, UH, UH, UH, UH, BRAND.
ARE YOU, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE DRAFT ON NATURE? HB TWO 33? HAVE YOU SEEN THAT YET? I DON'T THINK SO.
OTHER THAN, UH, PERHAPS A SYNOPSIS, IT DOESN'T JUMP OUT.
BUT FROM THAT WE HAD A DRAFT OF IT AND IT'S THAT THAT'S, THAT'S A REPRESENTATIVE MIRROR BUILD AND THAT THEY'RE OPPOSING ANY, I THINK, ANY CHANGES TO THIS MATTER OF FACT, THEY'RE PROPOSING, TIGHTENING THIS UP.
SO YEAH, JUST, JUST, JUST PRELIMINARY AND LAURA, MAY LAURA SHAKING HER HEAD.
SO LAURA, YOU MAY HAVE MORE INSIGHT ON THIS BIT ON THAT.
I CAN'T SAY, UM, I HAVEN'T REALLY DONE SUPER DEEP INTO THIS, BUT JUST BASED ON, UM, SOME MEETINGS I'VE BEEN IN, I BELIEVE THAT IT REALLY WILL BE KIND OF WORKINGS ON EXCLUSIONS AND EXCEPTIONS FOR SMALLER ENTITIES, FIVE THOUSAND TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND.
POPULATION ON IT LESS THAN 25,000 WOULD BE, IT WOULD BE EXEMPT.
BUT NO RELIEF FOR CITIES ABOVE.
LET'S GO TO A DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM MORRIS.
UM, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE I'M.
I MET WITH SENATOR NATHAN JOHNSON A FEW WEEKS AGO AND, UM, AT HIS REQUEST AND HE BROUGHT UP SEVERAL THINGS AND WAS ASKING ME QUESTIONS.
AND OF COURSE I SAID, UH, OUR LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE IS MEETING AND WE DO NOT AS A BODY HAVE RECOMMENDATIONS AT THIS POINT, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS HE SPECIFICALLY, UM, TALKED ABOUT WAS THIS SHOT CLOCK.
AND, UM, HE SAID, SO WOULD IT BE BETTER TO EXTEND IT TO 60 OR 90 DAYS? IS THAT, UH, AN AMENDMENT THAT WOULD BE GOOD? AND I WENT, YOU KNOW, I'M PRETTY SURE THAT WE WOULD BE VERY HAPPY WITH IT BEING EXTENDED, EXTENDED, BUT HE SPECIFICALLY SAID 60 TO 90 DAYS.
SO FOR, FOR WHATEVER IT'S WORTH, I MEAN, I KNOW FROM WORKING WITH WILL IN FORUM, WORKING THROUGH SEVERAL ZONING PROCESSES THAT HAVE BEEN IN DISTRICT TWO, I KNOW THAT THIS IS A STRAIN ON THEM.
UM, THIS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN A CAKEWALK.
SO I KNOW THAT THEY WOULD NO DOUBT APPRECIATE, HAVE MORE, HAVING MORE BREATHING ROOM, BOTH FOR THEMSELVES AND FOR THE PUBLIC.
BUT, UM, I WOULD THINK 60 DAYS IS A VERY MODEST ASS.
90 DAYS MIGHT BE TOO MUCH, BUT, UM, I WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE AN ADVANTAGE TO US TO ASK FOR SOMETHING, SOME EXTENSION.
AND, UH, ONE OF THE OTHER TWEAKS TO THAT, UH, BRAD, YOU SAID THE WAY THE ORIGINAL LEGISLATION WAS WRITTEN, WE COULD NOT EVEN TELL PEOPLE THAT THAT OPTION OR THAT THEY WERE ALLOWED TO DELAY THE HEARING FORMERLY, BECAUSE THAT WOULD BE SOME VIOLATION OF THE LAW.
SO CERTAINLY WE'D WANT US TO SEE IF WE COULD GET THAT AMENDED OUT SO WE CAN AT LEAST TELL DEVELOPERS WHAT THEIR RIGHTS AND OPTIONS ARE.
AND ONCE WE GET A BETTER IDEA, THE REALITIES OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE RUN INTO WITH THESE BILLS, UM, WHAT WE'LL DEVELOP AND YOU'LL HEAR THIS TERM
[00:45:01]
A LOT, UM, FOR PRESENTATION TO THE LEGISLATORS IS A, UM, A ONE PAGER.THAT'S THE TERM ONE PAGER IN IT, IT, WHAT IT SAYS, IT'S A ONE PAGE OUTLINE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'D LIKE TO SEE DONE THAT WAS SOME EXPLANATORY NOTES.
AND, UM, SO AFTER WE GET THIS AGENDA APPROVED, UM, HOPEFULLY, AND, UM, GET THE GENERAL PARAMETERS PUT IN IN PLACE, AND WE'LL START COMING UP WITH THESE ONE PAGERS AND WE'LL SEND THEM TO THIS COMMITTEE, YOU'LL GET, SEE THEM, UH, HOPE ALWAYS BEFORE THEY GET PRESENTED TO THE LEGISLATURE.
UH, IT, THE LANGUAGE HERE LOOKS FLEXIBLE ENOUGH THAT I FEEL LIKE WE COULD MOVE FORWARD WITH IT AS IS, AND WE CAN DRILL THESE THINGS DOWN AS WE, AS WE GO.
ANY OBJECTIONS? NO, NO OBJECTION, PER SE, BUT ON THE REGULATION OF BUILDING MATERIALS, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO ROLL BACK THE ENTIRE, I DON'T THINK WE'LL GET VERY FAR WITH, WE WANT TO ROLL BACK OR ELIMINATE THE ENTIRE LAW, BUT, BUT REINSTATE SOME REGULATION OF BUILDING MATERIALS.
I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO RUN INTO KIND OF A LOCAL CONTROL TYPE ISSUE THERE.
AND I THINK THAT ONE'S GOING TO BE FAIRLY NUANCED BECAUSE THEIR WHOLE POINT, I MEAN, THEIR ENTIRE POINT WAS TO ELIMINATE SOME REGULATION, SOME OF THE REGULATION OF BUILDING MATERIALS, THEY JUST HAPPENED TO ELIMINATE ALL OF IT.
SO REINSTATE, UM, REGULATION BUILDING, WHICH I SAID, OKAY, YOU KNOW, WE'LL, WE'LL NEED TO COME BACK AND NARROW THAT DOWN ON THE ONE-PAGERS I THINK.
UH, WE'RE DOWN TO ABOUT FIVE MINUTES.
WE HAVE, UH, JUST TWO MORE SLIDES, UH, MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT INCENTIVIZES ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR VETERANS HOUSING OR HOME.
AND THEN PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT LEGISLATION THAT AGE, THE MOBILITY OF RESIDENTS WITHIN THE CITY AND REGION, UM, AND THEN PROTECTS AND EXPANDS ITS RIGHT TO MANAGE AND CONTROL PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY THE TAX PAYER ASSETS LET'S ADD.
AND UH, WELL, DO WE WANT TO SAY TAXPAYER OR RATE PAYER? UH, BOTH.
UH, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE 5G NODES ON PUBLIC UTILITY POLES THAT THEY GET FOR FREE AND THAT'S, THAT'S THAT BULLET POINT.
UH, I WANNA, I WANNA, BECAUSE THE WORK I'M DOING ON THE LEGISLATIVE LOBBYING, I WANT TO KEEP REINFORCING THAT WE'RE PROTECTING TAXPAYER ASSETS AND, AND, AND AS, AS RICH MADE THE POINT WITH RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES, WE HAVE TO KEEP THAT DRUM BEAT OF LOOK, WE'RE JUST REPRESENTING TAXPAYER ASSETS.
WE'RE NOT SOME, SOME SEPARATE ENTITY THAT YOU'RE YOU'RE IN COMBAT WITH.
THIS IS YOU'RE, YOU'RE HURTING YOUR TAXPAYERS WHEN YOU DO THESE THINGS.
I WOULD JUST, I WOULD JUST, INSTEAD OF THE WORD TAXPAYER THOUGH, I WOULD JUST LEAVE IT PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY AND ASSETS.
THE PERSONAL A POINT, UH, IS SOMETHING I BELIEVE THE COUNCIL MEMBER OFTEN, UM, HAD A SAD LAST TIME AND THAT GOES TO, UM, PERHAPS SUPPORTING THE AGENDA OF THE REGIONAL, REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION, POSSIBLY ADOPTING SOME OF THE ISSUES THEY HAVE AT LEAST ON, YOU KNOW, SOME REGIONAL ISSUES.
WELL, AND NOT HAVE CITIZENS RUN OVER BY 20 MILE AN HOUR.
SO I THINK THAT FITS IN THE SAME.
MR. CHERISH THIS WEEK, WE'RE, WE'RE PUSHING A CLOT.
CAN I JUST MENTION ONE THING RIGHT QUICKLY? YEP.
BRETT, WHERE ARE WE ON, ON THE, UH, COMMUNITY, UM, ADVOCACY, UH, BILL, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A COMPANION FILE OVER IN THE HOUSE BY MILTON, OUT OF GALVESTON AREA, UH, TO HOST BILL WORD AND THE F AND THE FOUND SCHEME OF THINGS WORK WELL, ARE WE GOING TO INCLUDE, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO WORK THAT IN? BECAUSE THAT'S AT THE HOT ONE AND, UM, UH, THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
AND IT'S, WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT'S GOING TO FIT HERE? BECAUSE I'VE READ THE, I READ THE DRAFT MAILCHIMP DRAFT BILL, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT'S RUNS PARALLEL TO HOUSE BILL.
SO WHAT'S YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT? UM, WELL, ONE THING, UM, UH, I, I WOULD SAY NOT TO OUR BENEFIT, UH, SENATOR HALL HAS BEEN APPOINTED TO THE, UH, LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY'RE
[00:50:01]
GONNA HAND LAND.AND SO SATURDAY IS FOR WHICH COMMITTEE WILL TAKE IT UP.
UM, BUT WE KNOW WE HAVE A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR HIS OWN BILL.
UH, IF IT PLANS IN THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE, UM, AS FAR AS HOW FAR OUT WE, AS THE CITY WANT TO GET IN THERE, UH, I DON'T, IF WE WANT COUNCIL BUY-IN, UH, AS FAR AS, UH, UH, POSING THOSE BILLS, THEN WE SHOULD ADD A SLIDE HERE.
UM, W W FOG ORIGINALLY, OR THAT WE WOULD STAND QUIET ON IT, UH, RATHER THAN DRAWING MORE ATTENTION TO US, UH, BY THE LEGISLATURE, UM, WE WOULD SIMPLY OPPOSE IT BECAUSE IT GOES TO THAT THAT OVERRIDING GOAL OF PROTECTING, UH, FOR INTERESTS IS A HOME RULE CITY.
I THINK IT'S COVERED BY THAT FIRST SLIDE IN THAT OVERRIDING GOAL.
IF YOU SILENCE US, WE CAN'T ADVOCATE ON BEHALF OF THE TAXPAYERS AND THE RIGHT TIRE.
YEAH, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T, I DON'T HAVE MY THOUGHTS TOGETHER, UH, AT THIS POINT OR HOW AND WHAT HA WHAT SHOULD BE OUR STRATEGY, BUT I DEFINITELY THINK WE ARE MOVING FORWARD.
WE HAVE FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HOW, BUT I DEFINITELY THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN'T, I DON'T THINK THIS IS ONE THAT WE CAN REMAIN SILENT ON IT NOW, HOW WE EXPRESS OUR VOICE.
THAT'S THAT'S FOR ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, INTO OUR COUNCIL FOR OUR DISCUSSION.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THIS IS ONE THAT WE CAN REMAIN SILENT ON IT, BECAUSE THIS, IT FITS.
IF THIS GOES THROUGH, AS IT'S, AS IT'S DRAFTED, IT'S GOING TO BE HUGE.
IT'S GONNA, IT'S GONNA AFFECT PEOPLE LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE TO NAME NAMES, BUT I JUST THINK THAT WE'VE GOT TO COME UP WITH HOPEFULLY MS. CHAIRMAN SOME WAY, UM, TO PROTECT OUR BACKSIDES, BUT ALSO, I DON'T THINK WE CAN, WE CAN AFFORD TO REMAIN QUOTE, SILENT ON THIS ONE.
THIS IT'S, IT CAN BE REALLY DEVASTATING TO TWO VOICES AND GOING BACK TO OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND CONSTITUENTS, IF WE ALLOW THIS WITHOUT, WITHOUT SOME KIND OF OPPOSITION, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
CAN YOU ADD THAT, UH, THAT TOPIC TO THE AGENDA FOR THE 25TH AND WE'LL, WE'LL DO A DEEP DIVE ON IT.
I, I WOULD NOT ADD THAT TODAY, BUT I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN TALK ABOUT.
AND I THINK WE NEED SOME INPUT FROM, FROM THAI AND FROM OTHER FOLKS, BECAUSE MY PROBLEM IS, AS IT WAS HINTED AT A MINUTE AGO, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE LEGISLATURE HAS BEEN, I MEAN, HAS BEEN SO PUNITIVE WITH RESPECT TO YOU STANDING UP FOR ANYTHING THAT, THAT, I MEAN, I THINK BRAD'S RIGHT.
THERE'S SOME THINGS THAT ARE JUST BETTER TO WHITE FLIGHT, YOU KNOW, SHE, WHERE IT GOES.
AND IF IT GETS TO A POINT WHERE WE DO NEED TO SAY SOMETHING THAT I THINK WE MAKE THAT DECISION DOWN THE ROAD, BUT IT'S JUST WITH THE LAST SESSION WAS JUST ABSOLUTELY BRUTAL.
UH, FOR SLIDE 11, I THINK WE'VE HANDLED ALL OF COUNCIL MEMBER WILLIAMS COMMENTS AND ROLLED THAT INTO TO THIS.
OR WE ARE COMFORTABLE ELIMINATING THAT SLIDE FROM TONIGHT'S PRESENTATION.
DO YOU FEEL LIKE WE'VE, WE'VE HANDLED EACH OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE BROUGHT UP? YOU DO.
SO WE CAN ELIMINATE THAT SLIDE.
AND, UM, I THINK WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE ITEM TWO B TELL YOU GET 90 SECONDS.
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT TO BRING US TODAY THAT'S REALLY QUICK? NO, I MEAN, THE GOOD NEWS THAT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE TIME THAT Y'ALL ARE PUTTING INTO THIS AND BEING ABLE TO LISTEN TO THIS.
UM, AND, AND THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT THE CENTER HALL, UM, THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE IS FOCUSED ON LIKE SPECIAL PURPOSE DISTRICTS AND, UM, YOU KNOW, MO MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICTS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
WHEREAS I THINK THE TAXPAYER FUNDED LOBBYISTS BILL WILL GO THROUGH THE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE.
SO, UM, SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE, BUT YEAH, IT'S THE, THE COMMENTS I'VE HEARD FROM Y'ALL ARE VERY HELPFUL IS, IS WE'RE LOOKING AT BILLS AND AS WE'RE TALKING TO LEGISLATORS AND STAFF, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTMENT OF YOUR TIME.
UH, I HAVE ACTUALLY WRITTEN UP SOMETHING ON LEGISLATIVE LOBBYING.
I'M GOING TO THROW IT IN BOX AND, UH, AND A DOC FORM.
YOU GUYS WANT TO DIGEST IT, MAKE SOME COMMENTS.
AND MAYBE WE SEE IF WE WANT TO SEND SOMETHING AS A GROUP.
IT'S A FAIRLY SHORT LETTER, BUT, UH, UH, JUST WANT TO GET THE COMMITTEE'S INPUT ON IT.
SO I GET THAT IN FOR, WE CAN DISCUSS IT NEXT MEETING IF YOU WANT.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE CAN SQUEEZE INTO THE NEXT, SAY 15 TO 30 SECONDS? OH, I HAVE SOMETHING REALLY, REALLY QUICKLY.
[00:55:01]
COMMITTEE, UH, ASSIGNMENTS HAVE BEEN POSTED.AND SO I'VE, UH, TICED AND THAT ARE WAY EARLIER TODAY.
AND SO I'VE POSTED THAT DOCUMENT INTO THE BOX, THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE BOX, SO THAT YOU CAN REVIEW THAT.
AND SO, UM, I WILL SAY REALLY QUICKLY, UM, SENATOR JOHNSON, UH, IS IN THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEES, ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS AND COMMERCE, JURISPRUDENCE, WATER AGRICULTURE, AND RURAL AFFAIRS AND REDISTRICTING AND SENATOR HALL, UH, WAS NAMED TO THE FOLLOWING COMMITTEES, EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND HUMAN SERVICES, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, STATE AFFAIRS IN VETERAN AFFAIRS AND BORDER SECURITY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU GUYS LET YOU ALL KNOW ABOUT THAT.
BRAD, LET ME JUST DO THIS FORMALITY.
UH, DOES ANYBODY HAVE EMOTION FOR US ON ADOPTION OF THE PLAN AS WE'VE AMENDED IT? SO MOVED.
MOVED BY COUNSELOR ROBYN, SECONDED BY WILLIAMS, UH, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE, AYE.
ANY OPPOSED OR NOTHING THAT PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AND WE'LL GET THE PRESENTATION ON THAT REPORTED OUT TO COUNCIL TONIGHT.
AND, UH, THIS MEETING OF THE, UH, GARLAND, TEXAS LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE IS ADJOURNED.
FEEL FREE TO JOIN US IN THE TIM MEETING IN THREE MINUTES.