[ NOTICE OF MEETING CITY OF GARLAND, TEXAS INTRAGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE Work Session Room of City Hall William E. Dollar Municipal Building 200 N. Fifth Street Garland, Texas May 5, 2025 4 p.m. ]
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AND, UH, WE ARE CONVENING, UH, THIS, UM, COMMITTEE ON IN THE GOLD MINERAL COMMITTEE FOR THE CITY OF GHANA.UM, UM, THIS, THIS COMMITTEE MAY RECESS, UM, FROM OPEN CONCESSION AND CONVENE ENCLOSED EXECUTIVE SESSION IF THE DISCUSSION OF ANY ITEM LISTED AGENDA ITEMS CONCERNS ATTORNEY CLIENT COMMUNICATIONS, INCLUDING PENDING CONTEMP, UM, CONTEMPLATED LITIGATION, UH, SETTLEMENT OFFERS AND MATTERS CONCERNING PRIVILEGED OR UNPRIVILEGED CLIENT INFORMATION DEEMED CONFIDENTIALITY CONFIDENTIAL BY ROW 1.05 OF THE TEXAS DISCIPLINARY RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT SECTION 5 51 DASH SEVEN ONE OF THE TEXAS CODE.
DO WE, UH, THE FIRST ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS FOR APPROVAL OF THE MARCH 17TH MEETING, AND I GET A MOTION FOR APPROVAL.
IT REMOVES AND SECOND THAT THE MINUTES OF THE MARCH 17TH MEETING ARE APPROVED.
PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION, UH, PERSONS WHO DESIRE TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE ON ANY OF THE AGENDA ITEMS ARE ALLOWED.
UH, TESTIMONY MAY BE HELD UNTIL THE ITEM IS CONSIDERED OR GIVEN AT THE BEGINNING OF ANY COMMITTEE MEETING.
THE TESTIMONY MAY ALSO OCCUR AT ANY TIME SUBJECT TO A REQUEST OF A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE AND WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR.
DO WE HAVE ANY? WE HAVE NO, IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT WE, NO ONE IS HERE, MR. CHAIR.
MOVING ON TO ITEM THREE, UH, UH, AN UPDATE OF THE 89TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
THAT MEANS ARIEL TRIBE, UH, OUR DIRECTOR, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF OUR LEGISLATIVE AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
UH, I WANTED TO START OFF BY KIND OF SHOWING YOU WHERE WE ARE IN, IN THE TIMELINE.
THAT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST THAT HURDLES AND DEADLINES THE HOUSE HAS.
IT'S THE LAST DAY FOR THEM TO REPORT OUT HOUSE BILLS.
UH, HOWEVER, REALISTICALLY, IF YOUR BILL ISN'T OUT OF COMMITTEE BEFORE MONDAY, IT'S MOST LIKELY DEAD.
UM, AND THEN THE 28TH IS THE LAST DAY FOR THE SENATE TO CONSIDER, UH, BILLS IN JOINT RESOLUTION.
SO WE, UH, WE'RE INCHING OUR WAY TOWARDS THOSE AND, AND GETTING EVEN CLOSER TO SIGN DIE.
I WANTED TO PROVIDE SOME UPDATED NUMBERS ON KIND OF THE AMOUNTS OF BILLS THAT WE'RE TRACKING.
RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ACTIVELY TRACKING ALMOST 1400 BILLS.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, BILLS MOVE AND THEY'RE HEARD OR THEY'RE AMENDED.
SOME OF THESE MAY CHANGE, BUT, UM, WE'RE OPPOSING 286.
WE HAVE OPPOSED STANCES TO 286 BILLS SUPPORTING 180, WATCHING ABOUT ANOTHER 900.
UM, ABOUT ALMOST 11,000 BILLS HAVE BEEN FILED, AND ROUGHLY 1300 HAVE BEEN OUT OF COMMITTEE.
THIS WAS GENERATED, UH, ON THURSDAY.
SO I THINK ALL OF THESE ARE JUST A LITTLE BIT LARGER NOW, UH, IN TERMS OF BILL VOLUME BY ISSUE, WE'RE SEEING ENERGY AND GPNL TAKE THE LEAD FOR, FOR THE AMOUNT OF BILLS THAT WE'RE TRACKING, UM, POLICE IN, IN A CLOSE, UH, SECOND OR THIRD THERE.
UM, AND A LOT OF FINANCE SERVICES BILLS, UH, FOLLOWED BY WATER AND PLANNING.
I ALSO KIND OF WANTED TO WALK YOU THROUGH OUR BILL PROCESS, ESPECIALLY FOR, UM, BILL HEARINGS.
A LOT OF THE TIMES WE WILL RECEIVE HEARING POSTINGS ON FRIDAY, SO WE'LL SET ASIDE SOME TIME TO GO THROUGH THOSE, UM, AND COMPARE THEM IN QUORUM AND, AND LOOK AND SEE HAVE THEY'VE BEEN, UM, UH, ANALYZED YET.
DO WE HAVE INPUT FROM DIRECTORS ON THEM? UM, AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A CALL WITH TML AND THE OTHER BIG, UH, BIG BIGGER CITIES THAT HAVE, UM, INTERNAL GR FOLKS.
AND WE WILL GO THROUGH STRATEGY AND, UH, ON EACH BILL.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, UM, WE HAVE, UM, TAYLOR'S HUSBAND CREATED A, UH, APP FOR US THAT WILL TAKE ALL OF THE BILLS THAT WERE SET FOR A HEARING AND EXPORT THEM TO AN EXCEL TRACKING SHEET.
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SO WE WILL TAKE THAT AND WE'LL GO THROUGH THEM.UM, USUALLY AROUND 8:00 PM ON FRIDAY.
TAYLOR AND I WILL GO THROUGH THOSE AND, UM, WE'LL SAY WE'RE WATCHING THIS ONE.
WE NEED INPUT FOR, FOR THIS ONE.
UM, WE CAN OPPOSE, WE DO OPPOSE, WE'LL SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTS, WHATEVER OUR STRATEGY IS FOR THOSE.
WE WILL, UM, WE'LL DO THAT ON FRIDAY.
AND THEN WE'LL GET DEPARTMENTAL INPUT STARTING FRIDAY, ALL THE WAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OUR STRATEGY AS WE GET THAT DEPARTMENT INPUT, UM, IN, AND WE WILL, WE'LL START VISITING OFFICES, MAKING NOTIFICATIONS THAT WE'RE OPPOSING, UH, SPECIFIC BILLS WORKING ON AMENDMENTS MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
UM, AND THAT'S WHEN WE'LL ALSO START TO, YOU KNOW, DO VISITS AND REGISTER OUR, OUR OPPOSITION OR SUPPORT WITH THE COMMITTEES, AND THEN WE'LL MONITOR THEM FROM THERE.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF A SNAPSHOT OF OUR PROCESS.
UM, WE WORK SEVEN DAYS A WEEK CURRENTLY, SO, UM, IT'LL PROBABLY BE THAT WAY FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
BUT WE, UH, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY BILLS THAT FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.
AND IN SO FAR THIS, THIS SESSION, WE'VE SUBMITTED OVER 30 OFFICIAL LETTERS OF OPPOSITION OR SUPPORT.
WE'VE REGISTERED ON FOR OR AGAINST OVER A HUNDRED BILLS.
WE HAVE DEVELOPED DRAFTS OF POINT OF ORDERS FOR OUR REPRESENTATIVES TO USE ON THE HOUSE FLOOR.
WE'VE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO LEGISLATION TO HELP MITIGATE THE IMPACTS TO GARLAND ON MANY BILLS.
UH, WE'VE DEVISED AND DRAFTED, UH, QUESTIONS FOR OUR REPRESENTATIVES TO ASK BILL AUTHORS AND COMMITTEE.
AND ON THE, THE HOUSE FLOOR, WE PROVIDE WEEKLY BILL TRACKING.
WE PROVIDE, UM, BILL SUMMARIES, IMPACT MEMOS AND THE NEWSLETTER E EVERY SUNDAY.
AND THEN WE ALSO COORDINATE WITH OTHER EXTERNAL GROUPS SUCH AS T-M-L-T-P-P-A, UM, NORTH TEXAS MUNICIPAL WATER DISTRICT, NORTH TEXAS COMMISSION TRAPS, UM, TEXAS POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION.
WE'VE WORKED WITH ALL OF THOSE SO FAR, UM, THIS SESSION.
AND THEN WE CONTINUE TO HAVE RESPONSE TO SUBSTITUTES, UM, FOR BILLS AND THEN AMENDMENTS AND, AND MONITOR FLOOR ACTION.
BEFORE WE MOVE ON, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING THE TRACKING SYSTEM OR ANY OTHER THING THAT'S BEEN COVERED SO FAR? COUNCILMAN BASS.
UM, THERE'S A COUPLE OF BILLS, UH, OF INTEREST THAT I WANTED TO KIND OF WALK THROUGH.
UH, HOUSE BILL 19 IS A BIG ONE.
IT'S, UM, BEEN COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE MUNICIPAL FINANCE BILL.
IT WOULD ESSENTIALLY LIMIT A CITY'S DEBT SERVICE TO 20% OF THE AVERAGE PROPERTY TAX COLLECTIONS OVER THREE YEARS.
AND FOR US, IT WOULD, UH, IF PASSED, IT WOULD BLOCK US FROM ISSUING DEBT FOR OUR 2025 BOND PROGRAM, EVEN THOUGH THE VOTERS HAD ALREADY APPROVED IT.
UM, THIS ONE IS STILL IN COMMITTEE.
THEY WERE WORKING ON A COMMITTEE SUB.
WE'VE SEEN THREE DIFFERENT DRAFTS OF A COMMITTEE SUB.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE GONNA GET IT TO WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE TO BE VOTED OUT.
SO WE ARE HEARING THAT THE BILL IS EFFECTIVELY DEAD AT THIS TIME.
UM, THEN THERE'S SENATE BILL, UH, FOUR 12, OR HOUSE BILL 2 67 BY PATTERSON.
THIS ONE ELIMINATES THE DEF AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE THAT CURRENTLY PROTECTS LIBRARIANS, YOUTH PROGRAM STAFF, AND PUBLIC EDUCATORS, UM, WHEN PRESENTING AGE APPROPRIATE, BUT POTENTIALLY CONTROVERSIAL CONTENT.
UM, SO THIS ONE REMOVES AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE FOR LIBRARY STAFF.
THIS ONE WAS ACTUALLY PASSED OUT OF THE, UM, HOUSE FLOOR.
SO THIS ONE WILL BE SENT TO THE, UM, SENT TO THE GOVERNOR FOR HIS SIGNATURE.
UM, SENATE BILL SIX IS OVER IN THE HOUSE.
WE'RE WAITING ON SUBSTITUTE LANGUAGE.
WE'RE WORKING WITH, UM, KING'S OFFICE AND THE HOUSE SPONSOR TO, TO GET THE DEFINITIVE LANGUAGE, BUT WE HAVEN'T SEEN, SEEN ANYTHING CONCRETE YET.
IT IS SET FOR A HEARING, UH, THIS WEEK.
AND THEN SENATE BILL 15 IS, IS IN, UM, CALENDARS KIND OF STALLED AND WE HOPE TO KEEP IT THAT WAY FOR A LITTLE BIT.
UM, THAT ONE IS THE LOT SIZE BILL AND, UM, CALENDARS IS EXTREMELY BOGGED DOWN.
I THINK THEY'VE GOT, I THINK WHAT THEY SAID WAS ABOUT 1700 BILLS THEY'RE TRYING TO WORK THROUGH AND PROCESS, UH, OVER THE NEXT WEEK.
SO, UM, HOPEFULLY THAT ONE CAN HANG OUT THERE FOR A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
AND THEN THERE'S, UH, SENATE BILL 6 73 BREAK HUGHES, WHICH LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO REGULATE ACCESSORY DWELLING UNITS.
AND THAT ONE WAS HEARD IN LAND AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ON MAY 1ST AND WAS LEFT PENDING.
UM, I WANTED TO TOUCH ON THE PREEMPTION BILLS REALLY QUICKLY.
SENATE BILL 28 58 AND SENATE BILL 30 16, SENATE BILL 28 58 BY CREIGHTON WAS ALREADY PASSED OUT OF THE, UH, FULL SENATE AND IS NOW IN, UM, IN THE, ON THE HOUSE SIDE.
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16 IS ACTUALLY ON INTENT FOR THIS WEEK.THAT ONE HAS NOT YET BEEN PASSED OUT.
SO WE ARE, WE'RE WATCHING THOSE, THOSE ARE BIG FIELD PREEMPTION BILLS THAT WE DO NOT LOVE.
SO, UH, WE'RE KEEPING A, A CLOSE EYE ON THOSE.
AND THEN HOUSE BILL 23 WAS PASSED BY THE HOUSE ON APRIL 30TH AND WE WERE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE AUTHOR TO EXEMPT MUNICIPAL, BLESS YOU, MUNICIPAL UTILITIES.
AND THEN THERE WERE A COUPLE OF OTHER AMENDMENTS THAT I GOT THAT GOT ON THERE THAT, UM, GIVE POWERS BACK TO THE CITIES ON FINAL DECISION MAKING IN TERMS OF THIRD PARTY REVIEW.
SO I THINK THAT WAS A BIG WIN FOR US, AND IT MOVED US TO BEING MORE NEUTRAL ON THE BILL.
UM, WE'RE WATCHING THE DART BILLS STILL FOR SURE THAT IT RECEIVED A HEARING YET, UH, HAS NOT BEEN VOTED OUT, BUT WE'RE KEEPING AN EYE ON THOSE.
UM, SENATE BILL 3 93 PRESENTED AN ISSUE WITH, FOR US.
THIS IS THE, UH, TANGIBLE, UH, PERSONAL PROPERTY.
SO ESSENTIALLY YOU CAN'T PURCHASE THAT, UH, ON A BOND IF THAT PUBLIC SECURITY OR WHATEVER THE LIFE OF IT IS.
UH, THE MATURITY ENDS BEFORE THE DATE OF THE, UH, BOND.
SO THINGS LIKE FIRE TRUCKS, IF YOU TRY TO BOND IT AND BY THE END OF THE END OF THE TIME OF THE BOND IS SUPPOSED TO BE UP, IF THE LIFE OF THAT ASSET IS DRAINED BEFORE, THEN YOU CAN'T PURCHASE THAT.
UM, THE ISSUE FOR, FOR US WAS THAT, UM, WITH MUNICIPAL UTILITIES, GAS IS INCLUDED IN THAT IRS CODE.
SO IN THE INSTANCE OF WINTER STORM URI, WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO, AS A CITY WITH A MUNICIPALLY, MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITY, UM, BUY THAT GAS AND PROVIDE IT TO OUR CONSTITUENTS, UM, DUE TO THE LANGUAGE IN THIS BILL.
SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH SENATOR SPARKS ON THE BILL, UM, AND WORKING ON SOME AMENDMENTS.
SO, UM, MORE TO COME ON THAT ONE.
IN TERMS OF OUR LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES, UH, I WOULD LIKE TO HIT ON THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE ZONE BILL FIRST.
THAT ONE WAS HEARD LAST WEEK IN, UH, SENATE STATE AFFAIRS.
UM, COUNCILMAN HEDRICK WENT DOWN AND, AND TESTIFIED FOR THE BILL.
IT WAS THEN VOTED OUT OF COMMITTEE AND WE'LL HEAD TO THE SENATE FLOOR.
UH, WE'RE THINKING OR WE'RE HOPING IN HEARING THAT IT'LL BE ON THE FLOOR THIS WEEK.
UM, AND THEN ON THE HOUSE SIDE, WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH REPRESENTATIVE BOWERS ON GETTING IT, UH, SET.
AND OUR HOPE IS THAT WE CAN GET IT OUTTA THE SENATE QUICKLY AND THEN FLIP THE VERSIONS IN THE HOUSE TO PASS THE SENATE VERSION, UH, AND EXPEDITE THAT VERSION.
IN TERMS OF OUR QUALIFIED HOTEL PROJECT, WE, UM, ACTUALLY JUST HAD THE SENATE BILL HEARD, UH, TODAY, THIS MORNING IN SENATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I TESTIFIED IN SUPPORT OF THAT BILL AND THEN THEY PROMPTLY VOTED IT OUT TO SENATE LOCAL.
SO, UM, THAT ONE'S DONE AND THROUGH THE SENATE AND HEADED OVER TO THE HOUSE.
AND THEN ON THE HOUSE SIDE, WE'RE HEARING THAT IT SHOULD BE VOTED OUT THIS WEEK.
SO WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT, THAT THOSE WILL MAKE IT THEIR WAY THROUGH.
ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? OKAY, WE'RE OPEN FOR QUESTIONS NOW.
I'LL GO TO, UH, COUNCILMAN ART.
UH, THE, UH, THE ALCOHOL BEVERAGE ZONE BILL, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CHANCES ARE THAT THAT'S ACTUALLY GONNA GET COMPLETED THIS SESSION? UM, IF YOU HAD ASKED ME TWO WEEKS AGO, I WOULD NOT SAY I WAS VERY OPTIMISTIC.
I'M A LITTLE BIT MORE OPTIMISTIC NOW THAT WE HAVE, UM, IT OUT OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET IT OFF OF THE FLOOR QUICKLY.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN JUST PUSH IT STRAIGHT THROUGH, THROUGH THE HOUSE.
UM, WE HAVE A MEMBER ON THE HOUSE, LOCAL CALENDAR AND IF, IF WE CAN KEEP THE HOUSE LOCAL CALENDAR ALIVE AND GET OUR BILL ON THERE AND OUT, IT SHOULD BE SMOOTH SAILING.
BUT, UM, THAT'S CONTENTIOUS RIGHT NOW 'CAUSE THERE ARE SOME REPUBLICAN MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN BUSTING EVERY SINGLE BILL OFF.
SO, UM, WE'RE GONNA SEE HOW THIS SUITE GOES FOR THE HOUSE LOCAL CALENDAR BEFORE WE MAKE THAT DECISION.
UM, THE LIBRARIAN BILLS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT IS READY FOR THE GOVERNOR TO SIGN? YES.
UM, DO YOU THINK THAT HE'S GOING TO SIGN THOSE? I DO.
AND WHAT I KNOW, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THE CITY? UH, WHAT THE BILL DOES IS IT REMOVES THE AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE FOR OUR LIBRARY EMPLOYEES.
SO LET'S SAY, UM, THERE WAS A CITIZEN THAT WENT INTO THE LIBRARY AND FELT THAT THERE WAS MATERIAL THAT WAS SEXUALLY EXPLICIT AND THAT SHE DIDN'T WANT HER DAUGHTER OR HIS DAUGHTER TO, TO SEE THAT MATERIAL AND IT SHOULDN'T BE AVAILABLE.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO SUE SALLY WHO WORKS IN THE LIBRARY, THAT THIS BILL ALLOWS THAT PERSON TO DO THAT TO COME
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AFTER ANY INDIVIDUAL LIBRARY EMPLOYEE AND SUE THEM INDIVIDUALLY AS A PERSON, NOT JUST A CITY EMPLOYEE, NOT SUE THE CITY, BUT SUE THEM INDIVIDUALLY, SPECIFICALLY DEALING WITH SEXUALLY EXPLICIT MATERIAL.IT IS NOT DEFINED IN THE BILL, SO THAT WILL BE OPEN FOR THE COURT TO INTERPRET.
CAPTAIN, BE UM, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS RIGHT NOW.
YOU WENT THROUGH IT KIND OF QUICK, SO, AND I APOLOGIZE I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO GET HOME BEFORE I CAME HERE.
I CAME HERE STRAIGHT FROM WORK, SO I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO REVIEW MY NOTES BEFORE I CAME.
UM, I'M SURE IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS I'LL JUST EMAIL YOU.
AND WE HAVE COUNCILMAN MOORE IN, IN THE ROOM.
UH, COUNCILMAN, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANYTHING YOU'VE HEARD HERE? I THINK I'VE ASKED ALL OF MINE AND SHE'S ANSWERED THEM VERY FAST.
UM, I HAVE JUST ONE, UH, WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU GO THROUGH THE, THE BILLS THAT WE OPPOSED AND, AND TELL US WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THAT LIKELIHOOD OF EACH OF THOSE GETTING ON THE CALENDAR AND FOR TO THE HOUSE AND SENATE FLOOR FOR FULL DEBATE AND DISCUSSION? WHAT DO YOU THINK? ABSOLUTELY.
HOUSE BILL 19, I THINK THAT LIKELIHOOD IS PROBABLY ABOUT 5%.
UM, WE SUBMITTED WRITTEN COMMENTS AGAINST THAT BILL, UM, AS WELL.
I WOULD SAY, UH, SENATE BILL FOUR 12 IS THE ONE THAT DID PASS.
UM, SENATE BILL SIX, IT'S ON THE HOUSE SIDE.
I THINK THAT ONE'S LIKELY TO PASS, BUT WE'RE ON THAT ONE.
UM, BECAUSE I THINK WE ARE PRETTY CERTAIN WE CAN WORK OUT A GOOD, UH, DRAFT AMENDMENT THERE.
SENATE BILL 15, I WOULD SAY THE LIKELIHOOD OF THAT PASSING IS 50 50.
I THINK THEY'RE HOLDING ONTO SOME OF THE SENATE BILLS TO SEE IF THE SENATE PASSES SOME OF THEIRS.
SO I THINK IT'S KIND OF LIKE A, A WAIT AND SEE GAME BETWEEN THE TWO CHAMBERS.
SO, UM, IF THE SENATE PASSES ENOUGH BILLS FOR THE HOUSE AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY CAN PUSH SOME OF THE SENATE BILLS THROUGH, I THINK THAT ONE HAS A HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF BEING PUSHED THROUGH.
HOWEVER, IT REALLY JUST DEPENDS BECAUSE THE HOUSE RECENTLY HEARD DAN PATRICK'S SENATE BILL THREE, THE HEMP BILL AND MATERIALLY CHANGED THE BILL AND HE WAS NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
SO I THINK, I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A TIFF THERE AND IT, IT DEPENDS ON HOW, HOW THAT'S WORKED OUT.
UM, AND THEN SENATE BILL 6 73, I SAY THAT THAT ONE'S GOT, UM, A PRETTY, PRETTY GOOD CHANCE OF PASSING OUT AS WELL.
UM, SENATE BILL EIGHT 40, I THINK IT'S GOT, IT'S GOT SOME OPPOSITION IN THE HOUSE FOR SURE.
UM, AND WE'VE WORKED ON MOBILIZING OUR FOLKS ON THIS ONE TOO.
SO, UM, WE'RE HOPING THAT WE CAN WORK WITH OUR HOUSE MEMBERS TO DISCUSS OPPORTUNITIES ON THE HOUSE FLOOR.
AND COULD YOU SPEAK TO THE STATUS OF THE DART LEGISL LEGISLATION? YES, CURRENTLY, UM, I THINK THEY HAVE THE VOTES TO GET IT OUT.
I THINK THEY ARE STUCK IN A LITTLE BIT OF A BATTLE BETWEEN HOUSE AND SENATE.
UM, AND I THINK IT JUST DEPENDS ON IF THEY'RE ABLE TO GET THEIR BILL OUT OF COMMITTEE TODAY.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WISH TO SHARE WITH US THAT WOULD IN BE MORE ENLIGHTENING OR, UM, I WOULD SAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD TO MAKE SURE OUR HOUSE MEMBERS ARE ARMED WITH INFORMATION.
NOT JUST THAT THEY KNOW HOW THE BILLS WOULD IMPACT US, BUT WE, UM, HAVE ASKED THEM TO VOTE NO ON SOME BILLS.
UH, WE, WE MEET WITH THEM AND TALK AND TOUCH BASE ALMOST DAILY, UH, WITH OUR DELEGATION.
UH, WE PROVIDE THEM WITH QUESTIONS TO ASK ON THE HOUSE FLOOR.
WE PROVIDE THEM WITH AMENDMENT LANGUAGE, WE PROVIDE THEM WITH TALKING POINTS, WE PROVIDE THEM WITH, UM, POINTS OF ORDER.
SO I THINK THAT, UM, WE ARE DOING OUR BEST TO ENSURE THAT OUR HOUSE MEMBERS ARE, UH, MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS, UM, KNOWING HOW THE CITY OF GARLAND STANDS, UM, IN, IN VOTING ON THE HOUSE FLOOR.
UM, MR. MR. BATES, UH, WHO'S OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS OR QUESTIONS? YEAH, AND JUST, UM, WELL A COUPLE OF THINGS.
UM, OF COURSE, UH, ARIEL AND TAYLOR WILL CONTINUE TO STAY ON TOP OF THE BILLS THAT IMPACT OUR CITY AND WILL KEEP US ALL COUNSEL AND STAFF UPDATED AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS AND
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GET MORE FINALIZED DECISIONS.UH, OF COURSE WE'VE GOT MORE MEETINGS PLANNED AND DISCUSSION, AND THEN OF COURSE THOSE THAT IMPACT US, YOU KNOW, IN ANY WAY WE'LL BE STUDYING AS WELL.
THE OTHER CITIES LIKE THE LIBRARY BILL AND OTHERS, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF DISCUSSIONS OF IF THIS PASSES, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR OUR STAFF? BUT IT'S THE SAME THING FOR EVERYBODY'S STAFF, OTHER CITIES AND ALL THE REST OF THAT.
SO, SO WE ARE WORKING THROUGH THOSE DETAILS.
UH, AND MR. TAYLOR, MAN, IF YOU'LL INDULGE ME FOR JUST A MINUTE, I'D LIKE TO ESPECIALLY RECOGNIZE ARIEL AND TAYLOR.
I KNOW YOU GUYS KNOW HOW HARD THEY'RE WORKING, BUT I MEAN, IT IS, AS YOU KNOW, WITH THE LEGISLATION, IT IS SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND ESPECIALLY THIS POINT OF THE SESSION AND HAS BEEN FOR A LONG TIME.
OFTENTIMES THESE MEETINGS AREN'T ENDING ENDING UNTIL ONE OR TWO IN THE MORNING.
UH, A LITTLE EXAMPLE IS THE AREA WAS DOWN IN MEETINGS THIS MORNING, FINISHED A LITTLE BEFORE LUNCH, DROVE UP HERE IS HAVING THREE MEETINGS WITH US, AND THEN AFTER THE WORK SESSION UPDATE TONIGHT, SHE'LL BE DRIVING BACK TO AUSTIN.
'CAUSE SHE'S GOT WARM MEETINGS FIRST THING IN THE MORNING
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE KIND OF TEAM YOU HAVE WORKING FOR YOU AND FOR THE CITIZENS OF GARLAND STAYING ON TOP OF THESE ISSUES, WHETHER WE SUPPORT THE BILL, WHETHER WE OPPOSE THE BILL ANYWHERE IN BETWEEN, AND JUST KEEPING US UPDATED ON THAT.
THEY'RE DOING A FANTASTIC JOB DOING THAT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT TO THE COMMITTEE.
WELL, MR. MR. CHAIRMAN, IF, UH, UM, AH, MITCH, UH, I ECHO YOUR SUMMIT.
UM, AS BUSY AS THEY, THEY ARE, UH, ARIEL AND TAYLOR, UH, THEY KEEP US WITH, UH, PUT IN READING MATERIALS.
I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND I HAD IT, I THOUGHT I'D READ, READ, READ IT, AND THERE WAS A NEW ONE FROM ARIEL.
UH, SO, UH, THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF INFORMATION.
UH, WHAT WHAT'S GOING ON DOWN THERE? AND I CAN, UH, UH, SAY THAT WITH, WITH, WITH WITH PRIDE BECAUSE I'M AWARE OF SOME OTHER, UH, QUOTE, UH, CITY STAFF FROM OTHER CITIES.
UH, BUT, UH, THEY GET, UH, THEY GET, UH, LEGISLATIVE NOTES, THEY CALL THEM AND THEY DON'T REALLY SAY MUCH.
UM, BUT ARIEL, WHEN WE GET THE INFORMATION, IT'S UH, IT'S UH, IT'S, IT'S, UH, COMPLETE.
IT'S, UH, SAYS WHAT, WHAT, UH, WHETHER WE OPPOSE IT OR, AND IT, NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IT GIVES THE RATIONALE WHY IT'S NOT A GOOD BILL FOR US.
SO THAT'S THE, THAT'S THE SCOPE OF THE WORK THAT WE APPRECIATE AND, UH, WHAT WE WERE FRANKLY MISSING, UH, 'CAUSE WE JUST DID NOT HAVE THE, THE BANDWIDTH OR THE PERSONNEL TO, YOU KNOW, COUNCILS AND SOMEBODY TO AUSTIN.
AND SO I'M JUST TICKLE PINK THAT YOU ARE WITH US AND ALL THE WORK YOU DO AND, AND, AND TAYLOR AND KEEP UP WITH IT DESPITE, UH, UH, THE TONE OF THAT HOUSE THAT IS A INTERESTING PLACE TO WORK.
BUT YOU'VE DONE, UH, SO WELL SINCE YOU HAVE, UH, COME ON, BULL WITH US.
AND, UH, YOU AIN'T GOING NOWHERE,
SO, UH, AND, UH, SHE, UH, AS MITCH HAS SAID, UH, SHE WILL COME IN FOR A COUNSEL TONIGHT AND AS SOON AS SHE, HOPEFULLY COUNSEL WON'T HAVE A BUNCH OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE I, I HAVE, I'VE HAD THAT CONVERSATION WITH HER.
UH, I DON'T WANT HER ON THE ROAD LATE AT NIGHT.
SO AS SOON AS SHE FINISHES WITH HER PRESENTATION TO COUNCIL, SHE'S GONNA HIT THAT DOOR.
AND, UH, AND, AND IT'S NOT BEING IMPOLITE, BUT IT'S IN THE INTEREST OF SERVICE.
SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, FOR THIS INFORMATION AND WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR OUR CITY.
SO, SO WITH THAT, UH, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE AT 4 28, WE, 4 24, WE STAND, ADJOURN.