According to the Constitution of the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas, one of the purposes of the organization is to “encourage active participation in governmental affairs.” This active participation has become more vital to “foster the general welfare of county government” in recent years. The direction of the state legislature and its … [Read more...] about 2022 Legislative Issues
From the General Counsel
Primary Election Filing Period Snafu
The redistricting of congressional districts, legislative districts, and local Commissioner precincts was postponed by the delay in completion of the 2020 Census. Without the boundaries of the new districts and precincts, candidates and the county chair of each political party cannot fully determine whether a candidate resides in the district or precinct. To deal with this … [Read more...] about Primary Election Filing Period Snafu
Legislative Wrap-Up
As the 87th Texas Legislature concludes its Third Special Session, counties are still implementing the 1,081 bills that passed in the Regular Session. Below are summaries of some bills that require Commissioners Court attention. Filing Deadline Extended Since the legislature has not completed redistricting its boundaries, S.B. 13, Second Called … [Read more...] about Legislative Wrap-Up
Second Special Session Report
After failing to pass any legislation in the First Called Session due to a lack of a quorum in the House of Representatives, the Second Called Session sent 14 bills and one constitutional amendment to Gov. Greg Abbott. Some of these bills will have a significant effect on counties. S.B. 6 by Sen. Huffman will revise the bail bond system in Texas. Defendants charged … [Read more...] about Second Special Session Report
Changes in County Government Legal Requirements
Counties are governed by the Texas Constitution, legislative statutes, court decisions, and orders and regulations from the governor and state agencies. This column will discuss some recent changes affecting Commissioners Courts. VIRTUAL MEETINGS OF COMMISSIONERS COURTS In March 2020, Gov. Greg Abbott suspended certain provisions of the Texas Open Meetings Act to allow … [Read more...] about Changes in County Government Legal Requirements