• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Market Place
  • CJCAT
    • From the President
    • From the General Counsel
    • North and East Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association
    • South Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association
    • West Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association
  • Conferences
    • Conference Galleries
    • Conference Close-Up
  • Texas County Directory
    • 2023 Texas County Directory Updates
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • Previous Issues
      • 2020 Previous Issues
      • 2019 Previous Issues
      • 2018 Previous Issues
      • 2017 Previous Issues
      • 2016 Previous Issues
      • 2015 Previous Issues
      • 2014 Previous Issues
Texas County Progress

Texas County Progress

The Official Publication of the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas

  • Home
    • Feature Story
    • CJCAT
  • Legislature
  • Monuments of Justice
    • Courthouse Preservation
    • Courthouse Trails
    • Why Stop In
  • Emergency Response
  • Road & Bridge
  • Jails
    • Indigent Health Care
  • County Focus
    • A Glimpse In The Life
    • Century of Service
    • Courthouse Preservation
    • Key Concept
    • Veterans

Implementing New Laws

October 28, 2019 by County Progress

Many of the statutes adopted by the 86th Legislature were effective on Sept. 1, 2019. Some require action by the Commissioners Court to assure compliance. Below are summaries and recommendations for implementation of some of the new statutes.

Mental Health Interview: H.B. 601 by Rep. Price requires an interview and mental health report on any jail inmate suspected of mental illness. A floor amendment added a requirement that the county pay the cost of the interview and report. The Commissioners Court has three options concerning this new unfunded mandate:

  1. Include the cost of this service in a contract with the Local Mental Health Authority or other mental health provider.
  2. Adopt an order establishing a fee to be paid for each interview and report.
  3. Allow the judge who receives the report to set the fee.

If the Commissioners Court elects to set the fee, place an item on the agenda and adopt a motion to set the jail mental health interview and report fee.

Game Room Regulations: H.B. 892 by Rep. Kuempel extends game room regulation authority to all counties. Under Subchapter E, Chapter 234, Local Government Code, these regulations may include limiting the location and number, requiring a license or permit with a fee not to exceed $1,000, inspections by law enforcement, and civil and criminal penalties.

Tax Abatement Agreements:  H.B. 3143 by Rep. Murphy extends county authority to consider tax abatement agreements under Chapter 312, Tax Code until Sept. 1, 2029. There are new requirements to conduct a public hearing and post the guidelines and criteria on the county website.

Plat Review Deadline: H.B. 3167 by Rep. Oliverson revises Chapter 232, Local Government Code and imposes a 30-day deadline for subdivision plat review with automatic approval if not disapproved within the deadline.

Cybersecurity Training:  H.B. 3834 by Rep. Capriglione requires annual cybersecurity training for all county employees and officers with access to a computer. Training must be obtained from one of five private contractors approved by the state.

For additional information, please call me at 1-800-733-0699.


By Jim Allison
General Counsel

Filed Under: Feature Story, From the General Counsel Tagged With: H.B. 3143, H.B. 3167, H.B. 3834, H.B. 892

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to County Progress

Subscribe: Newsletter | Magazine | Directory

June 2023

June 2023
If you'd like to view our previous issues, click here.

Search County Progress

Dates of Interest for the 88th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature

Official deadlines will be set when the House and Senate adopt their rules, but until then, the Texas Legislative Council Drafting Manual provides the following general calendar: 

Bill pre-filing began:  Nov. 14, 2022 

1st day of session:  Jan. 10, 2023 

60-day bill filing deadline:  March 10, 2023  

Adjournment sine die:  May 29, 2023 

Post-session 20-day deadline for governor to sign or veto:  June 18, 2023 

Effective date (91st day after adjournment):  Aug. 28, 2023

Sample Rules of Procedure, Conduct, and Decorum at Meetings of the County Commissioners Court

Resolutions

Unfunded Mandate Resolution

The latest resolutions passed by the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas and the three Regional Associations are available at the links below.

County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas Resolutions 2022

North & East Texas Resolutions 2022

South Texas Resolutions 2022

West Texas Resolutions 2023

Texas County Directory

Place your order for the updated 2023 Directory

Connect with us online.

Facebook spacer Twitter spacer LinkedIn spacer Instagram

Footer

Search County Progress

Privacy Policy

Cookie Policy

County Progress

3457 Curry Lane
Abilene, TX 79606
325.673.4822
countyprogress@zacpubs.com

Categories

© 2023 · Zachry Publications