The city of Lakeway is working on its legislative priorities agenda after appointing a legislative subcommittee composed of council members Kelly Brynteson, Kent O’Brien and Mayor Thomas Kilgore.

The subcommittee will work on the legislative agenda as well as testify on any bills that they decide to support or oppose. Currently, no bills have been filed, but city staff have begun to make recommendations based on proposed bills in Texas’ 88th legislative session.

The overview

During the Nov. 4 meeting, Assistant City Manager Ashby Grundman reported on legislative priorities for Lakeway, detailing which type of bills city staff would like to oppose and which they would like to support. A list of those items includes:

• Oppose: any legislation that would erode home rule authority of cities, such as any bills that might abolish the ETJ
• Oppose: any legislation that would create unfunded mandates, such as any bills that would require the city to perform an action without also providing funding for that action
• Oppose: any legislation that would change sales tax from destination to origin
• Support: legislation that allows cities alternate methods for publications of legal notices
• Support: legislation that allows for hotel occupancy tax funds to be used for sports
• Support: legislation that will make beneficial amendments to the Shot Clock Bill (House Bill 3167), which requires that cities and counties act on final plat applications within 30 calendar days

Over 8,000 bills were filed during Texas’ 88th legislative session, and many targeted municipal authority, Grundman said. Some bills from that session considered potentially concerning to Lakeway include Senate Bill 1787, which relates to size and density requirements for residential lots, and HB 2789, which relates to regulation of accessory dwelling units by political subdivisions.

What’s next?

Bills will begin to be filed next week through March, Grundman said.