A closer look
At a Dec. 17 meeting, Fort Bend County commissioners approved five priorities for the upcoming legislative session highlighting local government control and state research.
According to agenda documents, the priorities include:
- Prohibiting the open carrying of firearms in public libraries
- Emphasizing local government control including decision-making, expanding Medicaid coverage as well as opposing revenue or appraisal caps and unfunded mandates
- Issuing pension or other post-employment benefits bonds
- Creating a Texas Advanced Research Institute to promote technology, energy and medicine/biotech research
- Creating county industrial development districts to transform undeveloped land into shovel-ready sites
In order for the priorities passed at the meeting to become law, bills must get introduced by lawmakers and passed by the Texas House, Texas Senate and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, Commissioner Andy Meyers said.
“[There are] no assurances that any of these legislation we’re going to be in support of will actually pass,” he said.
Going forward
The legislative session is slated to begin Jan. 14 with a bill filing deadline of March 15, according to the Texas Legislative Council’s website. The session is slated to adjourn on June 2.
