The following is a collection of news and notes from your State Capitol involving issues that affect House District 32.
SANCTUARY CITIES
At the start of the 82nd Legislature, Governor Rick Perry declared a hand full of emergency items for members of the Texas Legislature to address. One of those emergency items was the issue of sanctuary cities. This issue was declared an emergency item because currently in the State of Texas a city may adopt rules policies, commonly referred to as “sanctuary city” policies, which prohibit local law enforcement from inquiring about a person’s immigration status. These policies may also prohibit the sharing of information regarding a person’s immigration status with the federal government.
On May 9th the Texas House took up and passed on second reading House Bill (HB) 12 which was filed this session to address the public concern that a city, or other local governmental entity, may create a sanctuary for illegal immigrants by impeding the enforcement of state and federal immigration law. HB 12 seeks to address these public concerns by prohibiting certain local governmental entities from undertaking certain actions that would restrict the enforcement of state and federal immigration law and by allowing the filing of a related citizen complaint.
TEXAS HOUSE TAKES UP TWO MORE SUNSET BILLS
In 1977, the Texas Legislature created the Sunset Advisory Commission to identify and eliminate waste, duplication, and inefficiency in the states government agencies. In order to maintain an efficient and fiscally responsive government, state agencies are required to undergo this sunset review process approximately every twelve years. Once the sunset review process is done, state agencies are then required to be approved by the Texas Legislature in order to continue functioning. This week the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation and the Texas Department of Insurance will be reviewed by the Texas House.
The Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation was created in 1995 by the Texas Legislature to serve as a self-sustaining nonprofit corporation to help low-income Texans obtain affordable housing. To achieve its mission, the Corporation carries out the following key activities:
• issues bonds to finance the purchase of single family homes by qualifying low-income first-time homebuyers and Texas educators, firefighters, corrections officers, emergency medical personnel, and law enforcement personnel;
• seeks out grants and donations to help support affordable housing initiatives;
• provides grants to nonprofits and rural governmental entities to build or rehabilitate homes or provide supportive services to multifamily residents;
• provides support to the Texas Foreclosure Prevention Taskforce, and provides grants to local organizations providing foreclosure counseling services;
• partners with nonprofit organizations and local governments to acquire and redevelop foreclosed homes, vacant land, and other properties; and
• provides loans to assist affordable housing developers with initial construction and start-up costs.
The next agency to be reviewed is the Texas Department of Insurance. The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) regulates the insurance industry in Texas to ensure that Texas consumers have access to competitive and fair insurance products. TDI’s major functions include:
• regulating insurance companies’ solvency, rates, forms, and market conduct;
• licensing individuals and entities involved in selling insurance policies;
• providing consumer education on insurance and helping consumers resolve complaints;
• investigating and taking enforcement action against those who violate insurance laws or rules; and
• providing fire prevention services across the state through the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
If you have questions or comments regarding any of the agencies up for sunset, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
