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IT IS NOW ONE ELEVEN TWENTY.[Ad Hoc Committee on Legislative Affairs on June 12, 2023. ]
WE CALL THE SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE TO ORDER.FIRST ACTION WE NEED TO DO IS, UM, THE MOTION FOR THE MINUTES.
CAN I GET A MOTION TO MOVE THE MINUTES FORWARD, SIR? MOVE.
CAN I GET A SECOND? MCGOO? CAN I GET A SECOND FOR THE MINUTES? SECOND.
FIRST THING ON THE AGENDA, THE BRIEFING, THE LEGISLATOR UPDATE OF THE 88 TEXAS STATE LEGISLATOR.
WE GOT CLIFF OF SPARKS TO GIVE US A UPDATE.
SO, MR. SPART, YOU CAN TAKE IT FROM THERE.
THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS.
TODAY, I'LL BE TAKING YOU THROUGH THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS PAST SESSION AND HOW IT AFFECTED THE CITY OF DALLAS.
NOW, AS WE GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, YOU'LL SEE CHECK MARKS NEXT TO CERTAIN PIECES OF LEGISLATION.
THAT SIMPLY MEANS THAT THOSE BILLS ALIGN WITH OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM.
NOW, YOU SHOULD HAVE DOCUMENTS, UM, WITH YOU THAT OUTLINED IN DEPTH WHAT OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM REQUESTED AND WHAT WAS RECEIVED.
YOU SHOULD HAVE ALSO, UH, HAVE DOCUMENTS THAT SHOW THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO TESTIFIED AND ON WHAT PARTICULAR LE PIECES OF LEGISLATION.
AND LASTLY, A LIST OF ITEMS THAT WERE RECEIVED IN THE BUDGET BROKEN DOWN INTO DIRECT APPROPRIATIONS AND FORMULA FUNDED APPROPRIATIONS.
OVERALL, WE HAD A REALLY GOOD SESSION, ALL THINGS CONSIDERED.
AND WHAT DO I MEAN BY THAT? THERE WERE TWO PARTICULAR BILLS, UH, A DART BILL AND A MUNICIPAL MANAGEMENT DISTRICT BILL, UM, WHICH WERE, WHICH WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED LATER IN THE PRESENTATION, THAT WOULD'VE TAKEN ASSETS AND FUNCTIONS AWAY FROM THE CITY AND DISRUPTED A LOT OF PLANS THAT WERE ALREADY IN THE WORKS FOR THIS COUNCIL.
BUT THE BUDGET, UM, THE BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME THROUGH FOR THE CITY WERE A BIG DEAL, AND THE LEGISLATION THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET BROUGHT BACK TO THE CITY WERE ALSO A VERY BIG DEAL AS WELL.
AND THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF THE CHAIRMAN, OUR CITY ATTORNEY, OUR LOBBY TEAM, AND CITY STAFF, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO PUT A LOT OF THINGS IN MOTION AND A LOT OF BAD BILLS TO REST.
NOW, AS YOU SAW ON THE PREVIOUS SLIDE, THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF BILLS THAT WERE FILED THAT COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY AFFECTED THE CITY.
UH, THIS IS, THIS IS TACKLED BY AN INTERNAL REVIEW PROCESS THAT I MUST GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY, MS. PALOMINO AND CHAIRMAN ATKINS, FOR PUTTING TOGETHER.
AT THE REQUEST OF OUR CITY ATTORNEY, UH, ABOUT FOUR SESSIONS AGO, UH, THERE WAS AN EMAIL PORTAL CREATED THAT ALLOWS ME TO SEND LEGISLATION AND A LIST OF QUESTIONS TO A SELECT GROUP OF ATTORNEYS THAT THEN SEND FEEDBACK WITHIN 24 TO 48 HOURS.
AND THAT THE LATER OF THIS SESSION GOES ON, SOMETIMES IT COMES BACK IN LESS THAN A COUPLE OF HOURS.
CHAIRMAN ATKINS ALSO INSTITUTED A WEEKLY BILL REVIEW MEETING WHERE WE HAD DEPARTMENT LIAISONS AND ATTORNEYS DISCUSSING STRATEGY FOR LEGISLATION TESTIMONY AND BUDGET REQUEST.
THIS PROVED EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL AS THE VOLUME OF BILLS BEGAN ENCOMPASSING, MULTIPLE DEPARTMENTS GREW, AND SO WE NEEDED TO BE ABLE TO COORDINATE THE DIFFERENT NEEDS OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS, WHICH WE HAVEN'T HAD TO, EXCUSE ME, HAVEN'T HAD TO DO IN ON LEGISLATION IN THE PAST.
NOW, MOVING ON TO OUR FAVORABLE LEGISLATION PORTION.
UM, OVER THESE NEXT FEW SLIDES, UH, THESE ARE MAJOR PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT WILL IMPACT THE CITY FOR YEARS TO COME.
UH, IN PARTICULAR HB 5 67 BY REPRESENTATIVE BOWERS, THE CROWN ACT, WHICH WOULD PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HAIR TEXTURE OR PROTECTIVE HAIRSTYLES, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH RACE HB SEVEN 18 WOULD, UH, REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF PAPER TAGS ON THE STREETS THAT COMPARED TO WHAT WE SEE NOW.
AND I KNOW THIS WAS INITIATIVE, A MAJOR INITIATIVE HERE AT THE CITY, AND WE WERE GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
COUPLE OF MORE BILLS I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT.
UH, HB 2071, THE PUBLIC FACILITIES COMMISSION BILL.
UH, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN WILLIS FOR FLYING DOWN TO HELP OUT WITH THAT.
UH, SHE WAS VERY INSTRUMENTAL TO MAKING SURE THAT THE BILL, UH, GOT IN A BETTER PLACE.
WE WERE MEETING WITH MEMBERS, UH, LITERALLY ON BENCHES, UH, THEIR STAFF AS WELL, UH, MAKING SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD OUR NEEDS.
UH, WE UNDERSTOOD THEIR CONCERNS.
AND I THINK THAT WAS REFLECTED IN THE LEGISLATION THAT CAME OUT.
I ALSO WANNA HIGHLIGHT HB 32 90 BY CHAIRMAN GUILLEN, UH, WHICH CONTINUES THE USE AND IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD TO ACCESS THE NEXT GENERATION 9 1 1 FEES, UH, THAT WE'LL CONTINUE TO UTILIZE AND BUILD OUT OUR 9 1 1 NEXT GENERATION CENTER, HB 40 34 BY REPRESENTATIVE, UH, JULIE JOHNSON,
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KNOWN AS THE D P F P WIDOW BILL, UH, WHICH ALLOWS FOR FUNDING TO CONTINUE TO FLOW TO ESPOUSE AFTER THE CHILDREN TURN 18.UH, LET'S TALK ABOUT HB 52 0 2.
UM, AND I HAVE, UH, LIEUTENANT GONZALEZ HERE WITH ME THAT I'D LIKE TO LET HIM JUMP IN ON THIS SO HE CAN TALK ABOUT HIS EFFORTS IN THE EFFORTS OF D P D TO GET THIS BILL ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
GOOD MORNING HOUSE BILL 52 0 2, UH, WAS AUTHORED BY REPRESENTATIVE VICTORIA NEVE CREADO, AND IT WAS DALLAS PDS PRIORITY BILL NUMBER ONE.
WHAT IT DOES IS IT CREATES A PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE ONLINE DATABASE OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN CONVICTED OF FAM UH, FELONY FAMILY VIOLENCE ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION.
UM, IT ALSO REQUIRES, UH, DPS TO WORK WITH, UH, VARIOUS, UM, UH, FAMILY VIOLENCE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CREATION OF THE WEBSITE.
AND I SHOULD MENTION THAT JUST YESTERDAY, GOVERNOR ABBOTT SIGNED THAT BILL INTO LAW.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE ALSO HAD HOUSE BILL 38 58 AUTHORED BY REPRESENTATIVE FRAZIER.
THE BILL FOCUSES ON OFFICER WELLNESS, AND WHAT IT DOES IS IT ALLOWS AGENCIES TO CREATE, UM, PROACTIVE WELLNESS UNITS, SIMILAR TO WHAT WE BROUGHT TO D P D INTO, UM, 2022.
UM, AND IT ALSO ESTABLISHES A FUND FOR THOSE AGENCIES THAT DO CREATE THESE PROACTIVE UNITS, UM, TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR, UH, REIMBURSEMENT OF COUNSELING AND THERAPY SERVICES.
AND THAT ONE WAS ALSO, UM, SIGNED INTO LAW YESTERDAY BY GOVERNOR ABBOTT.
UH, IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE HAVE HOUSE BILL, UM, SENATE BILL 1004.
UM, THE ANKLE MONITOR BILL, UH, CHIEF GARCIA WAS VERY INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS ON THAT BILL, AND IT INCLUDED, UM, A LOT OF THE LANGUAGE THAT HE HAD REQUESTED REGARDING CONSECUTIVE SENTENCING.
UM, TO SUM UP THE BILL, WHAT IT DOES IS IT CREATES A FELONY OFFENSE FOR TAMPERING, REMOVING, UM, AN ELECTRONIC MONITOR.
SO, AND THEN FINALLY, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT A, UM, NOT NECESSARILY A BILL, BUT A BUDGET WRITER.
UM, UH, REPRESENTATIVE NEAVE CRITO INITIALLY AUTHORED A, UH, $500,000 BUDGET AMENDMENT, UM, TO BRING ADDITIONAL CCTV CAMERAS, UM, TO THE, UH, TO THE CITY OF DALLAS.
UM, IT ENDED UP, UM, IN THE FINAL VERSION OF IT ENDED UP BEING $2 MILLION WORTH OF CCTV CAMERAS, UH, WITHIN THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE.
SO, BY ANY MEASURE, UM, WE CERTAINLY HAD A VERY SUCCESSFUL LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
CONTINUING ON, UH, SB 1319, UH, THE, UH, BY SENATOR JOAN HUFFMAN OUTTA HOUSTON, UH, THE OD MAPPING BILL, UH, LET ME THANK COUNCILWOMAN BLACK MEN AND COUNCIL, UH, AND, UH, BALED DO IN THEIR EFFORTS TO HELP GET THIS BILL ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
UH, THEY WERE VERY INSTRUMENTAL FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, JUST MEETING WITH STAFF.
UH, THEIR TESTIMONIES DEFINITELY MOVED THE, UH, COMMITTEE IN A GOOD DIRECTION.
SO I WANT TO THANK THEM PERSONALLY FOR HELPING OUT WITH THAT.
WE CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SB 1527, UH, ANOTHER BILL BY SENATOR, UH, JOAN HUFFMAN OUTTA HOUSTON.
UH, THIS IS THE TEXAS HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION TASK FORCE.
UH, THIS BRINGS NOT ONLY JUST, UH, NEW LEGISLATION, BUT ALSO ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UH, TO THE ENTIRE STATE, IN PARTICULAR TO THE CITY OF DALLAS, TO HELP US COM COMBAT, UH, THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING ISSUES THAT WE HAVE.
UM, AS WE CONTINUE TO FACE, UH, EVER INCREASING CHALLENGES TO MEET OUR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, UH, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I KNOW WAS OUTLINED IN OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM TO ADD ADDITIONAL MOBILITY OPTIONS.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA, UH, GET US MOVING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I'D LIKE TO THANK SENATOR PARKER FOR HIS HELP IN THAT AND THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, AND ALSO WORKING WITH DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE TO GET THAT DONE.
MOVING ON TO THE NEXT SLIDE, SOME OF OUR BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS.
UH, THIS BY NO MEANS IS ALL ENCOMPASSING.
UH, YOU SHOULD HAVE, LIKE I SAID, MENTIONED EARLIER, A LIST OF BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS, UH, TOLLING ABOUT THREE OR FOUR PAGES WORTH OF FUNDING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BRING BACK.
UH, SOMETHING THAT WE'RE VERY PROUD OF HERE AT THE CITY, CUZ THERE WAS A LOT OF EFFORT THAT WENT IN BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER SESSION TO GET THIS STUFF DONE.
UM, SO JUST RUNNING THROUGH SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AND 9 1 1 NEXT GENERATION OF FORMULA FUNDING, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET AN INCREASE IN THAT.
UM, I DO WANT TO MAKE A POINT THAT, UM, THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT ACTUALLY HAD A LOT MORE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO IT.
UH, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET IT QUITE ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, BUT I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU GUYS AS COUNCIL FOLKS AND ALSO THE STATE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO HELP GET THAT ACROSS THE LINE.
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IS JUST THAT.I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
UH, WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO SECURE 20 MILLION FOR THE REGIONAL TRAINING FACILITY AT U UNC DALLAS.
UM, AS A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE A LOT OF HOOPS TO JUMP THROUGH WITH THAT.
UH, THAT WAS NOT AN EASY FEAT TO SAY THE LEAST.
UM, I'D LIKE TO THANK EVERYONE HERE CAUSE I KNOW EVERYONE HERE OUTTA THE ROLE MAKING PHONE CALLS.
UH, CHAIRMAN ATKINS FLEW DOWN THE DAY OF TO DEAL WITH RUMORS THAT HAD POPPED UP.
UH, SO I'D LIKE TO THANK HIS EFFORTS FOR THAT, FOR TURNING ON THE DIME ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
UM, WE ALSO WERE ABLE TO, UH, SECURE $5 MILLION FOR THE SOUTHERN GATEWAY DECK PARK, UH, WHICH WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS ON THE LIFELINE THERE FOR PRETTY MUCH THE ENTIRE SESSION.
SO THE FACT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOMETHING, UH, WHICH IS BETTER THAN NOTHING.
AND, UH, ALSO LIKE TO THANK OUR STATE SENATORS, UH, SENATOR WEST, SENATOR NATHAN JOHNSON, REPRESENTATIVE ROSE, REPRESENTATIVE MEYER, THEY PLAYED A BIG HELP IN MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THESE FUNDS BACK.
WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO INCREASE OUR STATEWIDE RANCH RE FUNDING SERVICES, UH, BY $4 MILLION.
NOW, GRANTED, IT IS FORMULA FUNDING, BUT THE WAY THE RIDER READS IS THAT DALLAS, UH, SHOULD STILL GET ITS LION SHARE OF THAT.
SO WE STILL SUSPECT THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM EXPONENTIALLY MOVING FORWARD.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE DEFINITELY REALLY PROUD OF.
AND THE CLOSED CIRCUIT TVS, UM, UH, LIEUTENANT GONZALEZ HIGHLIGHTED THAT, SO I WON'T BELABOR THAT.
BUT THOSE ARE JUST SOME OF THE BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS THAT WE'RE PROUD OF, UM, ALONG WITH THE OTHER FORM OF FUNDING THAT WE WERE ABLE TO BRING TO THE CITY.
HERE WE HAVE A LIST OF, UH, UNSUCCESSFUL BILLS.
UH, THESE WERE BILLS THAT, UH, POSED A THREAT OR WERE IDENTIFIED AS POSING A THREAT TO THE CITY IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
AND WE WERE ABLE TO EITHER WORK WITH MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE TO PUSH THEM BACK AND, UH, PUT THEM BACK ON THE, UH, VINE, SO TO SPEAK.
IN PARTICULAR, HOUSE BILL 26 65, WHICH RELATES TO REGULATION OF SHORT TERM RENTALS.
UH, YES, THE BILL DID END UP TURNING INTO A STUDY, UH, BUT IT STILL DID NOT END UP PASSING.
UH, BUT THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT, UH, I KNOW WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COUNCIL, AND, UH, WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE STATE AS WE TRY TO FIND SOME SORT OF MEDIUM, HAPPY MEDIUM WITH THEM, UH, AND ALSO THE SHORT TERM RENTAL COMMUNITY.
I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THE RIGHT OF AWAY FEES AT THE BOTTOM.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT I'D LIKE TO CALL SMALL SALE PART TWO.
UH, THIS WAS ANOTHER ATTEMPT TO TAKE RIGHT AWAY FEES, UH, FROM THE CITY AND HAVE TO PUT THIS BACK ON, UM, OUR, OUR TAX ROLES.
AND, YOU KNOW, AT THE END OF THE DAY, UH, THEY'RE NOT GONNA STOP WITH THIS, BUT WE'RE JUST GLAD THAT WE WERE ABLE TO AT LEAST BUY SOME TIME.
UH, I KNOW, UH, THIS IS ALSO KNOWN AS A NETFLIX BILL AND SOME, UH, NETFLIX FOLKS WERE PRETTY UPSET THAT THIS DIDN'T GET DONE.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THANKS TO OUR LOBBY TEAM, THANKS TO OUR, UH, CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WE WERE ABLE TO FIND SOME CHINKS IN THE ARMOR AND GET THIS BILL, UH, KILLED ON THE POINT OF ORDER.
HERE WE SHOW A COUPLE OF LOBBYING BILLS, ANTI LOBBYING BILLS, I SHOULD SAY, UH, THAT WE WERE ABLE TO KEEP BACK.
UM, AND IN PARTICULAR, THERE WAS, UH, ONE BILL UNDER THE PREEMPTION SECTION, UH, HB 24 49.
UM, THIS WAS ONE OF THE BILLS I TALKED ABOUT THAT WOULD'VE TAKEN, UH, FAIR PARK AND, UM, THE ZOO OFF OF, OUT, BASICALLY OUT OF OUR ADMINISTRATION, WHICH WOULD'VE BEEN A HUGE PROBLEM TO US.
AND THANKS TO A LOT OF THE LEADERSHIP, UH, BY THE CHAIRMAN AND ALSO REPRESENTATIVE VANIA FOR THAT MATTER, FOR SEEING THAT WHEN IT BECAME A PROBLEM, THEY WERE ABLE TO PULL THE BILL BACK BECAUSE IT WASN'T, UH, BEING, UH, PRESENTED OR MOVED FORWARD IN THE WAY THAT WE FELT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE CITY.
HIGHLIGHTING, UH, HP 31 46 BY REPRESENTATIVE SHAHEEN.
UH, THIS WAS BASICALLY KNOWN AS THE DARK BILL.
UM, IT STARTED OUT ONE WAY, ENDED UP GOING IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION AND, YOU KNOW, THANKFULLY WE ARE ABLE TO KEEP IT, UM, LEFT IN COMMITTEE, UH, ON THE HOUSE SIDE, UH, AS WELL AS THE SENATE SIDE TO KEEP IT FROM DOING ANY DAMAGE.
BUT EFFECTIVELY IT WOULD'VE TAKEN AWAY THE ADMINISTRATION OF DART FROM US HERE AT THE CITY OF DALLAS.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE CHAIRMAN AND OUR LOBBY TEAM FOR BEING ABLE TO KEEP THAT BILL AT BAY.
UH, CUZ WE WOULD'VE BEEN HAVING A VERY DIFFERENT CONVERSATION IF A COUPLE OF THESE BILLS WOULD'VE WENT THROUGH.
UM, I ALSO WANNA BRING YOUR ATTENTION TO HB 51 40, THE D I BILLS KNOWN AS DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO STOP THE ACTUAL LEGISLATION
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ITSELF, BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE, UH, BUDGET BILL, THE STATE'S BUDGET BILL WAS ABLE TO AFFECT STATE AGENCIES AND ALL, UH, THE STATE HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS.SO, IN EFFECT, WE DODGED THE BULLET.
UM, I'M PRETTY SURE THEY'RE GONNA TRY TO COME BACK NEXT SESSION AND EXPAND THE SCOPE OF IT TO MUNICIPALITIES, BUT FOR NOW AT LEAST, UM, IT'S JUST HAPPENING AT THE STATE LEVEL.
NOW WE'RE MOVING INTO THE UNFAVORABLE LEGISLATION THAT WAS ACTUALLY PASSED, UM, HB 14, UH, WHICH MANDATES THIRD PARTY REVIEWS, UH, FOR ANY MUNICIPALITY THAT CAN'T MEET STATUTORY DEADLINES.
UH, THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE TESTIFIED ON AND FOUGHT, FOUGHT VERY HARD AGAINST, SLOWED DOWN AS MUCH AS WE COULD.
UM, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS WAS A, UH, SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE BILL.
THIS WAS LITERALLY HIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IT'S VERY TOUGH TO STOP ANY PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT THE LEADERSHIP IS PUSHING THEMSELVES.
SO, UH, THIS WILL BE SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT, LOOK INTO.
UM, WE KNOW THIRD PARTY REVIEWS HAVE BEEN A PART OF OUR, UH, UH, UH, PERMITTING PROCESS, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO SEE HOW THE WAY THAT THIS WORKS.
CAUSE I KNOW THE LEGISLATION, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET IT INTO A BETTER PLACE.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF HOLES IN IT THAT WE'RE GONNA NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE'RE GONNA NAVIGATE THAT IN THE CROWN JEWEL OF THIS SESSION.
UH, HB 2127 BY REPRESENTATIVE BURROWS, UH, RELATING TO STATE PREEMPTION OF CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES AND COUNTY REGULATION.
THE EASIEST WAY I CAN EXPLAIN THIS BILL IS THAT IT IS A EITHER A WHOLE LOT OF SOMETHING OR A WHOLE LOT OF NOTHING.
UM, WE KNOW THAT IT REGULATES A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT, UM, THINGS THAT WE DO HERE AT THE CITY.
UH, WE'RE NOT SURE IF IT DOES IT CORRECTLY, BUT WE KNOW THAT THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF FUSS AND DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.
AND SO TO US IT'S DEFINITELY AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT AND WE TREATED IT AS SUCH.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO TREAT IT AS SUCH AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THE NEXT TWO SLIDES, UH, SHOW ADDITIONAL BILLS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS PROBLEMS TO THE CITY.
BUT DUE TO TIME, I'LL LEAVE THEM FOR YOUR REVIEW UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT 'EM.
UM, AND AT THIS TIME, I'LL TURN IT BACK OVER TO THE CHAIR.
AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
UM, FIRST I WANT TO JUST RECOGNIZE, UM, MY COLLEAGUES.
UM, UM, FIRST, UH, I WANT TO THANK, UM, CHAIRMAN BLACKMAN, YOU KNOW, FOR YOUR TIMELESS SHORT TIME AND, AND CALL YOU, YOU SHOWED UP, YOU KNOW, AT A SPUR OF THE MOMENT.
YOU, YOU CAME DOWN AND YOU WERE VERY PROFESSIONAL AND, AND SOME OF THESE DEAL WOULD NEVER HAPPEN WITH IQ EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT ON THE COMMITTEE.
BUT, UH, EVERY TIME I CALL YOU, YOU RESPOND.
UH, YOU CAME AND, AND RECOGNIZED THE CITY.
I JUST WANT TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR COMING WITH OD MAPPING AND THE FIN LAW.
AND YOUR TESTIMONY WAS, PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU WAS NOT THERE, IF THE BILL NEVER GOT ACROSS BECAUSE YOU WERE VERY, VERY CRAFTMATIC, UH, TO THE PEOPLE AND THEY LISTEN TO YOU AND THEY RESPECT YOU, I JUST WONDER FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART, THANK YOU FOR THE JOB YOU DONE, EVEN THOUGH YOU WAS ON THE COMMITTEE.
I WANT ALSO THANK CHAIRMAN BALLS DOER, SANE ISHA CHAIRMAN.
YOU KNOW, YOU CAME DOWN, WELL, WE CALL YOU AND YOU SHOWED UP.
I MEAN, UM, SOMETIMES THAT WE DIDN'T KNOW YOU GONNA COME DOWN THERE, BUT YOU WAS THERE.
AND SO THERE WAS NO REASON WHY WE DID NOT HAVE A, A CITY COUNCIL, EVEN THOUGH NOT ON THE COMMITTEE, BUT THEY DID RESPECT THE CITY AND THEY THOUGHT THIS BILL VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM, UM, AND VERY IMPORTANT TO THE CITY, BUT ALSO VERY IMPORTANT INDIVIDUAL.
AND, AND THOSE TWO PEOPLE WHO WAS NOT ON THIS COMMITTEE WHO SHOWED UP, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE BID WOULD NEVER CROSS THE LINE IF THEY DIDN'T SHOW UP.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU RECOGNIZED CHAIRMAN MILLON ALSO.
UM, YEAH, I KNOW A COUPLE TIMES WE CALL YOU, YOU WAS OUTTA POCKET, YOU WAS GONE, BUT WHEN YOU WAS IN POCKET, YOU SHOWED UP AND, AND YOU SHOWED UP AT THE RIGHT TIME.
AND, AND, AND WE NEED TO HAVE, UM, COLLEAGUES WHO ON BOTH SIDE OF THE LINE, WE ARE NONPARTISAN, SO WE NEED TO KNOW THE OTHER SIDE IN ORDER TO GET STUFF DONE.
AND GOOD THING WE DO HAVE SOMEONE WHO KNOW BOTH SIDES.
SO WITH YOUR EXPERTISE ON BOTH SIDES, IT DID BRING STUFF TO THE TABLE.
UM, CHAIRMAN WILLIS ALSO, YOU KNOW, MANY TIMES THAT YOU WAS NOT, UM, AVAILABLE, BUT WHEN YOU DID COME TO VILLA, YOU MADE A, A GR A GREAT, UM, TIME SHOW UP AT THE RIGHT TIME.
YOU KNOW, WHEN SHE, UH, CAME HERE, I COULD NOT SHOW UP.
AND SHE SAID, HOP ON THE FLIGHT.
AND, AND SHE CAME IN AND PREEMPT BILL THAT SHE DID RECOGNIZE.
AND, AND, AND SHE DID, UH, FALL A FIGHT THAT, UH, MORE THAN I, I MEAN, SHE, YOU KNOW, PUT HER HEAD IN THERE AND, AND SHE WILL, SHE FOUGHT A GREAT FIGHT FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY DAY, YOU KNOW, AND SHE HAD TO LEAVE ON FRIDAY.
I HAD TO FLY DOWN ON FRIDAY, YOU KNOW, TO TAKE IT UP.
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COLLEAGUES, UH, OMAR, YOU KNOW, A CHAIRMAN DAR YOU SHOWED UP AND, AND YOU DID THE SAME THING.SO I BELIEVE, UH, I KNOW, UH, CHAIRMAN MCGOO ON A COUPLE TIMES, HE COULD NOT MAKE IT, BUT HE DID SEND SOMEONE THERE TO STAND IN GOOD HAND.
BUT ALSO, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT MS. ROGERS AS IF SHE IS A GULLIBLE, I WANT HER TO COME DOWN AND THERE, BECAUSE THE POINT IS, THIS WOULD NEVER HAPPEN IF WE DIDN'T HAVE STAFF AND, AND STAFF, YOU KNOW, WITH MS. MS. ROGERS WITH HER TO MAKE SURE SHE HAD THE RIGHT STYLE.
UH, MAKE SURE TAMMY POWELL MILLER WITH THE RIGHT ATTORNEYS ON A SHORT NOTICE.
AND PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT, UH, WE WAS HAVING MEETING ON SATURDAY MORNING AT NINE O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAD A CHAIN UNTIL, UH, FIVE O'CLOCK ON A FRIDAY.
AND TO PREPARE ALL OF THESE THEN, AND IT HAD TO THANK THE, THE ATTORNEY OFFICE AND, AND I WANNA THANK HER AND A WHOLE ATTORNEY OFFICE FOR THE STUFF Y'ALL DONE BECAUSE Y'ALL HAD TO GET THESE BILL READY.
IT WAS NOT JUST THAT WE HAD TO GO PRESENT IT, BUT GUESS WHAT? THEY HAD A WRITING AND MAKE SURE THE LANGUAGE RIGHT.
AND, AND SOMETIMES THESE LANGUAGE KIND OF CONFUSION, YOU THOUGHT IT SAID ONE THING, BUT IT MEANS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
AND, AND MS. ROGER, COULD YOU, UH, CALL OUT THE NAME OF OF STAFF THAT, UH, WAS ON THAT TIME? AND SOME OF STAFF DID NOT FLY.
I MEAN, THEY DROVE DOWN AND THEY CARED BACK AND FORTH MORE THAN ONE TIME.
SO, YES, THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN FOR THE RECORD.
CARRIE ROGERS, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, UM, UH, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, YES, WE DID HAVE, UH, SEVERAL STAFF AND DEPARTMENTS WHO WERE INVOLVED, UM, THROUGHOUT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, INCLUDING TESTIFYING, WRITING TESTIMONY, AND DOING SOME FACT CHECKING, UM, AND PROVIDING FEEDBACK, THOSE INDIVIDUALS.
AND PLEASE, SOMEONE DO CORRECT ME IF I LEAVE ANYONE OUT.
UM, ANDREW ESPINOZA AND VERNON YOUNG WITH OUR DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TEAM.
JESSICA GALK, THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY CARE, JENNY KESMAN, OUR ASSISTANT TREASURER, UM, HERE WITH THE CITY, THOR ERICKSON, WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION, LIEUTENANT GONZALEZ, OF COURSE, UH, ON BEHALF OF D P D, UM, JOE GADI, OUR DIRECTOR OF LIBRARY SERVICES, DELRIDGE WILLIAMS WITH D F R, UM, THOR ERICKSON, AGAIN HERE, LAURA MORRISON WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, WHO TESTIFIED ON, UM, HOUSE BILL 2127, UM, THE, THE LARGE PREEMPTION BILL AND, UH, CHIEF MARTINEZ AND CORPORAL JOE HAWKINS WITH D P D.
SO AGAIN, ON BEHALF OF THE CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR, UM, SUPPORT AND ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE SESSION.
AND MS. POLLIN, I KNOW WE HAVE ONE GREAT ATTORNEY THAT CAME IN FRONT OF YOUR OFFICE AND TESTIFIED YOU WANT TO YES, UH, UH, KERRY ALREADY MENTIONED, UM, LAURA MORRISON, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO THANK DON KNIGHT, WHO CAME DOWN ON SOME OF THE SMALL CELL, UH, BILLS AND ALSO HELPED US OUT WITH OD MAPPING.
I DO WANNA SAY, UH, UH, I REALLY DO APPRECIATE ALL OF THE ATTORNEYS IN GENERAL AND COUNSEL AND LITIGATION WHO, UM, RESPONDED VERY PROMPTLY TO THE REQUEST FOR HUNDREDS OF BILL ANALYSIS WITHIN 48 TO 24 HOURS.
AND THEN THAT WAS COORDINATED WITH CARRIE'S TEAM TO PUT TOGETHER THE DEPARTMENT POINT OF VIEW, UM, WHICH HELPED, UH, CLIFFORD AND OUR LOBBYING TEAM TO KNOW EXACTLY WHICH DIRECTION TO GO.
SO IT'S VERY FAST PACED THROUGH THE, THROUGH THIS SESSION.
AND I ALSO WANT TO, UM, GET A SHOUT OUT TO, UH, MAYOR JOHNSON AND, AND BOB MUNN AND CHIEF GARCIA, UH, THE $20 MILLION, I MEAN, WE WAS IN A PICKLE ON A FRIDAY.
WE DIDN'T KNOW THE $20 MILLION WOULD COME TO THE TRAINING FACILITY OR NOT.
UH, WE HAD TO GET SOMEONE TO WRITE A, A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION AND, AND WE, WE GOT THEM DONE AND, AND WITHIN A COUPLE HOURS, AND I FLEW DOWN THERE ON A FRIDAY AND, AND, AND PUT IN THE RIGHT DEPARTMENT.
SO WITHOUT MAYOR JOHNSON AND BOB MARTIN, CHIEF GAR STILL WRITING THAT LETTER, WE STILL MIGHT BE ABLE TO HICCUP WITH THEIR 20 MILLION.
SO I WANT TO BE SURE TO PUT A GOOD SHOUT OUT TO THEM WITH THAT.
UH, COLLEAGUES, I KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT THROUGH YET.
I MEAN, WE STILL GOING TO BE READY TO CALL, GO DOWN BECAUSE WE MIGHT HAVE 1, 2, 3, MAYBE FOUR SESSIONS, SPECIAL SESSIONS.
SOME OF THESE BILL IS STILL, UH, AS YOU SAID, STILL ON THE GOVERNMENT DESK.
SO BE PREPARED, BE PREPARED TO, ON THE, YOU KNOW, SUMMERTIME.
I KNOW WE ON VACATION, YOU KNOW, JULY, BUT WE DON'T KNOW.
BUT IF WE NEED YOUR HELP, SO IF YOU ARE AVE IF YOU OUT OF TOWN TO MAKE SURE THAT, UH, LET US KNOW OR LET TAMMY LO LET CLIFF KNOW AND SAY, OH, I'M NOT GONNA BE AVE BECAUSE YOU TESTIFIED SOME OF THESE BILLS.
AGAIN, IT'S ON THE GOVERNOR DESK AND SOMEONE STILL MAY BE CHANGING.
SO WE, WE DEFINITELY NEED YOU TO BE AVAILABLE.
IF YOU'RE NOT AVAILABLE AGAIN IN THE MONTH OF JULY, LET US KNOW, ARE YOU AVAILABLE OR NOT AVAILABLE SO WE CAN GET SOMEONE TO BE IN YOUR PLACE.
WITH THAT, I'M GONNA OPEN UP, UH, COLLEAGUES FOR QUESTION.
I, I SEE, UH, CHAIRMAN LEVIS HAD A FIRST ONE.
I, I JUST HAVE A FEW COMMENTS AND
[00:25:01]
REALLY QUICKLY THANK YOU TO THE STAFF FOR EVERYTHING THAT THEY DID.UM, KEEPING US AS IN TUNE TO THOUSANDS OF BILLS AS THEY MOVE ALONG OR DON'T MOVE ALONG OR STALL, UM, ANSWERING THE PHONE ANY, JUST BASICALLY ALMOST ANY TIME OF DAY OR NIGHT.
UM, BECAUSE SOME OF THESE BILLS, YOU, EVERYBODY HERE HAS BEEN DOWN THERE.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S LIKE YOU GO TO TESTIFY, THEY TELL YOU TO BE THERE EIGHT IN THE MORNING, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'RE GETTING TO TESTIFY AT TWO IN THE MORNING, YOU KNOW, THAT THE NEXT DAY.
AND SO THAT'S JUST HOW THE TEXAS SLEDGE WORKS.
AND YOU, UM, IT'S NOT OUR BUILDING AS FAR AS OUR JURISDICTION, IT'S OUR BUILDING AS FAR AS WE'RE PART OF THE PEOPLE, BUT WE STILL HAVE TO GO BY HOW THEY DO THE WORK.
AND IT CAN BE HARD AND CONFUSING AND, UM, YOU KNOW, EVEN CONSTITUENTS SOMETIMES JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THINGS GO ALONG THE WAY THEY DO DOWN THERE.
UM, AND I ALSO WANT TO, UM, BESIDES ALL THE COLLEAGUES THAT ARE HERE, UM, EVERYBODY WHO WENT DOWN AND ACTUALLY ADVOCATED ON BEHALF OF WHAT THE CITY OF DALLAS WANTS, UM, THAT, THAT'S A BIG THANK YOU BECAUSE IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
I HEAR ALL THE TIME FROM STATE LEGISLATORS THAT OTHER CITIES DON'T DO THAT.
THEIR COUNCIL MEMBERS DO NOT SHOW UP.
UM, AND DALLAS IS KNOWN FOR DOING THIS.
AND, UM, WE SOMETIMES, UM, ARE ABLE TO PREVENT A HORRIFIC BILL THAT WOULD AFFECT THE ENTIRE STATE, OR SOMETIMES WE ARE ABLE TO GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE A VERY, VERY POSITIVE BILL FOR THE ENTIRE STATE.
AND SO THAT'S, THANKS TO EVERYBODY HERE WHO IS AS ENGAGED AS YOU ALL ARE.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE FENTANYL ONE IS HUGE.
I MEAN, THAT'S A BIG FEATHER, UM, IN DALLAS'S HAT, BUT THAT'S THANKS TO, UM, CHAIR BLACKMAN AND CHAIR BASIL DOA, THAT THAT WAS GIGANTICALLY HUGE.
AND SO, UM, AND THERE'S THINGS THAT WE DIDN'T GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, AND, UM, I'M GONNA SAY LIKE WE DO WITH THE DALLAS COWBOYS, WE'RE GONNA GET 'EM NEXT LEDGE.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? SO, UM, AND THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN, YOU KNOW, AND, UM, I LOVE MY DOLLS COWBOYS, SO ITS, IT'S OKAY THAT I RIB THEM A LITTLE BIT.
UM, BUT I GOTTA GIVE HUGE THANKS TO YOU, CHAIRMAN ATKINS.
UM, NOT ONLY WERE YOU RUNNING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, NOT ONLY WERE YOU, UM, YOU KNOW, RUNNING, YOU KNOW, ALL OF US WERE IN THE CAMPAIGNS AT THE SAME TIME.
NOT ONLY THAT, BUT ALSO, UM, YOU WERE TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND CONGRESS AND GOING BACK AND FORTH TO DC TO AUSTIN AND ANSWERING OUR PHONE CALLS AN, WELL, I'LL SAY MINE.
I, I DON'T KNOW EVERYBODY ELSE ANSWERING PHONE CALLS, ANSWERING TEXT MESSAGES.
UM, AND I KNOW YOU'RE USUALLY, UM, UP AT FOUR IN THE MORNING, FIVE IN THE MORNING BOTHERING US.
BUT, UM, WE WERE ALSO BOTHERING YOU.
AT LEAST I WAS AT, YOU KNOW, MIDNIGHT 11, YOU KNOW, 2:00 AM BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN I LEARNED ABOUT A CERTAIN BILL OR LEARNED SOMETHING GOING ON.
SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR, UM, ALWAYS ANSWERING THOSE CALLS, MAKING SURE WE WERE, UH, ABREAST TO WHAT WAS GOING ON AND HELPED NAVIGATE, UM, SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT MAYBE YOU WEREN'T EVEN, UM, SUPER, SUPER IN TUNE ON AS FAR AS BEING THE CONTENT EXPERT, BUT CALLING AND ASKING ABOUT THE ISSUE SO THAT YOU COULD MAKE SURE YOU WERE ADVOCATING ON BEHALF OF WHAT THE CITY OF DALLAS SAID WAS OUR PRIORITY.
SO I JUST WANNA GIVE YOU, UM, BIG APPLAUSE FOR THAT AND SHOUT OUT AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP DOWN IN AUSTIN AND OF COURSE IN CONGRESS, BUT DEFINITELY DOWN IN AUSTIN THIS TIME AROUND.
IT REALLY SH SH UH, PROVED TO BE SUCCESSFUL FOR US.
THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN BA THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, ALLOWING US TO HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK, UM, UH, AS NON COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I WANTED TO JUST, UH, ECHO SOME OF THE SENTIMENTS.
I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, I KNOW THAT IT WAS LIKE HERDING CATS, UM, AT MANY TIMES.
UM, BUT THERE'S ALSO A LOT, A LOT OF, UH, NUANCING AND NAVIGATING, UH, AND, AND NURTURING OF RELATIONSHIPS DOWN IN THE LEDGE IN ORDER FOR US TO BE EFFECTIVE AND SUCCESSFUL.
THANK YOU CLIFF, UH, FOR YOUR SUPPORT.
UM, I WANNA REALLY THANK CARRIE AND YOUR STAFF FOR ALL OF, UM, THE TESTIMONY AND, UM, THE UPDATES THAT WE GOT AS WELL.
UM, IT WAS, IT WAS DEFINITELY SECOND TO NONE, BUT I ALSO WANT TO, TO THANK, UM, UH, DA CRUZO, UM, FOR WHAT HE DID.
UM, HE WAS REALLY INSTRUMENTAL.
THIS WAS, UH, THE OD MAPPING BILL SPECIFICALLY IS SOMETHING THAT HE'S BEEN WANTING TO SEE, UM, GET TO THE CR, THE FINISH LINE, UH, THANK OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, UM, FOR, UH, HELPING COLLABORATE WITH THAT TO GET THAT DONE.
UM, IN ADDITION TO THAT, UM, OF COURSE, I THINK WE'D BE REMISS, AND, AND I KNOW IT'S NOT OVER YET, UM, BUT I, I DO WANT TO THANK ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF OUR DELEGATION, UH, IN, IN A BIPARTISAN WAY.
I THINK THAT WE HAD CHAMPIONS, UM, IN OUR DELEGATION THAT REALLY STEPPED UP, UH, FOR WHAT WOULD WHAT RIGHT? FOR THE CITY, UM, TOOK PRIORITY AND WHAT WE SAID WAS A PRIORITY FOR OUR CITY.
UH, THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT, UM, PARTISAN DIFFERENCES ASIDE AND WORK FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR SHARED CONSTITUENCIES.
AND, UM, I, I ACTUALLY, UH, GAINED, UH, A LITTLE, UH, PIECE OF, UM,
[00:30:01]
HOPEA AS SEVERAL, UH, SESSIONS HAVE HAVE, UH, TAKEN PLACE, WE HAD A LOT OF, UH, SPARKS OF LIGHT THROUGHOUT THIS, UM, PROCESS THAT I THINK WE SHOULD BE REALLY FOCUSING ON INSTEAD OF THOSE DARK, UH, MOMENTS.
AND IT WAS SEEING OUR DELEGATION COME TOGETHER, UM, AND WORK COLLABORATIVELY AND, UH, PULL THEIR WEIGHT, UM, UH, THE WAY THAT THEY NEED TO, TO GET THINGS ACROSS.
AND THAT, THAT'S IN BOTH CHAMBERS AND AGAIN, ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY, UH, THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR DELEGATION ON RECORD AS WELL.
SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP.
UM, MR. CHAIR, ANYONE ELSE? OKAY.
ANYONE ELSE? I GUESS EVERYONE.
UH, CLIFF, I GUESS QUESTION, UM, TO ME, UM, AND CARRIE, YOU KNOW, BEFORE WE STARTED THIS, WE HAD A SCORECARD.
UM, WE HAD SOMETHING THAT, IT WAS ON THE LEGISLATIVE THAT, THAT WE, AS CITY OF DALLAS, WE AS A COUNCIL, WE AS A DEPARTMENT, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, EVERYONE SAID, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT TO GET ACCOMPLISHED.
COULD YOU BRIEF US, TELL US, ACCORDING TO OUR SCHOOL COURT, AND WE HAD TO GRADE OURSELF, YOU KNOW, WITH THE ITEM THAT WAS ON OUR SCORECARD THAT WE WAS, UM, WAS IN LINE TO GO DOWN TO AUSTIN TO GET, TO BRING EVERYTHING ABOUT MONEY WISE OF THE BILL.
HOW WILL YOU GRADE US ON OUR SCORECARD? AND THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE TO US, WHAT YOU DO.
I THINK MS. MILLON PICK UP, SHE WANT TO SPEAK.
SO YOU WANT TO, UH, YOU WANT ME, YOU WANNA GO AHEAD AND FINISH SPEAKING NOW BEFORE I FINISH? IF YOU DON'T MIND, GO AHEAD.
SO I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE THANKED A LOT OF FOLKS, AND I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE I WOULD JUST SAY LIKE, DITTO.
AND, UM, I WILL SAY I'VE LEARNED A LOT IN THIS PROCESS.
I WAS ON THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE LAST TERM.
I THINK THAT THERE WAS A WHOLE DIFFERENT LEVEL THIS TIME.
AND WHETHER THAT WAS MY PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT OR THAT WAS BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU DID, I'M NOT SURE, BUT I SURE DID LEARN A LOT.
UM, SO I WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR THAT.
BUT REALLY ALL THE, ALL THE THANK YOUS THAT HAPPENED FROM STAFF TO ELECTED OFFICIALS ON THE COMMITTEE, OFF THE COMMITTEE, I, I AGREE WITH ALL OF THAT, BUT YOU'RE BRINGING UP A POINT ABOUT HOW EFFECTIVE WERE WE BASED ON OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA.
AND BEFORE YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION FROM THE CITY STAFF SIDE, I JUST WANNA SAY, I THINK THAT WE PUT A LOT OF THINGS ON THAT AGENDA THAT WERE VERY AMBITIOUS, THAT WE KNEW WE WOULD NEVER GET ACROSS, RIGHT? LIKE, THEY'RE NEVER GONNA, UM, DO MULTIPLE THINGS THAT WE PUT ON THERE, BUT WE PUT IT ON THERE ANYHOW, BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT TO US.
AND IT WOULD BE ACTUALLY IMPORTANT FOR ALL TEXANS, NOT JUST DOYS.
AND WE HAVE TO BE THAT VOICE THAT IS CONSTANTLY SAYING, BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE DISCLOSURE OF, OF PROPERTIES, YOU SHOULD, ALL SORTS OF THINGS THAT ARE ON THAT LIST.
SO I JUST WANNA SAY BEFORE YOU EVEN ANSWER THE QUESTION OF HOW EFFECTIVE WERE WE, WE COULD NEVER GET TO A HUNDRED PERCENT.
WE PUT ASPIRATIONAL THINGS ON THERE AND WE PUT THINGS ON THERE THAT ARE DEAD BEFORE WE GET, WE GOT A HOLD.
SO I JUST, I, I WANNA RECOGNIZE, BECAUSE WE'VE TALKED A NUMBER OF TIMES ABOUT, WELL, HOW EFFECTIVE WERE WE IN OUR, IN OUR EFFORTS AND WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE DID WE ACCOMPLISH WHAT WAS POSSIBLE VERSUS DID WE ACKNOWLEDGE WE WERE NEVER GONNA DO THIS, BUT WE STILL NEEDED TO BE TALKING ABOUT IT TO OUR LEGISLATORS? SO I JUST WANTED TO LIKE, LET'S GIVE OURSELVES A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK AND, UM, I, I LOVE ACCOUNTABILITY AND WHATEVER, BUT WE GOTTA HAVE LIKE TWO DIFFERENT COLUMNS BECAUSE WE, WE NEVER COULD HAVE MADE THAT ALL HAPPEN, RIGHT? SO ANYHOW, AND I'M GLAD THAT WE HAD AN AGGRESSIVE ONE.
I MEAN, THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, WELL, SHOULD WE EVEN PUT IT ON THERE? WE KNOW WE CAN'T GET IT.
WELL, SOMETIMES WE SHOULD AND SOMETIMES WE SHOULDN'T.
BUT ANYHOW, THAT'S ALL I REALLY WANTED TO SAY.
THANK YOU CHAIRMAN, AND I APPRECIATE YOU SO MUCH.
BEFORE I FINISH, LET GO TO CHAIRMAN WILL LISTEN BEFORE I FINISH MY COMMENT.
AND, UM, THANKS TO THE COMMITTEE THAT WAS ON AND OFF OF THE COMMITTEE.
THANK YOU CARRIE AND STAFF AND CLIFFORD.
AND, UM, SO I, I WANT TO ECHO WHAT, UH, CHAIR MENDELSON SAID.
I THINK ON THAT LEGISLATIVE AGENDA, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR DALLAS TO SHOW A POINT OF VIEW ON SOME ISSUES THAT WE MAY NOT GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE BY OURSELVES, BUT THAT IT MIGHT HELP WITH CRITICAL MASS AROUND SOME THINGS THAT AFFECT NOT ONLY OUR CITY, BUT OUR STATE.
SO I, I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER WHEN WE'RE DEVELOPING THAT.
IT MAY NOT ALL GO IN THE WIND COLUMN, BUT IT GOES INTO A BIGGER WIND COLUMN.
UM, AND THEN THIS WAS VERY MUCH A LEGISLATIVE
[00:35:01]
SESSION UPDATE, BUT I THINK, UM, I'M HOPING WE CAN EXPECT A PROCESS AND PROCEDURE RECAP AS WELL AS FAR AS OUR STAFFING NEEDS.WHAT COULD WE DO BETTER, DIFFERENTLY, UM, IN PLANNING AND, YOU KNOW, DO WE HAVE ALL THAT IT TAKES? ARE WE FUNDING ALL THAT IT TAKES WHERE WE MIGHT EVEN BE ABLE TO GO FARTHER NEXT TIME? SO I JUST WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU COME BACK AND, UM, HAVE US ALL DO THAT.
MAYBE IT WOULD BE THROUGH GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TO, TO DO THAT KIND OF RECAP FOR US.
SO THAT PLANNING FORWARD GOING INTO BUDGETING, WE KNOW THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE ALL PISTONS FIRING IN THE INTERIM AND THEN FOR THE NEXT SESSION.
WHAT IS ALSO CHAIRMAN MEDICINE? UH, THE REASON WHY I BROUGHT UP THE SCORECARD IN, IN TRYING TO PUT THIS PRESENTATION TOGETHER, UH, TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, HOW DO WE CREATE OURSELF? AND IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GRADE THE SCORECARD.
UH, CHAIRMAN MCGOO, UH, YOU ONLINE, UH, YOU DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK.
DO YOU WANNA SAY ANYTHING? OKAY, THANK YOU.
BUT THIS SCORE CARD, AS YOU SAID, MS. MILLER, WAS HARD TO GRADE BECAUSE THERE'S SOMETHING WE KNEW WE COULDN'T GET DONE AND THERE'S SOMETHING WE COULD GET DONE.
AND, BUT WE NEED TO, TO LOOK AT THE CITY AS A WHOLE, NOT INDIVIDUAL, NOT ONE PROJECT, BUT THE CITY'S WHOLE WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITY.
BUT SOMETIMES WE LOOK AT WHAT IS BEST FOR THE WHOLE STATE AND WE GET TIED UP.
IT'S NOT JUST DALLAS, IT'S AN ENTIRE STATE.
AND TO DO THAT AND WITH THE SCORE CARD, AND THANK YOU CARRIE, FOR PUTTING, PUTTING A GOOD SCORE CARD TOGETHER, BUT ALSO THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF BILLS THAT WE HAD NO CHANCE IN H TO GET DONE.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS ALL AGAINST US.
BUT I STILL THINK THE COURAGE OF PEOPLE, EVEN THOUGH THEY MIGHT BE FOR THE BILL AGAINST THE BILL ON THIS COMMITTEE, THEY DID SPEAK OUT.
AND THAT ONE THING, WHEN YOU SPEAK OUT, PEOPLE DO HEAR YOU.
EVEN THOUGH, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT BE FAR AGAINST AND, AND WE HAVE QUITE A DEAL, IF YOU NEUTRAL OR YOU'RE FAR OR YOU DON'T SAY ANYTHING, IF YOU DON'T SAY ANYTHING, THEY PUT YOU IN ANOTHER CATEGORY CAUSE THEY THANK YOU NOT AGAINST, OR YOU'RE FAR AND YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE.
BUT ALSO SET A TONE WITH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE BECAUSE YOU DO SOMETHING OVER THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE GOING TO KICK YOUR, KICK YOUR BUTT OVER THERE OR VICE VERSA.
AND YOU GOTTA BE VERY, VERY CAREFUL HOW YOU PRESENT YOURSELF.
AND YOU CANNOT PUT YOUR PERSON FEELING INVOLVED, EVEN THOUGH YOU PERSONALLY.
AND I, WHAT I LACK BY CHAIRMAN OF BLACKMAN, SHE HAD A PERSONAL ITEM WITH FENTANYL, WHAT'S GOING ON? BUT SHE DIDN'T CARRY IT TO THE POINT THEY DEFEND ANYONE.
IT WAS, IT WAS SOME HUMANITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
JUST SAME WITH THE CHAIRMAN DOLLARS DOING, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, HE TESTIFIED ON, ON CUP BELT, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF, YOU KNOW, THE S STR R YOU KNOW, IT KINDA DO, BUT, BUT SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO PUT YOUR PERSON FEELING INTO SOMETHING BECAUSE HE DON'T PUT YOUR PERSON FEELING THAT IT DON'T GET A ACROSS AND SOMEONE ATTORNEY JUST READ A BILL AND THIS IS A LAW AND THIS WHERE THEY IS GOING TO BE.
SOMETIMES THEY TAKE THE WRONG WAY BECAUSE THE WHOLE STATE LOOKING AT YOU, ARE YOU SAYING, UH, THIS IS JUST A PERSON ITEM THAT THIS PARTICULAR COUNCIL ON A PARTICULAR, UH, ADMINISTRATOR, A PARTICULAR, UH, PUBLIC OFFICIAL WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PERSONAL, BUT IT AFFECT EVERYBODY.
AND, AND, AND WHEN WE DO THE SCORECARD AGAIN, BUT REMEMBER IT IS NOT OVER WITH YET.
WE STILL GOT BILLS THAT THE, THE GOVERNORS STILL GOTTA SIGN.
WE STILL GOT SOME WIN THAT WE CAN WIN, BUT WE ALSO GOT SOME LOSSES THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO LOSE.
YOU KNOW, LIKE THE 9 1 1, YOU KNOW, IT'S THERE, BUT IT'S IN THE FARM, BUT WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE GONNA GET FOR 9 1 1 AND THE 9 1 1 MONEY WE GET.
WE HAD AN OPERA FUND THAT FILL IN, BUT RIGHT NOW WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET.
WE HOPE WE GET, YOU KNOW, THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MONEY.
WE, WE KNOW WHAT WE GOT LAST TIME, BUT WE'RE GONNA GET THIS TIME, UH, EVEN WITH THE SOUTHERN GATEWAY, YOU KNOW, SOUTHERN GATEWAY THAT WE GOT 5 MILLION.
BUT THEN TOO, WE COULD HAVE LOST A WHOLE 5 MILLION, BUT WE ALSO GOT ANOTHER 10 MILLION OF FEDERAL FUND TO GET THAT DONE.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THEY'RE GONNA GET.
SO WE STILL LOOKING AT THE FORMULA THAT, THAT THAT CLIFFORD THAT YOU DID NOT GO THROUGH, BUT THERE'S A DOLLARS THAT IS STILL LEFT ON THE TABLE THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA GET.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I SAID THAT WE STILL HAVE TO, TO BE OPEN-MINDED AND TO BE, AND LOOK AT WHAT THE GOVERNOR GONNA SIGN, EVEN THOUGH HE GONNA SIGN THESE INTO LAW.
BUT WE STILL GOTTA TALK TO OUR LEGISLATOR.
WE STILL GOTTA TALK TO OUR SENATOR.
AND RIGHT NOW THE HOUSE IS AT HOME, THE SENATE IS STILL IN OFFICE.
THE SENATOR IS STILL WORKING NOW, BUT THE HOUSE IS NOT WORKING.
BUT WE STILL NEED TO CONTACT OUR SENATOR AND SAY, HEY, WE STILL OPEN UP.
[00:40:01]
CLIFF, I, I WANT YOU KIND OF GO THROUGH THE SCORECARD.THERE ARE SOME GOOD OBJECTIVE, BUT ONE THING, UH, MS. MILLON, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND, AND WHAT, UH, CHAIRMAN WILLS WAS TALKING ABOUT IS A BUDGET.
AND WE GOTTA LOOK AT WHAT MONEY DID WE BRING BACK.
WHAT MONEY DID WE BRING BACK THAT WILL AFFECT OUR BUDGET THAT WE ARE DOING THIS FALL? BECAUSE THE 9 1 1, IF WE DON'T BRING X AMOUNT OF BOTTLE OF 9 1 1, THEY'RE GONNA AFFECT PUBLIC SAFETY.
SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT DOLLARS IS.
WHEN WE DO OUR BUDGET, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GONNA BE.
CAUSE WE'RE GONNA HAVE BUDGET RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, SO THOSE ARE DOLLARS THAT WE DO, YOU KNOW, IN THE RIGHT OF WAY, YOU KNOW, THE FRANCHISE, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WAS NOT IN HERE.
MOST OF THIS THAT AFFECT OUR BUDGET.
BUT WE DID HAVE A SCORECARD THAT SAID BEFORE YOU WENT DOWN THERE, THIS HOW MUCH MONEY WE GOT BEFORE, HOW MUCH MONEY WE GET NOW.
AND SO WHEN WE COME BACK AND, AND, AND, AND, AND, AND BEING THERE FOR WHATEVER, GOING TO YOUR COMMITTEE, MS. MILLERS, WHATEVER, BUT I NEED TO KNOW SOME NUMBERS IN ORDER TO DO THIS BUDGET BECAUSE THIS WOULD AFFECT OUR BUDGET.
YOU KNOW, DO WE GOTTA RAISE TAXES? WE GOT LOWER TAX, WHATEVER, BUT I NEED SOME DOLLARS OF WHAT DID THE STATE GIVE THE CITY OF DALLAS? AND WE NEED THAT.
SO IF YOU COME BACK AND, AND YOU DON'T HAVE 'EM RIGHT NOW, LET'S GET A MEMO TOGETHER, MS. ROGERS, LET'S GET A MEMO TOGETHER.
WE KNOW WHAT WE GOT IN THE LAST EIGHT LEGISLATOR.
WE KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE GOT.
HOW MUCH MONEY WE GONNA RECEIVE NOW IT GOING AFFECT OUR BUDGET BECAUSE THIS DO AFFECT OUR BUDGET AND PLUS THEY RAISE GRANTS AND ALL THE FARMERS.
SO YOU WANT TO KIND OF SPEAK ON THAT BEHALF.
SO TO YOUR POINT, UH, REALLY TO EVERYONE'S POINT, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE DEFINITELY SOME THINGS, UM, WELL I'LL JUST STICK TO THE BUDGET PIECE.
SO YOU'RE RIGHT, WHEN IT COMES TO FORMULA FUNDING, YOU NEVER KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE GONNA BRING BACK.
I MEAN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE SUBMITTED.
UM, IT'S GONNA TAKE SOME TIME.
THE BU WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET WITH THE BUDGET OFFICE AND THE GRANT DEPARTMENT TO BE ABLE TO SEE HOW MUCH WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO BRING BACK HOME.
AND I KNOW THE BUDGET IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
UM, AND SO I KNOW THAT'S A, A REQUEST THAT YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THROUGHOUT MAKING THIS PRESENTATION.
UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE STILL WORKING ON TO BRING TO YOU.
SO THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE DIDN'T HAVE A TOTAL FOR TODAY.
BUT WITH THAT BEING SAID, YOU KNOW, THE NUMBER ONE PRIORITY OF ANY LEGISLATIVE SESSION IS TO INCREASE THE POTS OF MONEY THAT WE CAN ACCESS SO THAT, THAT, WHEN THAT MONEY DOES COME IN, OR ONCE IT IS IDENTIFIED, HOPEFULLY BEFORE YOU GUYS START YOUR BUDGET, YOU WILL KNOW, HEY LOOK, WE DON'T HAVE TO SPEND X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS IN PUBLIC SAFETY FOR 9 1 1 BECAUSE WE GOT X AMOUNT MORE, OR FOR SOUTHERN GATEWAY.
WE DON'T HAVE TO COMMIT MORE MONEY FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT FOR, FOR THAT SO TO SPEAK.
SO TO YOUR POINT, I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
UM, NOW AS IT RELATES TO OUR SCORECARD, UH, TO COUNCILWOMAN MINISTER'S POINT, SHE'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT, UM, WERE MORE REALISTIC THAN OTHERS, SO TO SPEAK.
THERE WERE SOME THINGS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE KNEW GOING IN PROBABLY WEREN'T GONNA HAPPEN JUST BECAUSE HISTORICALLY SPEAKING, UH, JUST WHERE WE ARE IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, UH, THAT HAS NOT BEEN THE MESSAGE THAT THEY HAVE PUT FORWARD THAT THEY WANTED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT.
SO OVERALL, UH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE THINGS THAT WE COULD HAVE REALISTICALLY GOT DONE, AND I ALSO WANNA PULL IN ANOTHER PLUG.
YOU KNOW, IN, IN MY PRESENTATION I PUT THAT THESE ARE ITEMS THAT THE LEGISLATURE ALLOWED US TO GET.
MEANING, YOU KNOW, WE, ALL WE CAN DO IS ADVOCATE AND EDUCATE.
WE DON'T DICTATE TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE, THEY HAVE TO SEE FIT TO BRING THINGS BACK TO US OR ALLOW US TO HAVE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE CAN UTILIZE IN OUR CITY.
SO THE ONLY THING I CAN SAY BY WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO GET DONE ON OUR SCORECARD IS THAT THEY FELT THAT THE CITY OF DALLAS NEEDED THESE ITEMS OR ELSE THEY WOULDN'T HAVE GOT IT DONE.
NOW, WAS THAT AS A RESULT OF ADVOCACY OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO CALL IT, YOU KNOW, I'LL LEAVE THAT TO YOU.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS IS WHAT A TEAM EFFORT LOOKS LIKE.
IT'S NOT JUST THE CITY, NOT JUST THE POLITICIANS, IT'S EVERYBODY TOGETHER.
IT'S EVERYBODY WORKING TOGETHER TO MAKE THESE THINGS HAPPEN.
SO, UM, I KNOW WE'RE A LITTLE PRESSED ON TIME, BUT I DIDN'T WANNA RUN THROUGH EACH ONE UNLESS WE FINE.
SO WE GOT OUR FAMILY NEXT COMMITTEE GOT ANOTHER 15, 20.
WELL, UM, SO WE CAN JUST START FROM THE TOP AS FAR AS OUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES ARE CONCERNED.
UH, NUMBER ONE, ADDRESSING UNAUTHORIZED PRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OF TEMPORARY TAGS.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO GET A COUPLE OF PIECES OF LEGISLATION PASSED ON THAT, UH, TO HELP DEAL WITH THAT, THAT WE FEEL STRONGLY THAT WILL HELP CURB THE AMOUNT OF, UH, TEMPORARY TAGS THAT YOU SEE OR PAPER TAGS THAT YOU SEE ON THE STREETS.
UH, NUMBER TWO, UH, WE NEEDED FUNDING FOR A DALLAS POLICE TRAINING FACILITY AND ALSO, UM, UH, ADDITIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY EQUIPMENT.
WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE FUNDING FOR THAT, UH, WHICH WAS EXTREMELY BIG.
UM, ADDRESSED RESPONSIBILITY FOR SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS.
THIS WAS SOMETHING HONESTLY AND REALISTICALLY, UM, THE REST OF THE STATE IS ALREADY, WHEN I SAID THE REST OF THE STATE, THE REST
[00:45:01]
OF THE MUNICIPALITIES ARE ALREADY WORKING, UH, WITH THEIR COUNTY COUNTERPARTS TO GET THIS DONE.AND SO IT WAS A LITTLE TOUGH TO TRY TO GET SOME LEGISLATION PASSED TO DO SOMETHING THAT WAS ALREADY BEING DONE.
I MEAN, THE WAY IT WAS PITCHED TO ME WAS, GUYS, Y'ALL, Y'ALL NEED TO GO FIGURE THIS OUT BACK HOME CUZ THE REST OF THE STATE IS DOING IT IN A WAY THAT WE ARE SATISFIED WITH.
SO IT WAS A NON-STARTER FROM A LEGISLATIVE STANDPOINT, UM, FOR EXPANDING MONICA'S LAW, STATEWIDE PROTECTIVE, UH, ORDER DATABASE.
UH, IT HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD.
WE'LL BE ABLE TO WORK WITH ONE OF OUR OWN MEMBERS OF THE DELEGATION TO GET THAT DONE.
UH, IMPLEMENTING A STATEWIDE 9 1 1 FEE TO REINVEST AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE.
UM, WE, I I WOULD SAY WE'RE PROBABLY ABOUT 90% OF THE WAY THERE ON THAT.
WE DID GET ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
WE DID HAVE A FEE INCREASE IN THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT, WHICH IS THE VERY LAST STEP THAT GOT YANKED OUT AT THE LAST MINUTE ON US.
AND IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE, WHAT I'VE ALWAYS TOLD Y'ALL BEFORE, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T HAVE ANY EYES AND EARS IN THAT.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S DONE COMPLETELY BEHIND THE SCENES.
AND SO WHEN IT COMES OUT, WE ARE DICTATED TOO.
WE DON'T, WE DON'T HAVE ANY INFLUENCE IN THAT PROCESS, BUT AT LEAST GOING INTO THE PROCESS, WE HAD WHAT WE WANTED, WHICH IS REALLY ALL WE CAN DO.
WE ADVOCATED AND EDUCATED TO THE POINT WHERE WE HAD WHAT WE WANTED, WHICH WAS THE FEE INCREASE.
UM, AMENDING THE DEFINITION OF REFLEXOLOGY BUSINESS AS, UH, MASSAGE PARLORS.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME LEGISLATION, UH, PASSED AND TO SHOW HOW THINGS WORK IN THE LEGISLATURE.
UH, WE DIDN'T GET THE ORIGINAL BILL ITSELF PASSED.
WE ACTUALLY HAD TO TAG IT ONTO ANOTHER BILL, UH, TO CATCH A RIDE CUZ IT GOT STALLED, UH, THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, A WIN IS STILL A WIN.
YOU KNOW, GETTING ACROSS THE FINISH LINE IS STILL GETTING ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF.
UM, NEXT, UH, CONTINUE THE FUNDING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE REENTRY SERVICES PROGRAM.
UH, LIKE I SAID, IT IS, YOU KNOW, THE REQUEST WAS JUST TO CONTINUE THE FUNDING.
WE ACTUALLY INCREASED THE FUNDING, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT AGAIN, THE STATE ALLOWED US TO DO, UH, WHICH WE'RE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF.
UM, NEXT, UH, PURSUE REVENUE STREAMS THAT COULD SUPPORT FUTURE PUBLIC SAFETY PENSION OBLIGATIONS.
THIS WAS ANOTHER INTERESTING ONE FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THERE WERE ATTEMPTS TO PUSH PIECES OF LEGISLATION IN PARTICULAR GAMBLING.
UH, BUT THE WAY THAT IT PLAYED OUT, UH, WELL, LET ME SAY THIS.
THE WAY IT STARTED OUT WAS THAT IT WAS THE NEGOTIATIONS WERE CENTERED AROUND, LOOK, IF WE'RE GONNA DO THIS, LET'S MAKE, MAKE SURE WE TAKE CARE OF OUR LOCAL PDS AND MAKE SURE WE GET THEM FUNDING FOR WHATEVER IT IS THEY NEED.
SO IN THAT NEGOTIATION WAS TALKS ABOUT GETTING FUNDING FOR OUR PENSION.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE WAY THE NEGOTIATIONS BROKE DOWN HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH US.
AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE END OF IT AT THIS POINT.
NOW, DOES THAT MEAN THAT THESE BILLS CAN'T BE RESUSCITATED IN A SPECIAL SESSION? NO.
DOES THAT MEAN THEY WILL
SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T SAY THAT IT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL.
AT LEAST WE WERE MOVING THE NEEDLE BECAUSE BEFORE PREVIOUS SESSIONS, THIS WAS A NON-STARTER TALKING ABOUT LEGALIZING GAMBLING IN TEXAS.
SO I THINK THE NEEDLE IS MOVING.
I THINK IT'LL CONTINUE TO MOVE.
THERE WAS A LOT OF INTEREST, A LOT OF MONEY BEING THROWN AROUND.
SO, UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT.
UM, MOVING FORWARD INTO THE FUTURE.
UH, NEXT WITH SECURE ADDITIONAL OPTIONS FOR PROPERTY TAX RELIEF.
AS YOU KNOW, AS TALKED ABOUT, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S STILL IN THE AIR RIGHT NOW.
I MEAN, THEY, THEY'VE LEFT ROUGHLY, UH, ALMOST 20 BILLION ON THE TABLE THAT THEY STILL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WITH.
UH, THEY JUST HAVE A ISSUE OVER WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO DO COMPRESSION OR JUST A HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION.
AND THAT'S REALLY AS SIMPLE AS I CAN MAKE IT.
UH, AS FAR AS WHAT THEY'RE ARGUING ABOUT, UH, STRENGTHEN DALLAS' WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PIPELINE THROUGH INVESTMENTS AND RE-SKILLING PROGRAMS. UM, THERE WAS MONEY THAT WAS FLOWING THROUGH THE BUDGET, UH, THAT WILL, UH, GO INTO THE NORMAL PROGRAMS THAT THAT, THAT WE KNOW OF.
BUT IN PARTICULAR, REPRESENTATIVE BUD, UH, WAS PUSHING THE ENVELOPE TRYING TO CREATE NEW AVENUES IN WHICH TO GET THIS DONE.
SO, YOU KNOW, KUDOS TO HER, UH, WITH HER WORKFORCE DIPLOMA P PILOT PROGRAM.
SHE ALSO HAD ANOTHER PIECE OF LEGISLATION, IF I CAN SAY, UM, THAT WOULD'VE EVEN WENT FURTHER.
UH, BUT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET THAT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
BUT THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WE LOOK TO COME BACK NEXT SESSION TO SEE IF WE CAN TACKLE OR IN THE SPECIAL SESSION.
UM, I BE LOVING ENSURE THE PRIVACY SECURITY RESIDENTS AND COMMERCIAL DATA.
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF BILLS THAT PASSED, UH, YOU KNOW, IN PARTICULAR SB 2 71 BY SENATOR NATHAN JOHNSON.
UH, WE WERE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH HIM ON THIS BILL AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH THE RANSOMWARE SITUATION.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S GOOD TIMING, BAD TIMING, BUT THERE WAS SOME THINGS THAT GOT IN THERE THAT WE FELT, UH, WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TOWARDS US MOVING FORWARD AS WE WERE DEALING WITH A REAL LIFE SITUATION AS FAR AS HOW WE NEED TO COALESCE AND HOW WE NEED RESOURCES OUTSIDE OF JUST EVEN THE STATE.
UM, AND CURRENTLY WHAT'S ON THE MARKET NOW,
[00:50:02]
UH, REQUIRED MANDATORY DISCLOSURE OF RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE PRICES.AGAIN, THIS WAS SOMETHING AS COUNCILWOMAN MENDELSON MENTIONED.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING, THIS WAS AN ITEM THAT HISTORICALLY HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED WELL AT THE STATE.
YOU KNOW, FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY JUST HISTORICALLY NEVER WANTED TO DEAL WITH THIS.
SO THERE WAS NO ONE WANTED TO FILE THE BILL.
NO ONE WANTED TO DEAL WITH IT CAUSE THEY KNEW IT WASN'T GOING ANYWHERE.
UM, ESTABLISH A DATABASE OF HOMESTEAD EXEMPTIONS, JUST LIKE THE ITEM BEFORE.
UH, IT'S BEEN TALKED ABOUT, KICKED AROUND, BUT NO ONE REALLY WANTED TO DEAL WITH IT.
UH, PRESERVE LOCAL, LOCAL AUTHORITY TO COLLECT FRANCHISE FEES.
UH, SB 1117, AS I MENTIONED THE PRESENTATION, UH, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, KILL THEIR BILL ON THE PORT OF ORDER.
UM, I TRULY DO EXPECT THAT BILL TO BE RESUSCITATED AT SOME POINT AS THE PEOPLE BEHIND IT HAVE A LOT OF DEEP POCKETS AND THEY WANT TO CUT THEIR FEES DOWN AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
UH, EXPAND THE PUBLICATION, EXPAND THE OPTION, EXCUSE ME, FOR PUBLICATION OF LEGAL NOTICES.
UH, THE MEMBERS, THERE WAS JUST NO INTEREST ON THIS BILL.
SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD TO SEE HOW WE CAN RETOOL THIS TO MAKE IT MORE ATTRACTIVE FOR MEMBERS, UH, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT WE NEED.
BUT THIS SESSION, WE JUST COULDN'T GET ANY TAKERS, UM, AMENDING THE GOVERNMENT CODE.
UH, AS WE ALL KNOW, THIS WAS JUST, UH, IN RESPONSE TO THE PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT PASSED LAST TIME FOR ANY, UH, FINANCIAL INSTITUTION THAT SERVICES MUNICIPALITIES THAT TAKES A POLICY AGAINST, UM, GUN MANUFACTURERS.
UH, THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT, UH, OR IT WAS PUT ON OUR LEGISLATIVE AGENDA TO TRY TO ROLL, UH, THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION BACK.
BUT AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, ONCE A PIECE OF LEGISLATION GOES INTO EFFECT, IT IS RARE THAT IF THEY REPEAL IT, THE, UH, SESSION, UH, SUBSEQUENTLY NEXT, UH, ADVANCED INCOME BASED PROPERTY TAX ABATEMENTS FOR HOMEOWNERS AND NEIGHBORHOODS EXPERIENCING RAPIDLY, UH, RISING PROPERTY VALUES.
THERE WERE A COUPLE OF BILLS THAT ADDRESSED, UM, SOME ITEMS THAT DEAL WITH THAT IN PARTICULAR.
UH, AGAIN, THE, THE LEGISLATURE IS STILL, UH, KICKING THE TIRES AROUND WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WITH THAT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, THINGS MIGHT CHANGE AS FAR AS, UM, OUR SCORE SHEET AS FAR AS THAT RELATES.
UM, PREVENT HOUSING FINANCE CORPORATIONS AND PUBLIC FACILITY CORPORATIONS FROM PROVIDING PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTIONS OUTSIDE OF JURISDICTION.
UH, AGAIN, I MENTIONED THIS IN THE PRESENTATION, HB 2071, THE, UH, UH, COUNCILWOMAN WILLIS, UH, PLAYED A, A HUGE PART IN, WE WERE ABLE TO GET THAT ACROSS THE FINISH LINE REQUIRED TRANSPORTATION ENTITIES TO HARDEN UNDERPASSES AND FUNDING ENGAGEMENT OF CLEANING OF AREAS AFFECTED BY, UH, BY THOSE WHO ARE UNSHELTERED.
AGAIN, THIS HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN A PROBLEM.
THE STATE HASN'T, HAS NOT WANTED TO DO ANYTHING WITH THAT.
THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE JUST IN THE HIGHWAY BUILDING BUSINESS, NOT IN THE UNDERPASS CLEANING BUSINESS.
AND SO THEY HAVE YET TO CONTINUE, THEY'VE YET TO COMMIT ANY MONEY TOWARDS THAT EFFORT IN THE PAST.
AND THEY PRETTY MUCH KEPT THAT SAME SENTIMENT THIS TIME.
SO WE'LL JUST HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD ON THAT, SEE IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY, SEE IF THERE'S SOME GRANTS OUT THERE TO AT LEAST GET THE PROCESS ROLLING.
UH, ESTABLISH A KNOW YOUR RIGHTS DOCUMENT, UH, THAT ALL LANDLORDS MUST INCLUDE AN EVICTION NOTICES.
HERE WE WERE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE, UH, THE, THE CHAIRMAN AND I ACTUALLY MET WITH DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATION, UH, TO NEGOTIATE, UM, LEGISLATION FIRST AND ALSO AN ORDINANCE SECOND, UH, THE LEGISLATION FROM THEIR STANDPOINT, UH, THEY DID NOT WANT US TO DO THAT.
UM, AND THEY FELT THAT OUR, UH, KNOW YOUR RIGHTS DOCUMENT WENT A LITTLE TOO FAR.
BUT THEY DID AGREE TO WHAT SAN ANTONIO CURRENTLY HAS IN PLACE.
AND THEY SAID, AS LONG AS WE WENT TO THAT BUMPER, THAT THEY WOULD BE OKAY WITH THAT.
UH, ENHANCED AND FUND MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS.
AGAIN, UH, THIS WAS SOME THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX BY, UH, ONE OF OUR NEWEST SENATOR, SENATOR, UH, TAN PARKER.
UH, AND IT RELATES TO ADVANCING AIR MOBILITY TECHNOLOGY.
AND LIKE I SAID, THAT'S REALLY THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, BUT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT HE PUSHED AND SECURED A LOT OF, UH, VOTES FOR ON HIS OWN.
IMPROVED WATER, STORMWATER AND WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
UM, HE IS THE CHAIRMAN OF NATURAL RESOURCES AT THE, IN ON THE SENATE SIDE.
UH, HE CARRIED THE TORCH ON THIS PRETTY MUCH BY HIMSELF.
I MEAN, HE WAS ALL THINGS, WATER, ALL THINGS, UH, WATER INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO I DEFINITELY HAVE TO GIVE HIM, UH, KUDOS FOR THAT AS WELL.
UM, THE PRIMA FACIA SPEED LIMIT.
UH, CURRENTLY WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THIS.
I KNOW WE WERE LOOKING FOR FUNDING FOR THE TRANSPORTATION FEES FOR THIS.
UM, UNFORTUNATELY THE STATE, UH, WASN'T LOOKING INTO GIVING US THAT THEY'D RATHER PUT THE MONEY INTO BUILDING HIGHWAYS.
THAT'S, THAT WAS THE RESPONSE I GOT BACK.
SO, UH, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL JUST HAVE TO CONTINUE TO KICK THE TIRES ON AND SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT RESOLVED.
ELEVATE BROADBAND SERVICE AS A CRITICAL UTILITY.
[00:55:02]
UH, THEY PASSED, UH, 1.5 BILLION IN FORMULA FUNDING AT ONE TIME.THEY HAD ABOUT 5 BILLION SITTING THERE.
UH, THE REASON BEHIND CUTTING IT, UM, DOWN TO ONE AND A HALF BILLION, UH, IT IS, IT IS STILL BENEFITING ME.
THEY WAS JUST A, A PRETTY NUMBER THAT THEY PICKED OUT, IT SEEMS LIKE.
SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S STILL AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO BACK TO THAT.
WELL, UH, BUT WE'LL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE WHAT THEY DO DURING THE, THROUGHOUT THE SPECIAL SESSION.
UH, NEXT, STRENGTHEN THE STATE'S, UH, ELECTRIC GRID, UH, HP 1500, DEPENDING ON WHO YOU TALKED TO, WAS A REALLY GOOD PIECE OF LEGISLATION OR PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT DIDN'T GO FAR ENOUGH.
UH, BUT IN EFFECT, UH, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT, UM, COMPARED TO WHAT WE HAD IN YEARS PAST, THIS IS, UH, UH, A MAJOR STEP FORWARD.
SO WE'RE, UH, APPRECIATIVE FOR THE STATE OF PUSHING THAT.
UH, NUMBER 26 REQUIRED LOCAL APPROVAL OF STANDARD PERMITS FOR POLLUTING INDUSTRIES, UM, AND IMPOSED MINIMUM DISTANCES FROM SCHOOLS SB 1397.
UH, THERE WAS A LOT OF NEGOTIATION THAT WENT INTO THIS ONE.
UM, THEY DID EVERYTHING BUT GIVE US LOCAL CONTROL.
IN THIS ONE, THEY GAVE US A LOT OF LOCAL OVERSIGHT, WHICH WAS A HUGE STEP IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION THAN WHAT THEY'RE USED TO DOING WHEN TIMES THE STATE HAS TYPICALLY BEEN USURPING POWER.
UH, INSTEAD THEY, YOU KNOW, ATTEMPTED TO DISTRIBUTE POWER LO TO THE, TO THE LOCALS.
UM, ADVANCING DEPLOYMENT, UH, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SOLAR POWER AND ELECTRIC VEHICLES.
UH, SB 1001 AND SB 1002 HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD WITH THAT SENATOR SHORTENER.
SO, UH, AGAIN, GIVING KUDOS TO, UH, SENATOR SHORTEN AND ALL HIS EFFORT WITH THAT, UH, INCREASED FUNDING FOR DALLAS PARKS, TRAILS AND PLAYGROUNDS.
UM, AS I MENTIONED IN THE PRESENTATION, WE SECURED, WE WERE ABLE TO SECURE 5 MILLION FROM THE SOUTHERN GATEWAY PROJECT.
I KNOW STATE SENATOR ROY WEST AND REPRESENTATIVE ROSE, UH, REALLY WENT TO BAT FOR US ON THAT, LIKE COULD THANK THEM FOR THAT.
AS INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH AS IT WORKS OUT, IT WOULD ACTUALLY ALLOW US, UM, AS IT NORMAL, THE BILL BASICALLY NORMALIZES THE CITY OF AUSTIN FEES, BUT ALLOWS OURS TO COME UP TO WHERE WE, WE'LL BE ABLE TO COLLECT MORE FEES THAN WE WERE IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
UH, WHICH IN EFFECT WILL ALLOW US TO BUILD MORE PARKS.
SO, IN A WAY, THIS IS, UH, A BIG WIN FOR US IN THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
PASSING INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE TEXT CULTURAL TEXAS CULTURAL ASSOCIATION CULTURAL DISTRICT GRANT PROGRAM.
UH, THAT WAS A, A BUDGET REQUEST, UH, THAT WE HAD PUT IN.
AND IT WAS GRANTED, I KNOW THE CULTURAL ARTS PROGRAM WAS ON A LIFELINE THERE FOR A SECOND IN THE INTRODUCE VERSION OF THE BUDGET.
BUT, UH, OUR DELEGATION CAME OUT IN FULL FORCE FOR US AND HELPED US OUT AND HELPED SECURE SOME, UH, ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
CAUSE A LOT OF THEM UTILIZE THESE PROGRAMS FOR THE NONPROFITS THAT THEY WORK WITH.
INCREASED FUNDING FOR TEXAS STATE LIBRARY ARCHIVES COMMISSION RELATING TO TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL INCLUSION.
UM, EVEN THOUGH THE MONEY DIDN'T FLOW THROUGH THE TEXAS STATE LIBRARY ARCHIVES, IT STILL FLOWED THROUGH THE POT OF MONEY THAT WE WANTED IT TO, WHICH IS A HUGE, UH, WIN FOR US AT THE END OF THE DAY.
UH, DECRIMINALIZING FENTANYL TESTING STRIPS.
UH, I KNOW WE HAD SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS COME DOWN TESTIFY ON THIS FOR WHATEVER THE REASON THE SENATE JUST HELD THAT BILL UP AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE PEOPLE PROTESTING THE BILL PROTESTING IN THE ACTUAL OFFICE.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT, SO TO SPEAK.
AND, YOU KNOW, EVEN WITH ALL THAT, IT STILL COULD NOT GET ACROSS THE FINISH LINE.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE MEMBERS ON THE SENATE SIDE TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT DONE.
UH, PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF ALL VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT BILLS, UH, ABOUT SEVEN DIFFERENT BILLS, UH, THEY GOT DONE.
UH, MOST OF 'EM I MENTIONED IN MY PRESENTATION, UH, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE ALL HUGE WINS.
I KNOW THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION DURING SESSION ABOUT, UH, IF WE WERE DOING ENOUGH TO, UM, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS THESE BILLS.
AND I THINK YES, BUT I, THERE'S ALWAYS MORE THAT WE CAN DO AND I THINK WE SHOULD DO.
AND, BUT ULTIMATELY I LEAVE THAT UP TO THE COUNCIL.
UH, NEXT IS INCREASED FUNDING FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
UH, YOU KNOW, THE LEGISLATURE INCREASED FORM OF FUNDING BY 548 MILLION, ALMOST HALF A BILLION DOLLARS, UH, IN, IN THE BUDGET, WHICH WAS A HUGE DEAL, WHICH GOES TO HELP OUT A LOT OF VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.
AND LAST, UH, EXPANDING THE SNAP PROGRAM FOR WIC TO INCLUDE DIAPERS AND PERIOD PRODUCTS.
WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME LEGISLATION PASSED THAT ADDRESSED, UH, A FEW OF THE ITEMS, NOT ALL THE ITEMS, UH, IN THAT REQUEST.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL DEFINITELY HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD ON, BUT AT LEAST THEY WERE MOVING THE NEEDLE TO HELP OUT THOSE THAT WERE LESS FORTUNATE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE EXTREMELY APPRECIATIVE OF.
SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, UH, THERE WERE ABOUT 25 ITEMS OUT OF THE 34 THAT YOU SEE HERE THAT, UH, THE LEGISLATURE ALLOWED US TO RESOLVE.
[01:00:01]
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD TRULY BE APPRECIATIVE OF.AND CUZ LIKE I ALWAYS SAY, IT COULD HAVE WENT DIFFERENTLY, BUT I THINK THE REASON WHY A LOT OF THESE THINGS WE GOT DONE IS BECAUSE OF OUR COUNCIL.
UH, AS YOU'VE ALL SAID, A LOT OF YOU CAME DOWN AND TESTIFIED.
A LOT OF YOU CAME DOWN AND ADVOCATED FOR DIFFERENT THINGS.
AND IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU SHOWING UP AND SHOWING YOUR FACE AND SPENDING YOUR TIME, I DON'T THINK THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN THE PROGRAM THAT IT WAS.
SO I DEFINITELY HAVE TO GIVE ALL KUDOS TO THE COUNCIL AND STAFF FOR HELPING GET THIS DONE.
AND SO WITHOUT, MR. CHAIRMAN, I TURN IT BACK OVER TO YOU.
UM, I'D JUST LIKE TO OFFER A SPECIFIC REQUEST.
UM, YOU'VE ASKED FOR A MEMO ABOUT SORT OF THE WINS AND THE DOLLARS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SESSION, AND I, I APPRECIATE THAT.
I'M WONDERING IF YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO HAVE A DIRECT DOLLARS, YOU KNOW, LIKE THE 20 MILLION FOR THE, UH, POLICE ACADEMY AS WELL AS INDIRECT, WHICH WOULD BE THINGS LIKE FRANCHISE TAX THAT WE WERE ABLE TO RETAIN THAT, WHICH ACTUALLY INCREASED THIS PAST YEAR.
SO, UM, I, I'D LOVE TO HAVE BOTH COLUMNS, IF THAT'S POSSIBLE.
THAT'S WHAT, UM, I ASKED AT THE BEGINNING AND, AND NUMBER ONE, SINCE, UM, THE LEGISLATOR'S NOT OVER WITH AND IT GOTTA BE PREMATURE, SO THERE MIGHT BE SOME DOLLARS COMING IN, BUT ALSO ON THE PHONE WITH, UM, UM, EXERCISE, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE DOLLARS GOING TO BE.
SO ONCE WE KNOW WHERE THE FARMER'S GONNA BE, THEN WE KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE DOLLAR THERE.
BECAUSE WHAT I DID WAS, UH, WHEN WE STARTED THIS, UH, JOURNEY DOWN TO ROAD, WE HAD A DOLLAR AMOUNT FROM THE STATE THAT HOW MUCH MONEY WE ACTUALLY GOT LAST TIME IN VERSE HOW MUCH MONEY WE GET TODAY.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE WERE WORKING ON.
SO, UH, CLIFFORD, I GUESS THAT WHEN YOU GOT READY TO PREPARE THIS PARTICULAR AGENDA, UM, UH, WHEN WOULD IT PROBABLY BE DURING THE LEGISLATURE BE ONGOING BECAUSE THE MONEY GONNA BE SLOWLY COMING IN TO, TO ADD THOSE DOLLARS UP.
WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL THE END OF THE SPECIAL LEGISLATOR.
AND THEN THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO, UM, MENTION IS THAT, UM, THERE WAS A GOOD CONVERSATION ABOUT, UM, BEING ABLE TO EVALUATE OUR BUDGET, RIGHT, IN TERMS OF STAFFING.
UM, BUT ALSO IF WE COULD LOOK AT IF WE HAVE THE RIGHT LOBBYISTS AND ALL THE LOBBYISTS WE NEED.
SO YOU MENTIONED THE MAGIC WORD PENSIONS, AND WE MAY NEED A SPECIFIC LOBBYIST THIS NEXT TERM, UM, FOR DEALING WITH OUR PENSIONS.
AND SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU DON'T LOOK AT IT JUST FROM THE STAFFING SIDE, BUT SORT OF GLOBALLY.
AND THEN LASTLY, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO SOME OF OUR PARTNERS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE DALLAS DELEGATION, CERTAINLY, UM, CHAIRMAN ATKINS, YOU'VE SENT ME SOME PHOTOS OF YOU OF PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE DALLAS DELEGATION THAT, UM, HAVE HELPED US.
BUT, UM, ON THE REFLEXOLOGY BILL THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, UM, I SPECIFICALLY WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO L I S D, WHICH IS LOUISVILLE, I S D, UM, AND TO DENTON COUNTY WHO DID A LOT OF THAT WORK ON THAT BILL AND WE WERE ABLE TO, UM, SUPPORT IT WITHOUT ACTUALLY HAVING TO GO DOWN AND TESTIFY.
SO, UM, I JUST, I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO ALWAYS THINK ABOUT OTHER PARTNERS THAT WE CAN BAND TOGETHER WITH TO GET THINGS OVER THE LINE.
AND, AND WITH THAT CHAIRMAN SEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT LI UM, AND I GOTTA TALK TO, UM, UM, ATTORNEY, UH, MS. PALO THAT IF YOU LOOK AT THE CITY DALLAS LOBBIES AND COMPARE IT TO HOUSTON AND COMPARED TO EVERYONE ELSE, I MEAN, IT'S KINDA LIKE THEY IN A MAJOR LIVES.
WE IN A MAN LIVE AND WE DO NOT HAVE THE STAFF, UH, TO COMPETE, YOU KNOW, WITH OTHER CITIES.
AND I HATE TO SAY IT, WE DO NOT HAVE A STAFF.
I MEAN, D P D HAVE THEIR LIBRARIES.
I KNOW THE, THE DALLAS WATER DEPARTMENT HAD THEIR LIBRARIES, BUT IF WE PUT EVERYBODY TOGETHER COMPARED TO OTHER BIG CITIES, WE MAN LIS I MEAN WE, WE GOING GET AGAINST MAJOR LIS, YOU KNOW, WE GOING TO GET MAJOR LIS PLAYERS.
AND WHEN YOU DOWN THERE IN THE STATE, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A MAJOR LEAGUES PLAYER, YOU KNOW, YOU LOOK AT APARTMENT ASSOCIATION, YOU LOOK AT THE, THE, THE RAILROADS, YOU LOOK AT THE ODD PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, THOSE HAD GREAT LIVES.
UNTIL WE KIND OF GEAR UP TO BEING THE MAJOR LEAGUES PLAYERS, WE STILL GONNA BE IN THE MAN OF LIS DOWN THERE BECAUSE WE GOTTA HAVE THE TOP LOTTERY, PROFESSIONAL LOTTERY DOWN THERE TOOK COMPETE.
THEY DO IT YEAR ROUND AND, AND WE JUST WAIT UNTIL THE LEGISLATOR TO GET IT DONE.
I MEAN, UH, WITH THE WIDOW PENSION, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TRYING TO GET, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PENSION YOU TALKING ABOUT RIGHT NOW, THE, THE DEBT OF THE PENSION, UH, WE GONNA HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T JUST GO AND WAIT AND SAY 2024, WE'RE GONNA DO A LOT FOR THIS BIG DEBT HERE, BUT IT'S PENSION IS, WE GOTTA GET EXPERTS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW, WE NEED TO BE WITH OTHER CITIES, WHATEVER, BUT WE GOTTA GET WITH THEM TO GET IN THE ROOM
[01:05:01]
WITH IT BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S TO THE POINT THAT, UH, TAMMY ENDO WITH, UH, WITH OUR ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, SOMETIMES WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT ATTORNEYS THAT, THAT WHO CAN WRITE THIS BILL.WE HAD TO GO OUTSIDE ATTORNEY TO MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THE LEGISLATORS IN ORDER TO GET A, TO GET A BILL ACROSS UP.
I KNOW CLIFF AND I, I MEAN, BEFORE WE STARTED THE LEGISLATOR, WE START WAY BACK IN JUNE AND JULY, ONCE WE GET TO OUR CALLING THE CHAIRMAN AND START OUR CALLING THE, THE, THE THE SENATOR TO, YOU KNOW, TO OUR CALLING THE EARLY, JUST GET THEM HEADS UP, WE COMING DOWN THERE, IT MIGHT BE SIX MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD, BUT IT WAS NOT MY JOB TO DO THAT.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT WAS, YOU KNOW, OUR LOBBY TO DO THAT.
AND, AND WE WERE IN OUR BEHIND THE DW YOU KNOW, DALLAS WALLACE DEPARTMENT.
THEY HAD HAD THEIR OWN LOBBY, BUT WE NEED TO KNOW THEY GOTTA MERGE WITH US.
SO WITH THAT, TAMMY, I THINK THAT YOU NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT YOUR BUDGET AND LOOK AT YOUR STAFF.
UH, CARRIE, YOU GOTTA GO BACK, LOOK AT YOUR STAFF AND SEE DO WE HAVE THE RIGHT LOBBY, THE EXPERTISE TO COMPETE DOWN IN AUSTIN.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIME I THINK WE DON'T HAVE THE, THE EXPERT TO COMPETE WITH OTHER CITY TO MAKE SURE WE GET STUFF DONE.
TAP YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? ABSOLUTELY.
AND I AGREE THAT, UM, THIS NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE NEED TO BE PREPARED TO HAVE EXPERTS WELL AHEAD OF THE SESSION TO DEAL WITH SOME OF OUR CHALLENGES.
I DO, I DON'T WANNA BRING THE, THE END OF THE MEETING DOWN, BUT I THINK IT'S IT THAT WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE HB 21, 27 AND, UM, IF IT DOESN'T GET VETOED BEFORE THE END OF THE WEEK, ONE CAN HELP IT, IT UH, WOULD, IT WILL GO INTO EFFECT SEPTEMBER 1ST.
SO WE'VE ALREADY BEEN LOOKING AT IT.
WE PUT A TEAM TOGETHER TO LOOK AT THE BILL, UM, AND TO PRESENT CITY COUNCIL, FULL CITY COUNCIL WITH OPTIONS.
AND SO WE'LL BE DOING THAT WELL BEFORE THE BILL TAKES EFFECT IN SEPTEMBER.
SINCE YOU BROUGHT IT UP, YOU KNOW, I I COULD YOU JUST KINDA EXPLAIN TO THE LABOR TERM, WHAT IS THAT BILL? SO EVERYONE KINDA HAD A FEEL IDEA THE, UM, HOW THEY'RE GONNA AFFECT US, BECAUSE I KNOW EVERYBODY BEEN TALKING ABOUT THE BILL AND EVERYONE GOT A DIFFERENT OPINION, AND SO WE REALLY DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON.
COULD YOU GIVE US, UH, YOUR OPINION? YES.
WE ALSO DRAFTED A TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF THE BILL AND WE WE'LL BE PROVIDING THAT TO COUNCIL AS WELL.
UM, IT ACTUALLY CREATES, UM, WHAT IS USUALLY A FEDERAL TYPE OF PREEMPTION.
IT, UM, RESTRICTS, UH, HOME RULE CITIES, UM, FROM IMPOSING REGULATIONS IN AREAS SUCH AS THE AGRICULTURAL CODE, THE COMMERCE AND BUSINESS CODE, THE INSURANCE CODE, THE NATURAL RESOURCES CODE, THE FINANCE CODE, THE LABOR CODE, ANIMAL BUSINESS, UH, OCCUPATION CODE.
NOW, THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS AND, AND LAID OUT IN THE, UM, THE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS THAT WE DID.
UM, BUT WE HAVE BEEN SCARING ALL OF OUR CODES.
AND BECAUSE WE ARE A BIG CITY, WE HAVE FOUR VOLUMES OF CODES THAT WILL NEED TO BE, UM, LOOKED THROUGH.
IT ALSO PROVIDES A PROCEDURE FOR LAWSUITS, ALLOWING ANY PERSON WHO IS IN FACT INJURED OR ACTUALLY OR, UH, THREATENED INJURY TO, UM, BRING SUIT AGAINST THE CITY.
IT ESTABLISHES, UM, VENUE IN, UM, I THINK AT LEAST FIVE COUNTIES.
UM, AND IT ALSO ALLOWS, UM, FOR A LITIGANT TO SEEK DEC UH, DECLARATORY OR INJUNCTIVE RELEASE AGAINST THE CITY AND ATTORNEY'S FEES AGAINST THE CITY, UM, FOR ORDINANCES THAT ARE CHALLENGED.
SO WE, WE WILL HAVE ALL OPTIONS READY FOR YOU.
CHAIRMAN WILLIS, THE ATTORNEY, DO WE HAVE THAT TECHNICAL ANALYSIS ALREADY? DOES COUNSEL HAVE THIS? UH, WE DO.
WE JUST COMPLETED THE TECHNICAL ANALYSIS OF THE BILL AND WE'LL BE SENDING THAT OUT TO YOU ALL.
OKAY, MR. SPARKS, IT SEEMS LIKE THAT'S GONNA BE REALLY USEFUL.
I MEAN, IF WE'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A VETO ON THIS, UM, I MEAN, TELL ME ABOUT THAT.
DO YOU THINK THIS WOULD BE HELPFUL? SO THE WAY TYPICALLY THE VETO PROCESS WORKS IS THE GOVERNOR, UH, WORKS WITH HIS STAFF TO FIGURE OUT IF LEGISLATION IS GOING TO REFLECT IN A WAY, UH, THAT'S BENEFICIAL FOR THE STATE OR NOT BENEFICIAL FOR THE STATE.
UM, WE HAVE BEEN
UM, WE'RE NOT SURE WHY IT'S TAKING SO LONG FOR HIM TO EITHER WRITE IT INTO LAW OR ALLOWING IT TO GO INTO LAW, BUT EVERYTHING WE'VE HEARD AT THIS POINT IS THAT THIS, UM, THAT IS GOING TO BE LAW.
I HAVE A FEELING THAT OTHER MUNICIPALITIES ARE DOING, UH, SOMETHING ALONG THE SAME LINE.
I WOULD EXPECT THAT THEY WOULD, I MEAN, I WOULD HOPE THAT THERE'S ALSO A WAY THAT THAT COMBINED EFFORT, THIS COMBINED ANALYSIS COULD AT LEAST BE PRESENTED WELL, EVERY, I MEAN, WE'VE TALKED TO, UH, THROUGHOUT THIS SESSION
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AND TRYING TO, UM, TRYING TO, UH, KILL THIS BILL.WE'VE TALKED TO SO MANY DIFFERENT HOME RULE CITIES.
WE'VE HAD MEETINGS, UH, RECENTLY WITH ALL OF THE CITY'S, UH, ATTORNEYS IN THIS REGION.
EVERYONE HAS, HAS DONE EVERYTHING THEY POSSIBLY CAN TO, UM, KILL THIS BILL, AND I JUST DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
BUT ALL THE OTHER CITIES HAVE ALSO DONE THEIR OWN ANALYSIS OF THE BILL.
THIS IS REALLY MORE FOR, UH, CITY COUNCIL TO UNDERSTAND THE BILL A LITTLE BIT BETTER AND HOW IT COULD AFFECT US.
BUT WE ARE ALSO MEETING WITH OTHER BIG CITIES AND THEIR ATTORNEYS TO JUST TALK ABOUT OPTIONS.
YEAH, AND LET ME JUST SAY THIS, EVERY CITY HAS DONE THEIR OWN INTERNAL ANALYSIS CONCERNING THIS BILL.
UM, AND EVERY ANALYSIS AS MS AS MS. PALOMINO POINTED OUT, UH, WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT BASED ON THEIR ORDINANCES THAT THEY HAD IN PLACE.
UH, WE HAD HAVING MULTIPLE CONVERSATIONS WITH O OTHER CITIES, SOME CITIES ARE TAKING A MORE PROACTIVE APPROACH.
SOME CITIES ARE TAKING A MORE WAIT AND SEE APPROACH.
UH, BUT ULTIMATELY NO ONE WANTS THIS BILL TO PASS.
I MEAN, THAT IS THE GENERAL CONSENSUS, BUT THE TACTICS THAT THEY'RE USING ARE, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT ACROSS THE BOARD.
WELL, I MEAN, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA BE OF INTEREST TO OUR RESIDENTS.
HERE'S SOMETHING YOU STILL CONTACT YOUR CITY COUNCIL PERSON ABOUT.
HERE'S SOMETHING YOU NEED TO GO TO AUSTIN FOR.
I MEAN, I, I KNOW I'VE GOT PEOPLE WHO WOULD CARE VERY MUCH ABOUT THAT AND I SUSPECT THAT AROUND THIS CITY AND OTHER CITIES AROUND THE STATE, UH, THEY'D LIKE TO UNDERSTAND THOSE DISTINCTIONS.
AND WHETHER WE CAN HAVE THOSE VOICES HEARD IN A NEW WAY, UH, MIGHT BE ESPECIALLY CRITICAL RIGHT NOW.
UM, WHAT CHAIRMAN, WHAT IS BROUGHT US IS A GOOD POINT.
SOMETIME YOU, UH, LIKE, UH, CHAIRMAN MINSON SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT A GOOD AND A BAD, BUT SOMETIME YOU GOT, UH, VOICE YOUR OPINION AND, AND IN FRONT OF THE CITY OF DALLAS, YOU KNOW, REGARDING OTHER CITIES, THEY GONNA VOICE THEIR OPINION.
HOW DO WE VOICE OUR OPINION? DO WE VOICE OUR OPINION JUST AROUND THE HORSESHOE? DO WE VOICE OUR OPINION IN THE NEWSPAPER? DO WE VOICE OUR OPINION ON THE TV? HOW DO WE VOICE OUR OPINION? SO, SO EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT BE A BILL GONNA GET PASSED, BUT WE STILL HAVE A RIGHT TO, TO REPRESENT OUR, UH, RESIDENT AND I CONSIDER THIS TO VOICE OUR OPINION.
SO TAMMY, I GUESS THAT WHAT SHE'S SAYING IS THAT WE NEED TO FIND A AVENUE OR SOME WAY.
HOW DO WE VOICE OUR PEN? CITY OF DALLAS, I THINK WE, THE KNIGHT, LORD OF SENATOR OF AMERICA, THAT WE NEED TO VOICE OUR OPINION, LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT EVEN THOUGH WE MIGHT NOT WIN, BUT WE DID VOICE OUR OPINION CARD, WE REPRESENT 1.3 MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS CITY.
SO WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO TO GET THE MARKETING, YOU KNOW, GET US, YOU KNOW, CALL WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO, CALL OUR SENATORS OR WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO, WE NEED TO HAVE A PLAN ON ATTACK.
YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH THE OTHER CITY DOING THAT, IF WE CAN MERGE TOGETHER, FINE AND WE CANNOT MERGE TOGETHER.
WE, WE, WE, THE CITY OF DALLAS, WE THE BIG BOYS, LET US DO THAT.
LET US NOT WAIT TILL THE LAST MINUTE AND SAY, OKAY, IT'S FINE, IT'S OVER WITH.
BUT LIKE I SAID, YOU GOT, YOU GOT A SPECIAL LEGISLATOR, THEY MIGHT DO THE SECOND TIME OR THE THIRD TIME.
WE MIGHT HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO HIT IT RIGHT ON TIME.
SO LET'S, LET US MAKE SURE WE DO COLLABORATE AND FIND SOME KIND OF WAY TO MARKET AND, AND PR AND PROMOTE IT.
WHAT OUR THOUGHTS FROM THE CITY OF DALLAS? YES, SIR.
SO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT AND GET A BAD, I THINK WE HAVE A BRIEFING TO THE COUNCIL, FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON THERE, BUT I THINK WE NEED TO PUT IN THERE TO THE CITY MANAGER.
HEY, IT MIGHT BE THE BUDGET ITEM.
SO HOW DO WE GONNA SPEND X AMOUNT OF DOLLARS TO, TO GET OUR POINT ACROSS? NO, I WAS JUST GONNA SAY THAT WE WILL PRESENT ALL OPTIONS, UH, TO COUNSEL.
ANY OTHER QUESTION? MS. MILLEN? CHAIRMAN WILLIS.
I CALL THE SPECIAL LEGISLATOR COMMITTED TO THE END ADJOURNED.