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AGC Texas Building Branch Legislative Update

February 12, 2007

GOVERNOR MAKES STATE
OF THE STATE SPEECH
 The focus at the Capitol last week was the Governor’s State of the State address to the Legislature.  The Governor proposed a number of new initiatives, but the big item was his proposal to sell the state’s lottery concession with the proceeds from the sale to be used to finance new trust funds supporting public education, cancer research and some new health care initiatives.  The reaction by the Legislature was one of caution and it appears this proposal by the Governor will have a big hill to climb and most do not give this proposal a very good chance. 

GOVERNOR WANTS $100 MILLION
FOR BORDER SECURITY
 Governor Perry has asked the Legislature to support his proposed $100 million border security package entitled “Operation Wrangler” which would involve federal, state and local ground, air and water-borne assets. The Governor’s border security package is expected to be passed by the Legislature.

While the Governor and the Legislature’s top leaders agree that more border security is needed in Texas, they have also said that comprehensive immigration policy reform needs to take place at the federal, not state, level. Nevertheless, a large number of bills on immigration have been filed in the legislature, most originating in the House.

AGC Texas Building Branch has reviewed the immigration legislation as it has been filed. There are three bills that would require contractors to participate in the federal work authorization program, and we believe these will be carefully considered by the Legislature. AGC Texas Building Branch is looking for your feedback on how these bills will affect you. Please go to our website and click on the following bills and use the comments button to send us your comments:

  • HB 291 by Rep. Jim Jackson
  • SB 116 by Sen. John Carona (companion bill to HB 291)
  • HB 908 by Rep. Bill Zedler.
AGC MEMBER LEGISLATIVE
AUDIO UPDATE ON WEBSITE

The AGC member legislative audio update from last Friday, February 9th is now posted on the AGC Texas Building Branch website as a wav file.  Go to www.agctbb.org and click on the wav file to hear the audio update if you missed it last week.

The next AGC member legislative audio update will be on Friday, February 23rd.

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