On average, the Texas Retired Teachers Association says a Teacher Retirement System of Texas Retiree’s monthly annuity is $2,145.

“I’m making the same annuity that I made in 2006, and obviously things have changed a lot in 17 years,” said Judy Bryant.

Bryan is a retiree from Dallas ISD.

Today, she supplements her pension and social security through work with the Texas chapter of the American Federation of Teachers and the Texas Alliance for Retired Americans, helping to lobby lawmakers for a cost-of-living adjustment or COLA.

“We’re tired of having to go beg the legislature every other year, and that’s what we’ve been doing. That’s why I’ve been doing it for so long,” she said.

But thanks to a recent decision by Texas lawmakers, that soon could change.  

“This is the most bold effort to address our retired public school employee pension we’ve ever done,” said Texas Representative Greg Bonnen.

Friday, the House voted unanimously to approve a constitutional amendment to provide an ongoing cost of living adjustment to pensions of two, four or six percent. It would be based on the number of years since a teacher retired.

The plan would also include a supplemental payment for those over the age of 70, funded in part by Texas’s surplus along with a small increase in contributions from active employees.

Bryant argues the COLA shouldn’t burden those still working. She’d also like to see it increased to match inflation.

Still, she says it’s a step in the right direction.

“We are thankful that we have gotten this far this time because we never have before. “It’s a matter of respect for us as retired educators of all types,” said Bryant.

That bill now goes back to the Senate and then a conference committee where the two bodies will work out some differences between their versions of the bill.

Under the House plan, voters would get the final say come fall.  

The annual reappraisal of property values is done to account for changes in the local real estate market and to provide local taxing authorities with the current estimated value of property in the district.

But as property valuations have increased in recent years so has the tax burden for property owners.

“Every single person who owns a home or owns business property will tell you the same story — taxes continue to go up and up,” said Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare. “When our economy is not doing as well as it has in the past few years, when inflation is through the roof the way it is, I think it’s grossly irresponsible to increase taxes on people.”

O’Hare, who was elected county judge in November 2022 and took office in January, tweeted over the weekend after receiving his 2023 property value notice that repeated annual double-digit increases in valuation are unsustainable.

“Our home appraisal came in the mail today from TAD. Not surprisingly, it came with another 10% increase to the appraised value,” O’Hare tweeted. “These repeated double digit increases are unsustainable. 209% increase since 2018. All taxing entities must provide tax relief for our residents.”

The 10% increase in value mentioned by O’Hare is the current maximum increase allowed for a property owner with a homestead exemption, regardless of the increase in the market value. So, if the TAD reports an increase in the value of a property of more than 10% if the property owner has filed a homestead exemption the taxable value can only increase by 10% that year.

The Tarrant Appraisal District is responsible for local property tax appraisals and exemption administration for 73 jurisdictions or taxing units in Tarrant County. The TAD does not set tax rates, those are established by each taxing unit (county, city, school district). Property appraisals are determined by the appraisal district and are then used by the taxing units to calculate and allocate the property owner’s annual tax burden.

However, DFW’s rapid growth over the years — especially since the pandemic — has made it hard to keep up.

“We’ve seen over the last three years, a 40% price appreciation, which is astounding. Price appreciation whenever average is 3 to 4% price appreciation per year,” said Danny Perez, Founder and Managing Director of M&D Real Estate. “The last thing I would want to be this year is a tax appraiser because the county assessor’s office, they have a very difficult task.”

Texas ranks sixth in the country for high property taxes paid. Within the state, Tarrant County ranks in the top 10 in property tax rates.

“We have people relocating and businesses relocating here. And now there is more jobs here,” said Perez. “So that pendulum has shifted. We’re California from 20 years ago, that’s what that DFW is.”

Perez said they are fielding a lot of questions and concerns from clients, while also trying to make future buyers aware of the situation.

“Our phones were actually blowing up last week from all of the tax notices that went out to everybody in Texas,” he said. “Right now, we always advise our buyers when they’re going in that we’re in a very high appreciating market. Beware of your taxes. We’re trying to prep them for that as much as we can.”

While some local taxing authorities have taken steps to provide relief by lowering their tax rate those decreases are often offset or outpaced by increases in valuations.

“Nobody should ever have to move out of Tarrant County, or anywhere else for that matter because they can’t afford property taxes,” said O’Hare.

At Tuesday’s county commissioners meeting, Judge O’Hare said the commissioners court will talk about implementing a homestead exemption for Tarrant County taxes for the first time ever.

“The state offers up to a 20% homestead exemption. Tarrant County offers zero and we’re still trying to change that,” said O’Hare.

In Austin, state legislators are working in the current session on various remedies to lower the tax obligation including increasing the homestead exemption and lowering the maximum increase allowed, but those proposals are still working their way through the Texas House and Texas Senate and have not yet been agreed upon by both chambers and are not yet law.

Right now, taxing entities are going through their budgeting process ahead of budget hearings in August before tax rates are set in the fall. O’Hare said now is the time to speak out.

“We need to put more money in their pockets not less,” said O’Hare. “So what can you do? You cut the tax rates. But I think what the public needs to do is reach out to all of their local officials, city officials, school board officials, county officials — every taxing entity. And say, ‘Help us, we need help.'”

Meanwhile, property owners who disagree with their current valuation can protest the TAD’s findings. Property owners should prepare for their hearing with the appraisal district ahead of time. The deadline to file a notice of protest in Tarrant County is May 15 (or no later than 30 days after the appraisal district mailed the notice of appraised value, whichever date is later). Hearings with the Appraisal Review Board begin May 22.

“It’s important to get with the real estate professional to give you comps to make sure that it isn’t something that you should protest. And the main reason is because the county can’t go to each house and give a value to it. They do a general survey,” said Perez. “So definitely seek advice from a professional and then protest if it’s necessary.”

The TAD has been the subject of recent controversies, including the alleged targeting of a property tax consultant who helped residents protest and lower their tax appraisals as well as harassment allegations against an employee who was eventually fired.

The chairwoman of the TAD board of directors, Kathryn Wilemon, resigned in February after the Keller City Council voted to initiate a recall. Keller Mayor Armin Mizani said they brought forth the recall because the city had done its part to lower the tax burden for residents but said the appraisal district wasn’t making progress on their end.

Mizani said the people who make up the Tarrant Appraisal District board of directors are appointed to two-year terms and are appointed by the taxing entities that make up Tarrant County. That means taxpayers do not directly vote for board members but instead rely on their elected city councils, school boards, and county commissioners to vote for board members on their behalf.

“When we cast our votes in December 2021, we expected progress on behalf of our taxpayers. We haven’t seen that progress. It’s time for change,” Mizani said in February.

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The CROWN Act, which was written by Rep. Rhetta Bowers (D)-Garland , is an acronym for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.

The bill protects men and women from hair discrimination based on hair texture and a protected hairstyle commonly associated with race. Protected hairstyles in the bill include braids, locks and twists.

“This form of race-based discrimination is real, it’s is insidious, and it’s still happening today,”  said Bowers during a news conference at the state Capitol.

The purpose of the bill is to prohibit discrimination against different types of hairstyles like braids, dreadlocks and twists in schools, the workplace and housing.

“I feel like the Crown Act should definitely be passed, I feel like you should not be discriminated against by the way you wear your hair, you should be able to wear it any way you want to wear it in the workplace at school,” said Tonya Wilson, a Dallas based hairstylist. 

“A lot of people have different textures of hair and so hair should not be a thing you should be discriminated against at all,” Wilson said.

Wilson, who has been doing hair since 1994 said she’s worked on all textures of hair of people from all backgrounds.

She’s also heard firsthand, from those with more textured hair, stories of discrimination and fear of being judged based on what their hair looks like.

“I’ve had young ladies come in here and I’ve had to take their braids, and they want their hair flat ironed straight for an interview, and I’m like, that’s ridiculous,” expressed Wilson.

Over the last several years, people have been moving to wear their hair more naturally, versus having to straighten it.

Wilson said she works on clients who are nurses, doctors, lawyers and other professionals in the corporate world that wear different styles.

“Your hair is your crown and glory and when I turn women around toward the mirror after I do their hair, they light up and I feel like it’s very important for you to shine from the inside out, so when you look the mirror you should love what you see, you should not have a rule that says you can only wear your hair one way,” said Wilson.

Across the country, other states have adopted similar bills following 2019 when two teen boys at a high school in a city outside of Houston were told by school administrators to cut their dreadlocks in order to walk at graduation.

The bill must pass through the Senate, but those rooting for it say Thursday was a step in the right direction.

It’s a way to ease the strain during the ongoing police officer shortage and make sure smaller school districts don’t fall through the cracks in protecting students.

House Bill 249 passed the house floor Tuesday afternoon, 98 to 43.

But not before intense questioning between lawmakers.

The bill allows districts in rural counties with a population under 200,000 to bring in honorably discharged veterans or honorably retired and qualified police officers as volunteer security.

It would apply to most counties in the North Texas region outside Dallas-Fort Worth. An amendment was approved on Tuesday to include higher-population counties like Denton to the list, which still has a large number of rural communities.

Many of these communities are struggling to fill gaps during the ongoing labor shortage in various professions, including teachers, healthcare workers and police officers.

“I don’t know if you’re familiar with how we operate in our very rural school districts, but I have one school where the superintendent and the football coach are the same,” said Rep. Glenn Rogers (R – District 60) who represents communities in Palo Pinto, Parker and Stephens counties.

He was questioned by several lawmakers trying to gain clarity on specific details while the bill was read on the House floor.

“People in schools who are acting in a position of authority, I want to make sure it’s clear what their roles are,” said Rep. Gene Wu (D- District 137).

Rogers, one of the bill’s sponsors, said volunteers wouldn’t be involved in minor disciplinary issues with students but would provide additional security at campuses and school events in case of a threat.

“It’s just another tool in the toolbox for school security, that’s the way I would look at it. This bill is just another means for us to provide security, particularly in our rural schools,” he said.

Lawmakers clarified these volunteers would not be considered active officers but would still undergo training and be authorized to carry a handgun. They would also be protected from liability unless there was gross negligence, just like a school employee.

Rogers added that the volunteers wouldn’t take the place of existing school resource officers but would collaborate with SROs and other security programs on campuses.

“And it’s strictly voluntary and to be determined by each school [district] whether they want to adopt this program or not,” he said. “It’s designed specifically to be very flexible and particularly for rural schools that don’t have the resources to have other forms of security.”

School districts would have the power to decide what type of training they want to require of the volunteers if they decide to implement such a program. It would also be up to the districts to decide upon uniforms and other details.

“We don’t want anything horrible to happen on our school campuses, whether they’re urban, suburban or rural – not here to debate that,” said Rep. Armando Walle (D – District 140).

A similar bill filed in the state senate, SB 142, is still pending passage through a senate education committee. Senate bill 11 – a much larger, more sweeping school security bill – is also pending in that same committee.

SB11 was filed after the Uvalde massacre and would allow more state funding for local districts to improve campus security. It would also create a safety and security department within the Texas Education Agency.

An amendment from State Rep. Abel Herrero (D-Robstown, District 34) would prohibit funding for non-public schools across the state.

“The amendment would prohibit public funds going to private schools basically,” said Rep. Charlie Geren, (R-Fort Worth, District 99), adding later, “ I am very pro-public education.”

Geren has signed onto the amendment, which said money appropriated may not be used to pay for or support a school voucher, including an education savings account, tax credit scholarship program, or a grant or other similar program through which a child may use state money for non-public primary or secondary education.

Geren believes this will get more than 100 votes in the Texas House, adding it has in the past. He thinks it will get added to the House budget bill.

School choice is a top priority of the two leading Republicans, Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

“All of Texas students will be doing better with a robust school choice program,” said Abbott at a school choice rally in March.

A school choice bill, which creates education savings accounts, was passed by the Senate Education Committee.  The bill gives families taxpayer money to pay for private schooling through an education savings account, or ESA.

“We are all fully intentioned to lift up public schools with the funding they need, and also provide educational opportunities to those that need it most, and those can reconcile,” said Rep. Brandon Creighton, (R-Conroe, District 4). Creighton is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Education.

“There are a lot of promises being made this time, and there is a lot of funding to offset what vouchers may do, but there is a budget every two years. At some point it will affect public school funding,” said Geren.

Even if the amendment is added to the House Budget, the House and Senate must agree on a final version.

The Todd-Hogland Act passed the House floor on Wednesday without opposition – named after two women in Erath County who survived brutal attacks by total strangers.

“It just seems like yesterday,” said Brandi Todd of Morgan Mill in Erath County.

It’s been 13 years to the month since her life changed forever.

“Some days it seems like forever, some days it doesn’t,” she said.

In March 2010, Todd took her young children to a Stephenville park to play.

“It started out as a really nice day,” she recalls.

Suddenly, a man she didn’t know walked up from behind as she sat on a bench and stabbed her in the spine. She was paralyzed from the waist down.

“It could’ve been a lot worse, it could’ve been a child,” she said.

Her attacker – Michael Howard – admitted to having mental health issues and was sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He’s due to be released in seven years or less.

“It’s frustrating because he’ll get to get out and lead a ‘normal life’ And I’ll still be sitting here in a wheelchair,” Todd said. “My kids will still have to help me, my parents. This won’t change for me. What’s done is done. But I just keep reminding myself that we have a chance with this bill.”

A few years after Todd’s case, Jamie Hogland was also paralyzed after being shot in the face by a stranger who mistook her apartment for a drug dealer’s in 2017. Originally from the Houston area, she was a student at Tarleton State University at the time.

Her attacker was also sentenced to the max punishment of 20 years because he was a stranger – a loophole that frustrated local prosecutors and other community members at the time.

“They suffered for the rest of their lives because of these injuries,” said Erath County District Attorney Alan Nash. “If you can’t explain it, then maybe it shouldn’t be the law.”

The Todd-Hogland Act, filed by state representative Shelby Slawson (R-59), aims to close that loophole. After passing in the House as HB 28, it still needs to go before the Senate as SB 598.

In similar aggravated assault cases – such as those involving domestic partners or even drive-by shootings – the law has been reformed over the years to allow punishment of up to 99 years or life in prison. However, because Todd and Hogland’s attackers were not known to them and were not committing the crime from a vehicle, the maximum punishment allowed is 20 years in prison – despite both victims suffering from life-altering injuries.

“This hole in the law leaves stranger-on-stranger assault that results in paralysis or other permanent problems for someone – the maximum sentence is 20 years. That’s the same punishment as an attempted but failed murder,” said Nash.

This new law aims to match that punishment for aggravated assaults with a deadly weapon that causes a brain or spinal injury that permanently paralyzes the victim or leaves them in a persistent vegetative state, regardless if they are a stranger. Crimes like the ones inflicted on Todd and Hogland would move from a second-degree felony to a first-degree felony.

“This will give prosecutors, judges and juries the tools they need to enact justice for people like Brandi and Jamie,” said Nash.

These two cases bear similarities but are far from isolated to Stephenville, he added.

“It can’t be unique to Stephenville and Erath County,” Nash said. “It was certainly something that jolted our community because extreme violence like this thankfully is rare but is upsetting.”

If the bill passes the Senate, it could become law in September.

Jett Smith, Erath County Assistant District Attorney, worked the Hogland case. He said this is the third attempt in getting the bill to pass.

“In the future, should we encounter these types of cases – that will have the ability to give a jury the power to send somebody up to life in prison,” said Smith. “Brandy, unfortunately, is serving a life sentence for what happened to her. And I believe her attacker deserves the same. Unfortunately, we can’t change the past or the law as it was back then. We hope to do that in the future.”

Hogland passed away two years ago after a battle with cancer.

Todd – who recently lobbied for this new bill in Austin – said she’ll keep fighting for justice for other families.

“It means a lot, because not a lot of people get this opportunity to make a big impact for people that they don’t know. They don’t know me. So it is meaningful,” she said.

In the years since her attack, Todd said she has forgiven her attacker.

“The forgiveness wasn’t for him, it’s not about him. It was for me. I needed that. That doesn’t absolve him of what he’s done. He’ll have to live with that,” she said. “I’m not scared. I’m not really angry at him anymore either. I was for a while but you can’t live in anger.”

She said she has also lived her life to the fullest – going to school, riding horses again and most of all, focusing on her family. Her two children, who were 4 and 8 at the time of the attack, are now a soon-to-be driving 17-year-old and a 21-year-old adult.

“I’ve really become proud of my strength,” said Todd. “I’ve learned that I’m able to get back up and keep moving. Because that’s the only option you really have.”

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“The CROWN act stands for creating a respectful and open world for our natural hair, and it is a national movement with passage already in 20 states,” said State Rep. Rhetta Andrews Bowers, D-Garland, who authored the bill.

The bill protects men and women from hair discrimination based on hair texture and a protected hairstyle commonly associated with race. Protected hairstyles in the bill include braids, locks and twists.

“I am often reminded of a time in 2008 where I was actually forced to cut out my braids in school because of the school dress code policy. That stated that braids and extensions were distracting and extreme hairstyles,” said witness Angel Carroll, director of advocacy for MEASURE, an Austin-based research nonprofit.

“Kids who face hair discrimination are subject to removal from an educational setting such as suspensions, or they are denied opportunities to participate in extra-curricular or ceremonial activities, like graduation,” said Sharon Watkins Jones, chief equity officer of Children at Risk.

No witnesses spoke out against the bill. During the last session, the bill passed the committee unanimously but did not make it to the full House floor before time ran out. Rep. Bowers remains hopeful it will be different this time around.

Online: Read HB 567 here.

Discrimination Jan 23

Garland Lawmaker Takes on Issue of Hair Discrimination, Re-Files CROWN Act

House vote Mar 18, 2022

House Passes CROWN Act Prohibiting Discrimination Based on Hair

Arlington May 12, 2021

CROWN Act Discussed By State Lawmakers, People Hope for Change

“The short answer is it only applies to COVID-19 and its subordinate variants. It does not apply to any future unknown virus,” said State Rep. Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury).

Birdwell’s bill comes three years after businesses shut their doors, schools were closed, and vaccines and masks were required by some organizations during the pandemic.

There were several witnesses during the hearing.

“Certainly, we cannot erase what has happened to millions of Texans, their businesses, their families and their futures.  We cannot even attempt to remediate losses tangible or otherwise. What we can do is ensure that these mistakes are not repeated,” said Rebecca Hardy, with Texans for Vaccine Choice.

“I want to get the principles straight for the future so that lockdowns and mandates and vax mandates never again are visited upon the people of Texas,” said Tom Glass, Texas Constitutional Enforcement Group.

Dr. Valerie Smith, who spoke on behalf of the Texas Medical Association and the Texas Pediatric Society, raised red flags.

“Another deadly outbreak of COVID-19 might be isolated locally or regionally, so limiting local government action could hinder that response. These entities may need some of these measures to prevent hospitals and physician offices from being overrun and unable to care for patients,” said Smith.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins, who fought for mask mandates during the pandemic, is hopeful this does not become law.

“We don’t want to have to make anybody wear a mask or do anything, but if the doctors feel in the next surge that something needs to happen to keep people safe we need to listen to science,” said Jenkins.

An identical bill was filed in the Texas House. Both must be passed in order for the legislation to make it to the governor’s desk.

“One thing I know that we should do is make sure that we protect the lives of Texas women,” said Rep. Rose.

The House Health Care Reform Select Committee heard the bill Thursday.

The bill extends health care coverage to a full year, for new mothers on Medicaid. Before the pandemic, that coverage lasted two months. Right now, Medicaid Benefits have been extended because of the pandemic, but that ends later this spring. 

Rep. Rose wants to make sure the extended coverage continues for new mothers. Several witnesses testified in favor of the bill. Diana Forester, the Director of Health Policy for Texans Care for Children, says she has heard from women about extended coverage.

“The thing that keeps coming up is the extended care has allowed me to take care of myself, it has allowed me to get better so I can be there for my family, and go back to work,” Forester said.

“My son is a one-year-old. If I didn’t have that extension of Medicaid, I don’t know what I would have done,” said another witness.

The bill has been deemed a priority by House Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont), who said in a statement,

“As I have said before, it is essential that the Texas House makes meaningful progress this year on better supporting mothers and children in the state – and that starts with extending health coverage for new moms to a full year.”

The committee on health care reform will decide whether to send this bill, to the full floor.

Right now, Parkland Health has developed its own program, to extend coverage for up to twelve months for some of its patients.

They say this bill would enable them to expand it to more patients.

In a statement, Phelan said the latest additions to the list of legislative priorities expand “the state’s framework for broadband development, dedicating dollars toward improving water infrastructure and cutting burdensome red tape around property development projects.”

Phelan, who is in his second session leading the Texas House, announced three bills he said will continue to support the state’s rapidly-increasing demand for internet, water and housing.

The bills are detailed below.

• House Bill 9 by Rep. Trent Ashby
  HB9 by Representative Ashby would create the Texas Broadband Infrastructure Fund to administer the state’s broadband development program, foster community outreach for expansion and affordability efforts and ensure the universal service program is fully funded, among other things. Under House Bill 9, the Texas Legislature would have guidance over the appropriations of the fund and maintain flexibility to address rapidly-evolving technology and consumer needs. Representative Ashby has also filed House Joint Resolution 125, which would put House Bill 9 on the Texas ballot if passed by the Legislature, leaving it up to voters to decide whether it is adopted as state law.
• House Bill 10 by Rep. Tracy King
  HB10 by Representative King would dedicate billions of dollars toward water development projects in Texas, improving the state’s water infrastructure and security amid rising demand. Under the legislation, which would create the Texas Water Fund, applicants of existing programs administered by the Texas Water Development Board could receive assistance in financing new water sources for the state, including projects to acquire water from other states and develop infrastructure to transport water. House Bill 10 would also create a technical assistance program for water loss audits and require the Texas Water Development Board to report updates to the Legislature every 5 years. Representative King has also filed House Joint Resolution 130, which would put House Bill 10 on the Texas ballot if passed by the Legislature, leaving it up to voters to decide whether it is adopted as state law.
• House Bill 14 by Rep. Cody Harris
  HB14 by Representative Harris would streamline the approval process for property development and building reviews, requiring cities and counties that fail to complete such projects in a timely manner to utilize third-party reviewers.

“The Texas Legislature must continue to support our state’s rapidly-increasing demand for internet, water and housing, and I appreciate Representatives Ashby, King and Harris for filing legislation that would lay the necessary foundations to continue fostering those efforts,” Phelan said. “Members of the Texas House will discuss this legislation and more in the coming weeks, and I look forward to our chamber passing these proposals during the 88th Legislature.”

Phelan’s office said additional legislative priorities of the Texas House will be announced in the coming days. Last week the Texas Speaker announced three bills he said will help the state remain competitive on a global scale in courting new businesses and creating new jobs.

The 140-day 88th session convened on Jan. 10 and runs through May 29.

TEXAS LEGISLATURE

property tax Mar 3

Texas House Plans to Pass ‘Largest Property Tax Decrease Ever,' Speaker Phelan Says

Texas House Feb 28

Texas Speaker Prioritizes Bills to Court Business, Create New Jobs

House Bill 2 by Dallas Republican Rep. Morgan Meyer also would slash rates on schools’ main property levy, delivering a $461 tax break next year for the owner of a $350,000 home – and $590 in fiscal 2025, Phelan said.

The House “is going to focus on property tax relief in a new way, the likes of which we haven’t seen in many, many decades,” he said at a policy summit sponsored by the conservative think tank the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

Under an amendment to the Texas Constitution voters approved in 1997, the appraisal for a home declared as a homestead may not increase more than 10% a year. Phelan said spiraling real estate values make notices of new appraisals traumatic.

“You get your appraisal, you hold your breath and open it. It’s like getting a letter from the IRS. This is not good news,” he said.

Click here to read more from our partners at The Dallas Morning News on the House’s plan.

In a statement, Phelan said the latest additions to the list of legislative priorities “are aimed at defending the state’s economic growth over the past two years and creating an opportunity for even more development as population continues to expand at a rapid pace.”

Phelan, who is in his second session leading the Texas House, announced three bills he said will help the state remain competitive on a global scale in courting new businesses and creating new jobs.

“We have a good thing going here in Texas, and I thank Representatives Hunter, VanDeaver and Murr for authoring measures that seek to continue that trend line in our state,” Phelan said in a statement.

The bills are detailed below.

• House Bill 5 by State Rep. Todd Hunter
  HB 5, also known as the Texas Jobs & Security Act, would provide Texas with a critical economic development tool to create additional jobs, investments and tax revenue, keeping the state competitive in drawing businesses to relocate or expand here. Under House Bill 5, the incentives would be targeted and temporary in attracting large-scale, capital-intensive projects related to the manufacturing, national security and energy infrastructure industries. Texas taxpayers would also have transparency into how those state incentive dollars are used, the number of jobs created and the full economic impact of such projects on communities.
• House Bill 8 by State Rep. Gary VanDeaver
  HB 8 would establish a new funding model for community colleges in Texas that recognizes and rewards such institutions for the important role they play with associate degrees, non-credit workforce education programs and other credentials of value that will be required in more than 60% of jobs in the state over the next decade. House Bill 8 would also create a new scholarship program, increasing the opportunity for economically disadvantaged high school students to enroll in dual credit courses, and expand access to higher education opportunities across the state by creating new shared services for institutions through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, enabling colleges to expand their range of offered academic and workforce programs.
• House Bill 19 by State Rep. Andrew Murr
  HB 19 would create a business court system in Texas, strengthening the state’s already strong pro-business reputation that has driven economic and job growth to the state. A specialized court system for complex business cases in the state would establish a new avenue for those companies to solve their legal matters in a fair, streamlined and consistent manner.

“With so much job growth happening in our state, it’s also important that we have the necessary avenues that foster workforce development to keep up with demand,” Phelan said in a statement. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Texas House on discussing these three legislative proposals in the coming weeks and passing them out of our chamber.”

Phelan’s office said additional legislative priorities of the Texas House will be announced in the coming days.

The 140-day 88th session convened on Jan. 10 and runs through May 29.

TEXAS LEGISLATURE

Greg Abbott Feb 16

Gov. Greg Abbott Targets Education, Economy and Crime in State of the State Address

TEXAS SENATE Feb 13

Texas Senate's Top Priorities Target Property Tax, Higher Ed, Children's Safety

“On a fixed income with social security and my husband’s military pay, it would really help us,” said Patty Fogleman.

It could come from the Texas Legislature. 

Lawmakers have consistently been saying property tax relief is needed. This budget cycle, there is an almost $33 billion budget surplus. Both the Texas House and Senate have released budget bills, and each includes $15 billion for property tax relief. The Senate says $3 billion is for increasing the homestead exemption. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick addressed this in his speech at his inauguration.

“The Texas Senate will raise your homestead exemption to $70,000,” said Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

That’s $25,000 higher than the current homestead exemption.

“I think that’d be great. You know, property taxes have been going up over the years, and any relief we can get would be wonderful,” said homeowner Micah Roeschley.

The chairman of the House Democratic Caucus wants to see it higher, pointing to the surplus and rainy day fund.

“I say why stop at 70? That is a good start, I think we can do better than that,” said Texas House Democratic Caucus Chair Trey Martinez Fischer.

Telvin Branch will be paying attention. He is a first-time homeowner who has been in his home for just over a year.

“Who doesn’t want savings? You know, I would love to have extra spending money for something else toward my home rather than just paying it in taxes,” said Telvin Branch.

Both the House and Senate must agree on a budget.

The Texas Legislature reconvened Tuesday in Austin for the 88th legislative session, which runs for 140 days until May 29.

The House elected Phelan with a vote of 143-3, with three votes going to State Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington). The Texas House is made up of 86 Republicans and 64 Democrats.

Phelan was first elected speaker in 2021, during the 87th session. He replaced Republican Dennis Bonnen who did not run for reelection in 2020 following the release of a secretly recorded conversation in which he was heard seeking help to defeat members of his own party.

“It is a privilege to serve as a member of this distinguished body, and I am once again humbled by the opportunity to serve as Speaker of the Texas House,” Phelan said in his opening day remarks. “As I look out upon this distinguished gathering, I see 149 people – ordinary Texans – who are eager to get to work on extraordinary things. I am grateful to the majority of you who have honored me with your vote, but I am proud to represent all of you as Speaker of the 88th Legislature.”

Phelan’s office listed the following priorities for the House during the 88th legislature:

• Providing lasting, meaningful property tax relief;
• Increasing access to and giving patients greater control over their healthcare;
• Prioritizing criminal justice reform, DA accountability, and public safety;
• Utilizing the state’s once-in-a-lifetime budget surplus to improve infrastructure;
• Fighting back against the exploitation, sexualization, and indoctrination of Texas children;
• Making schools safer for students and teachers;
• Extending postpartum health coverage for new mothers to a full year; and
• Addressing the threats posed by a porous border.

Phelan was nominated by State Rep. Cody Harris (R-Palestine), with Reps Angie Chen Button (R-Richardson), Tracy King (D-Uvalde), John Lujan (R-San Antonio), Toni Rose (D-Dallas) and Shelby Slawson (R-Stephenville) providing seconding motions.

Phelan’s opening day speech, as provided by his office, is below. Remarks have been edited for brevity.

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SPEAKER DADE PHELAN’S OPENING REMARKS TO THE TEXAS HOUSE

As I look out upon this distinguished gathering, I see 149 people – ordinary Texans – who are eager to get to work on extraordinary things. I am grateful to the majority of you who have honored me with your vote, but I am proud to represent all of you as Speaker of the 88th Legislature.

I also see your beautiful families, friends and supporters. Let us not forget the sacrifices they have made to get you where you are today. Texas appreciates you. Members – let us give them a round of applause.

For the newcomers here, our freshman class of 2023, congratulations. Words of caution — please do not confuse this body with the one in Washington, DC. After watching Congress attempt to function last week, I cannot imagine why some want Texas to be like DC.

You are now in the Texas House of Representatives — and part of a historic assembly. One hundred years after the first woman was elected to the Texas House, our membership now includes 45 women, the highest number ever.

All of us together represent 150 unique populations from cities, the suburbs and the countryside.
194,000 strong in each district. And while our districts are certainly unique, they have one thing in common: they have trusted us to be their voice. And this is what we will be over the next 140 days – one day at a time, one issue at a time, one bill at a time.

All of that work will be rooted in one of the most fundamental, necessary elements of this institution — the Texas House rules. As the most deliberative body in this nation, our rules matter. My advice to new members is to know them, love them, and be certain we will enforce them. Because our rules keep the game fair, but they do not dictate the outcome. We will have divisions. Every session does. But that division does not have to define us.

So let the political fires that have raged compel us to come to the table for a solution, not flee from our responsibilities. There will be countless outside voices — not from your district, and some not even from this state — that seek to control our conversation, and they will be plenty loud. But the conversations that matter to us…the conversations that matter to our constituents…happen in here. They happen in this room.

In the Texas House, we do our work here, together. And when we do that, we just might be surprised to find out how much we have in common.

We can find our first patch of common ground in the most fundamental element of society – the family. If we are going to be a family-focused House, and I do hope we will be, we must take a long look at what matters to Texas families. Fortunately, everyone in here just spent the better part of a year on the campaign trail, hearing directly from our constituents.

Like you, I heard some very straightforward concerns from the families in my district. I have heard about the economy, inflation and the difficulty in making ends meet. Ever-increasing property taxes have led many to feel – year-in and year-out – that they are renting their property from the government. Like them, I believe that tax relief should be a priority.

Time and time again, we have seen the Legislature provide some form of property tax relief, but to make it lasting, we must do something about runaway appraisals. Taxpayers deserve better.

My constituents also talked about the need for quality healthcare at a reasonable price for families and businesses. They appreciate the progress we made last session, tackling the cost of prescription drugs and health plans, pricing transparency, and improving outcomes for women and children – and they need us to do more. So, let us continue our momentum by giving patients greater control over their health care as well as better access.

In my travels, I also heard about Texans’ desire for safe streets. During the 87th, we reset the national conversation on criminal justice. We showed it is possible to improve public safety while defending the rights of the accused and offering second chances when deserved. We lead the nation in decreasing incarceration rates, reducing recidivism, and facilitating reentry. We have proven you can be tough on violent criminals while also making the criminal justice system work better for nonviolent offenders. And that is what we will continue to do. We can work all day on these issues, but if rogue District Attorneys will not uphold the law, what progress are we really making? It is time to rein them in.

Our constituents also want roads that can move them in a timely manner from their home to their job, to their child’s school, or their place of worship. Texans want a reliable supply of water, resiliency from flooding, dependable energy and high-speed internet across this great state. They want exceptional schools with exceptional teachers. With a once in a lifetime budget surplus, now is the time to put a down payment on the future of Texas.

To make this down payment even more critical – over a thousand people move to Texas every single day. They do not bring these investments with them. We all serve different regions, but we recognize these as common obligations.

Perhaps we have no greater task ahead of us than protecting those who will carry on what we have started – the children of Texas. I created the Select Committee on Youth Health & Safety last session to examine the issues facing our children. The threats to their safety are all too real: child trafficking, violence in schools, bad actors seeking to exploit their innocence, and social media companies that prey on the insecurities of children, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation, sexualization, and indoctrination. Members, we must stand up for the children of Texas.

Teachers and parents alike want safer schools, and our kids deserve them. Last May, the lives of 21 Texans – teachers and children – were stolen when a gunman opened fire at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas. We owe it to the memory of those children and teachers to make sensible, meaningful change.

I want to thank the families of Uvalde for inviting me to meet with them just last week. Having heard from them directly — and taking into account the findings of our investigative committee — we have insights to inform our decisions. This is going to be an especially tough conversation, but this body has proven capable of handling tough conversations in the past. I am confident we will do so again.

As we work to make Texas an even better place to raise a family, we must acknowledge there is true suffering in society, and we have to make things better for those families in the toughest situations. The most important thing to do, certainly, is to ensure our economy continues to generate quality jobs and meaningful wages. After all, an opportunity to provide for one’s family is a powerful motivator, no matter where one is in life.

At the same time, let us not forget people who need more than just a job. Even with a vibrant economy, a single parent who can work, afford childcare, healthcare, transportation and housing, is indeed rare. How can we improve their lives and their children’s futures? Tax-free diapers, wipes and other childcare supplies would be a great start, and so would ensuring health coverage for new moms that lasts – not sixty days, not six months but a full year.

Starting today, I represent Jasper County. Last week, I read a story about the local county hospital joining the 60% of rural Texas hospitals that no longer deliver babies. Mothers in rural areas now face hour-long drives for basic services. We should not leave this session without a firm commitment to reversing this trend. Because in my dictionary, the definition of “pro-life” includes ensuring access to affordable healthcare for all, especially Texas mothers and their babies.

To show the Texas House is committed to the maternal health of our own staff this session, I am proud to announce we are now offering additional resources to guarantee twelve full weeks of paid maternal and paternal leave for those working in this chamber this session.

Our names may be on the office door, but the men and women who serve in our capitol and district offices are the ones who do the heavy lifting. We must provide an environment that respects them and recognizes their value. With rapid inflation, let us also retain them by finally increasing their salaries.

Making things better for all Texas families is how we deliver on the limitless potential for our state in every area, from gainful employment to public safety. That includes border security, which is certainly on the minds of our members, but especially for those who represent border communities.

We can all agree that our border towns have been bearing the brunt of Washington’s failed immigration policies – some going as far as declaring themselves to be in a state of disaster. It is a legal and humanitarian crisis. Every Texas budget I have ever voted for has poured hundreds of millions, now billions, of dollars into the gap between federal policies and the realities on the ground. As stewards of every budget dollar, we must ensure our strategy not only fits the realities on the ground, but is truly, measurably effective.

We must also acknowledge the additional threats posed by a porous border. More than 1,600 Texans died from fentanyl overdoses in 2021. That is 1,600 too many. Before more Texas families get that heartbreaking call, we must stop the cartels in their tracks. And we will.

Members, though we may face many challenges this session, there will be even more opportunities. The work is hard, but it is worthwhile. The work is demanding, but it is noble. The work is necessary, and, because we have the privilege of doing it for the people of Texas, I know we will get it done together.

It is a privilege to serve as a member of this distinguished body, and I am once again humbled by the opportunity to serve as your Speaker. Thank you for this enormous honor and thank you for serving this great state. May God bless you and May God bless the great State of Texas.

Three North Texas members of the Texas legislature are favorites to return in 2023 barring an Election Day upset.

Longtime Democratic members of the Texas House Rafael Anchia and Victoria Neave are not facing Republican challengers but are still in contested races.

Texas Republican Senator Angela Paxton, meanwhile, hopes to win her second term and return to Austin for the 88th legislative session in January.

Results of the races will appear below after the polls close Tuesday night.

TX SENATE DIST. 8 RACE

Texas Sen. Angela Paxton, the wife of embattled Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton who also held the same senate seat in 2012, is seeking her second term in the state senate.

Paxton, a guidance counselor, won the Dist. 8 seat in 2018 and is now being challenged by Democrat Jonathan Cocks, a Collin County CPA, and Libertarian Ed Kless, a business consultant.

TX HOUSE DIST. 103 RACE

Texas Representative Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) is seeking a tenth term representing Dist. 103 in the Texas House. Anchia is a Dallas-area attorney and once served on the Dallas ISD board of trustees.

Anchia is not facing a Republican challenger but he is facing Independent Alejandro Arrieta, who has served on several civic committees and volunteer boards.

TX HOUSE DIST. 107 RACE

Texas Representative Victoria Neave (D-Dallas) is seeking a fourth term representing Dist. 107 in the Texas House. Neave is a Dallas-area lawyer.

Neave is not facing a Republican challenger in this cycle but she is running against Libertarian Shane Newsom, a computer programmer from Grapevine.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 8. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Results from the U.S. House races will be embedded in this story after the polls close Tuesday night.

The nearly 80-page report (embedded at the bottom of this article) was the first to criticize both state and federal law enforcement, and not just local authorities in Uvalde, for the bewildering inaction by heavily armed officers as a gunman fired inside a fourth-grade classroom at Robb Elementary School.

“At Robb Elementary, law enforcement responders failed to adhere to their active shooter training, and they failed to prioritize saving innocent lives over their own safety,” the report said.

The gunman fired approximately 142 rounds inside the building, and it is “almost certain” that 100 shots came before any officer entered, according to the report.

The report — the most complete account yet of the hesitant and haphazard response to the May 24 massacre at at Robb Elementary School — was written by an investigative committee from the Texas House of Representatives and released to family members Sunday.

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According to the report, 376 law enforcement officers were massed at the school. The overwhelming majority of those who responded were federal and state law enforcement. That included nearly 150 U.S. Border Patrol agents and 91 state police officials.

The report noted that many of the hundreds of law enforcement responders who rushed to the school were better trained and equipped than the school district police — which the head of the Texas Department of Public Safety, the state police force, previously faulted for not going into the room sooner.

“Other than the attacker, the Committee did not find any `villains’ in the course of its investigation,” the report said. “There is no one to whom we can attribute malice or ill motives. Instead, we found systemic failures and egregiously poor decision making.”

The findings are the most complete account yet of the May 24 massacre in South Texas and the hesitant and haphazard response by heavily armed law enforcement as a gunman fired inside a fourth-grade classroom.

“In this crisis, no responder seized the initiative to establish an incident command post,” the report read.

Family members of the victims in Uvalde received copies of the report Sunday before it was released to the public.

“It’s a joke. They’re a joke. They’ve got no business wearing a badge. None of them do,” Vincent Salazar, a grandfather of 11-year-old Layla Salazer, said Sunday.

Flowers that had been piled high in the city’s central square had been removed as of Sunday, leaving a few stuffed animals scattered around the fountains alongside photos of some of the children who were killed.

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No single officer has received as much scrutiny since the shooting as Pete Arredondo, the Uvalde school district police chief who resigned from his newly appointed seat on the City Council after the shooting. Arredondo told the committee he treated the shooters as “barricaded subject,” according to the report, and defended never treating the scene as an active-shooter situation because he did not have visual contact with the gunman.

Arredondo also tried to find a key for the classrooms, but no one ever bothered to see if the doors were locked, according to the report.

“Arredondo’s search for a key consumed his attention and wasted precious time, delaying the breach of the classrooms,” the report read.

A nearly 80-minute hallway surveillance video published by the Austin American-Statesman this week publicly showed for the first time a hesitant and haphazard tactical response, which the head of Texas’ state police has condemned as a failure and some Uvalde residents have blasted as cowardly.

“We want them to know all of the facts about exactly what happened because there was a lack of clarity on the part of everybody,” said Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in an interview earlier this week.

Calls for police accountability have grown in Uvalde since the shooting. So far, only one officer from the scene of the deadliest school shooting in Texas history is known to be on leave.

The report is the result of one of several investigations into the shooting, including another led by the Justice Department. A report earlier this month by tactical experts at Texas State University alleged that a Uvalde police officer had a chance to stop the gunman before he went inside the school armed with an AR-15.

But in an example of the conflicting statements and disputed accounts since the shooting, Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin has said that never happened. That report had been done at the request of the Texas Department of Public Safety, which McLaughlin has increasingly criticized and accused of trying to minimize the role of its troopers during the massacre.

Steve McCraw, the head of Texas DPS, has called the police response an abject failure. A spokesman for the Texas Department of Public Safety did not immediately return a request for comment Sunday.

REPORT: TEXAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE ON THE ROBB ELEMENTARY SHOOTING

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In a statement Friday morning, Phelan said the investigative committee will conduct a probe into the Uvalde massacre that killed 19 students and two teachers while injuring more than a dozen others.

The Phelan said it is an “outrage” that the people of Texas do not yet know happened on May 24 and announced the creation of an investigative committee.

“The fact we still do not have an accurate picture of what exactly happened in Uvalde is an outrage,” said Phelan. “Every day, we receive new information that conflicts with previous reports, making it not only difficult for authorities to figure out next steps but for the grieving families of the victims to receive closure.”

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Phelan said the investigative committee will gather as much information and evidence as they can to help inform the House’s response to the tragedy while also delivering “desperately needed answers to the people of Uvalde and the State of Texas.”

The committee will be empowered to use subpoenas and is authorized to conduct depositions and initiate discovery and has been tasked with collecting and analyzing evidence from law enforcement, making comprehensive findings, and reporting its conclusions as soon as possible to help inform the work of the House.

The speaker appointed Lubbock State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-District 83), as chairman, El Paso Rep. Joe Moody (D-District 78) as vice chairman and former Texas Supreme Court Justice Eva Guzman as a member. Guzman recently challenged Ken Paxton for the Republican nomination for state attorney general. She came in third in the primary behind both Paxton and George P. Bush who lost to Paxton in the runoff last month.

“These individuals possess decades of experience in civil and criminal litigation matters – skill sets I believe make them best equipped to meet the objectives of this committee and its investigation. I know each of them to be diligent, thorough, and focused professionals whom I trust will do everything in their power to deliver facts and answers at a time when they are needed most,” Phelan said.

The speaker also issued a series of joint charges to the Select Committee on Youth Health & Safety and Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee. Six additional House members have been appointed to the Select Committee on Youth Health & Safety – five of whom represent cities that have experienced a mass shooting in recent years.

The following members have received appointments:

• Rep. Greg Bonnen (R-District 24) (representing Santa Fe)
• Rep. Mary Gonzalez (D-District 75 )(representing El Paso)
• Rep. Tracy King (D-District 80) (representing Uvalde)
• Rep. John Kuempel (R-District 44) (representing Sutherland Springs)
• Rep. Brooks Landgraf (R-District 81) (representing Odessa)

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick caught flack this week from State Sen. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio), whose district covers Uvalde, for being left off his committee list. Gutierrez called it “a slap in the face of the people of Uvalde.”

Patrick’s 11-member committee was also heavily Republican, made up of only three Democrats and eight Republicans.

Rep. Drew Darby has also been appointed to serve on this committee, as he recently served as the Chair of the House Select Committee on Mass Violence Prevention & Community Safety, which was formed in the 86th Legislature to study the occurrence, impact, and prevention of mass violence in the State of Texas.

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“It is the type of job that one if you are really into it, the time passes without you even really realizing its passing, “ said Congresswoman Johnson.

Throughout her career, she has broken barriers, and glass ceilings along the way.  She was the first black woman ever elected from the City of Dallas when she was elected to the Texas House, and then the first black state Senator from Dallas since reconstruction.

 “It’s very, very important.  Everybody likes representation and certainly, Black people would like to see someone of their kind in every arena where decisions are being made,” said Johnson when she was elected to the state Senate.

She has seen a lot of change, and challenges, which she reflected on when we spoke to her at the station that bears her name, Eddie Bernice Johnson Union Station.  The Congresswoman says the biggest challenge came early in her career.  After becoming a nurse, she had an interview at the VA in Dallas.  She was known as Eddie B. Johnson, and the head nurse expected a man. 

“But she said to me you will break new ground to come here, but it’s needed,” remembered Johnson.

Her entrance into politics was when she went downtown to buy a dress for a friend’s wedding.

“That’s when I realized that African American women could not try on clothes in our major stores,” said Johnson.

She became part of a group calling for change, and one of the organizers decided she should be on the ballot for the Texas House. She won and joined a group of freshman women including then Kay Bailey, and Sarah Heddington. At the time, the largest group of women ever in the house.

“I think the first piece of legislation that we worked on was women having their own credit.  In this state, a married woman could not get credit in her own name.  It had to be in her husband’s name,” said Johnson.

She went onto Congress in 1992.

“I was determined to use whatever opportunity I had to enhance something back home,” she said.

Johnson rose up to be the first African-American and the first woman to chair the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. A dean of the Texas delegation, she has said she always has tried to work across the aisle.

“One of the things I have tried to do over the years is begin conversations with people that seem to have the opposite view of mine because it has to mean that somewhere in their lives they have seen things very differently than what I have seen, and it has paid off,” said Congresswoman Johnson.

But Congresswoman Johnson acknowledges as the years passed, working together has gotten tougher.

“I have seen moderation go to extremism which is really not pleasant. It makes it much more difficult,” said Congresswoman Johnson.

While she has seen progress, Congresswoman Johnson believes there is more to come.

“I have seen a lot of opportunities. I have seen a lot of change, but sometimes the more change you see the more things remain the same. Out of all of the change that I have seen, racism is still alive. You just cannot allow it to bury you down,” said Congresswoman Johnson.

For the 15-term congresswoman, the accomplishments have piled up.  But for Johnson, it was always about looking forward.

“This is a busy job, and it is very time-consuming, and you cannot rest your laurels on the past,” she added.

Such a busy job, that with it, was her first opportunity to look back at her picture, hanging at Eddie Bernice Johnson Union Station,

“That is my committee picture when I first became chair of my committee, and my great-grandchildren I guess and generations to come will see that, and that probably means more to me than anything else,” said Congresswoman Johnson.

In an exclusive interview, House Rep. Terry Canales (D) said the state must act before the next legislative session in 2023, to begin to address the problem. 

“We’ve got some huge issues that we’ve got to tackle dealing with this fraud, it’s very real, it’s very pervasive”, Canales said, adding that the recent NBC 5 reporting has, “educated the legislature” about the scale of the problem.

Canales said the DMV and lawmakers must find ways to prevent criminals from getting dealer licenses in the first place.

DMV officials recently acknowledged the department has even issued dealer licenses to people using stolen identities, who were then able to gain access to the state’s tag system.

The DMV does not fingerprint dealer license applicants or meet them in person and DMV Executive Director Whitney Brewster recently said her agency might have to wait until the legislature reconvenes in 2023 to gain the authority to fingerprint.

“That would be something that that would potentially be recommended to the legislature for change,” Brewster told NBC 5.

Canales said he will not wait for the 2023 session to begin the process of addressing the flaws in the system and said he has asked the House Speaker for permission to hold hearings on the issue as soon as possible so that the transportation committee can begin working on solutions.

“Everybody’s on it, all hands on deck, from the Senate to the House, to my committee members,” Canales said.

Meanwhile, NBC 5 continues to uncover more cases where criminals are using illegally sold paper tags to commit crimes and hide their identities from police.

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NBC 5 Investigates learned Texas DPS troopers stopped two pickup trucks hauling more than 400 pounds of marijuana on Nov. 28, in Culberson County in West Texas.

Both trucks had paper tags issued by Kasniels Auto Sale, a dealer the DMV shut down for suspected tag fraud, just one day after an NBC 5 investigation revealed Kasniels tags were for sale on-line and widely seen on the streets of Dallas.

The NBC 5 report showed how undercover Travis County law enforcement officers were able to make contact with someone willing to sell them a Kasniels paper tag – registered in the name of NBC Senior Investigative Reporter Scott Friedman – but registered to the address of the Dallas Cowboy’s stadium and with a false vehicle identification number.

In the West Texas case involving Kasniels tags, a Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman said the two men driving the pickup trucks loaded with marijuana ran off into the desert and have not been captured.

Because the investigation is ongoing, DPS officials declined to speak about how the paper tags have impacted their search for the suspects. But, law enforcement officials tell NBC 5 Investigates many illegally sold paper tags are registered in the state system with false names and addresses. This can provide a cloak of anonymity for criminals and makes it nearly impossible for police officers to know who a vehicle with a paper tag is really registered to at first glance.

Kasniels has not responded to numerous NBC5 attempts to reach the company.

Kasniels issued more than 236,000 tags in less than three months before the DMV shut it down.

Law enforcement officials who specialize in paper tag fraud investigations said that a massive number of tags is an immediate red flag for fraud because there is no way a small dealer could sell hundreds of thousands of cars in three months.

Under Texas law, dealers can only issue paper buyer’s tags to vehicles that are purchased from that dealership.

Rep. Canales said the state must act swiftly to stop the wave of fraud and crime facilitated by that fraud.  He said he hoped the DMV would take interim steps to bolster its background check system in advance of legislative action.

A DMV advisory committee meets Thursday to discuss possible changes.

“We know that what we’ve allowed, and the authority given to Texas DMV is not enough, and so next session can’t come soon enough when it comes to this”, Canales said.