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Posts published in “Day: June 13, 2019”

Governor Abbott signs SB2 Property Tax Reforms into law

Jun 13, 2019
GOVERNOR ABBOTT SIGNS SB2 BILL IN AUSTIN RESTAURANT (PHOTO: Office Of The Governor)

AUSTIN – June 12, 2019 – Governor Greg Abbott today signed into law Senate Bill 2, which delivers significant property tax reforms that will cap property tax increases without voter approval and provide tax reform to homeowners and businesses across Texas. The Governor hosted the bill signing at Wally’s Burger Express in Austin, TX. Wally’s Burger Express is a family-owned business founded in 1980 that has been struggling due to skyrocketing property taxes. Just this year, Wally’s property taxes increased 44%.

The Governor was joined at the bill signing by Robert Mayfield, the owner of Wally’s Burger Express, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Speaker Dennis Bonnen, Representatives Dustin Burrows, Terry Canales, and John Zerwas, and Senators Kelly Hancock, Dawn Buckingham and Charles Perry.

“We made it clear from the outset of this session that our goal was not to simply mask the problem of skyrocketing property taxes, but to make transformative changes that would provide meaningful and lasting reform,” said Governor Abbott. “Because of the work by legislators this session, we are ensuring that Texas remains the best state in the nation to live, work, start a business, and raise a family. By signing Senate Bill 2 into law, we are making tremendous strides to provide long-awaited relief to Texas homeowners and businesses.”

11-yr-old boy dies in shooting in Channelview

Jun 13, 2019
OVER 20 SHOTS were fired into this house and adjacent cars on N. Brentwood in Channelview.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez was visibly shaken by the events he was reporting, at a shooting in Channelview that resulted in the death of an 11-year-old boy.

The shooting occurred last Sunday, about 4:20 a.m. at a home at 15117 N. Brentwood Street, off Dell Dale. Sheriff Gonzalez said it appeared someone with an assault rifle fired into the home, perhaps not knowing that an adult and five children were sleeping inside. It was not known if the assailant was walking or driving past the house.

A neighbor described the sound of about 22 shots, that were fired into the house and cars parked in the driveway.

The 11-year-old was dead at the scene, but the other occupants were not injured.

New procedures simplify Primary Voting

Jun 13, 2019
County Clerk Diane Trautman (left) and Michael B. Winn, Director of Elections explaining the new procedure of how voter’s will be able to privately declare their political party’s affiliation. (Photo by Allan Jamail)

County Clerk Trautman offers Joint Primary Dem. or Rep. Registration

By Allan Jamail

Houston, TX. – Tuesday, June 11, 2019 at the Harris County Clerk’s office, a new speedier and private process was presented by County Clerk Diane Trautman, Administrator of Elections Michael Winn, and Director of Communications Teneshia Hudspeth. Trautman said after numerous Primary Elections, she has heard of voters not voting because they felt uncomfortable stating their party’s affiliation out loud to where others could hear. She said, “This new process is to remove any fear from one declaring their party affiliation out loud; the voter will have complete anonymity. This is not a partisan issue to help either party separately; this is to make all voters of both parties feel more comfortable.”

Michael Winn, Administrator of Elections, said, “Combining the amount of staff from both parties to run just one polling location allows for fewer clerks needed. This also reduces the amount of party specific staff needed at the locations but at the same time will also increase the number of locations to which staff can be assigned.”

The use of Election Day Vote Centers (EDVC), another new program of Trautman’s, allows voters to vote anywhere regardless of their home precinct, which will save them time by not having to stand in lines. They can go vote at any location that doesn’t have a long line. The EDVC will also remove the problem of a voter not getting to vote because of going to the wrong location.

A mock demonstration by Harris County Clerk employee Margaret Aguilar (left) posing as a voter using a touchscreen tablet privately discloses her political party affiliation to both Democrat C. Patrick McIlvain (right) and Republican Kathryn Gray both election clerks in order to vote in a Primary Election. (Photo by Allan Jamail)

LEGISLATIVE NEWS: State Rep. Ana Hernandez Session Wrap-up

Jun 13, 2019
REP. HERNANDEZ WITH NORTH SHORE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND ADMINISTRATORS AT THE STATE CAPITAL.

After months of proposed legislation, negotiations, and passionate debate, the 86th Legislative Session has come to an end.

The decisions made and laws passed by the Legislature will direct our state for the next two years until the next legislative session in 2021. Until then, we will continue to work together to identify acute needs that must be addressed. I am proud to have passed several key pieces of legislation addressing a range of concerns including public safety, quality of life, and workforce development. These new laws will make a lasting, positive difference in our state.

Over the course of the next several months, the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives will present each committee with their interim charges in preparation for the next legislative session. As a member of the House Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures, and the House Committee on State Affairs, I look forward to working on your behalf during the interim on critical issues facing our state. As we seek to resolve real challenges, I am eager to advocate for District 143 and to work with you in preparing our policy priorities for the 87th Legislative Session.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in the Texas House of Representatives. I welcome any and all suggestions on how we can better advocate for you. It has been and continues to be my pleasure to represent you in Austin.

Kind regards,
Ana Hernandez