First Summary of Bills in the 2017 Texas Legislature Affecting Nonprofit Organizations

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Bill filing deadline has passed on the “60th day” of session:

A first snapshot of the variety of issues before the 2017 Texas Legislature is now available.  The 60th day has passed, which is the last day for senators and representatives to file bills.  There are now more than 7,000 bills and resolutions on file, depending on how you count them.  A bill may have a duplicate or companion bill filed in the other chamber, but there remain millions of lines of legislative text to manage before adjournment on May 29. [Read more…]

Seminar commentary on 2015 Texas legislation affecting nonprofits

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Three months after adjournment of the 2015 Texas Legislature, reflecting on issues and trends raised during the session is in order. My presentation on August 13 at the annual State Bar of Texas Governance Nonprofit Organizations seminar is available here, and it highlights these items of interest:

  • The overall regulatory environment for nonprofit entities in Texas remains “light” in comparison to other states where there are extensive annual registration or licensing requirements with fees, regulation of solicitations from the public, mandatory public disclosure of organizational finances and other state government compliance regimes.
  • There were no significant changes to the Texas Nonprofit Corporation Law in Chapter 22 of the Texas Business Organizations Code, which is the primary body of law relating to nonprofit governance and disclosure issues.
  • The legislature showed continuing interest in granting legal immunity or limiting the liability of volunteers, first responders, volunteers supervising local amateur athletic events, and licensed professionals who volunteer during a disaster response.

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2015 Texas Legislative Summary for nonprofits – Mid-session report

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With more than 6,200 bills filed by Texas legislators now in play, anyone attending or following long committee meetings or floor sessions at the Texas Capitol will test their patience, attention span, caffeine tolerance or lumbar endurance.

Nonprofit organizations, state associations and foundations are affected by dozens of proposed bills, directly or indirectly. The April 1, 2015 SUMMARY OF ISSUES AFFECTING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS is available here and will be updated regularly through the June adjournment of the 84th regular session and after. Share it with your colleagues and friends and receive updates by clicking the Subscribe box on this page. [Read more…]

2015 Texas Legislative Summary for nonprofits – “60th day” report

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With more than 6,000 bills filed by Texas legislators by the filing deadline, any observer attempting a snapshot of the issues ahead in the coming weeks will need a wide-angle lens. There is a lot to read and understand, no matter what your area of interest.

Nonprofit organizations, state associations and foundations are affected by dozens of proposed bills, directly or indirectly. The March 13, 2015 SUMMARY OF ISSUES AFFECTING NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS is available here and will be updated regularly through the June adjournment of the 84th regular session and after. Share it with your colleagues and friends and subscribe to receive updates by clicking the Subscribe box on this page. [Read more…]

2015 Texas Legislative Summary for Nonprofits – First Report

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Bills of interest 30 days into the 84th Regular Session

One month into the 2015 Texas Legislature regular session, there are some indicators of the kinds of issues that will affect nonprofit organizations, state associations and foundations. Available here is my First Summary of Issues Affecting Nonprofit Organizations. Each summary will grow in size, be updated regularly and revised, as more bills are filed and as committees begin hearings.

Subscribe to this blog and receive updates by email by clicking on the Subscribe box on this page. To access the text of any bill before the Legislature and follow its status during the session, use Texas Legislature Online at www.capitol.state.tx.us. [Read more…]