Legislative proposals affecting nonprofit organizations, state associations and foundations are among the 7,000-plus bills on file at this halfway point in the 140-day 2021 session. My complete summary can be read and printed here. In a challenging economic environment, nonprofits should look to opportunities for contracting and partnerships with state and local governments as well as accessing funding programs that have been generated through government disaster response, pandemic response and economic stimulus measures. Look through the legislative summary for new revenue-generating sources and expanded programs that align with your mission.
2019 Texas Legislature Preview for Associations and Nonprofits
The 86th Texas Legislature began its 140-day regular session on January 8. The race is on to monitor and react to those bills among the more than 6,000 to be filed that affect state associations, community-based nonprofits, foundations and groups that benefit from state funding or are regulated by state policies. Committees for the House and Senate will soon be appointed, and the real work will begin.
Sign up here for my regular updates during the session. By the “60th day” of the session (March 8) when filing of bills ends, there will be a better view of specific bills of interest that deserve your attention.
As a preview of the 2019 session, see my January 18 presentation at the 36th Annual University of Texas School of Law nonprofit seminar entitled Advancing the Common Good in the Texas Legislative Process: Do nonprofits have a special role and status in public affairs? Read or print the paper here.
As a bit of self-examination for any organization entering the policy and legislative arena, it’s proper to raise a few questions:
- Are our activities truly advancing our stated charitable mission and the interests of our members and stakeholders?
- Does our messaging to the public calm and elevate the debate on contested issues?
- Do our proposals advance the common good?
- Do we support policies and bills that benefit and not burden the thousands of community leaders and volunteers supporting local, community-based organizations?
- How are our initiatives different from any other special interest group seeking favors from the legislature?
- How are our activities perceived by the news media?
- Is our organization competing for favors or public dollars with similar groups or private interests?
For a review of issues and bills from previous legislative sessions (many return again and again), see my Texas Legislative Summary postings going back to 2003.
UT School of Law, January 2016 Conference Presentation
Click to review my outline presentation.
• “Texas Legislative and Regulatory Update”
33rd Annual Nonprofit Organizations Institute, for The University of Texas School of Law/Conference of Southwest Foundations, January 14-15, 2016, Austin, Texas.
Texas Legislature’s “interim committee” work picks up in 2016 — stay informed
Much of the preparation and work for the 2017 legislative session will be initiated during the 2016 interim period by House and Senate committees through “charges” issued by the speaker and lieutenant governor. Stakeholders, advocacy groups and interested persons should monitor these committee agendas and be alert to background research, policy discussions, consensus-building and committee public hearings. These activities can result in important bill drafts that emerge full-blown early in the 2017 session, often with considerable member support. At that point, it may be too late to influence or oppose a bill or policy shift that has accrued broad support. [Read more…]
Property owner associations (POAs) again take the heat from critics
POAs get scrutinized in 2013 Texas Legislative Session
Controversy and criticism of one group often spills over and affects the interests of others. This is TANO’s concern, as yet another legislative session featured bills, hearings and unpleasant media coverage regarding the operations of the thousands of Texas property owner associations (POAs), also called home owner associations (HOAs), and condominium owner associations (COAs). Hundreds of thousands of Texans pay monthly fees to these nonprofit community associations as a condition of their ownership of a residential property. The POAs are not IRS Section 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofits but are organized under the same Texas Nonprofit Corporation Law as charities but with different IRS tax-exempt status, usually Section 501(c)(4). [Read more…]