![]() “So this is where the staring contest is right now. Abbott and the folks on the House side saying, ‘look, our House bill is the first in many steps we have to take to eliminate property taxes altogether.’ The lieutenant governor fired back and said that’s not a realistic plan,” Aguilar said. Greg Abbott has backed the House bill, but Patrick - as well as property rights groups and some far right organizations - prefer the Senate plan. ![]() “According to our friends at the Texas Tribune, who did an analysis of both versions, the Senate bill would save homeowners $400 a year more than the House bill version.” What the Senate proposal does is it leans more heavily for relief on the homeowners,” Aguilar said. “The House plan would reduce property taxes for all property owners, which includes commercial properties and residential homeowners. The same cannot be said for property tax relief, where there are more differences between the House and Senate plans. And this goes for the same thing for human smuggling, which people thought the penalties were also pretty low.”Īguilar said there is a matching Senate bill with the same language, and it is possible the Senate decides to pass the House version despite the House’s adjournment. “HB 2 increases the penalty for operating a stash house to at least ten years in prison. This is where sometimes dozens and dozens, if not more, migrants are kept in usually pretty horrible conditions against their will, waiting for the next leg of their transport,” he said. ![]() “Stash houses are houses based on the border that are sort of the midway point for the smugglers and their network. They have to kick it out and vote on it as it was sent over from the House.”Īguilar said HB 2 targets small human smuggling operations at the border, including stash houses. “On the border security bill, which is House Bill 2 by Rio Grande City Republican Ryan Guillen, that one was referred to a border security committee in the Senate, and that one will be heard Tuesday morning. “Based on comments the lieutenant governor has made, it doesn’t look like they’re going to take any action on the House-backed plan on property taxes,” Aguilar said. Julián Aguilar, a reporter with the Texas Newsroom, said the Senate can’t make any changes if they want to pass either bill, since the House is already adjourned. Gov Dan Patrick and the Senate no choice but to accept the House versions of each bill or end the session with nothing. In a move that surprised some, House Speaker Dade Phelan swiftly passed both measures and adjourned on the first day of the special session. Greg Abbott prioritized for the first special legislative session this year: property tax cuts and border security. The Texas Senate will meet again tomorrow to continue working on the two issues Gov. ![]()
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