There are many unnecessary, and unnecessarily excessive, criminal laws relating to licensing and regulation in Texas. This letter requests that the Sunset Advisory Commission examine this issue during its review of the Texas Department of Agriculture to determine whether some of the occupations regulated by TDA with criminal penalties require continued government regulation or would be better left to market processes.
Local Government
Growing Pains: The Cost and Contribution of Impact Fees in Texas
Texas’s rapidly growing population requires new infrastructure and improvements, which oftentimes come at great expense. To fund these projects, local officials often impose impact fees on new development—but their use comes at a cost. Key points: Texas is the fastest-growing state in the nation. As such, it has robust infrastructure requirements. To help finance capital...
August 12, 2026