The passing of HB 14 (2023) in the 88th Texas Legislature has led to reduced wait times for construction permits. For example, a November 2024 memorandum from the City of Dallas stated, “the October 2024 median issuance time for New Construction Commercial Permits dropped to 112 days, the lowest median time of 2024 and one of the lowest since 2021” (Letter from Robin Bentley, 2024). It is on the success of HB 14 that in the 89th Texas Legislature, Senate Bill 1450 (2025) has been filed to ensure that the legislative intent of the previous session is fully expressed.
Local Government
A Trio of New Transparency Laws: Examining the Open Government Reforms Instituted by SB 843, HB 103, & HB 3526
During the Regular Session, the 89th Texas Legislature passed three key measures to meaningfully improve fiscal transparency and cultivate a more informed decision-making environment. These well-intentioned measures include: • HB 103 (2025), relating to the creation and maintenance of a database of taxing unit bond, tax, and bond-related project information; providing a civil penalty; •...
August 21, 2025