Invited Testimony to the Texas House Committee on State Affairs: House Bill 3

March 11, 2021

James Quintero

James Quintero is the policy director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Government for the People campaign. Since joining the Foundation in 2008, Quintero has focused extensively on: state & local government spending, taxes, debt, public pension reform, annexation, and local regulations.

The Texas Disaster Act of 1975, codified as Texas Government Code Chapter 418, grants special authority to the governor and certain local officials in times of a declared disaster. It is this temporary authority that enabled officials over the past year to impose a wide variety of rules and restrictions in response to COVID-19. Many of these requirements have been onerous and unreasonable.[1]

[1] For examples of unreasonable rules and restrictions, see: Exposing Overreach: Tarrant County; Exposing Overreach: Harris County; and Austin’s Next Power Grab.

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James Quintero

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