“How important do you think public education is to the health, safety, and welfare of our community?” In a presentation to the Fort Worth City Council on September 19, Pete Geren discussed this question with council members and shared data which painted the picture that Fort Worth area public school students are falling off the pace to remain at grade level in math and reading.
On September 8, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced the publication of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales, and Computer Employees. Referred to simply as the “overtime rule”, the proposal aims to increase the salary threshold under which employees would be required to receive […]
The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce hosted its latest Leaders in Government event, presented by Kelly Hart, on Thursday, September 7. U.S. Representative Roger Williams, chairman of the House Committee on Small Business, was the featured speaker. Chairman Williams visited with members of the Chamber’s Business Retention and Expansion Committee as well as the Government Affairs Committee prior to the luncheon, providing updates on issues facing the country’s small businesses.
On November 7, Texans will go to the polls to vote on 14 proposed amendments to the state constitution. Below is a summary of the final seven propositions, in the order they will appear on the ballot. Direct links to each proposition are also included for further reading.
On November 7, Texans will go to the polls to vote on 14 proposed amendments to the state constitution. Below is a summary of the first seven propositions, in the order they will appear on the ballot. Direct links to each proposition are also included for further reading.
The Fort Worth Chamber hosted its annual State of the County, presented by Capital One, on August 17, featuring Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare. Judge O’Hare recapped his tenure since coming into office at the beginning of 2023, and provided an overview of the county's current trajectory and future aspirations.
At a Fort Worth City Council meeting on August 8, City Manager David Cooke unveiled a proposed budget for fiscal year 2023-2024. Several additional meetings are scheduled to take place on the budget throughout August and September before finalization, but several items stand out as being of potential interest to the business community. Overview The […]
Texas legislators have one constitutional duty every other year when the Legislature is in session: pass a budget. This biennium’s budget process featured operating with a historic surplus of more than $30 billion, generating robust debate on how to best spend those resources. The final version eclipsed 1,000 pages, so here are some highlights of what is included in the 2024-2025 budget.
The Fort Worth business community secured several public policy wins during the regular session of the 88th Legislature, such as the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation Act (HB 5), key infrastructure funding, property tax relief, and a boost to Texas community colleges to more adequately prepare the state’s workforce. To inform the business community of other legislative wins, the Chamber will be highlighting a variety of bills that became law this past session. Next up on the list: enhanced film incentives.
The Texas Legislature has reached a long-awaited solution to deliver $18 billion of tax relief to Texans. After several rounds of negotiations from the regular session and two different special sessions, the Texas House and Senate have agreed on a tax relief package that now sits on Governor Abbott’s desk for approval. The Governor has […]
At the conclusion of the 88th regular session of the Texas Legislature, missing from a list of other pro-business policy wins was a resolution on property tax relief. With a record budget surplus, state leaders all agreed that delivering meaningful relief to taxpayers was a top priority. However, agreeing on the delivery mechanism for that relief proved to be more complicated.
The Fort Worth business community secured several public policy wins during the regular session of the 88th Legislature, such as the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation Act (HB 5) and a boost to Texas community colleges to more adequately prepare the state’s workforce. To inform the business community of other legislative wins, the Chamber will be highlighting a variety of bills that became law this past session. Next up is a review of the variety of infrastructure bills that have been signed into law.
The Fort Worth business community secured several public policy wins during the regular session of the 88th Legislature, such as the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation Act (HB 5) which was signed into law by Governor Abbott on June 8. To inform the business community of other legislative wins, the Chamber will be highlighting a variety of bills that became law this past session. Next up is House Bill 8, which will enhance opportunity at Texas community colleges.
The regular session of the 88th Texas Legislature concluded, and the first special session began immediately afterwards. Amidst the attention on the special session(s), several pro-business bills were passed during the regular session, including an economic development incentive bill, a junior college finance program, and infrastructure-related funding.
The passage of House Bill 5, also known as the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation Act, with widespread bipartisan support, aims to create new high-paying jobs, encourage economic development, attract business investment, and promote energy and water infrastructure development in Texas. The bill provides incentives such as property tax abatements and job creation requirements, and it is expected to keep Texas competitive and maintain its economic prosperity, known as the "Texas Miracle," by attracting businesses and ensuring continued investment and job growth.
