The work is not done yet and he is optimistic with the change in House leadership for property tax reform
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas (
Houston TX) Senator Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) today officially announced his intention to seek another term representing District 7 in the Texas Senate. Senator Bettencourt has been a leader in the Texas Senate to enact conservative solutions to Texas challenges.
I am proud of what we were able to accomplish during my time in the Texas Senate said Senator Bettencourt. The work is not done yet from the last legislative session. With a change in House leadership in the next session I believe that we now have a better chance of passing meaningful property tax reform legislation during the 86thSession.
A long-time taxpayer advocate Senator Bettencourt passed the Property Tax Reform & Relief Act of 2017 in the Senate during the 85
th regular and special session. Unfortunately the legislation as passed by the Senate died in the Texas House. In his first session Senator Bettencourt passed an amendment to SB 1760 which for the first time required a super-majority within a taxing entity to raise taxes. This legislation has already been credited with preventing a $100000000 tax increase. Additionally Senator Bettencourt has been a leader in the fight to maintain the voter approved revenue cap at the City of Houston. This cap has already saved Houston taxpayers $120000000 in 2017.
Senator Bettencourt was also instrumental in the passage of Senate Bill 7 to stamp out inappropriate student-educator relationships as well as being the Senate sponsor of House Bill 810 which would allow adult stem therapies to be used in Texas for the first time. This builds upon his previous success with the passage of legislation to allow the expansion of dual credit programs in Harris County as well as Right to Try legislation to allow terminally ill patients and their doctors access to experimental FDA treatments.
Under the leadership of Lt. Governor Patrick we have a chance in the Legislature to address major public policy issues in the upcoming session such as property tax reform rewriting the school finance formulas and much more continued Senator Bettencourt. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Texas Senate and the new leadership in the Texas House to continue our fight for conservative solutions to Texas challenges.
Senator Bettencourt currently serves on the Senate Finance Committee the Education Committee the Higher Education Committee and is the Vice-Chair of the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. He was also today named Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Property Tax Reform which will investigate many property tax issues and make recommendations before the 2019 legislative session. He was also named as Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Government Reform and currently serves as the Chairman of Texas Senate Republican Caucus.
