The Chron outlines the legislative agenda Houston Mayor Bill White plans to push in the upcoming session of the Texas Legislature.
The To-Do List
Mayor Bill White and city lobbyists will push for several initiatives in the legislative session that starts in a few weeks:
• Environment: Adopt statewide limits on air toxics such as benzene; adopt a tougher emissions standard for cars.
• Crime and public safety: Change state law so that pawnshops must file paperwork electronically to help combat theft and fencing of stolen goods. Allow cities to designate sexually oriented businesses as public "nuisances," making it easier to close them down. Change legal timeline for city to collect fees on mixed beverage permits. Assist ex-convicts who want jobs and apartments by issuing them a Texas identification card when they leave prison.
• Transportation: Press TxDOT to change how funds are allocated statewide. Locally, push for priority reconstruction of "bottleneck" where Highway 290 joins the 610 Loop.
• Neighborhoods: Make it easier for residential neighborhoods to form associations that can implement and enforce deed restrictions.
• Ike fallout: Require utilities to strengthen infrastructure to deal with future hurricanes and emergencies. White has appointed a task force to come up with specific proposals. Ideas that have been mentioned involve changing state regulations to force utilities to bury more power lines or maintain a minimum level of power capacity in reserve to prevent blackouts.
