PROMOTING & ADVOCATING FOR THE TEXAS LODGING INDUSTRY SINCE 1903


THLA'S 2015 MID-SESSION LEGISLATIVE UPDATE    

With about a month and a half to go, the 2015 Texas Legislative Session is charging ahead at full speed. The bill filing deadline passed a few weeks ago, and we know the vast majority of issues that are in play this session. Committee hearings are occurring day and night as the session continues. To make its way through passage and finally onto the Governor's desk for signature, a bill must navigate through committee hearings, committee votes, full chamber votes, and then it must repeat that process again in the opposite chamber. Tight deadlines apply to each stage in the process, and many bills die simply because there is not enough time to consider them. Each week we get a clearer picture of which bills will live and which will die.  

 

THLA has reviewed all 9,347 bills filed for their potential impact on the lodging industry. We are now actively monitoring hundreds of bills that we have identified as ones that could have some potential impact on the lodging and tourism industry. For those bills that negatively impact our industry, THLA is at work opposing and seeking amendments to the bill. Simultaneously, THLA actively works to pass bills that ensure the continued economic vitality and growth of the lodging and tourism industry.

 

This legislative issue provides summaries of the most important legislative items affecting the hotel and lodging industry. Members can also follow and review the bills we are tracking. Click here for a link to the current list of bills we are tracking. The links on the list of bills take you to the webpage for the bill.

 

Full Funding for Tourism Promotion fullfundingtourism            

A portion of the 6% state hotel tax is dedicated to promoting Texas as a tourism destination. This amounts to over $34 million annually, and allows Texas to compete globally as a top tourism market. The official campaign is called "Travel Tex," and it is run out of the Governor's office.

The program has been tremendously successful for promoting Texas as a destination, and generates a return in state tax revenues at a rate of 7-to-1. However, perennial state budget battles make the program's operating fund a frequent target for raids for other state expenditures. Our priority is to ensure the tourism promotion program receives its full funding. As this issue goes to press, we anticipate securing full funding for tourism in the state budget, including provisions for surplus and unexpended balances of the actual state hotel tax revenue to be allocated to tourism promotion. There is also a proposal we are advocating for that would allow for an additional $8 million in tourism promotion as part of a contingent allocation of surplus state hotel tax proceeds over the next years that would go to tourism promotion as well as film and video game production incentives.

Tourism Public Improvement Districts:  HB 2688/ SB 837   TPID       

THLA is offering legislation this session to authorize Austin, Arlington, and San Antonio to create a "tourism public improvement district" (TPID) for each city. The purpose of the tourism district is to allow hotels to propose a self-assessment, which creates additional funding for marketing and incentives to attract convention and group business to the area.

 

In 2011, the City of Dallas was the first Texas city authorized to create a tourism public improvement district composed solely of hotels within the City. The Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District (DTPID) has now been in existence for over two years and has been tremendously successful. The success of the DTPID has led other communities to ask for this same statutory tool.

 

A TPID must have statutory authority to be considered by a city council, and HB 2688 / SB 837 will give Austin, Arlington, and San Antonio that authority. Once statutory authority is provided, a TPID can only be created after over fifty percent of the affected hotel property owners sign a petition agreeing to have such a district, and the city council approves the district by a majority vote. This bill has had successful committee hearings, and shows promising signs of passage.


Events Trust Fund    EventsTrustFund         

Early this legislative session, THLA assumed a prominent role in communicating CVB priorities for the events trust fund programs. These programs, including the two most utilized to attract events to Texas- the Major Events Trust Fund and the Events Trust Fund, allow cities to receive reimbursements for many of their up-front investments when conducting competitively-bid events, including bidding to gain an event, building, maintenance, and facilities improvements necessary to hold an event, and public safety/security personnel in conjunction with hosting an event. The State of Texas directly benefits from increases in the state sales and use, alcohol, and hotel taxes generated from these events. As an incentive for investing local dollars to secure events, a small portion of the state tax revenues generated directly from those events are paid back to their host cities.

 

The Events Trust Fund programs are an important economic tool for Texas cities and have had a significant economic impact on the Texas economy. THLA supports their continued existence and success. With new political leadership in the state's highest offices, there is an interest to both reorganize and rebrand the Events Trust Fund programs. To accomplish this, there are bills filed at the Legislature that both rename the programs and transfer their administration from the state Comptroller's Office to the Governor's Office of Economic Development and Tourism. The most notable bills that achieve these reforms are House Bill 26, House Bill 3613, and Senate Bill 633. THLA supports these bills and has been working with the relevant legislative offices to achieve favorable reforms. We also continue to engage with the Governor's Office regarding opportunities for more efficient application and reimbursement practices, should control of the programs be transferred.

 

There have been more than twenty bills filed related to the events trust fund programs. We anticipate those that we support to at least accomplish our goals of renaming and transferring the programs. THLA will continue to help shape policies moving forward for these programs that are an important part of the economic engine of many Texas communities.
Tara energy

Beach Funding for Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, and Surfside Beach: HB 1915, HB 3052, SB 749    BeachFunding   

THLA is actively working on legislation to provide state hotel tax funding to Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, and Surfside Beach for beach cleanup and maintenance. In years past, the Texas Legislature passed a special statute that dedicates one-third of the revenue generated from the state hotel tax in Galveston and South Padre to the local community for beach restoration and cleanup. These bills provide Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, and Surfside Beach with the same percentage of the state hotel tax funding that is currently applicable to South Padre Island and Galveston. This would substantially increase the amount of state hotel tax remitted to these areas each year to address beach restoration and cleanup. These bills had successful committee hearings and show promising signs of passage.

 
School Start DateSchoolStart

Since 2007, Texas law requires public schools to begin student instruction no earlier than the 4th Monday in August. The 4th Monday in August school start date produces more than $800 million in economic activity for Texas which generates more than $40 million in additional state tax revenues each year. These revenues can be used to fund public education and other vital state programs.

 

SB 266 by Seliger, SB 296 by V. Taylor, SB 395 by Perry, HB 238 by Springer, HB 204 by Leach, HB 596 by Goldman, and HB 1067 by Koop provide for earlier school start dates, which will cost the state jobs, economic activity and tax revenues. THLA and our partners at TTIA are actively working on opposing these bills. We have joined TTIA in member offices to express our opposition to these measures and to date, and there has not been any committee hearing called on any of these bills.

 

 
Employment Bills EmploymentBills
Wage and Hour
A number of bills have been filed this session that would raise minimum wage, eliminate the tip credit, and/or allow a city to set a higher minimum wage or other hourly standards for employees. Many cities outside of Texas have raised their minimum wage on their own. For example, cities in California and Washington have raised their minimum wage to at least $15/hour, and other cities around the nation have recently increased their own minimum wage or are preparing to do so.

 

In Texas, we helped pass an important statewide bill over a decade ago that preempts a local government such as a city or a county from mandating a higher minimum wage or eliminating the tip credit. Texas Hotel & Lodging Association remains committed to adherence to the federal minimum wage and letting the free market control and area businesses decide when paying over that rate is necessary. We are working with our industry partners on a broad-based coalition to oppose repeal of this important preemption law.
  • HB 41, HB 42, SB 67, HB 2413, and HJR 26: Eliminates local minimum wage preemption. Raises the minimum wage to at least $10.10/hour. Eliminates the tip credit.
  • HB 1590, SB 68, and SB 123: Removes minimum wage preemption. Removes the tip credit.
  • HB 1215: Prohibits an employer from receiving any portion of a gratuity paid to or left for a tipped employee employed at a restaurant (including a restaurant in a hotel). This would include prohibiting retaining a portion of the tip for credit card processing fees. Does NOT affect banquet service fees.

Workers' Comp

Several bills have been filed that would mandate the duty an employer has to provide workers' comp insurance coverage. THLA works with our industry partners to oppose these measures that mandate such coverage: HB 689, HB 690, HB 4118, SB 155, and SB 263.

 

 
Residential Short Term Rentals (STRs): HB 1792 STR

Residential short-term rentals (STRs) have increased in abundance in the past few years, with the proliferation of STR listing websites such as Airbnb and HomeAway. THLA is supporting legislation this session offered by hotel ownership groups to help create greater parity in the lodging marketplace between residential STRs and more traditional lodging establishments. The current committee substitute version of HB 1792 differs from the filed version, and the revised substituted bill now focuses on hotel occupancy tax collection by short term rentals.

 

HB 1792 would enhance the ability of governmental entities to enforce hotel tax collection by short term rental owners, by requiring STR owners to register their state and local hotel tax ID numbers with the listing service prior to the listing service posting the property online. This requirement makes it much more likely that STR owners will understand and act on their duty to collect state and local hotel tax and register for any applicable short term rental ordinance that may be in existence at the local level.

 
Hotel Security and Hotel Operations SecurityandOps

Restriction on Hotel Bed Height in ADA Accessible Guest Rooms

Representative Longoria filed HB 1377, mandating that all beds in ADA accessible hotel rooms in Texas be no higher than 19.5 inches, as measured from the top of the mattress to the finished floor surface. Upon filing of the bill, THLA immediately contacted Representative Longoria's office and expressed our opposition to the bill. Our points included: the federal ADA governs accessible rooms, and a separate state standard would not be beneficial to either guests or the lodging industry. In the past, the federal government had given a great deal of consideration as to whether there should be a mandatory mattress height, but the federal government declined to regulate this area because it would be extremely costly for hotels, and not all disabled guests would benefit from a lowered mattress.

 

Furthermore, non-disabled guests would demand standard height mattresses, meaning our staff would have to adjust the height of the beds between guests. This is problematic not just because of the labor involved, but also because moving mattress frames would inconvenience both able-bodied and disabled guests. THLA is continuing to work with the author on this bill, and it has not been scheduled for a hearing.

 

Dialing 9-1-1

HB 1997 and SB 788 require all multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) to directly dial 9-1-1 without a prefix.  This legislation stems from the December 2013 murder of Kari Hunt in a Marshall, Texas hotel guestroom.  THLA has worked cooperatively with state agencies on potential regulations that would transition the direct dial capacity requirements for hotel phones in guest rooms.  We negotiated reasonable regulatory provisions with Senator Eltife and Representative Paddie on this legislation.  Our compromised language will allow hotels (and other MLTS operators) with older telephone equipment that is incapable of being re-programed to direct dial 9-1-1 to continue using that equipment until the equipment is naturally phased out and replaced under the property's capital improvement plan. These bills are well on their way to final passage.

 

Foodservice Bills

 

Food handler training programs.  THLA is partnering with the restaurant industry on SB 582 to reform how employees obtain food handler training and certification.  Currently, most local jurisdictions require employees who work in the F&B department of a hotel to obtain a certification for food handling.  This is usually accomplished by the employees (or the job applicant) completing an online course and then printing out a paper certificate.  Then, many cities require the employee to bring the printed course certificate to city hall, where a city employee stamps the certificate and charges the employee an additional fee.  This fee is usually in the $10 to $15 range.

 

The proposed legislative change would do away with the requirement for the employee to take the certificate to the city and pay an additional fee.  In exchange, SB 582 would require the employee be certified through one of the ANSI approved food handler courses.  These ANSI approved courses are offered online and many hotel brands already require an ANSI certified course.

 

SB 582 passed the Senate, and is expected to be treated favorably in the House.

 

Food and beverages in swimming pools.  THLA is partnering with the attractions industry on HB 2430 / SB 1324, a bill that clarifies that food and beverages may be consumed in swimming pools and swimming pool areas.  Technically, a state agency rule prohibits food and beverages in swimming pools.  This state rule is outdated and has gone virtually unenforced.  Now, THLA and the tourism attractions industry is working with the state agency on a state law that formally repeals state agency rules on prohibiting food and drinks in swimming pool.

 

This bill passed the House, and is expected to receive positive treatment in the Senate.

 

Other foodservice-related bills: 

  • HB 1858 would require all food service workers to be trained in CPR.  THLA is partnering with the restaurant industry on opposing this bill. This bill has not been scheduled for a hearing.
  • HB 1050 requires all food donated to a charity to be "apparently wholesome" at the time of donation. "Apparently wholesome food" is defined as: "Food meeting all quality standards of local, county, state, and federal agricultural and health laws and rules, even though the food is not readily marketable due to appearance, age, freshness, grade, size, surplus, or other condition. Canned goods that are leaking, swollen, dented on a seam, or no longer airtight are not apparently wholesome food." This bill appears set to pass the House, before being considered by the Senate.

Firearms

This session has seen a record number of bills filed related to the carrying of firearms.  Most of these bills involve allowing citizens to carry firearms openly (i.e. "open carry"), and there is strong likelihood that such an open carry bill will pass this session.  In fact, "open carry" bills have passed both chambers: HB 910 / SB 17. We are monitoring all firearms bills to make sure the right for businesses to restrict firearms carried by the public is preserved if the business provides the proper notices.  Both open carry bills that have passed the House and Senate preserve this right. We will monitor the conference committee report to ensure the final version continues to include this provision.

 

For the sake of brevity, we did not include the entire list of firearms bills here, as over 20 bills have been filed to-date.  Rather, we are including the few bills that will most directly impact our industry.

 

Firearms carried by peace officers:  HB 2298 would prohibit a place of public accommodation, including a hotel, from prohibiting an on-duty or off-duty peace officer from bringing the officer's weapon onto the premises.  This bill stems from an incident at a tourism business in Houston, Texas where police officers were turned away with their weapons.  We visited with the bill's authors and with the law enforcement association behind the bill, and we are comfortable that the bill will not impact how we operate hotels.  Under existing Texas law, officers already have immunity from prosecution for carrying their weapon onto business properties, and this bill will make that authority expressive.  Hotels already allow on-duty and off-duty peace officers to carry their weapons onto the premises, and so we do not believe this bill will affect our industry.  We also note that the bill does not provide for any penalties for businesses.

 

Required signage posted at businesses that prohibit concealed handguns.  HB 2405 would change the design and language of the required sign that must be posted at businesses that prohibit concealed handguns on premises.  The new signs would contain a graphic image of a gun with a red line through it, and the language of the sign would be altered.  The sign would be made freely available to businesses from the Department of Public Safety. This bill had a hearing, but has yet to pass out of committee.

 

Firearms carried by personal protection officers:  HB 1285 allows licensed personal protection officers (i.e. "bodyguards") to be treated as a peace officer when carrying a concealed or unconcealed firearm. This bill had a hearing, and shows strong signs of passage.

 

Security Camera Licensing Requirement

HB 2162 is a security camera bill offered to protect against convicted felons and/or ill-intentioned service providers from doing harm through security system operation and maintenance.  Our main concern with the bill of course is its definition of "camera systems company," seemingly capturing hotels in its scope due to the broad definition.  For example, the bill does not exempt full service hotels with security personnel that service and maintain their own security equipment and devices.  If caught up in this definition, a hotel would, in theory, have to make sure that nearly all hotel employees have photo identification issued by the State of Texas, and the hotel would have to get a permit from the city.  We worked with the bill's authors on a solution, and we proposed language to have hotels specifically excluded as being covered by the bill.

 

AED Liability

HB 2333 would require all businesses that "advertise" having an Automated Electronic Defibrillator (AED) to use that AED if a person has a cardiac arrest at the business.  Failure to do so would make the business civilly liable for negligence.  The bill does not define the term "advertise," and provides for no exceptions to the liability.  We visited with the bill's author, Rep. Raymond, and noted that the bill would likely lead to expensive litigation for businesses that have AED equipment on-site.  Rep. Raymond's office informed us the impetus for the bill are monthly membership pop-up gyms that advertise having an AED, but then do not respond sufficiently to assist their members when a cardiac arrest occurs. His office noted our concerns, and promised to work with us if the bill moves forward.  As of now, this bill has not been scheduled for a hearing.

 

Payment Transactions Bills

Several bills have been filed that affect point-of-sale transactions between merchants and customers.

  • HB 3526 and HB 146 would require a merchant to obtain a photo ID from an individual making a purchase with a debit card or credit card in an amount over $200. THLA is partnering with the Texas Retailers Association in opposing the bills. HB 3526 bill had a hearing, but has been left pending in committee. HB 146 has not yet been scheduled for a hearing.
  • HB 3522 would require a merchant to obtain photo ID from an individual using a credit or debit to add value to a stored value card (i.e. a "gift card"). This bill was reported favorably from committee.
  • HB 149 / SB 1778 would require a merchant to check a customer's photo ID when the customer purchases or adds value to a gift card, unless the merchant verifies the customer's zip code. This bill has not been scheduled for a hearing.
 

Franchise Tax, Sales Tax, and Alcoholic Beverage TaxesFransalesTax

Franchise Taxes

THLA is advocating for a reduction in franchise tax rates and/or an increase in the allowable deduction for franchise taxes this session. Reducing the franchise tax would enable Texas businesses to create more jobs and spur economic growth. That being said, the Texas House and Senate remain at odds on what tax reform overall should look like. To-date, THLA is supporting the following bills that have been called for a hearing:

  • SB 7 by Jane Nelson.  Reduces the franchise tax rate from 1% to 0.85% for hotels and other similar businesses.
  • HB 32 by Dennis Bonnen.  Decreases franchise tax rate from 1% to 0.95% (for hotels and other similar businesses).
  • SB 8 by Charles Schwertner.  Increases franchise tax exemption from $1 million in revenue to $4 million in revenue.

Much remains to be worked out between the House and Senate on the final shape of any franchise tax reform. THLA will continue supporting efforts to reduce the effective rate of the tax on hotels, and we will provide updates on how these efforts proceed.

 

Sales Taxes Rate Reduction vs. Property Tax Exemption Increase

Ways and Means Chairman Dennis Bonnen is seeking to reduce the state sales and use tax rate.   The latest bill draft of HB 31 would reduce the state sales tax rate from 6.25% to 5.95% and would be the first time the state sales tax rate has been reduced. The cut would reduce state tax revenues by $2.3 billion over the biennium. Alternatively, the Senate has a plan to cut about $2 billion in property taxes by increasing residential homestead exemptions. The House and Senate remain at odds on which approach or approaches to adopt statewide.

 

Mixed Beverage Sales Tax Rate

HB 4039 and SB 1076 would allow placement of the entire mixed beverage tax amount that is due onto a mixed beverage tax bill for drinks provided to our customers, providing better transparency on what taxes are incident to mixed beverage tax sales. The bill is pending in committee.

FD&S Insurance
 
Hotel Occupancy Taxes   HOT     

Expanding Hotel Tax Usage: Nassau Bay

Since its inception, the local hotel tax has been statutorily dedicated to directly promoting both tourism and hotel and convention activity. The City of Nassau Bay requested legislation to expand the use of local hotel tax revenues: HB 1585 by Representative Dennis Paul. The initial, filed version of the bill would allow Nassau Bay to use up to 45% of the revenue in the vicinity of hotels or convention centers for construction and maintenance projects, projects improving the visual appeal of those areas, and projects updating signage; as well as up to 15% of the local hotel tax revenue for peace officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, or other local government employees working at special events attended by large numbers of tourists.

 

THLA immediately voiced opposition to this measure, and in response, Nassau Bay refined its proposal to seek authority to use hotel tax revue for a marina project and other related infrastructure. THLA continues to work with the City and with Rep. Paul's office on this bill. THLA opposes expansion of the use of hotel tax for this purpose unless it is accompanied by a statutory requirement to limit the hotel tax expenditure on the marina to be commensurate with the amount of hotel night activity that will be generated by the marina and related improvements. As this issue goes to press, HB 1585 has not been scheduled for a hearing.

 

Hotel Tax Administration; Definition of Short-Term Rentals

HB 3630 is a bill that originally allowed cities to use up to 2% of the city's hotel tax revenue to create an electronic system for installing and administering the collection of hotel taxes. THLA has sought changes to the bill that would cap the amount of such expenditures from the hotel tax to no more than one percent of the hotel tax and a smaller percentage in the five largest cities in the State. Additionally, we have asked that if the city uses the hotel tax for its costs for installation of an electronic system, hotel operators should similarly receive a reimbursement of one percent of their collection costs from the local hotel tax.  Additionally, the bill clarifies the ability of state and local governments to collect hotel taxes from a residential short-term rental.

 

Permanent Resident (Over 30-Day) Hotel Tax Exemption Repeal

THLA opposed HB 3694 / SB 846 that would allow Andrews, TX to repeal the permanent resident hotel tax exemption for that city. The House bill was heard in committee, and THLA worked with the City of Andrews and Rep. Landgraf on the issue. The Sponsor has agreed not to push the issue further during the 2015 Legislative Session. In turn, THLA has committed to working with the City in the interim period (2016) on an approach to the permanent resident exemption that will be a win/win for the lodging industry and Texas communities.

 

Local Hotel Tax Bills

 

South Padre Island. HB 1717 / SB 1423 will allow the City of South Padre Island to use a limited amount of hotel tax revenue for the promotional and event expenses for an ecological tourism event if the majority of the event's participants are tourists, and if the event substantially increases economic activity at area hotels. Second, the bill allows South Padre Island to expend local hotel tax on expenses related to the improvement of sites for hotel guests to observe spacecraft launches. Both of these uses are capped to a combined total of no more than 15% of the hotel tax collected by the municipality. The House bill has been heard in committee, and is progressing towards passage.

 

Convention Center Hotel Bills: El Paso, Frisco, McKinney, Nacogdoches, Odessa, Round Rock, and Tyler. A number of bills have been filed to allow the following cities to use hotel tax revenue to construct a convention center hotel: El Paso, Frisco, McKinney, Nacogdoches, Odessa, Round Rock, and Tyler. These bills add these cities to existing authority held by other communities to use hotel occupancy tax revenue for the construction of a convention center hotel project. Referred to as "qualified hotel projects," only the hotel tax revenue generated by the particular convention center hotel can be used to pay for the project. Additionally, those cities are entitled to receive a rebate of state hotel occupancy taxes, state sales taxes, and state alcoholic beverage taxes from the eligible project for the first 10 years after the project opens for occupancy. THLA has requested language be included in these bills when possible to protect the continued funding for the area CVB at historic levels.

  • HB 1742 / SB 597 for El Paso
  • HB 1964 for Nacogdoches
  • HB 2095 / SB 1029 for McKinney
  • HB 3113 / HB 3883 / SB 1102 for Round Rock and Tyler
  • HB 3692 / SB 1403 for Odessa
  • SB 1028 for Frisco

Sporting Facility Funding Bills: Victoria; San Marcos; Bryan and College Station; Pecos, Pleasanton, and Dilley.

 

Victoria: HB 3595 will allow the City of Victoria to use a portion of its hotel tax revenue to construct new sports facilities. THLA worked closely with Victoria before the session to create language that will ensure the sports facility will greatly impact lodging activity, and also to ensure the City continues to fully fund advertising and promotion of the hotels in the area.

 

San Marcos: HB 3615 / SB 682 will add the City of San Marcos to a list of cities that can use hotel tax revenues to improve certain sports facilities. Existing law includes strict requirements for return-on-investment for the hotel industry from these facilities, and the expansion of eligible cities is supported by THLA.

 

Bryan and College Station: HB 3629 will provide authority for Bryan and College Station to use hotel tax revenue for new sporting facilities, if the facilities meet strict requirements for return on investment for the hotel industry, the cities publish an annual report of the actual room night and economic impact of events held at the facility. THLA and the Brazos Valley hotel community worked closely with the two cities to ensure the new authority will benefit all parties.

 

Pecos, Pleasanton, and Dilley: HB 3772 / SB 1495 will provide authority for Pecos, Pleasanton, and Dilley to issue bonds payable with hotel tax revenue for certain limited sporting facilities. THLA negotiated with these cities to ensure the sporting facilities will have the requisite amount of hotel impact before they are funded, and the cities must annually report the room night and economic impact of events held at the facility. The cities may not expend more hotel tax on the facility improvements than will be generated in room night revenue from events held at the facility over a set number of years.

 

County Hotel Tax Bills

 

Midland County: HB 2019 / SB 1518 recodify existing law to clarify Midland County's hotel tax authority. These bills do not provide a substantive law change; rather they merely correct a technical issue in the Tax Code.

 

Willacy County: HB 4037 / SB 185 will allow Willacy County to increase its hotel tax rate from 7% to 9% in only the unincorporated areas of the county. Area hoteliers have been notified of the proposal, and THLA is working with the County on a plan to ensure that the tax does not apply within the city limits and that any increase results in an effective promotion and marketing program of the lodging sector.

 

Winkler County: HB 3693 / SB 490, as filed, would allow Winkler County to have up to a 7% county-wide hotel tax. This means that the County's hotel tax would apply to hotels located within the City of Kermit, where there is already a 7% city hotel tax. After THLA's objection to such a high tax rate, Winkler County agreed to withdraw the proposal.

 

 
Texas Heritage Trails Program Funding Trails

The Texas Heritage Trails Program and the Texas Historical Commissions (THC) requested $4 million for the Trails Program from the state budget. Currently, the $4 million requested is not currently part of either chamber's actual budget. These funds were included, however, in both versions as part of the catch-all article (Article XI) which serves as a placeholder for many of budget items. THLA will continue working with the Texas Travel Industry Association, the Texas Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, and our other industry partners to ensure that the budget committee acts favorably regarding the Texas Heritage Trails Program's funding.

 
State Parks Funding Parks

Currently, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas Historical Commission (THC) do not receive the full amount of sales tax revenues generated from the sale of sporting goods. Instead, TPWD and THC only receive what the legislature appropriates. Several bills would amend current budgetary practices by requiring the full amount of sales tax revenues generated from the sale of sporting goods be dedicated for TPWD and THC.  HB 158 was voted favorably from committee, and HB 82 is pending in committee.

 
TEXAS LODGING INDUSTRY ECONOMIC TRENDS
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