Bill gives landowners liability protection for equine activities
By Ken Hodges

HB 325 by Representative Carter Casteel (R) of New Braunfels provides liability protection for landowners when certain equine activities occur on their property.

Under this legislation, a landowner is not required to warn a horseback rider of hazardous conditions, structures, or activities on the land. However, the landowner is not allowed to intentionally fail to warn a rider of hazardous conditions.

Texas Farm Bureau supports HB 325.
(TFB Policy: Section 117, Page 11, lines 122-127).

Legislation aimed to help smaller school districts
By Ken Hodges

John Smithee (R) of Amarillo introduced HB 353 that recognizes challenges that small school districts face, regarding funding, because of their size.

The bill would allow school districts in counties with populations of under 5,000 to keep tax revenues from property up to $500,000 valuation per student, rather than the current $305,000 allowed under “Robin Hood”.

Texas Farm Bureau supports HB 353.
(TFB Policy: Section 173, Page 76, lines 18-20).

Bill would allow oil well plugging insurance
By Ken Hodges

Representative G.E. (Buddy) West (R) of Odessa has introduced HB 380 which provides an option for well operators regarding well plugging responsibilities. Operators could comply by purchasing insurance policies from the state.

It's a pre-paid, single-premium guarantee that the cost of plugging will be covered.

Texas Farm Bureau supports HB 380.
(TFB Policy: Section 151, Page 55, lines 27-33).

Bill limits salary and number of school administrators
By Ken Hodges

HB 557 by Representative Anna Mowery (R) of Fort Worth limits the number and salaries of administrative personnel in a school district.

This bill would decrease the number of allowable administrators to one administrator for every seven classroom teachers. The number would decrease until the 2010 school year when one administrator is allowed for every nine teachers.

This legislation also limits an administrator's salary to no more than five times the lowest salary of a full-time classroom teacher.

Texas Farm Bureau supports HB 557.
(TFB Policy: Section 172, Page 75, lines 49-50).

Bill repeals authority to transport groundwater down the Rio Grande
By Billy Howe

Representative Frank Madla (D) of San Antonio has introduced SB 268 which repeals legislation from 2003 that allowed the Rio Grande water master to transport groundwater down the Rio Grande River.

During the interim, Sen. Madla chaired a committee to look at this issue. The committee concluded, due to evaporation, using the river to transport groundwater would be wasteful.

Texas Farm Bureau supports SB 268.
(TFB Policy: Section 147, Page 47, lines 29-40).

Bill grants counties broad ordinance-making authority
By Billy Howe

 HB 757 by David L. Farabee (D) of Wichita Falls gives counties broad ordinance-making authority to protect the public health, safety or welfare.

In addition to ordinance-making, counties would be authorized to impose fees on citizens to pay for the administration of the ordinance.

This bill sets the penalty for breaking an ordinance as a Class C Misdemeanor.

TFB Policy opposes HB 757. Our policy supports ordinance-making authority for only subdivisions and fireworks.
(TFB Policy: Section 165, Page 68, lines 7-21)

As a Farm Bureau leader, you are looking for ways to effectively communicate with Congress, the Legislature and members of the media. The Texas Farm Bureau Legislative Action Center is just what you need. Renae Willberg of Falls County has tried it and offers these comments.

"I appreciate all the helpful legislative contacts and information found on the TFB website. I wish all those present at the conference on Monday and Tuesday would utilize it! It offers so much flexibility, along with necessary control to contact relevant congressmen.

"How can we get our members to use their computers (I'm assuming most people have one!)? They don''t know how much they're missing."

To access the Texas Farm Bureau Legislative Action Center, go to the TFB Web Site at www.txfb.org . Click on "Legislative Action Center" and follow the prompts. It's easy and offers powerful communications tools to make you a more effective Farm Bureau Leader. Call our office (254-751-2208) for any assistance you need.