Texas Senate committee approves eminent domain bill
February 3rd, 2011 at 8:22 pm by Josh Hinkle under Politics
Another of Gov. Rick Perry’s emergency items is on the fast track to becoming law. The full Senate will soon consider a bill regarding eminent domain, after the Senate State Affairs Committee unanimously voted for the legislation 6-0.
Senate Bill 18 is the result of a efforts at the Capitol six years and running. Lawmakers worked to pass similar bills in the last three sessions to fix problems in the state’s eminent domain law.
The main problem – landowners losing their property for the wrong reasons. This bill, which has wide support from several ranch and farm groups, not to mention local governments and utilities among others, is nearly identical to the bill the Senate passed in the last session. However, it ultimately died in the House.
The legislation aims to keep any group – private or public – from taking property through the eminent domain law, if that land is not meant for public use. There are other stipulations for the intended buyer and enhanced rights for property owners under the bill.
It is expected to once again pass through the Senate. This would be the second of Perry’s emergency items (those lawmakers are allowed to push through in the first 60 days of the session) to do so. Senators approved a Voter ID bill last week.
Tags: bill, emergency, eminent domain, law, Senate
Good on Gov. Perry. Having strong property rights with the eminent domain law in place is a comfort. Seeing what has gone on around the country where a large retail chain can tell the city they will generate more taxes,thus a city envokes eminent domain is wrong. Or a developer says same about lake or water front property where families have spent a lifetime building and imporving their home, only to see it taken,as has happened. So thank you gov. for this bill. Would be nice to see a shift away from property tax burden as is in place now. With economy on the brink,schools and all taxing enties have got to come back to reality. Should be a limit,say 5% of ones income that can be taken for all home taxes. Otherwise elderly,young,and those who hit hard times have massive tax bills on their homes. Add a percentage or two to sales taxes if need be, time for all to feel the cost of not paying attention, or just tossing money around. The days of the golden goose are gone, and a very real chance of a total finincial collapse is looming. Unfunded long term debt is in the hundreds of trillions and no one is talking about it. We either change,and it does hurt,but a total finincial collapse ends it all. Would be nada..no pensions for anyone,all gone,nothing.