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Commissioners adopt state, federal legislative positions; back dairy bill to restore permits
Summary
The court voted to take formal positions on several state bills, backed a bill to restore permits for dairies in parts of El Paso County and approved federal outreach asking Congress to protect tax‑exempt municipal bonds and colonia funding rules.
El Paso County Commissioners Court on Monday approved a slate of state and federal positions for the 2025 legislative session and voted to support House Bill 1275, legislation to repeal a permit denial related to historical restrictions on dairies in portions of the county.
Earlier in the meeting the court voted to support HB 1275, urged by Representative Gonzalez, which county staff described as removing a prohibition created after a bovine tuberculosis outbreak decades ago and restoring permitting authority so dairies in parts of El Paso and other counties could again apply for permits. The motion to support HB 1275 was made by Commissioner Stout and seconded by Judge Samaniego; the court announced "motion carries."
Later the court reviewed a broader set of state measures and took positions by vote. The court voted to oppose House Bills 1522, 19 and 1453 (items the court identified as potentially harmful to county operations) and to support bills including House Bill 1109 (motor-fuel tax exemption for counties), HB 148 (mandatory appraisal-board training), HB 505 (fee waivers for certain vital records for homeless individuals), HB 1080 (broaden posting options for political subdivisions) and HB 1275 (the dairy bill already adopted earlier). The court also indicated support for state legislation to update how short-term rental intermediaries collect hotel taxes.
On federal priorities the court authorized outreach to the countys congressional delegation and its state senators to press for retention of the federal tax exemption for municipal bonds and to ask federal agencies to reconsider population thresholds that could make many colonias ineligible for set‑aside Community Development Block Grants. Planning staff noted a Government Accountability Office report that recommended easing population thresholds to preserve eligibility for colonia-targeted funds.
Why it matters: Commissioners said the positions align county advocacy with projects and programs that fund water, wastewater and transportation projects and protect municipal finance tools. Support for HB 1275 was described during the meeting as especially time sensitive because a committee hearing was scheduled and the county wanted to register support before legislators considered the measure.
