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Representative Harrison presses House to act on governor's emergency items, asks about property tax relief; speaker declines to take up matter
Summary
Representative Harrison repeatedly used parliamentary inquiries to urge the Texas House to consider emergency items designated by Governor Abbott — including property tax relief that would limit local taxing authorities — but the speaker said the business was not before the House and no action was taken.
Representative Harrison repeatedly challenged the House floor on Feb. 6, asking whether the chamber should take immediate action on emergency items designated by Governor Greg Abbott, specifically citing a proposal to require voter approval before local taxing entities could raise property taxes.
"Is it not true that among the emergency items designated by Governor Abbott, property tax relief was listed as one of those emergency items including, and I quote, to eliminate local taxing authorities' ability to raise taxes without an election? Is that not true?" Representative Harrison asked on the floor.
The Speaker responded, "Mister Harrison, that business is not for the House. If you have that question, you're more welcome to bring it down front." The exchange continued, with Harrison pressing whether the House could take immediate action and whether members should remain in session to consider making property-tax increases illegal without voter approval; the Speaker repeated that the matter was not before the House.
Harrison framed his repeated inquiries as a call for the House to address what he described as an emergency matter before the chamber recessed for the weekend. The Speaker characterized Harrison's remarks as a parliamentary inquiry and declined to place the item before the body during that floor proceeding. No motion was offered to consider the matter, and the transcript records no vote or referral on property-tax limits during the Feb. 6 session.
Ending
Representative Harrison's inquiries were recorded in the transcript but produced no floor action or direction; the Speaker indicated the matter was not pending before the House and the chamber adjourned without taking up the topic on Feb. 6.
