Dallas committee reviews 2025 Texas session: wins on housing credits, concerns about revenue cap and land-use limits

The Ad Hoc Committee on Legislative Affairs met Aug. 5 and received a post‑session review of the 89th Texas Legislature and the special session underway. Jake, Clifford Sparks and Lynn Lou Darian of the city’s Office of Government Affairs briefed the committee on bills that affected Dallas and on items the city had pursued, supported or monitored.

The presentation said more than 9,000 bills were filed in the regular session; about 1,500 of those would have affected Dallas operations, roughly 1,200 bills reached the governor and 137 enacted laws were judged to have an impact on the city. Committee members were told five of the city’s top 10 pursued priorities were signed into law.

Why it matters: City staff said the actions in Austin carry immediate budget and land‑use implications for Dallas, from changes in available grant funding to new limits the state imposes on local zoning choices.

Clifford Sparks, a member of the city’s legislative team, said the city registered a mix of outcomes: “If you combine what happened last…