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State Rep. Helen Kerwin outlines seven bills including PFAS, appraisal and farmland measures
Summary
State Representative Helen Kerwin told Johnson County commissioners she had seven bills referred, including a PFAS (forever chemicals) bill, a central appraisal district bill and a proposal limiting foreign farmland purchases, and urged county residents to attend a Johnson County Day in Austin.
State Representative Helen Kerwin, R-Southern Johnson County, told the Johnson County Commissioners Court on April 1 that seven bills she authored were referred to committees last week and that she is pressing to get hearings and committee assignments.
Kerwin said the most important referral for county residents was a bill addressing PFAS contamination—often called “forever chemicals”—and that she had already given committee members “folders” and briefings about contamination in southern Johnson County. “I actually got 7 bills referred last week,” Kerwin said, adding she has met individually with committee members to explain the county’s situation.
Why it matters: Kerwin said the PFAS measure, filed as House Bill 1674, is expected to attract large public turnout at a hearing if scheduled. She also noted a Senate companion bill, S.B. 886, could receive a hearing very soon and warned of industry opposition.
Kerwin outlined other measures she is carrying: a bill about the central appraisal district that has been referred to the elections committee; a bill she described as eliminating property taxes; a proposal to bar purchase of Texas farmland by nationals of four countries she identified as terrorists; a bill creating child safety zones in unincorporated parts of the county (House Bill 3087, which she said she and county staff are preparing data to support); and several anti-trafficking bills.
Kerwin also said she filed an “over axle tolerance” bill to address overweight truck rules and thanked local commissioners for their last-minute help getting the issue filed. She urged residents attending “Johnson County Day” in Austin to visit her office in the Capitol and to testify at committee hearings when the PFAS bill and others receive hearings.
County context and next steps: The representative said the House had been slow to begin floor debate after a new speaker was elected but expected debate to accelerate in the next week. Kerwin invited Johnson County delegates—about 40 expected—to the House chamber on Johnson County Day, and said her office (E-1216) would host constituents.
Kerwin linked several local developments to the legislative work: she noted a recent Fort Worth lawsuit seeking more than $420 million over PFAS contamination and said that helps underscore the urgency of state action. She said 14 states—up from three—have enacted PFAS-related responses and warned there would be lobbying against restrictions from large waste companies.
Quotations and attribution: Direct quotes in this story come from State Representative Helen Kerwin, who spoke during the county announcements portion of the April 1 meeting.
What’s next: Kerwin said committee assignments were expected within about 10 days and urged county officials and residents to attend hearings and testify when their bills are scheduled.
