County staff brief court on several state bills, including SB8 and a homelessness/mental-health proposal

Deputy County Administrator Russell Schauffer briefed Collin County Commissioners Court on bills and committee activity from the 89th Texas Legislature.

Schauffer said Senate Bill 8 by Senator Schwartner would require cities and counties to have agreements with immigration enforcement (ICE) under certain population brackets. "The issue with the bill is that it puts an artificial ... agreement, as long as you're under a million people. And, since our bracket is 1,064,000, we're just over that," Schauffer said, noting the county is just above the bracket the bill initially referenced and that committee discussion included whether that bracket should be raised.

He said he is also watching House Bill 336, which would allow certain contracts with homeowners associations and property owners without commissioner's court approval and could require the court to appropriate funding during the budget cycle for those contracts. "This is the one to contract with HOAs and property owners without commissioner's court approval, and then you all would then have to appropriate whatever is necessary to make sure those contracts would work during the budget cycle," Schauffer said.

Schauffer reported that a homelessness and mental-health proposal, filed as HB 2487 and associated with Senator Parker, has been filed; he said staff would provide more information as they receive it. He also said staff had sent inquiries to a senator's office seeking clarification on several items raised in committee hearings.

Schauffer concluded by inviting questions; the court did not take formal action on the briefing.