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Deputy county administrator updates commissioners on several state bills, including 287(g) discussions and homelessness measure
Summary
Russell Schauffer briefed the court on state legislation under consideration that could affect county obligations, including a bill tied to 287(g) immigration agreements and a mental-health/homelessness bill; he flagged population-bracket thresholds that could change county responsibilities.
Russell Schauffer, deputy county administrator, updated Collin County Commissioners Court on state legislative activity the county is tracking during the 89th legislative session.
Schauffer said Senate Bill 8, filed by Senator Schwartner, would require cities and counties to have 287(g) immigration agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for jurisdictions under a specified population bracket. He told the court that the bill as filed sets a population bracket under 1,000,000 and that Collin County’s population "is 1,064,000, we're just over that," making the county currently fall outside the bracket. He said committee discussion included whether to raise the bracket and noted that the largest six counties in the state currently handle a disproportionate share of undocumented immigrants.
Schauffer also summarized a bill the court is watching he identified as "HB 336," which he said would allow contracts with homeowners associations and property owners without Commissioner’s Court approval and would require the court to appropriate funds during the budget cycle to make those contracts work. He said committee debate suggested the population bracket that determines applicability of several bills may be adjusted upward in House discussions.
On homelessness and mental-health legislation, Schauffer said Senator Parker filed a measure identified in the briefing as HB 2487. He said the bill originally used a population bracket of 1,300,000 but that the bracket was lowered to 1,200,000 so that Travis County would be included; he expressed concern that population growth could move counties into different brackets between now and the next biennium. He said county staff have contacted legislative offices for clarification and will return with updates.
Schauffer offered to answer questions after the update; commissioners did not take formal action on the briefing at the meeting.
