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Council adopts legislative priorities; adds support for state assistance to replace galvanized water lines and schedules lobbyist briefing
Summary
Council adopted its 2027–2028 state legislative priorities, including seeking reimbursement for state-granted veteran exemptions, transportation funding and data‑center standards. Members also moved to add support for statewide assistance to replace private galvanized water lines and to hold a special meeting with their lobbying firm to translate priorities into bills.
Staff presented the City of Killeen’s proposed 2027–2028 legislative priorities, which include seeking state reimbursement and reinvestment for revenue lost to state veteran tax exemptions, transportation funding for Highway 195 and the 190 corridor, and support for military-impacted municipalities and higher education. The presentation noted new items added in red and invited council questions.
Council members discussed the priorities at length. Council member Brown proposed adding statewide assistance to replace galvanized water lines as a guiding principle and moved that it be included; the motion carried. Council member Bass pushed for a special meeting with the Schluter Group (the city's contracted lobbyists) within the next 30 days so priorities could be translated into bill language; the council voted to schedule a special meeting to review lobbying strategy and timelines (motion carried 4–2 or recorded majority). Council members emphasized the need to prioritize the list—several members named the veterans exemption reimbursement as a top priority.
The adopted priorities will guide staff and the city's contract lobbyists as legislation is drafted and sponsors are sought in the 2027 legislature. Council directed staff to coordinate the special meeting with the Schluter Group and to brief the full council on the planned bill language and sponsor outreach.
