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Item 4I - Memo CITY OF SOUTHLAKE Agenda Item No. 41 MEMORANDUM October 20, 2026 To: Mayor & City Council From: Bora Sulollari, Assistant to the City Manager Subject: Item 41: Resolution No. 26-036, Adopting a Statement of Legislative Priorities for the 90t" Texas Legislative Session Action Requested: Approve Resolution No. 26-036, Adopting a Statement of Legislative Priorities for the 90th Texas Legislative Session. Background Information: Every two years, the Texas Legislature meets in regular session, during which numerous bills are filed that affect municipal operations. In alignment with home rule doctrine and its City Charter, the City of Southlake regularly adopts a legislative agenda guiding interaction with the Legislature to ensure that local governments continue to have the ability to oversee municipal policies that serve its citizenry. The City has developed the attached Statement of Legislative Priorities for consideration by the City Council. As a general policy, the City of Southlake seeks to preserve its current authority to govern the City, its citizens, and its property in accordance with its strategic goals and interests. The City will oppose any legislation viewed as detrimental to the City's strategic goals; or that is contrary to the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens; or that mandates or results in increased costs or loss of revenues; or that would diminish the fundamental authority of the City and the City Council that has been elected to govern. The City supports any legislation viewed as advancing the City's strategic goals and interests; or that improves the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens; or that responsibly increases revenues; or that advances the City's authority to conduct the public's business. The City will oppose any initiatives that seek to erode municipal authority or that otherwise have a negative impact on municipal operations, including but not limited to legislation that would: Honorable Mayor and City Council City Statement of Legislative Priorities Page 2 of 5 • Erode or undermine principles of home rule authority; • Apply one size fits all solutions to complex local policy issues; • Further restrict cities' ability to manage land uses or adopt or amend zoning regulations • Detrimentally affect the City's financial position by reducing revenue streams or increasing costs through unfunded mandates; • Erode the authority of Texas cities to manage and control their rights-of-way or other public property and to be reasonably compensated for such use; • Erode current municipal economic development authority; • Erode the current authority of Texas cities to enact a system and set the level of impact fees for new development; • Erode municipal eminent domain authority; and • Any legislative requirement requiring the City to generate revenues for the State; • Otherwise restrict local government decision-making, as noted in the attached Statement of Legislative Priorities. The City may form strategic partnerships with cities, political subdivisions, and private sector entities that share common goals with the City of Southlake. The formation of strategic partnerships and coordinated efforts is intended to provide the City with a stronger presence in the legislative process. The Statement of Legislative Priorities is attached as Exhibit A to Resolution No. 26-036. Financial Considerations: It may be necessary for both the staff and members of the City Council to travel to Austin during the legislative session. Sufficient funds have been budgeted in the FY 2027 budget to cover these expenses. Honorable Mayor and City Council City Statement of Legislative Priorities Page 3 of 5 Citizen Input/ Board Review: N/A Legal Review: The City Attorney has reviewed Resolution No. 26-036. Alternatives: The City Council could choose to proceed without formal legislative positions and rely on the staff to bring individual issues before the Council for action. Supporting Documents: Resolution 26-036 City of Southlake's proposed Statement of Legislative Priorities Staff Recommendation: Passage of Resolution No. 26-036 adopting the City of Southlake's Statement of Legislative Priorities. RESOLUTION NO. 26-036 A RESOULTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS, ADOPTING A LEGISLATIVE AGENADA FOR THE 90TH TEXAS LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION. WHEREAS, Home Rule Charter of the City of Southlake, Texas, was approved by the voters in a duly called Charter election on April 4, 1987; and, WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes the need for the City to preserve its current authority to govern its citizens, budget and property; and, WHEREAS, the Texas Legislature has in the past adopted legislation that has impacted the City's ability to govern its citizens, budget and property; and, WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes the importance of the City being fully involved in the legislative process; and, WHEREAS, the City Council had deemed that the recommended legislative agenda reflects the strategic goals and interests of the City, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS THAT: Section 1. All of the findings in the preamble are found to be true and correct and the City Council incorporates said findings into the body of this resolution as if copied in its entirety. Section 2. Exhibit A is hereby adopted as the Statement of Legislative Priorities for the City of Southlake, Texas for the 90th Regular Legislative Session. Section 3. The different elements, issues or priorities, as adopted, and as amended from time to time, shall be kept on file in the office of the City Secretary of the City of Southlake, along with a copy of the resolution and minute order of the Council so adopting or approving same. Section 4. This resolution shall become effective on the date of approval by the City Council. PASSED AND APPROVED ON THIS 20TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2026. CITY OF SOUTHLAKE By: Shawn McCaskill, Mayor ATTEST: Amy Shelley, City Secretary EXHIBIT "A" STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES CITY OF SOLITHLAKE, TEXAS 90TH TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION 2027 STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES MUNICIPAL POWERS FINANCIAL AUTHORITY SUPPORTS The City of Southlake supports legislation SUPPORTS The City of Southlake supports legislation that advances the principles of local that provides flexibility to the local control,allowing local elected officials to governing body to determine the best make decisions and advocate positions method of raising necessary revenue and that are beneficial to the interest of City funding municipal operations, including residents or that is otherwise beneficial to the use of technology for efficient the City's interests. service delivery. OPPOSES The City of Southlake opposes legislation OPPOSES The City of Southlake opposes legislation that preempts or erodes the authority of that restricts the ability of municipalities to city government or is detrimental to the manage local budgets and make financial City's ability to govern locally. decisions,including limitations on revenue generation,use of debt,and requirements for onerous public notifications that do not improve local financial transparency. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LAND USE REGULATION & TOURISM SUPPORTS The City of Southlake supports legislation SUPPORTS The City of Southlake supports legislation that preserves local land use,zoning,and that allows municipalities to invest in development regulatory authority. development and tourism projects to OPPOSES The City of Southlake opposes legislation benefit the local economy. that would diminish the City's authority to OPPOSES The City of Southlake opposes legislation regulate growth and development that would restrict current municipal through land use and zoning regulations, economic development tools or restrict building codes,comprehensive planning, the use of Hotel Occupancy Tax funding or eminent domain,or that would for tourism programs. erode the City's authority to assess inspection fees for new,existing,or re- development projects. RIGHTS-OF-WAY AND UTILITIES PUBLIC SAFETY SUPPORTS The City of Southlake supports legislation SUPPORTS The City of Southlake supports legislation that would improve the City's authority to that strengthens the ability of a manage and control public rights-of-way municipality to develop and implement and publicly owned land or solidify public safety programs,operational the City's ability to receive fair market structures,employment processes, compensation for using public rights- and technology to manage the public's of-way. safety effectively. OPPOSES The City of Southlake opposes legislation OPPOSES The City of Southlake opposes legislation that seeks to limit the authority of cities to or rules that would restrict a municipality utilize rights-of-ways and publicly from making locally appropriate decisions controlled property for public purposes to protect the public's safety,the safety of deemed necessary by the municipality or first responders,and a municipality's to otherwise manage rights-of-way usage ability to make decisions related to public otherwise as deemed necessary by local safety programs,operational structures, governing bodies. and technology.