2023 TCAA Fall Conference in Dallas
The Texas City Attorneys Association (TCAA) Fall Conference will be held in conjunction with the TML Annual Conference and Exhibition on October 5 at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas.
Topics include:
- Employer Drug Testing
- Training Staff to Deal with Uncivil People in a Civil Manner
- Preparing for Mass Gatherings: The City of Fredericksburg and the Total Eclipse
- Think It Over: Dealing with Fiber Companies that Want to Use Your City’s Right-of-Way
- AIE, AIE, AIE, and AI: What Special Issues Does Artificial Intelligence Pose for Employers and Attorneys?
- Recent Federal Cases of Interest
- The Nuts and Bolts of a SOAH-Contested Case Hearing (including Virtual Hearings)
- Procurement Disputes: Preventing, Managing, and Litigating
- Ethics: Protecting the Attorney Client Privilege with In-House Counsel
Click here for information about registration and housing. Note: The schedule for the TCAA program is under “Affiliate Programs,” and most attorneys who will not be attending the entire TML Annual Conference and Exhibition will want to choose the “one-day registration” option, starting at $250.
TCAA to Fill Board Position on October 5, 2023
Those interested in applying for a place on the board of the Texas City Attorneys Association should fill out an application and return it via email to Evelyn Njuguna at evelyn@tml.org. Application forms are available here and under the “About TCAA” tab, “Board of Directors” section, on the TCAA website at https://texascityattorneys.org. Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. on August 25, 2023.
City of Houston Files Lawsuit to Declare Preemption Legislation Unconstitutional
On July 3, the City of Houston filed a lawsuit in Travis County to have H.B. 2127, the so-called “Super Preemption” bill, declared unconstitutional. H.B. 2127, effective September 1, would prevent cities and counties from adopting or enforcing local regulations related to an activity located in a field of regulation occupied by state law in certain state codes. The Texas Municipal League’s post-session summary of H.B. 2127 can be read here.
Among other things, the City of Houston argues that H.B. 2127 violates the home rule amendment of the Texas Constitution, is unconstitutionally vague, and impermissibly delegates the Texas Legislature’s policy-making authority to the courts. The city’s press release on the lawsuit can be accessed here.
If you have questions, you may contact Darah Eckert with the City of Houston Legal Department at Darah.Eckert@houstontx.gov or (832) 393-6251.
The hearing on Houston’s motion for summary judgment is set for August 30 at 2 p.m.
S.B. 2 Tax Rate Setting Resources
A pre-recorded TML webinar addressing the city property tax rate setting process following the passage of S.B. 2 in 2019, with additional insight into the impact of state legislation passed in 2021, is available here. (MCLE credit is not available for this session.) Tax and budget deadline memos and an updated explanatory Q&A are available here.
TCAA Online Membership Directory
Looking to find the contact information for a fellow TCAA member? You can find it using the TCAA membership directory, available here.
IMLA Membership
Membership with IMLA doesn’t just mean discounts at their events. It’s much more than that. Click here to view a quick video about IMLA membership.
Continuing Legal Education
2022 Fall Conference and 2023 Summer Conference
These TCAA online seminars are FREE, allowing TCAA members who are city attorneys, assistant city attorneys, or attorneys who regularly practice municipal law to view the videos from the conferences in a single–session format. Viewing a session allows attorneys to receive participatory CLE credit with the State Bar. To view these seminars, please visit tcaaonlineseminars.org. (Use the case-sensitive password “FreeCLE” to gain access to the sessions.)
If you would like to have an article considered for publication in the TCAA newsletter, please send your request to Amber McKeon-Mueller at amber@tml.org.