Blog by Katie Zarate, Director of Communications
TAB was delighted to host Representative Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) kickoff the TAB TxLege Breakfast Series. A small business owner and Chairman of the House Calendars Committee, Rep. Burrows has served House District 83 since 2014.
This session, Rep. Burrows is focused on school safety. He chaired the House Investigative Committee on the Robb Elementary Shooting alongside Vice Chair Joe Moody and Justice Eva Guzman — who currently serves on the TAB Board as General Counsel. The three spent more than 40 days going back and forth to Uvalde, interviewing over 70 people and investigating the tragedy.
Rep. Burrows is also committed to ensuring regulatory consistency for businesses. "I am tired of playing whack-a-mole with cities," he said. "Businesses shouldn't need to worry about different regulations in every city."
When asked about a replacement for Chapter 313, a recently expired economic development tool for large capital-intensive investments, Rep. Burrows said he believes something will happen this session. "There is not a business owner I've talked to that does not have supply chain issues," he said. "I believe there are national security reasons why we want more manufacturing here in Texas."
Replacing 313 is TAB's number one priority. Manufacturing companies have extremely high operating costs, particularly on the front end, and having a tool to help offset other costs (such as property taxes) is crucial for attracting these businesses to Texas.
With a record budget surplus, the Legislature has a unique opportunity to make major, long-term investments. Rep. Burrows commented that higher education institutions, including community colleges, stand to benefit the most. There is also talk of historic property tax relief and broadband expansion. TAB CEO Glenn Hamer thanked Chairman Burrows for his remarks. The Association was enjoyed having Representatives Carl Tepper, Brian Harris, John Bryant, Carrie Isaac, and Terri Leo-Wilson as well as several capitol staff members in attendance.
The TAB TxLege Breakfast Series runs through March 8th. Lawmakers, capitol staff, and members of the TAB Board are invited to join January 25th where we will hear from Chairman Greg Bonnen. RSVP: AAllen@TxBiz.org