SB1158 is currently in the Finance Committee of the Texas State Senate. SB1158 would give the voters an opportunity to raise sales tax up to 1/2 cent for the primary purpose of paying down the bonds recently approved for the construction of the new jail. The Bill, sponsored by Texas Senator Bob Hall, was referred to the Finance committee for further review. The Finance Committee, which Senator Hall is not a member, has a very full plate this session while they consider literally hundreds of bills. After speaking with an aide of the Finance Committee, KSST News understands that SB1158 will not even be discussed in the next two upcoming meetings of the Finance Committee. That certainly does not mean that the Bill is dead, but makes the road a little longer for the Bill to gain any traction. Once the bill is approved in some form it would then go to The House and could get referred to committee there. If you need a refresher on how the process works, click on the link below.
The Finance Committee meets tomorrow at 9am. Keep checking back with KSST News as we track the status of SB1158.
The Texas State Senate Finance Committee releases it next agenda for a meeting on Thursday April 9th. Although Senator Hall has a bill to be discussed on that agenda, SB1158 still will not be discussed. It remains to be seen whether or not the Finance Committee will even consider discussing SB1158 in the future. So as of right now, SB1158 is stuck in committee. The wheels of government move ever so slowly….
