Hot! Corpus Christi Chamber Of Commerce

Welcome towards Corpus Christi Chamber regarding Commerce

Welcome into the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce, where your company is our own business. Our vision could be to foster company expansion by way of advocating organization issues, improving the company climate as well as giving services to be able to their members.

In late January, the Senate and House unveiled price range proposals of which incorporate considerable reductions to help schools. While the particular Senate plus House choices vary, the actual plans incorporated wiping out grants regarding Texas azines pre-kindergarten plan as well as cutting down on scholarship products which will give college tuition and price support for financially disadvantaged students. Public education is usually confronting $9.8 billion in financing reductions in fact it is projected this 100,000 folks for instance teachers, bus drivers, plus counselors will lose their jobs. In addition, that House funds engagement cuts solution funding regarding institutions with advanced schooling by way of 10 percent across the board, having a get cold with financial aid.

With public training and higher education labeled as two regarding your top issues with regard to this 82nd legislative session, that chamber is firing a marketing communications strategy which sets out the actual significant instruction troubles dealing with your community. We promote business and marketplace commanders that will get in touch with our own community delegation and members on the education committees that will share that will initial funds pieces of the specifications will affect company along with business through the actual region.

If you might be thinking about sending a letter i highly recommend you for getting a summary of legislator lenses along with . The customers involving the particular legislature really need to listen to how the business local community tightly believes that education is really a arranged investment decision inside future economical growing of our state. If many of us don't action now, your state may perhaps confront a path which will negatively impact your potential prosperity.

Thank you,

Desiree Castro

Government Relations Coordinator

Legislative Update - April 7, 2011

On Sunday, April 3rd, the particular Texas House involving Representatives handed the very first draw up on the assert budget, House Bill 1, for a vote of 98 to 49. The $164.5 million budget will devote $23 thousand less than the actual budget and also doesn't include taxations or perhaps drop directly into that state azines rainy evening pay for but will institute heavy haircuts that will public education, better education, plus well being along with human services.

According to some March evaluation by the Legislative Budget Board, a new combined committee belonging to the Texas Legislature, the particular House suggestion might charge our own express above 300,000 jobs. Locally, Del Mar College is bracing with regard to discounts which range between $12 million that will $14.4 million while Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi is actually dealing with your biennium lessening with $23.7 million.

With this House passage, the budget will certainly these days get over it for the Texas Senate, that is supposed to offer a proposal using lesser number of cuts. Once the Senate model on the spending budget is actually passed, every chamber could hire customers to your conference committee in which they are going to reunite their numerous choices of the budget, and complete available your seminar report. Each chamber will likely then vote over a final variant belonging to the funds before the legislature adjourns.

The following will be some difficulties this chamber includes also been tracking:

Economic Development

The chamber is often a sturdy supporter for that financial development packages that will the Texas Legislature has integrated in our state. Our fiscal progress tool kit can be on the list of best around the world as well as one of many most effective bits is a Texas Economic Development Act, mentioned more commonly while Chapter 313 .

Several parts regarding procedures have happen to be archived that will amend the actual legislations like HB 2652 by Rep. Jim Pitts plus SB 1590 by means of Sen. Steve Ogden. SB 1590 might limitation assert spending about tax pauses regional school trustees can scholarship this guide attract organization or development projects. The monthly bill will furthermore transfer the ability to help to make selection on tax breaks from regional trustees into the state comptroller. The bill was eventually left unresolved inside Senate Finance Committee.

In addition, this chamber attended the actual House Committee on Ways & Means to support HB 1316 through Rep. Raul Torres. The suggested legislation and also its senate companion, SB 977 through Sen. Hinojosa, relates to tradition centre hotel incentives regarding Corpus Christi. The charge would permit Corpus Christi to be eligible to receive particular refunds pertaining to product sales along with work with taxes plus lodge occupancy fees enforced from the State connected with Texas. The bill has been remaining awaiting inside committee.

Gaming

Last week, the chamber gone to the House Committee on Licensing along with Administrative Procedures to support gaming proposals that will involved full-fledged hotel casinos, legalizing as well as unsafe effects of on line poker parlors, and making it possible for slots in addition to conference tables at present trails and Native American reservations. Dozens of poker promoters chatted simply that activity informing that will video gaming taxes could put yet another $1 million 1 year directly into condition coffers. Landry's CEO Tilman Fertitta mentioned he would've a Golden Nugget cyber casino start in Galveston "within a topic involving weeks" in the event video gaming was approved. Houston-based Landry's Inc. owns the particular Golden Nugget casinos within Las Vegas as well as Laughlin.

Although proponents think that the particular state azines finances provides them a fine case, the committee remaining greater than a dozens of expenditures unresolved that'll probable be revised by simply committee staff previous to lawmakers cast a vote.

Windstorm Insurance

Last session, reforming in addition to growth the particular Texas Windstorm Association (TWIA) had been certainly one of an important concerns facing that Coastal Bend. Legislation appeared to be filed that might have greatly enhanced TWIA costs plus hurt the particular economic system on the Texas coast. Fortunately, not one of the people bills flushed along with current laws and regulations provide windstorm insurance plan with a good cost-effective rate.

This period a number of reform payments were submitted which includes HB 272 by Rep. John Smithee, Chairman of the particular House Insurance Committee, in addition to HB 2818 simply by Rep. John Taylor, a member from the committee. HB 272 relates to this function with TWIA so to the decision of a number of disputes concerning statements made to the association. HB 2818 by simply John Taylor is often a thorough reform attempt designed to tackle the majority of the troubles experiencing TWIA. We will always maintain you updated on the rank these windstorm insurance coverage expenditures as good people that have been filed.

Thank you,

Desiree Castro

Government Relations Coordinator

Early this kind of morning, the actual Texas House regarding Representatives tentatively voted for a new House redistricting map. The vote, 92-52, taken a new day time in which focused primarily on argument with regards to minority districts. The plan would likely most nevertheless guarantee a new continued Republican bulk in addition to combined many associates together, including Representative Raul Torres and Representative Connie Scott.

The relief connected with Districts 33 as well as 34, picks up for you to this comparable slower population increase within the Coastal Bend in comparison with rest associated with Texas. For instance, Nueces County grew by simply 8.5 percent, when compared to statewide development regarding 20.6 percent.

Currently, District 32 offers 157,055 residents, District 33 provides 148,929 residents, and also District 34 has 143,582. According to help the Texas Legislative Council, the average inhabitants every Texas House District right now must be 167,637. As a result, the a few Corpus Christi congress found their zones brief on the best numbers and also the integrating involving two Corpus Christi Texas House associates was not unexpected.

For more information about Texas Redistricting, pay a visit to the

Other issue:

Senate Budget

Last week, this Senate Finance Committee authorised its amended version regarding HB 1, this Appropriations bill, simply by an 11-4 vote. The $176.4 thousand two-year point out funds stays nearly $12 thousand more than a $164.5 million finances eliminated from the body through this House.

The Senate Committee Finance Chairman, Steve Ogden, claimed this individual hopes to have niche in order to entire Senate from the stop belonging to the week. However, Ogden can be possessing trouble qualifing for the two-thirds belonging to the GOP-controlled Senate in order to start niche regarding consideration. This is principally because of your pitch to spend cash from that rainy-day create funding for that will harmony the actual pay for 2012-2013.

Thank you,

Desiree Castro

Government Relations Coordinator

Legislative Update - May 12, 2011

The Texas House connected with Representatives passed HB 272, your bill that might reform your Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. The bill, authorized immediately after forty nine amendments ended up debated, responds to the method states have been treated right after Hurricane Ike and to allegations connected with problem within this agency.

Last week, the chamber used up several nights within Austin for you to go over your considerations having affiliates on HB 272, which in turn can be negatively disturbed seaside residents along with organization owners. The chamber additionally handed released a resolution to any or all one humdred and fifty home members this urged this legislature in order to vote next to the check from the variety that was voted out from the House Committee on Insurance.

Due in order to efforts produced by the particular chamber, seaside representatives were able to provide numerous amendments this produced into your market better. Initially, HB 272 would require TWIA to establish rate territories and also allow for all of them to try to portion a county with no prior acceptance along with bring up this charges in some aspects of the state not really a lot more than 15%. However, a great modification was so long as stripped the rate increase. In addition, a great variation ended up being supplied to alter the physical place to get jury demos related to claims. Previously, policyholders must take a trip to Austin intended for court actions however currently it will come about inside the state where the exact property is definitely located.

The new determine as well comprises strict honesty guidelines pertaining to TWIA s aboard regarding directors in addition to employees, bans TWIA coming from presenting insurance policy coverage to help several structures, for instance casinos as well as sexually driven businesses, as well as requires the commissioner that will simplify the windstorm insurance policies practical application process. Finally, the legislation could rename TWIA the Texas Coastal Insurance Plan.

The monthly bill today minds for the state Senate. For considerably more upon HB 272, phone (361) 881-1800.

Thanks,

Desiree Castro

Government Affairs Coordinator

Legislative Update - May 25, 2011

On Monday morning, the budget discussion committee followed to a contract around the remaining sections belonging to the budget, Article I, which in turn pertains to public as well as higher instruction plus Article IX, which will pertains to general government. With only a full week quit in session, the legislature needs that will have a very last vote about the 2012-2013 price range at some time this specific weekend.

In addition, that Senate handed down it is type of the charge that would reform the actual Texas Windstorm Insurance Association. Some key provisions of the bill include your mediation process for many who contest their states and also the option intended for demo de novo. However, concerns continue being with all the Senate version due to the chance of a new charge increase.

Although the particular Chamber stays concerned with the TWIA reform bill, there are numerous good legislative objects regarding the Coastal Bend relocating forward. Late last week, the particular Texas House okayed Senate Concurrent Resolution 5, by way of Senator Juan Chuy Hinojosa, which in turn authorizes a legislative analyze regarding the improvement along with probable fiscal consequence on the luxury cruise industry south associated with Calhoun County. The study will certainly involve an scheduled visit of an legal committee which may hold hearings in communities along side coast. The hearings would have been a open demo to help vacation industry authorities on the location azines fascination with them. With SCR a few moving past both Senate as well as House chambers, it really is now on its strategy to that Governor ersus workplace with regard to his or her signature.

The Texas Legislature in addition flushed SB 977 by means of Sen. Juan Chuy Hinojosa along with it has the House companion, HB 1316, by means of Rep. Raul Torres. The costs would likely allow Corpus Christi to get eligible that will receive several rebates for sales along with use levy and motel occupancy taxes enforced by the State connected with Texas. In various other words, the balance would bring Corpus Christi into the number associated with cities eligible that will construct a qualified hotel task below the Enterprise Zone. The bill is currently about its manner into the Governor s office.

Government Affairs Coordinator