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Senate Bill 2169 |
Senate Author: Ellis |
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Effective: Vetoed |
House Sponsor: Alvarado |
Senate Bill 2169 amends the Government Code to establish the work group on smart growth policy, to be composed of representatives from various state or regional agencies enumerated in the bill, appointed by each agency's executive head, to collaborate and develop a comprehensive smart growth plan for Texas to prepare for projected state population growth. The bill requires the work group, in developing the plan, to make recommendations to the legislature for addressing the quality of community life; the design of municipalities, counties, and regions; economic, environmental, health, housing, and transportation issues; mixed land use; gentrification; predictable, fair, and cost-effective development decisions; and the encouragement of community and stakeholder collaboration in such decisions. The bill requires the work group to coordinate with councils of government, regional mobility organizations, metropolitan planning associations, and smart growth experts in the public and private sectors, including the United States Environmental Protection Agency and planning departments in other states, and to solicit and obtain input from relevant stakeholders. The bill requires the work group, not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year, to submit a report to the legislature on the smart growth plan and policies developed by the work group. The provisions of the bill are set to expire August 31, 2013.
Reason Given for Veto: "Senate Bill No. 2169 would create a new governmental body that would centralize the decision-making process in Austin for the planning of communities through an interagency work group on 'smart growth' policy. Decisions about the growth of communities should be made by local governments closest to the people living and working in these areas. Local governments can already adopt 'smart growth' policies based on the desires of the community without a state-led effort that endorses such planning. This legislation would promote a one-size-fits-all approach to land use and planning that would not work across a state as large and diverse as Texas."