SB 18 is Now the Law of the Land

Today I had the great honor of joining Governor Rick Perry and participating in the signing ceremony to enact into law an eminent domain bill that protects private property owners from having their land unjustly taken for public use.

In Texas, our land is our legacy. Today’s signing of SB 18 ensures intense scrutiny and fair compensation to land owners when eminent domain is used.

This law was a long time coming and I’d like to thank Sen. Craig Estes, Sen. Robert Duncan, Rep. Charlie Geren, Rep. Rene Oliveira and Rep. Tim Kleinschmidt for their diligent support in upholding what the Texas Constitution guarantees -- that private property owners will not be subjected to intrusive condemnation proceedings.

Don’t mess with Texas, and don’t mess with Texas land. It’s more than a slogan; it’s the law.

Don’t Mess with Texas and Don’t Mess with Texas Land

Private property owners are celebrating in Texas today after the Legislature passed Senate Bill 18, the eminent domain reform bill. The bill is now on its way to Governor Perry’s desk for signature.

SB 18 is authored in the Senate by Sen. Craig Estes (Wichita Falls) and Sen. Robert Duncan (Lubbock) and sponsored in the House by Rep. Charlie Geren (River Oaks), Rep. Rene Oliveira (Brownsville) and Rep. Tim Kleinschmidt (Lexington). It enforces what the Texas Constitution guarantees – that private property owners will be protected from intrusive condemnation proceedings. Among other things, the bill says property may only be taken for a public use and that negotiations must be made in good faith, meaning a condemning entity cannot try to shortchange property owners in offering just compensation. SB 18 also includes a buy-back provision for property owners – if land is taken for a public use but progress is not made on the project within 10 years, the property owner can repurchase the property. It also requires all entities with the power of eminent domain to register with the state or risk having that power suspended.

I have long been a proponent of legislation that guarantees Texas private property owners are treated fairly and that entities with eminent domain power act responsibly. After years of setbacks, Texans will finally have their private property owners’ rights affirmed once SB 18 is signed into law.

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: Don’t mess with Texas, and don’t mess with Texas land!

SB 18 Defends Private Property Rights

It is a great day in our grand state. In Texas, our home is our castle and our land is our legacy. Legislators in the House reaffirmed that belief today when they passed SB 18, which establishes eminent domain reform for Texas home and landowners. Earlier this session, the Senate approved the bill.

SB 18, authored by Sen. Craig Estes and Sen. Robert Duncan, enforces what the Texas Constitution guarantees – private property owners will be protected from intrusive condemnation proceedings. Among other things, the bill says property may only be taken for a public good and that negotiations must be made in good faith, meaning a condemning entity cannot try to shortchange property owners in offering just compensation. SB 18 also includes a buy-back provision for property owners if progress has not been made on the public project in 10 years. It also requires all entities with the power of eminent domain to register with the state or risk having that power suspended.

I have long been a proponent of legislation that guarantees Texas private property owners are treated fairly and that entities with eminent domain power act responsibly. After years of setbacks, Texans will finally have won the hard-fought private property owners’ rights battle once SB 18 is signed into law.

Don’t mess with Texas, and don’t mess with Texas land. That’s what this bill says.

A Panhandle Push for Eminent Domain Reform

I am traveling today with Gov. Rick Perry to Abilene and Lubbock where we are meeting with local leaders to reiterate the critical importance of eminent domain reform. The governor and the people of Texas are standing strong when it comes to a right as fundamental as private property ownership.

The Senate has passed SB 18, authored by Sen. Craig Estes and Sen. Robert Duncan, which provides private property owners more leverage when it comes to protecting their land from government takings. The bill would help ensure landowners are more fully compensated for the damages they may realize due to a taking, and includes buy-back provisions to ensure a property owner has the right to repurchase their land, if the project is cancelled.

It should go without saying these are critical steps in the right direction, but the journey is not yet over. Many members of the House, including the bill’s sponsors, Chairman Charlie Geren and Chairman Rene Oliveira, are working hard to make sure the House approves SB 18. It is still important to share your interest in eminent domain reform with your state elected officials.

To hear more of my discussion about eminent domain, watch the video below:

Property Rights at Stake Along Neches River

Guest blogger: Drew DeBerry, Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture

You've most likely heard the cliché, "don’t believe everything you hear." Well, in the case of the Neches River, this overused notion holds true.

In a recent move to energize an old effort to designate the Neches River a National Wild and Scenic River, misinformation is being distributed to the public. The false selling point in this effort implies that a wild and scenic river designation would protect landowners from condemnation for the construction of reservoirs. Supporters of the designation also claim that the Texas Forestry Association and the Texas Farm Bureau are, or would be, involved in overseeing the designation and plans designed to maintain the Neches in its natural state.

The truth is the Texas Forestry Association and the Texas Farm Bureau are both opposed to designating the Neches River a National Wild and Scenic River. Both organizations recently published articles that highlight the true repercussions of such a classification, which essentially amounts to a federal threat to private property owners' rights. With this designation, the arms of federal agencies and other groups are extended to control lands that border upon, are adjacent to or are otherwise included in the river. As such, these entities would be free to prevent development on private land by deeming such actions as harmful to the river.

With private property ownership rights at stake, I encourage you to read more about the true implications of the National Wild and Scenic River designation by visiting the Texas Forestry Association and the Texas Farm Bureau.