Cities are the level of government that is closest to the people it serves, and therefore decision-making authority should be placed at the municipal level whenever reasonable.

• OPPOSE legislation that would erode local authority over land uses
• SUPPORT proposed “right to farm” legislation if it would preserve the ability of a City to enforce reasonable public health and public nuisance ordinances, especially for locations that are adjacent to residential uses or community gathering spaces
• OPPOSE legislation that would restrict or hinder a city’s ability to annex property located within its ETJ
• OPPOSE legislation that would erode or invalidate a city’s ability to establish and enforce reasonable business regulations
• SUPPORT the continuation of existing eminent domain authority and related tools used for planning and development of projects serving a valid public purpose
• OPPOSE legislation that would change the current two dates per year on which local elections can be held, unless it is to give cities additional flexibility
• OPPOSE any legislation that would infuse municipal elections with political party affiliation
• SUPPORT measures to strengthen or restore municipal authority to manage and maintain public rights-of-way, including the right to seek adequate compensation for their use
• SUPPORT maintaining the ability of municipal government to participate in utility rate cases on behalf of their residents
• SUPPORT strengthening the ability of cities to regulate the placement of pipelines and drilling sites within their municipal boundaries
• OPPOSE legislation that would expand or mandate meet-and-confer or collective bargaining for any class of municipal employee, or that would expand civil service law for municipal employees
• OPPOSE legislation that would further erode local control related to retirement issues for municipal employees
• SUPPORT revising or eliminating outdated print advertising mandates for cities
• SUPPORT legislation protecting the ability of local government officials to use public funds to communicate with legislators and state agencies on matters of public interest, as well as pay membership dues to organizations that hire lobbyists
• SUPPORT legislation that would amend state requirements to create a more efficient and reasonable schedule for developing the city budget, including provisions that would hold appraisal districts accountable for reporting deadlines
• SUPPORT legislation that would limit or reduce the number of reports cities are required to file with the state, especially when the information being reported already is available through other means
• SUPPORT legislation that would amend provisions of HB-3167, enacted during the 2019 legislature, to provide that the governing body may delegate to one or more officers or employees the authority to approve, deny, or conditionally approve plans; and to give the applicant discretion to waive the deadline for a response, including allowing an extension on a plat application
• SUPPORT legislation that would give the governing body of a Home Rule City in Texas the authority to call a local option election without first receiving a request petition from the public

Police, fire, and emergency medical care are among the most important services a city provides its residents. Those services often represent the majority of a municipality’s budget.

• OPPOSE legislation that would compromise police officer safety
• OPPOSE efforts to legalize recreational use of marijuana in Texas
• SUPPORT clarifying the authority of municipalities to enact residency restrictions on registered sex offenders
• SUPPORT measures that would prioritize the production of public safety vehicles in the manufacturing supply chain
• OPPOSE legislation that would create an expectation for local law enforcement agencies to enforce federal immigration law
• OPPOSE any legislation that would subject local police to criminal charges for enforcing federal firearms laws, or subject any city that allows such enforcement to a lawsuit by the state’s attorney general or to punitive reductions in state funding
• SUPPORT new direct or grant funding from the state for crisis intervention, de-escalation, implicit bias, and other best practices training for certified peace officers
• SUPPORT providing full funding for the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas and unification of all Texas Police Chiefs Leadership Series training programs
• SUPPORT state funding to improve police officer wellness, with an emphasis on suicide prevention
• SUPPORT providing adequate funding of state law enforcement agencies on public lakes
• SUPPORT legislation that would dedicate increased and stable funding to cities and school districts for measures related to campus and student safety and security
• SUPPORT measures that would enhance the state’s mental health system including increased funding to mental health providers who provide community-based services, and increased capacity for in-patient mental health treatment
• SUPPORT new direct or grant funding from the state for multi-disciplinary crisis response teams
• SUPPORT discontinuing the redirection of dedicated telephone taxes to purposes other than 911 services SUPPORT seeking assistance from the state in the form of opt-in programs to help local governments protect electronic databases from criminal breach, including state funding mechanisms to assist with cybersecurity priorities
• SUPPORT legislation that would strengthen the hiring and separation process for certified peace officers by requiring comprehensive background checks and requiring a hiring agency speak directly to the head (or designee) of any previous agency for a certified prospective peace officer applicant
• SUPPORT legislation that would create a database for rejected peace officer applicants and decertified officers, and make that database available to law enforcement agencies
• SUPPORT revising and enhancing the F-5 separation document
• SUPPORT legislation that would make sustained Brady violations or sustained excessive force complaints valid grounds for decertification following due process
• SUPPORT legislation that would revise Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 143, to remove barriers to holding unfit officers accountable while maintaining their due process rights
• SUPPORT legislation that would standardize “Use of Force” policies in Texas using the Texas Best Practices Recognition program as a model
• SUPPORT legislation that would adopt comprehensive background checks for firearm purchases made online or at gun shows
• SUPPORT legislation that would prevent an NCIS-prohibited person from obtaining, possessing, or accessing a firearm in Texas OPPOSE legislation that would permit first responders other than certified peace officers to carry a firearm while on the job
• SUPPORT making it an offense for a person to post on a publicly accessible website the residence address or telephone number of an individual the actor knows is a public servant or a member of a public servant’s family or household
• SUPPORT legislation that would create criminal penalties for violation of bond conditions and that would create a statewide database to centralize inquiries for bond conditions on released individuals awaiting trial OPPOSE state and federal regulations that would increase the maximum size of long-haul trucks on public highways

Future viability requires the ability to provide for the long-term water supply needs of residents and businesses in Lewisville, North Texas, and statewide. This must include both maintaining current water supplies and developing new water sources.

Lewisville will:

• OPPOSE any legislation that would undermine city original jurisdiction, and oppose any efforts to make local water rates subject to approval by any state agency
• SUPPORT researching and assessing some level of water re-use, especially for upstream cities in North Texas such as Lewisville
• SUPPORT establishing and enforcing water conservation standards at the local level, not at the state or federal level unless adequate ongoing funding is provided
• OPPOSE additional state “tap fees” or other state fees on municipal water systems
• SUPPORT fully funding the State Water Plan, and creating future state funding sources
• OPPOSE any legislation that might restrict Lewisville’s ability to continue providing a safe and reliable local water supply
• SUPPORT working with the state, regional partners, and other cities to identify and secure options for new water sources