Harrison files bills to repeal 'corporate welfare' legislation

State Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, announced this week that he has filed additional bills for consideration during the 30-day special session that began Monday.

“Today, I filed bills to REPEAL four of the most liberal, budget busting bills that recently passed,” Harrison posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). “These, plus repealing Hollywood subsidies, could let us cut property taxes over $10 BILLION!”

Harrison’s statements on X described the targeted bills as “corporate welfare,” and, if repealed, the proposed legislation would redirect the monies toward property tax relief.

The road to repeal is unclear, however, as all four measures passed by large, bipartisan votes during their respective regular sessions.

Bill summaries:

House Bill 178 would repeal the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation Act, which passed as HB 5 during the previous, 88^th Legislature’s regular session. Harrison says the legislation has allowed “rich multinational companies (to) pay less in property taxes than small, Texas businesses.”

The 88^th Legislature votes:

• HB 5 passed 100-36 in the House (Harrison voted no) and 26-5 in the Senate (Sen. Bob Hall, R-Rockwall, who represents the eastern side of Ellis County, voted no)

Harrison’s HB 178 has not been assigned to a committee for the special session.

HB 179 and House Joint Resolution 25 would repeal the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, which passed as Senate Bill 5 during the 89^th Legislature’s regular session and as Senate Joint Resolution 3, which is part of the constitutional amendment election in November. Harrison described SB 5 as a “waste” of $3 billion to “study healthcare.”

The 89^th Legislature votes:

• SB 5 passed 121-23 in the House (Harrison voted no) and 29-1 in the Senate (Hall voted no)

• SJR 3 passed 123-21 in the House (Harrison voted no) and 30-0 in the Senate

Harrison’s HB 179 and HJR 25 have not been assigned to a committee for the special session.

HB 180 would repeal the Nuclear Energy Office, which passed as HB 14 during the 89^th Legislature’s regular session. Harrison described HB 14 as “more corporate welfare.”

The 89^th Legislature votes were:

• HB 14 passed 118-6 in the House (Harrison voted no) and 26-5 in the Senate (Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, who represents the western half of Ellis County, voted no).

Harrison’s HB 180 has not been assigned to a committee for the special session.

HB 181 would repeal the Texas Quantum Initiative, which passed as HB 4751 during the 89^th Legislature’s regular session. On X, Harrison wrote, “This is not the role of government. Stop stealing money from hard working Texans to give to well connected companies!”

The 89^th Legislature votes were:

• HB 4751 passed 105-33 in the House (Harrison voted no) and 25-6 in the Senate

Harrison’s HB 181 has not been assigned to a committee for the special session.

Special sessions are limited to 30 days each. As of Friday, July 25, there have been 244 bills filed in the House and 58 bills filed in the Senate. Of the House bills, Harrison has filed 20. On the Senate side, Birdwell has filed five; Hall has filed one.

Compiled by Jo Ann Livingston/In The Know Ellis.