Texas House
Standing Committee
House Committee on Ways and Means
Oversees state and local revenue, taxation, tax code modifications, property appraisals, and fiscal measures affecting the state treasury.
Committee Leadership
Committee Composition
Committee Size
13 Members
Republicans
7
Democrats
6
Committee Partisan Split
7R – 6D
Committee Membership
Most Recent Session Activity
Metrics reflect activity during the most recent legislative session.
Legislation Referred
504
Legislation Voted Out
164
Overall Efficiency
32.54%
Committee Meetings
27
Interim Charges
- Monitoring: Monitor the implementation and associated rulemaking of all legislation passed by the Committee and enacted by the 89th Legislature to ensure that legislative purposes are properly implemented, including the following:
- HB 103, relating to the creation and maintenance of a database of taxing unit bond, tax, and bond-related project information; and
- HB 148, relating to the qualification of candidates for, and the training and education of members of, the board of directors of an appraisal district.
- Property Tax Relief: Study and consider methods to build on the property tax relief provided by the 89th Legislature. Review the cost and benefits of compressing school district tax rates and increasing the homestead exemption; whether the property tax appraisal system is working as intended, and opportunities to improve the system to benefit homeowners and businesses; and the economic performance of state tax revenue supporting ongoing property tax relief, including the impact of exemptions.
- Local Government Spending: Examine local government spending and debt practices, including the use of certificates of obligation, to determine the overall impact on property tax rates. Evaluate other revenue sources, such as fees, utilized by local units of government to facilitate increased spending. Make recommendations to improve the long-term affordability for Texas families by limiting the growth of local government spending.
- Agency Oversight: Pursuant to the broad oversight responsibilities granted to the Committee under Section 301.014, Government Code, and the House Rules of Procedure, monitor the agencies under the Committee’s jurisdiction, including for fraud, waste, and abuse, where applicable. The jurisdiction of the Ways and Means Committee includes the following agencies:
- The Multistate Tax Commission; and
- The Comptroller of Public Accounts.
Committee Jurisdiction
The committee shall have 13 members, with jurisdiction over:
- All bills and resolutions proposing to raise state revenue.
- All bills or resolutions proposing to levy state taxes or other fees.
- All proposals to modify, amend, or change any existing state tax or revenue statute.
- All proposals to regulate the manner of collection of state revenues and taxes.
- All bills and resolutions containing provisions resulting in automatic allocation of funds from the state treasury.
- All bills and resolutions diverting funds from the state treasury or preventing funds from going in that otherwise would be placed in the state treasury.
- All bills and resolutions proposing to permit a local government to raise revenue.
- All bills and resolutions proposing to permit a local government to levy or impose property taxes, sales and use taxes, or other taxes and fees.
- All proposals to modify, amend, or change any existing local government tax or revenue statute.
- All proposals to regulate the manner of collection of local government revenues and taxes.
- All bills and resolutions relating to the appraisal of property for taxation.
- All bills and resolutions relating to the Tax Code.
- The following organizations and state agencies: the Multistate Tax Commission and the Comptroller of Public Accounts.
- The committee has one permanent standing subcommittee, a subcommittee on Property Tax Appraisals, to consider all matters relating to the appraisal of property for taxation.
Committee Contact Information
Capitol Location
Capitol Extension, E2.116
Phone Number
(512) 463-0822
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