Counties Unite at Legislative Conference

Caroline Love, Director of Legislative Services for the Texas Association of Counties (left), moderates a "fireside chat" with Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis and TAC President and Yoakum County Commissioner Tim Addison during the opening session of TAC's 2024 Legislative Conference on Aug. 28. (Credit: Ricardo Brazziell)

Some 850 county officials and staff from across the Lone Star State gathered in Austin and online Aug. 28-30 for the Texas Association of Counties' 2024 Legislative Conference. Attendees discussed key issues facing the state's 254 counties in advance of next year's 89th Legislature.

The conference theme, "Stronger Together," resonated throughout the three-day event. This message - that despite Texas' diverse geography, economies and demographics, the issues affecting counties are often shared and best addressed collaboratively - was echoed during the conference's opening general session in a "fireside chat" featuring TAC President and Yoakum County Commissioner Tim Addison and Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis.

Moderated by TAC Legislative Director Caroline Love, the conversation focused on the distinct, yet interconnected challenges faced by rural and urban counties. Ellis offered advice on building bridges: "Don't just talk to people you agree with. Look for opportunities to partner on topics, however small." Addison echoed this sentiment, adding, "You have to understand your differences, but they don't have to separate you."

Retired Adm. Peter Cressy delivered a keynote address on the virtues of strategic leadership in times of crisis, drawing on the careers of George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. They were leaders who succeeded by fostering trust, collaboration and patience, Cressy said. The lesson was clear: a little cooperation could go a long way.

Hemphill County Judge Lisa Johnson (left) and state Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian) listen as W. Nim Kidd, Chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management, speaks during a panel discussion at TAC's 2024 Legislative Conference on Aug. 29. (Credit: Ricardo Brazziell)

Day 2 of the conference was dedicated to insightful panel discussions featuring county officials, state lawmakers, policymakers and representatives from the National Association of Counties (NACo). Topics ranged from judicial security and behavioral health to grant funding for Texas counties and the state's rural law enforcement grant program.

In a session on emergency management, state Rep. Ken King (R-Canadian) offered a grim prognosis: Texas could soon become uninsurable due to the increasing frequency of billion-dollar disasters like wildfires. He emphasized the urgent need for more aggressive mitigation strategies. "We better get on it, or the state is going to have another disaster that there is no fix for," King said.

Artificial intelligence was top of mind at this year's conference. Travis County Judge Andy Brown, state Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake), NACo Executive Director Matt Chase and TAC's IT and Data Services Manager Peter Crary discussed AI's potential role in improving record-keeping, cybersecurity and other county government tasks, though they cautioned against uncritical adoption. "You still have to have a human on the back end," Brown said.

Travis County Judge Andy Brown discusses the potential benefits and challenges of artificial intelligence for Texas counties at TAC's 2024 Legislative Conference on Aug. 29. State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake) and NACo Executive Director Matt Chase join the conversation, moderated by TAC's Peter Crary. (Credit: Ricardo Brazziell)

Brown recently co-chaired NACo's Artificial Intelligence Exploratory Committee. Crary was a member. NACo published the committee's report in July. Download it here.

The conference concluded on Aug. 30 with a discussion of Senate Bill 4, which would put more responsibility on counties to enforce immigration laws if the courts deem it constitutional. The law underscores the complex and often divisive responsibilities Texas counties must navigate.

As the conference drew to a close, TAC President-Elect and Denton County Treasurer Cindy Yeatts Brown invoked words often attributed to Churchill, a nod to Cressy's keynote: "Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts."

"I can't think of a better quote that represents the legislative process," Brown said, encapsulating the conference's message. "We have successes. We have failures. But each session we come back, and we are there to improve county government. And because of that, and our strength, we are stronger together."

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