Texas Association of Campground Owners Legislative Report

February 2023

By: Ron Hinkle, TACO Legislative Consultant

The 2023 Texas Legislature has convened and is in full swing. The Texas House and Senate began its 140-day legislative session on January 10 and all the players are in place.

This will be an important legislative session, especially due to the $33 billion surplus in the state coffers. In recent testimony before the Senate Finance Committee, the Texas Comptroller stated that this surplus is unprecedented. Texas has never had such an abundance of tax revenue; nor, in fact, has any other state. A surplus of this magnitude draws a large number of requests for funding or tax breaks from many agencies and entities. Of greater concern are the spending plans of state leaders and the legislature. There have already been statements by Governor Abbott and Lt. Governor Patrick in favor of setting aside at least $15 billion for property tax reduction, and a proposal to raise the homestead exemption to $70,000.

HERE ARE THE BILLS TACO IS WORKING ON:

• HB 1286 - The bill provides improved building guidelines for construction and expansion of RV parks, by applying NFPA 1194 standards, to enhance and coordinate with local building codes.

NFPA 1194 is the standard developed by the National Fire Protection Association. These higher building standards provide guidance for building of world-class RV Parks, which enhance local communities and provide greater local tax revenues.

• HB 1612 (S.B. 594) - Clarifies and adds that a water supply corporation will determine its rate for water supplies to a RV Park as it does to other commercial entities they serve. Other providers of water to a RV Park are subject to consistent rate structure; thus, ALL commercial entities (residential, commercial, industrial, apartment, rental housing, irrigation, homeowner’s association, builder, out-ofdistrict, etc.) are treated the same in the provider’s rate structure. It’s a matter of fairness and consistency.

• Campground Immunity Bill. The bill will create a new section 75B, Civil Practices and Remedies Code that exempts Recreational Vehicle Park and Campground entities from certain liability for damages or injuries resulting from risks inherent to camping by those persons experiencing time at an RV Park or campground and who attempt to assign blame for injuries that arise from the inherent risks that are beyond the RV Park and campground owner’s control.

Camping like any other outdoor activity has its inherent risks when a person encounters a variety of factors in nature (uneven terrain, natural bodies of water, etc.).

It is important to note: The bill does not exonerate or shield Recreational Vehicle Parks and Campgrounds from all liability. This bill is not about protecting RV Park and campground owners from negligence on their part; the bill is designed to shield them from injuries or damages that may occur as a result of a guest or camper encountering risks that exist in the natural world.

• HB 1895. This bill will amend the Tax Code by adding a new section for recreational vehicle parks. The bill states that in determining the market value of the real property of a recreational vehicle park, the chief appraiser shall use the cost method of appraisal.

This is a great slate of bills for TACO and we look forward in getting members directly involved in the process to help educate their legislators and have them vote FOR these bills.