Texas park operators stand to benefit from newly approved bills aimed at reducing operating costs and mitigating legal risks. The changes were detailed at the Texas Association of Campground Owners (TACO) annual Spring Meeting and Tradeshow and announced by the association in a press release.
One of the standout pieces of legislation from this session is House Bill 1612, championed by Rep. J.M. Lozano, R-Kingsville, and its companion bill, Senate Bill 594 by Senator Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo. These bills are set to amend how water rates are calculated. Previously, water rates at RV parks were determined per site, as if each site were a residential home, leading to disproportionately high charges.
“The impact of this legislation on a park’s water bills will vary, depending on the formula their local water agency has been using. But the savings could range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars per month,” Brian Schaeffer, TACO’s executive director, and CEO, said.
The government affairs presentation included Ron Hinkle, TACO’s lobbyist, Randall Dally, the association’s president and legislative advocate, and Michael Moore, TACO’s assistant executive director.
Further legislative success came with the approval of HB 2636, sponsored by Andrew Murr, R-Kerrville. This bill will protect campground and RV park operators against liability for certain types of injuries that occur on their premises due to guest negligence. This measure is a significant step to reducing the risk of costly lawsuits.
However, not all legislative efforts were good news.
TACO’s initiatives to moderate commercial property tax increases faced a setback. The proposed legislation aimed to cap annual property tax increases at 5% and shift the basis of property value assessment from an ‘income method’ to a ‘cost to replace’ method.
Despite the efforts, it did not receive enough legislative support to be brought to a final vote. Park operators could continue to face escalating property tax rates, which have increased by as much as 500% in some cases in recent years.
Another area where progress stalled was establishing a statewide building code for RV parks based on NFPA 1194 standards.
Schaeffer noted that many jurisdictions in Texas are resistant to RV parks and have implemented codes that could significantly increase the cost of developing or expanding parks.
Despite these setbacks, TACO’s leadership remains optimistic about future legislative sessions.
Looking ahead, TACO has already scheduled its next Spring Meeting and Tradeshow for April 29 to April 30 at the Lone Star Convention & Expo Center in Conroe, Texas.
To learn more about TACO, visit texascampgrounds.com.