Chairman, Representative Burt Solomons (R-Carrollton) has little to gain, has little to prove, but clearly is taking the road less traveled regarding HOA reform.  Last session he managed to pass HB 1976, but the Senate failed to come through because of reported last minute lobbying from Hillco hired by Perry Homes.  (See history of the bill from last session here.)  This session Chairman Solomons decided to wait to see what happened in the Senate for the most part.  Chairman, Senator Royce West (D-Dallas) was able to strike agreements with Perry Homes and HOA management company industry representatives with SB 142 which made a variety of improvements in the area and sent the bill forward to the House.

In the House, Chairman Solomons decided to remove some of the loopholes in the bill without getting permission from Perry Homes and his friends.  Some insiders were unclear whether SB 142 would even come out of the House Calendars Committee, but it did — and was put on the major state calendar for today receiving much needed precedence on the last day to pass Senate bills of the session.

Perry Homes and others like Texas Community Association Advocates have prepared for an all out war on the bill.  With its lobbyists from Hillco like Neal Jones aka “Buddy” Jones probably leading the way, the opposition has enlisted Rep. Phil King to push an amendment that would remove many improvements in the bill.  (Hosts of others have also been hired like Santos Alliance and appropriately named Trey Blocker to kill or water down the bill.)  It would appear millions are at stake given the amount of money being spent on lobbyists to defeat these reforms.  More on Hillco here and here and don’t forget Hillco PAC here.  If you want to see what money will buy, watch the Texas House of Representatives when it reaches SB 142.  Money does not always buy you access, as some wish to think (or hope).  Money will buy votes.  We will see how many it can buy when this bill is laid out.