Texas Farm Bureau statement on eminent domain bill

The following statement may be attributed to Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening on SB 421:

“Sen. Lois Kolkhorst offered a compromise conference committee report on SB 421, her eminent domain reform bill, with the issues that were agreed to over months of negotiations in both the House and Senate. Texas Farm Bureau is extremely disappointed that the industry groups that agreed to these issues did not support it by asking the House conferees to sign the conference committee report.

“Texas Farm Bureau negotiated in good faith and asked Sen. Kolkhorst to retain these agreed to issues in the language of the conference committee report.

“The House of Representatives signaled their support for the compromise. They instructed the conferees to include it by approving Rep. Mary Gonzalez’s motion to instruct the House conferees to restore the compromise language. Sen. Kolkhorst offered a fair compromise that would give landowners meaningful eminent domain reform and respects the need to build critical infrastructure.

“The industry groups chose to abandon their agreement. They refused to accept a conference committee report that included language on bona fide offers, easement terms and property owner meetings they requested in negotiations. 

“Clearly, the industry groups refused to honor the commitments they made to Sen. Kolkhorst and Rep. DeWayne Burns in the negotiations. With the rejection of this compromise, they have shown they aren’t interested in addressing the abuse of eminent domain in Texas.”