Perkins Comments on Proposed Legislative Changes in Texas

Partner Val Perkins was quoted in a Law360 article, “4 Highlights From This Legislative Session In Texas,” about some of the biggest accomplishments and failures of the state’s recently concluded legislative session.

Perkins cited a proposed narrowing of the Texas Citizens Participation Act as one accomplishment. The proposed changes would disallow using the act in trade secrets disputes, in cases where employers are trying to enforce nondisparagement or noncompete agreements, and in common law fraud cases. They would also give judges discretion on whether to award sanctions to prevailing parties, rather than sanctions being mandatory.

“There were three or four times where it looked like it was dead,” Perkins said of the legislation. “But all parties, particularly the proponents of keeping the status quo, made some concessions to get the bill to the finish line.”

Perkins also cited a proposed cap on property taxes, about which he says he’s heard some concerns from municipal leaders. “It will be interesting to see the impact of this over the next two years, and hear the complaints made at the local level,” he said.