EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — The El Paso City Council has approved the City’s State Legislative Agenda for the 90th Texas Legislative Session, establishing the priorities that will guide the City’s advocacy at the State Capitol in the coming year.

“Strong partnerships with our state leaders are essential to delivering results for El Paso,” Mayor Renard U. Johnson said. “This agenda focuses on protecting local decision-making, securing critical investments, and advancing priorities that strengthen public safety, infrastructure, and opportunity for our residents.”

The agenda directs the Strategic and Legislative Affairs Department to work with the mayor, City Council, state delegation, City departments, and regional partners “to protect the City’s financial resources, oppose unfunded mandates and broad pre-emption, and maximize state funding opportunities,” the City said in a news release.

Priority areas include, as described by the City:

Critical infrastructure: equitable transportation funding; airport investments; international port-of-entry tools; water, wastewater, stormwater, drought and flood mitigation; broadband and cybersecurity; and protecting the City’s role in utility rate cases and right-of-way authority.

Public safety and community health: funding for police and fire staffing, equipment, and facilities; expanded mental and behavioral health services and crisis response; emergency communications interoperability; and support for border community emergency and humanitarian response.

Core municipal services and quality of life: strengthened state support for public health programs, animal services, parks, libraries, youth programming, and veterans’ services.

Housing and economic development: tools and resources for affordable housing, homelessness response, and anti-displacement efforts; and stronger state programs to grow advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defense, technology, and small business.

The agenda includes legislative and budget priorities, including proposed Project Financing Zone updates and targeted state budget rider requests: $25 million for the I-10 Deck Plaza, $10 million for the Ysleta–Zaragoza Port of Entry, and $10 million for the Advanced Manufacturing District, the City said.

The 90th Texas Legislative Session is scheduled to begin Jan. 12, 2027, and conclude May 31, 2027. For more information about the City’s State Legislative Agenda, visit: www.ElPasoTexas.gov/Strategic-and-Legislative-Affairs/

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