AUSTIN – Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) Vice President of Research and Director of the Center for Economic Freedom Bill Peacock and Center for Economic Freedom Policy Analyst Kathleen Hunker will testify before the Texas Senate State Committee TODAY, Monday, March 9, at 9:00 a.m. CDT in the Senate Chamber of the Texas State Capitol. Mr. Peacock and Ms. Hunker will testify on Senate Bill 474, which contains reforms discussed in the TPPF paper The Landowners Strike Back: How the Reimbursement of Attorney Fees Reinforces Eminent Domain Reform.
Additionally, TPPF today released an analysis of Senate Bill 474, which would break down the biggest cost barrier that denies Texans equal access to the courts and deters challenges of undervaluation of condemned property. To read the full analysis, visit: http://txpo.li/SB474-analysis
“Texas landowners enter the compensation process at a disadvantage,” said Hunker. “They have no control over the litigation process and are compelled to fork over substantial sums of money to challenge the compensation they are awarded. The Legislature can help level the playing field by awarding attorney’s fees to those who successfully challenge lowball offers from condemnors.”
“Private property rights are the most fundamental rights we have has Americans,” said Peacock. “SB 474 is an important next step to protecting those rights by ensuring that property owners receive adequate—and constitutionally guaranteed—compensation for any taken property.”
WHO: Bill Peacock, Vice President of Research & Dir. of the Center for Economic Freedom, TPPF
Kathleen Hunker, Policy Analyst, Center for Economic Freedom, TPPF
WHAT: Testimony before the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee
WHEN: TODAY, Monday, March 9, 2015
9:00 a.m. CDT
WHERE: Texas State Capitol
Senate Chamber
More information about the hearing can be found at: http://txpo.li/1x1zSmz
To schedule an interview with Mr. Peacock or Ms. Hunker, please contact Caroline Espinosa at [email protected] or 512-472-2700.
Bill Peacock is vice president of research and director of the Center for Economic Freedom at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
Kathleen Hunker is a policy analyst with the Center for Economic Freedom at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
The Texas Public Policy Foundation is a non-profit, free-market research institute based in Austin, Texas.