The Visit San Antonio Government Relations team continues working with the U.S. Travel Association to secure support and encourage members of Congress to cosponsor the bipartisan Hospitality and Commerce Job Recovery Act (S. 477/H.R. 1346).  As previously reported, The Hospitality and Commerce Job Recovery Act is an important bill that includes key provisions that would provide temporary tax incentives to help restore business travel. 

The bill would help generate $227 billion in economic activity that would not otherwise occur, aid in restoring the 2.8 million hospitality jobs that remain lost to the pandemic and contribute to the overall acceleration of travel’s recovery. 

Please take a few minutes to let your member of Congress know of your support for the Hospitality and Commerce Job Recovery Act.  You can do this simply and quickly by clicking here. 

Also, in June the U.S. Travel Association launched the “Let’s Go There” campaign to support the return of professional meetings and events, a coalition of travel industry businesses and organizations to advance the full and safe reopening of the business travel sector.  Information about this initiative and travel data can be found at Let’s Meet There and Let’s Meet There – Fact Sheet. 

Visit San Antonio will continue to monitor these activities and provide additional updates. 

State 

As the completion of the 2nd Called Special Session came to a close in mid-September, Governor Greg Abbott quickly called a 3rd Called Special Session that began Sept. 20, with five issues for the Legislature’s consideration.  This Special Session will focus on the redistricting of the Texas House and Senate, State Board of Education and the United States House of Representatives districts.  Based on population growth, Texas is expected to gain two additional Congressional districts.  In addition to redistricting, Governor Abbott placed the following issues on lawmakers’ to-do list: 

  • Allocating the $16 billion in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). 
  • Disallowing a student from competing in University Interscholastic League (UIL) athletic competitions designated for the sex opposite to the student’s sex at birth. 
  • Determining whether state or local governments can mandate COVID-19 vaccines. 
  • Banning the tethering of dogs outside with heavy chains. 

Visit San Antonio will continue to monitor these activities and provide additional updates. 

Local 

On Sept. 16, City Council passed a historic Fiscal Year 2022 budget of $3.1 billion, $141 million more than the current fiscal year’s budget.  The new budget, which goes into effect Oct. 1, contains funding for Visit San Antonio and renews its five-year management agreement with the city. 

The Government Relations Team will continue to monitor the activities of the City of San Antonio and provide additional updates, as appropriate.