Bonham – November’s constitutional amendment election on House Joint Resolution 14 will be an important vote for Texans interested in protecting their private property rights.

“It will be important that we all let our voice be heard on this issue,” said Fannin County Farm Bureau President Jerry Magness. “Our organization has fought for years to bring about reforms to the state’s flawed eminent domain laws. HJR 14 will be a good first step to achieving that goal.”

HJR 14 ratifies a law the Legislature passed in the 2005 special session which limits the taking of private property by the use of eminent domain. While an important protection for Texas property owners, Magness said more will need to be accomplished before eminent domain is truly reformed in the Lone Star State.

“We had an important piece of legislation in Senate Bill 18 that was approved unanimously by the Senate and the members of the House Land & Resource Management Committee,” Magness said. "Unfortunately, SB 18 along with several other pieces of good legislation, died in the final days of the Legislature’s general session in an unrelated political fight over voter identification.”

SB 18 offered several protections for private property owners, including
compensation to landowners for lost access to their property, offers that represent fair market value and the right to repurchase land not used for the condemning purpose.

Framing a similar piece of legislation at the next earliest opportunity will be key to any true reform, Magness said.

“Until we have that opportunity again, we need to let our lawmakers know unquestionably that this issue is important to all of us in the Lone Star State when we have the chance to head to the polls in November,” he said.