TAB Supports HB 105: Strengthening the JETI Act
HB 105 Ensures Texas stays competitive for major investments and jobs.
POLICYFEATURED
Austin, TX - House Bill 105 aims to modernize the Texas Jobs, Energy, Technology, and Innovation (JETI) Act, addressing its slow start with only 14 applications and 2 agreements since its inception. There have been zero applications since December 2024 – over 4 months ago. TAB President & CEO Glenn Hamer testified in support in the House Committee on Ways and Means on April 28, 2025, joined by a coalition of nearly 70 local chambers of commerce and local economic development organizations from every region of the state, along with large employers and statewide industry associations.
Bill Author: Rep. Guillen (R-HD 31) a champion for economic growth, authored HB 105, with joint authors Reps. Hunter (R-HD 32), Lujan (R-HD 118), and Gervin-Hawkins (D-HD 120), and coauthor Rep. Morales Shaw (D-HD 148), showing bipartisan leadership.
Legislative Context: JETI, passed in 2023, aimed to attract capital-intensive projects, but competing states like Louisiana and North Carolina have surged ahead with multi-billion dollar announcements in new projects, outpacing Texas.
Key provisions: (1) Aligns wage requirements with county-level manufacturing wages. (2) Exempts dispatchable generation from the “compelling factor” test.
Why it matters: HB 105 ensures Texas remains competitive in reindustrialization, securing jobs and energy reliability. Hamer noted, “We want that activity to occur in Texas.”