The Republican Party of Texas wants to make regulating artificial intelligence (AI) and large-scale data centers one of its top legislative priorities for next year. Delegates to the party's biennial statewide convention, which began Thursday in Houston, are seeking a stronger measure of local control.
The party's Legislative Priorities Committee has named regulating AI as the 15th of its top 15 priorities for the 2027 Legislature. That followed stated priorities such as reforming the Legislature, improving border security and infrastructure, and opposing the perceived spread of Islamic religious law in Texas.
"Out of the 160-plus people we've had come testify to us so far, I would say at least a quarter of them were concerned, or their main points were about AI data centers," said Patrick Von Dohlen, a member of the committee who is the party's candidate for Bexar County judge. "And so, we have to take that into consideration and did."
The committee expects to present a version of the following language, now in draft form, to the delegates of the full convention:
"Regulate AI – To responsibly regulate AI and large-scale data centers, protect local communities and taxpayers, and safeguard constitutional rights and against surveillance overreach, we propose these core reforms:
"1. Independent Infrastructure for Data Centers: Require major data centers...to secure their own independent power generation and non-potable water sources, ensuring no financial burden is placed on residential customers or local utilities in the host community.
"2. Local Control Over Development: Grant cities and counties final authority over zoning, land development, and comprehensive planning decisions, including the approval and location of hyper-scale data centers.
"3. Impact Fees and Accountability: Mandate that data center construction companies pay full impact fees to compensate communities for use of existing infrastructure, along with any damage or pollution to water, air, and from sound/noise.
"4. No Corporate Welfare: Prohibit all forms of tax-payer funded incentives, property tax abatements, corporate welfare, or economic development packages for data centers.”
Much of the draft language overlaps a proposal Gov. Greg Abbott unveiled on Wednesday, shortly before the convention got underway. What Abbott's proposal leaves out is the local control.
RELATED: Brazoria County passes resolution outlining requirements for future data centers
Von Dohlen said local control is a particularly strong concern for rural residents, many of whom say they're being ignored as data centers proliferate across Texas.
"County commissioners, they're begging, screaming for more authority," Von Dohlen said. "Texas Commission on Environmental Quality ... they're basically rubberstamping these projects, and they're not ... being responsive to the locals."
Rolando Garcia, a West Harris County delegate who is also on the Legislative Priorities Committee, said he understands why some delegates are insisting on local governments having the last word.
"I don't want to be in a situation where counties can simply outright [declare] a moratorium and no data centers, but clearly they need some leeway in where they're built, how they're built, and under what circumstances they can use the local water and electrical resources," Garcia said. "These data centers use ... massive amounts of water and electricity, and we are already having problems with our electrical grid and our water infrastructure."
Earlier this year, state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, who chairs the Senate Local Government Committee, wrote Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to assert counties do not have the legal authority to ban data center construction.
Bettencourt told Houston Public Media that he's open to Texas’ 254 counties having more input, but he stressed that it is critical to the state's and the country's economic development and security to continue to build such data centers.
"Right now, we're measuring whether we're ahead in the AI data center race with China by days," Bettencourt said. "I'll listen to anything, as long as we don't end up with 254 completely patchwork-quilt-different views of how to do residential, commercial, and industrial development, because that's not something that helps Texas. ... That's something I know I would oppose."
Von Dohlen said he respects Bettencourt and his experience.
"At the same time, he hasn't heard the testimony we have," Von Dohlen said. "Mr. Bettencourt would be wise to certainly listen to it. He obviously knows the law, has been in the Senate, and understands the importance of local control, because that is a value of the Republican Party."
Some Texas Republicans, however, have exerted control over local governments’ authority to enact their own laws in recent years. A state law that passed in 2023, known as the “Death Star” bill, prohibits cities and counties from adopting ordinances that go beyond state law in many cases. At a Texas House committee meeting last week, some Republican lawmakers suggested making the law even more stringent, according to The Texas Tribune.
Von Dohlen said he recognizes there’s a need to rein in local governments that may be operating outside the bounds of the Texas Constitution. The 2023 law was aimed at politically progressive policies enacted by local governments controlled by Democrats.
Copyright 2026 Houston Public Media News 88.7
