Senator Paul Bettencourt, appointed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick as Chairman to the Senate Committee on Local Government, is widely known across Texas for his 25 years of leadership in fiscal responsibility and property tax reform. He began his career in public service from 1998–2008 as the Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector, where for ten years, he applied his “Smart Government” philosophy to deliver measurable, customer service-driven results for taxpayers. Under his leadership, the Tax Office launched Texas’s first major online property tax payment system and became the first county office to offer online vehicle registration. His motto, “Get on-line, not in-line,” set a new standard for service in Texas local governments.

Elected to the Texas Senate in 2014, Senator Bettencourt represents District 7, encompassing parts of Montgomery County, Western Harris County, West Houston, and the Villages. Since taking office, he has been recognized as one of the most effective and results-oriented legislators in the Texas Capitol. Early in his Senate career, he was named “Most Valuable Freshman” and “Senate MVP” by Capitol Inside, “Bull of the Brazos” by Texas Monthly, and “Taxpayer Advocate of the Year” by Americans for Prosperity (AFP).

In 2019, Senator Bettencourt authored and passed Senate Bill 2, the Texas Property Tax Reform and Transparency Act, the first major property tax reform in 38 years for cities and counties and the result of more than two decades of consistent advocacy for Texas taxpayers. In the same year, he co-sponsored HB 3, which reformed the state’s property tax system and brought tax relief to Texas taxpayers on their ISD property tax bills.

Building on that success, Senator Bettencourt led efforts that delivered the largest property tax cut in American history—a record $22.7 billion in 2023. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) named him its 2023 Legislator of the Year for his leadership on this nationally historic accomplishment. He followed that success with another $10 billion in property tax relief in 2025 through Senate Bills 4 and 23 and House Bill 9. The legislation proposes to raise the school homestead exemptions to $140,000 for all Texas homeowners, up to $200,000 for seniors/disabled Texans, and expand business personal property exemptions statewide.