The benefits to TCC member companies from the Council’s legislative advocacy initiatives significantly enhance the Texas chemical industry’s ability to compete in a global marketplace.

• In 1987, TCC saved the Texas chemical industry over $100 million annually by helping to eliminate an early legislative proposal to apply sales tax to energy fuels.
• In 1989, TCC saved its members $140 million annually by helping pass a sales tax exemption for purchases of machinery and equipment to be phased in from 1990 to 1994.
• In 1991, TCC helped dramatically reduce the ability of lawyers to force themselves into the compensation process for an injured worker, which has resulted in a significant reduction in workers’ compensation costs.
• In 1993, TCC led a coalition that proposed a constitutional amendment to eliminate property taxes on all new assets used for pollution control. This law provides a property tax exemption on 20 to 30 percent of all new investments since 1994, resulting in $30 million in savings to TCC members each year.
• In 1997, TCC was successful in removing all of the onerous provisions from a "property tax relief" proposal that would have increased chemical industry taxes by over 50 percent (more than $500 million annually). Also in 1997, TCC helped pass two major environmental initiatives. One requires a cost/benefit analysis on any new state environmental regulation which would exceed federal requirements, and another regulatory innovation exempts a permit from specific state requirements if the applicant proposes an alternative method that is at least as protective of the environment as the prescriptive law.
• In 1999, TCC successfully fought for the restructuring of the electrical marketplace, which will save the industry tens of millions each year. The sales tax exemption for new machinery and equipment was clarified to include most process piping which, with other tax changes, saves the chemical industry $85 million annually. Also during this session, the environmental hearing process was modified to increase public participation and reduce contested case hearings, and a bill was passed creating a voluntary program for obtaining air permits for grandfathered facilities.
• In 2001, TCC efforts were instrumental in achieving reauthorization of the state’s environmental regulatory agency with a reasonable set of laws which both protect the environment and allow companies to conduct their operations is a cost effective manner. Scores of onerous proposals were either defeated or successfully modified in the TNRCC (Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission) Sunset Review process. In addition, TCC helped pass the Texas Economic Development Act which provides significant property tax incentives for large new capital projects, affording savings as high as $50 million over the first ten years of a $500 million project.