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Our History

Before 1967 no Texas AGC building chapter had an office in Austin responsible for representing the commercial construction industry’s interests in Texas government. In the summer of 1967, the Houston AGC chapter opened a small satellite office in Austin, headed by Wayne Hall, to monitor state legislative and administrative activities.

Other Texas AGC building chapters grew interested in the benefits of the Houston AGC satellite office and by the early 1970s were expressing interest in establishing a statewide organization to coordinate state governmental activities. In December 1973 AGC-Texas Building Branch (AGC-TBB) was formed, with Wayne Hall as its Executive Director, to serve as a state government advocacy office for all Texas AGC building chapters.

Mr. Hall served until 1988 and was succeeded by Jim Sewell, who served until his retirement in 2007. Mike Chatron became President in 2008 and served until his retirement in 2017, when he was succeeded by attorney Corbin Van Arsdale, a former member of the Texas House of Representatives.

In the 40+ years of its history, AGC-Texas Building Branch has worked diligently to protect and advance the Texas commercial construction industry’s interests at the Texas legislature, with state agencies, and in Texas court cases thru amicus (“friend of the court”) briefs.

Wayne Hall

1974-1988

Jim Sewell

1989-2007

Mike Chatron

2008-2017

Important AGC Legislative/Agency Accomplishments

2024-2025

  • Workgroup to update Texas Facilities Commission’s Uniform General Conditions

2023

  • State preemption of local anti-business ordinances – HB 2127
  • Fix certificate of merit dilemma re: 3rd party claims on public design-build projects – HB 2007
  • Fix FBI issues on K-12 background checks for contractors – HB 4123
  • Ban on contractually waiving the right to repair on public projects – HB 2965
  • Limiting use of workers comp modifiers on public projects – HB 679
  • Right to refuse to perform unsigned change orders – HB 3485
  • School safety reform and funding – HB 3
  • Defeated punitive E-verify legislation – SB 1621
  • Creation of business trial court – HB 19
  • Creation of specialty appellate court – SB 1045
  • Franchise tax cuts – SB 3 (2nd Called)
  • Three-year appraisal cap (20%) for business real property – HJR 2 (2nd Called)

2021

  • Contractors not responsible for design defects – SB 219
  • Shortened statute of repose on public projects – HB 3069
  • Commercial construction deemed “essential business” in statute– SB 968
  • Retroactive business protection for COVID liability lawsuits – SB 6
  • Added K-12 reps to TFC’s Uniform General Conditions (UGCs) process – SB 338
  • Closed CGL insurance gap for contractor’s attorney’s fees – HB 2416
  • Expanded contractors’ recovery of attorney’s fees for breach of construction contracts – HB 1578
  • $5.3 billion in vertical building construction funding – multiple bills

2020-2021

  • Protected commercial construction as “essential business” with the largest counties and the Governor during COVID shutdowns, keeping projects going.

2020

  • Workgroup to update Texas Facilities Commission’s Uniform General Conditions.

2019

  • Established right to repair for public projects – HB 1999
  • Required that proceeds from K-12 construction defects lawsuits must be spent on repairs – HB 1734
  • Curbed local govts’ ability to hire contingency fee lawyers to sue contractors for defects – HB 2826

2017

  • Contractors can recover attorney’s fees for state breach of contract under $250,000 – HB 2121
  • Right to repair ADA defects – HB 1463
  • Non-Texas venue/choice of law contractual provision voidable for Texas construction projects – HB 807
  • Fixed discrepancies in K-12 background checks for contractors – HB 3270

2015

  • $3 billion of higher ed construction projects – HB 100
  • $2 billion of state commercial construction projects in addition to the higher ed work – SB 2004
  • Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) clarification of use of governmental entity’s use of architect or engineer – HB 2634
  • P3’s establishes Center for Alternative Finance & Procurement – HB 2475
  • Franchise Tax – across-the-board 25% business tax cut – HB 32
  • Construction of big data centers in Texas lured away from other states – HB 2712
  • Protecting contractors from condo defects liability, requiring notice and right to repair – HB 1455
  • Comptroller Glenn Hegar appointed Corbin Van Arsdale to represent the commercial construction industry on the Comptroller’s Business Advisory Group.
  • Workgroup to update Texas Facilities Commission’s Uniform General Conditions.

2013

  • Waived state sovereign immunity for construction contracts – HB 586
  • Cut franchise tax rates for contractors – HB 500
  • Moratorium on use of P3 delivery method for Capitol Complex – SB 211
  • Added curriculum flexibility to K-12 for vocational/tech courses – HB 5
  • Employee misclassification on public work – HB 2015
  • Curb use of purchasing cooperatives to procure construction services – HB 1050

2011-2013

  • Assembled construction coalition and reversed Comptroller Rule 3.588 that would have doubled/tripled contractors’ margins tax liability annually and applied it retroactively to 2008 – taxing supervisory labor, per diem, travel, safety, etc. Got Comptroller to freeze contractor audits on the issue, pending resolution.

2011

  • Alternative Delivery consolidation bill – HB 628
  • School background checks technical correction – HB 398/SB 1042
  • Retainage on construction projects – HB 1390
  • Public Private Partnerships – SB 1048
  • Consolidate Insurance Programs/Indemnification amendment – HB 2093
  • Use of school funds to build hotels – SB 764

2010

  • Workgroup to update Texas Facilities Commission’s Uniform General Conditions

2009

  • Recovery of attorney fees for local governmental entities & raising competitive bidding threshold to $50,000 – HB 987
  • School background check amendment clarifying responsibility for checks – HB 2730
  • Amend local preference legislation to contracts of $100,000 – HB 2082
  • Construction Trust Fund statute – HB 1513
  • Fraudulent mechanic lien legislation – HB 669
  • Increase penalties for theft of precious metals – HB 348

2007

  • Condominium construction defect legislation – HB 3147
  • Recovery of attorney’s fees if contractor prevails – HB 1268
  • Safe school bill amendment for emergencies – SB 9
  • Theft of precious metals – HB 1766

2005

  • Local government Sovereign Immunity legislation – HB 2039
  • SOAH Legislation amended to permit payment of claims of $250,000 or less – HB 1940
  • School district construction crews (Joshua ISD) – HB 1826
  • Municipalities issue building permits on a timely basis – HB 265 & HB 266
  • Asbestos & silica legislation – SB 15
  • Texas Emissions Reduction Program – HB 2481

2003

  • Mold remediation legislation – HB 329
  • Public prompt pay legislation revisions – HB 2397
  • County Sovereign Immunity legislation – SB 1017

2001

  • Alternative Delivery Legislation for Local Governmental Entities – SB 510
  • Alternative Delivery Legislation for State Agencies – GSC Sunset
  • Competitive bidding threshold changed from $15,000 to $25,000 – HB 197 & HB 2863
  • Surety name on bond – HB 548
  • Electronic bid submission – HB 1981

1999

  • SOAH Legislation for State Construction Contract Disputes – sunset bill
  • Clean up of Alternative Delivery Legislation – SB 669

1997

  • Original Alternative Delivery Legislation for Public & Higher Education – SB 583
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution by State Agencies Legislation – SB 694

AGC-TBB
Presidents

Wayne Hall (1974-1988)
Jim Sewell (1989-2007)
Mike Chatron (2008-2017)
Corbin Van Arsdale (2018-present)

AGC-TBB
Legislative Chairs

2003-2012: Steve Nelson (Austin AGC), Bob Fretz (Houston AGC)
2013-2017: Bob Fretz (Houston AGC), Tom Kader (TEXO)
2018: Tom Kader (TEXO), Tom Vaughn (Houston AGC)
2019-2022: Tom Vaughn (Houston AGC)
2023-present: Tom Vaughn (Houston AGC), Will Hodges (TEXO)

AGC-TBB
Board Presiding Officers

1973 – Joe Fulton, Fulton Construction (South Texas AGC)
1974 – Joe Fulton, Fulton Construction (South Texas AGC)
1975 – John Hardin, John Hardin Construction (East Texas AGC)
1976 – John Hardin, John Hardin Construction (East Texas AGC)
1977 – Lloyd Blaylock, Lloyd Blaylock Construction (Dallas AGC)
1978 – Royce Faulkner, Faulkner Construction (Austin AGC)
1979 – Gene Murphree, Gene Murphree Co. (Houston AGC)
1980 – Jim Rose, Jim Rose Builders (West Texas AGC)
1981 – Donald Ferguson, Donald D. Ferguson, Inc. (Rio Grande Valley AGC)
1982 – Thomas Stewart, T. Stewart Construction (Dallas AGC)
1983 – Jerry Lowry, E.G. Lowry Co. (Houston AGC)
1984 – Don Hill, Don Hill Construction (East Texas AGC)
1985 – Jerry Winn (Austin AGC)
1986 – Dick Jennison, Scott & Jennison Construction (San Antonio AGC)
1987 – James Stephens, Tribble & Stephens Construction (Houston AGC)
1988 – Joseph C. Smith, Thos. S. Byrne Construction (or R.O.S. Constructors) (Fort Worth AGC)
1989 – Steven Rogers, Rogers-O’Brien (Dallas AGC)
1990 – Cecil Marchant (Rio Grande Valley AGC)
1991 – Paul Snider, C.P. Snider Construction (Austin AGC)
1992 – Mike Novak (San Antonio AGC)
1993 – Bert Beecroft, B.E. Beecroft (South Texas AGC)
1994 – Don Jones, Bellows (Houston AGC)
1995 – Steve Luebbehusen, JBM Builders (Fort Worth AGC)
1996 – Lynn Stoever (Southeast Texas AGC)
1997 – Bill Ewing, Ewing Construction (South Texas AGC)
1998 – Charlie Henderson, C.D. Henderson (QUOIN)
1999 – Terry Ray, Terry Ray Construction (Rio Grande Valley AGC)
2000 – Pete Durant, Pete Durant & Associates (Fort Worth AGC)
2001 – Bob Fretz, Jr., Fretz Construction (Houston AGC)
2002 – Trey Wattinger, VRW Construction (Austin AGC)
2003 – Mike Boyle, M.J. Boyle General Contractors (San Antonio AGC)
2004 – Philip Skrobarczyk, Fulton Coastcon (South Texas AGC)
2005 – Denward Freeman, MEDCO (QUOIN)
2006 – Stan Cotgreave, Page & Associates (Panhandle AGC)
2007 – Steve Dishman, Brookstone Construction (Houston AGC)
2008 – Paul Workman, Workman Commercial (Austin AGC)
2009 – Tom Kader, Sedalco (QUOIN)
2010 – Don Barrett, Barrett Building Co. (Central Texas AGC)
2011 – Tom Vaughan, Vaughn Construction (Houston AGC)
2012 – Rene Garcia, Zachry (San Antonio AGC)
2013 – Richard Ringo, RBR Construction (TEXO)
2014 – Curtis Cline, Joeris (Austin AGC)
2015 – Mike Lippincott, Fulton Coastcon (South Texas AGC)
2016 – Bill Peacock, Peacock (Rio Grande Valley AGC)
2017 – Paul Waldrop, Jr., Waldrop (West Texas AGC)
2018 – Warren Andres, Andres (TEXO)
2019 – Chuck Greco, Linbeck (San Antonio AGC)
2020 – Shannon Reynolds, B.E. Beecroft (South Texas AGC)
2021 – Will Hodges, Cadence-McShane (TEXO)
2022 – Jeremy Stovall, Brookstone Construction (Houston AGC)
2023 – Ed Mazanec, Mazanec (Central Texas AGC)
2024 – TJ Rogers, Bartlett Cocke (San Antonio AGC)

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