Dominic Anthony Walsh / Houston Public Media
Houston City Council member Alejandra Salinas speaks to Mayor John Whitmire on April 21, 2026.
The Houston City Council approved a measure on Wednesday to make it easier for residents to speak before the council by registering online.
Prior to Wednesday’s unanimous approval, Houstonians wishing to participate in public comment meetings for the city council had to make their requests to speak either in person or by phone, mail, email or fax.
A new ordinance, authored by council member Alejandra Salinas, expands the scope of that registration process to include an online format as well.
Sign up for the Hello, Houston! daily newsletter to get local reports like this delivered directly to your inbox.
“Today’s unanimous vote sends a clear message that City Hall should be easier to access and more responsive to the people it serves,” Salinas said in a news release. “We use online forms every day to book appointments and request services. Speaking at Council should be just as easy. This change makes public participation more accessible for working families and any Houstonian who may not have time during the workday to call, email, or travel downtown to register.”
RELATED: Joe Panzarella beats Nick Hellyar in District C special election runoff despite last-minute attack
Speaking before the council, Salinas emphasized the ordinance’s goal of expanding access to City Hall, citing the council’s previous move for evening public comment sessions as precedent. Last August, the city council began holding one public comment session per month in the evening hours.
A spokesperson from Salinas’ office told Houston Public Media city officials would meet later Wednesday to discuss rolling out an online application platform. Though there is not a set timeframe for the rollout, city officials have already developed a draft template.
The ordinance, which was co-signed by council members Sallie Alcorn, Mario Castillo, Tarsha Jackson and Julian Ramirez, was filed under the powers granted under Proposition A, a voter-approved policy which gives any three council members the power to set items on the council’s agenda. Historically, that power was given almost exclusively to the Houston mayor.
Harris County, which includes Houston, also offers online registration for public comment sessions at its commissioners court meetings. Most other major cities in Texas also offer online registration for similar hearings, including Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth and San Antonio, along with Dallas County, Tarrant County and Travis County.