There are 14 days left in the Texas legislative session.
Impending Legislative Deadlines: (Reference)
- Saturday, May 22 – Last day House committees can pass out Senate bills or Senate joint resolutions
- Tuesday, May 25 – Last day the overall House can consider Senate bills or Senate joint resolutions on second reading calendar
Status of Legislative Priorities: (Reference)
- Senate decided to not accept House amendments to SB 7 – State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R–Mineola), omnibus election integrity bill. Instead, they chose to appoint a conference committee to reconcile the differences between the Senate & House versions of the bill. Senate conferees include State Sens. Bryan Hughes (R–Mineola), Dawn Buckingham (R–Lakeway), Paul Bettencourt (R–Houston), Lois Kolkhorst (R–Brenham), and Beverly Powell (D–Burleson). It is expected that the House will choose to appoint its five conferees today when they convene. (Gov. Abbott “Emergency” Priority) (RPT Priority – Election Integrity)
- Senate passed SB 1311 – State Sen. Bob Hall (R–Edgewood) – to third reading to be considered today. The bill would prohibit physicians from conducting gender transition surgeries or administering puberty blockers to minors. It would also preclude physicians from receiving insurance if they conduct those procedures and require the TX Medical Board to revoke a physician’s license. Assuming it passes Senate today, it will likely join SB 1646 – State Sen. Charles Perry (R–Lubbock) – in the House Public Health Committee. SB 1646 adds to the definition of child abuse parents who subject their children to gender transition surgeries or puberty blockers. It has been sitting in the House Public Health Committee since May 3 after passing the Senate in late April. The committee has until Saturday, May 22, to pass Senate bills out. (RPT Priority – Children & Gender Modification)
- House passed SB 155 – State Sen. Charles Perry (R–Lubbock)/State Rep. Stephanie Klick (R–Ft. Worth) – to third reading yesterday. The bill uses jury disqualification lists to verify the residency/citizenship of those seeking to register to vote. (RPT Priority – Election Integrity)
Texas House of Representatives:
- Convenes at 10 a.m.
- Has 23 bills on SUPPLEMENTAL CALENDAR
- Sunset Bills: SB 702 – State Sen. Angela Paxton (R–McKinney)/State Rep. Chris Paddie (R–Marshall) – Prepaid Higher Education Tuition Board; SB 707 – State Sen. Angela Paxton (R–McKinney)/State Rep. Stan Lambert (R–Abilene) – Credit Union Department and the Credit Union Commission; SB 709 – State Sen. Bob Hall (R–Edgewood)/State Rep. Terry Canales (D–Edinburg) – TX Commission on Fire Protection
- SB 911 – State Sen. Kelly Hancock (R–North Richland Hills)/State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock) – Imposes regulations on third-party food delivery services like Favor, Uber, and Door Dash
- SB 281 – State Sen. Chuy Hinojosa (D–McAllen)/State Rep. Eddie Lucio III (D–Brownsville) – Makes any testimony that is obtained through the practice of hypnosis inadmissible against a defendant in a criminal trial (Speaker Phelan priority)
- House Appropriations Committee meeting to discuss SB 1232 – State Sen. Larry Taylor (R–Friendswood) – Combines the Permanent School Fund into one single fund run by a new special-purpose government corporation called the TX Permanent School Fund Corporation
- House State Affairs Committee meeting to discuss SB 4 – State Sen. Dawn Buckingham (R–Lakeway) – Star-Spangled Banner Protection Act (Lt. Gov. Patrick priority)
- House State Affairs Committee meeting to discuss SB 1254 – State Sen. Bob Hall (R–Edgewood) – Creates an interstate compact on border security and immigration enforcement
Texas Senate:
- Convenes at 11 a.m.
- Several bills still on INTENT CALENDAR
- HB 19 – State Rep. Jeff Leach (R–Allen)/State Sen. Robert Nichols (R–Jacksonville) – TX Trucking Act (Lt. Gov. Patrick priority) (Speaker Phelan priority)
- HB 1925 – State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R–Southlake)/State Sen. Dawn Buckingham (R–Lakeway) – Statewide public camping ban
- Senate Business & Commerce Committee meeting to discuss HB 1818 – State Rep. Jared Patterson (R–Frisco) – Limits the sources of dogs and cats for higher populous counties and requires store owners to disclose the source of each dog and cat up for sale
- Senate Criminal Justice Committee meeting to discuss HB 9 – State Rep. Stephanie Klick (R–Ft. Worth) – Increased criminal penalties for obstruction of a highway (Speaker Phelan priority)