There are 22 days left in the Texas legislative session.
Texas House of Representatives:
- Convenes at 1 p.m.
- Will consider 108 total bills (CALENDAR)
- (Previously Postponed) HB 1556 – State Rep. Jim Murphy (R–Houston) – Extends Ch. 313 tax abatements for 10 years
- (Previously Postponed) HB 1776 – State Rep. Keith Bell (R–Forney) – Elective course on founding principles of the U.S. in the curriculum for public high school students and posting of founding documents of the U.S. in public school buildings
- HB 3 – State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock) – TX Pandemic Response Act; controversial perpetuation of disputed governor authorities
- HJR 72 – State Rep. Jeff Leach (R–Allen) – Constitutional amendment to prohibit state or local governments from prohibiting or limiting religious services of religious organizations (RPT priority – Religious Freedom)
- HB 1396 – State Rep. James White (R–Hillister) – Omnibus law enforcement reform bill modeled off of concepts included in former President Trump’s executive order relating to “Safe Policing for Safe Communities”
- HB 1683 – State Rep. Brooks Landgraf (R–Odessa) – Prohibits the enforcement at the state level of any federal statute, order, rule, or regulation as it relates to regulating oil and gas operations that are not already in existing state law
- HB 2912 – State Rep. Cody Vasut (R–Angleton) – Authorizes a property owner to bring an action against a property owner’s association for a violation of the TX Residential Property Owners Protection Act
- HB 4661 – State Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D–Houston) – Sexual harassment by lobbyists
- HB 1504 – State Rep. Christina Morales (D–Houston) – Ethnic studies curriculum in public schools
- HB 3979 – State Rep. Steve Toth (R–The Woodlands) – Provides for the development of students’ civic knowledge in TX social studies curriculum standards; anti-critical race theory
- HB 547 – State Rep. James Frank (R–Wichita Falls) – “Tim-Tebow bill”; allows homeschool students who are eligible to participate in UIL activities the option to participate in those activities in their local public school district if the district allows
- HB 525 – State Rep. Matt Shaheen (R–Plano) – Protection of religious organizations (RPT priority – Religious Freedom)
- HB 1886 – State Rep. Candy Noble (R–Lucas) – Streamlining public safety net programs to reduce costs and improve outcomes for recipients on the programs
- HB 2802 – State Rep. Jay Dean (R–Longview) – Requires the commissioner of education to apply to the U.S. Department of Education for a waiver from federal testing requirements during any school year in which a disaster has been declared by the president or by the governor
- HB 3141 – State Rep. Alex Dominguez (D–Brownsville) – Disclosure of fees charged for the sale of concert and other event tickets
- HB 2558 – State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R–Southlake) – Prohibited state contracts with companies that discriminate against the firearm or ammunition industries
Texas Senate:
- Convenes at 4:30 p.m.
- Several bills still on INTENT CALENDAR
- SB 1254 – State Sen. Bob Hall (R–Edgewood) – Creates an interstate compact on border security and immigration enforcement
- HB 574 – State Rep. Greg Bonnen (R–Friendswood)/State Sen. Larry Taylor (R–Friendswood) – Increased criminal penalties for ballot fraud as well as an expanded definition of what ballot fraud is (RPT priority – Election Integrity)
Legislative Priorities Update (Status)
- HB 1399 – State Rep. Matt Krause (R–Haslet) – Prohibition on a physician from conducting gender transition surgery or prescribing puberty blockers to a minor. Was sent to House Calendars Committee on 4/27 but has thus far not been set on a calendar to be considered by the overall House. The deadline is Thursday, May 13, for House Bill consideration on second reading. (RPT priority – Children & Gender Modification)