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There are 32 days left in the Texas legislative session.
Texas House of Representatives:
- Convenes at 10 a.m.
- Will consider 91 total bills; 56 for the first time (CALENDAR)
- HB 19 – State Rep. Jeff Leach (R–Allen) – Civil liability of a commercial motor vehicle owner or operator (Speaker Phelan priority)
- HB 1900 – State Rep. Craig Goldman (R–Ft. Worth) – Punishment for local governments that defund police (Gov. Abbott priority)
- HB 2622 – State Rep. Justin Holland (R–Heath) – Second Amendment Sanctuary State Act; prohibits the enforcement of certain federal regulations on firearms or ammunition that are not also in state law
- HB 1717 – State Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D–Houston) – Requiring turnover of exculpatory evidence if discovered post-conviction (Speaker Phelan priority)
- HB 4139 – State Rep. Garnet Coleman (D–Houston) – Updates and transfers the center for elimination of disproportionality and disparities to the Office of Health Equity under HHSC (Speaker Phelan priority)
- HB 3915 – State Rep. Craig Goldman (R–Ft. Worth) – Requires PUC to establish a process for designating and prioritizing the designation of certain premises as critical load premises and to adopt related eligibility criteria (ERCOT/PUC/Winter Storm Uri)
- HB 1758 – State Rep. Matt Krause (R–Haslet) – Requires each state and local law enforcement agency to adopt and update a written policy regarding the use of force by means of a drone and submit that policy to TCOLE
- HB 385 – State Rep. Leo Pacheco (D–San Antonio) – Remove arbitrary barriers to probation (Speaker Phelan priority – Criminal)
- The House will consider a LOCAL & CONSENT CALENDAR on Friday, April 30
- The House Elections Committee will be hearing SB 598 – State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R–Brenham) – Requiring a paper audit trail for voting systems, and SB 1340 – State Sen. Dawn Buckingham (R–Lakeway) – Establishes a process to check the citizenship of voter registration applicants by checking with the Social Security Office to check for deceased voters while also establishing the use of the US Post Office National Change of Address database to verify residency and an interstate voter registration crosscheck for voters registered in other states at the same time
- The House State Affairs Committee will be hearing HJR 152 – State Rep. John Raney (R–Bryan) – Proposes a constitutional amendment to require the Legislature to convene for an “organizational” session in advance of a regular session allowing for the filing of bills, emergency legislative item consideration by governor, require House Speaker to announce committee assignments on the first day of the regular legislative session. They will also be hearing HB 4661 – State Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D–Houston) – Prohibits sexual harassment by lobbyists and requires registered lobbyists to participate in sexual harassment training
- The House Appropriations Committee will be holding an organizational meeting for appointed conferees to the conference committee on the State Budget (SB 1). Conferees include State Reps. Greg Bonnen (R–Friendswood), Giovanni Capriglione (R–Southlake), Mary Gonzalez (D–El Paso), Armando Walle (D–Houston), and Terry Wilson (R–Marble Falls)
Texas Senate:
- Convenes at 8 a.m.
- Several bills still on INTENT CALENDAR
- Considering a LOCAL & UNCONTESTED CALENDAR
- Newly created Senate Special Committee on Constitutional Issues will be hearing HB 1927 – State Rep. Matt Schaefer (R–Tyler) – Constitutional carry (RPT priority – Constitutional Carry)
- Senate Finance Committee will be holding an organizational meeting for appointed conferees to the conference committee on the State Budget (SB 1). Conferees include State Sens. Jane Nelson (R–Flower Mound), Joan Huffman (R–Houston), Lois Kolkhorst (R–Brenham), Robert Nichols (R–Jacksonville), and Larry Taylor (R–Friendswood)
- Senate State Affairs Committee will be hearing HB 574 – State Rep. Greg Bonnen (R–Friendswood) – Increases the criminal penalty for election fraud as well as expands the definition (RPT priority – Election Integrity)
Legislative Priorities Update:
- SB 1646 – State Sen. Charles Perry (R–Lubbock) – Adds to the definition of child abuse giving a child puberty blockers or providing them gender transition surgery passed Senate yesterday by a vote of 18 in favor and 13 in opposition (RPT priority – Children & Gender Modification)