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Here is what is happening This Week in Texas in the #TXLege:
Numbers & Things
- Legislative Day:
- Monday 3/29 – Day 77/140
- Tuesday 3/30 – Day 78/140
- Wednesday 3/31 – Day 79/140
- Thursday 4/1 – Day 80/140
- Friday 4/2 – Day 81/140
- Number of Bills Filed:6,717 Total
- House: 4,579 Bills
- Senate: 2,138 Bills
- Number of Bills Referred:5,846 Total
- House: 3,949 Bills (86% of all bills filed)
- Senate: 1,897 Bills (89% of all bills filed)
Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF)
- House of Representatives:
- COVID related rule changes up for debate in House Admin Monday morning
- A few Sunset Bills being heard this week
- Reschedule of Omnibus Election Integrity Bill from last week on Thursday
- Additional ERCOT/PUC related bills getting a hearing this week in committees
- Speaker Phelan priority ERCOT/PUC/Winter Storm Uri bills get voted on the floor Tuesday/Wednesday
- Senate:
- Abortion related bills & RPT priorities are on Senate Intent Calendar for Monday
- RPT priority related to election integrity on Senate Intent Calendar for Monday
- Social Media Censorship bill on Senate Intent Calendar for Monday
- 2 RPT Executive Overreach Priorities being heard Wednesday morning
- A few Lt. Gov. Patrick Priorities are being heard this week in committees
House of Representatives
Convenes again on 3/29 at 4:00 pm
- Monday, 3/29
- 9:30 AM: House Administration[POSTING]
- HR 247 (Slaton) – Deactivation of Rule 16 in House Rules related to COVID necessity protections now that Governor Abbott has reopened TX 100%
- HR 333 (Oliverson) – Deactivation of certain sections of Rule 16 in House Rules related to face mask requirements in committee meetings and on the house floor.
- 10 AM: Juvenile Justice & Family Issues[POSTING]
- 10 AM: Defense & Veterans’ Affairs[POSTING]
- HB 2701 (Slaton) – Requires that US Congress make an official declaration of war in order for TX National Guard to enter into a status of active combat duty
- 11 AM: Appropriations[POSTING]
- Consider budget recommendations for all articles of the budget and riders
- 1 PM: Criminal Jurisprudence[POSTING]
- HB 9 (Klick) – Criminal punishment and conditions of community supervision for the offense of obstructing a highway or other passageway; increases the criminal penalty
- HB 462 (Shaheen) – Amends various codes ensuring that engaging in certain sexual contact with a trafficked person is punishable as a felony.
- HB 492 (Wu), HB 1272(Crockett) – Prohibition of ‘no-knock’ warrants
- HB 1002 (Lucio), HB 1599(Johnson, J.) – Prohibition of admission of testimony obtained by hypnosis against a defendant in a criminal trial
- HB 1038 (Beckley) – Repeal of the criminal offense of homosexual conduct
- 1 PM: Culture, Recreation & Tourism[POSTING]
- HB 1781 (Krause) – Allows holders of deer breeder permits to propagate breeder deer by cloning
- HB 2132 (Ellzey) – Adds National Hot Rod Association Fall Nationals at the TX Motorplex to the list of available events able to be funded under the Major Events Reimbursement Program
- HB 2420 (Howard) – Adds the South by Southwest Conference and Festivals to the list of available events able to be funded under the Major Events Reimbursement Program
- HB 3023 (King, K.) – Adds the Professional Bull Riders World Finals to the list of available events able to be funded under the Major Events Reimbursement Program
- HB 3257 (King, P.) – Creates the TX Commission on Antisemitism
- HB 3339 (Meyer) – Adds the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Championship Tournament to the list of available events able to be funded under the Major Events Reimbursement Program
- 2 PM: Energy Resources[POSTING]
- 4 PM: Overall House of Representatives Convenes
- 9:30 AM: House Administration[POSTING]
- Tuesday, 3/30
- 7:30 AM: Appropriations[POSTING]
- Consider budget recommendations for all articles of the budget and riders
- 8 AM: Human Services[POSTING]
- HB 1886 (Noble) – Study on streamlining welfare programs to ‘reduce costs and improve outcomes’ for beneficiaries
- HB 3041 (Frank) – Procedures and grounds for taking possession of a child and authorizing a family preservation services pilot program as an alternative to removal in suits affecting the parent-child relationship
- 8 AM: Land & Resource Management[POSTING]
- 8 AM: Public Education[POSTING]
- HB 256 (Cortez) – Workplace bullying in school districts
- HB 437 (Goodwin) – Requires the addition of a personal finance and literacy elective course in high school
- HB 2230 (Bucy) – Study on incorporating fine arts into the foundation curriculum for public schools’
- HB 3557 (King, K.) – Allowing for parents to elect for a student to repeat or retake a course or grade
- 10 AM: Overall House of Representatives Convenes [FLOOR CALENDAR]
- ERCOT/PUC/Winter Storm Uri related bills (Speaker Phelan Priorities)
- 10:30 AM or upon final adjournment: Insurance[POSTING]
- HB 1369 (Jetton) – Health care cost-sharing organizations not to be considered insurance under the code not subjecting them to additional regulation
- 2 PM or upon final adjournment: Transportation[POSTING]
- Wednesday, 3/31
- 7:30 AM: Appropriations[POSTING]
- Consider budget recommendations for all articles of the budget and riders
- 8 AM: Public Health[POSTING]
- 8 AM: Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence[POSTING]
- HB 1171 (Sanford) – Appointment of an attorney ad litem or guardian ad litem to represent an unborn child during a court proceeding authorizing a pregnant minor to consent to an abortion
- HB 1548 (Bell) – Civil liability of certain businesses that allow concealed handguns on the business premises
- HB 3940 (Cain) – Prevention of discrimination against or burdening certain constitutional rights of an applicant for or holder of a license to practice law in TX
- 8 AM: International Relations & Economic Development [POSTING]
- HB 48 (Zwiener) – Adds provisions to Labor Code to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace by making it an ‘unlawful’ practice for businesses that know of the conduct occurring or do nothing to prevent/correct it
- 8 AM: Pensions, Investments & Financial Services[POSTING]
- 10 AM: Overall House of Representatives Convenes
- 10:30 AM or upon final adjournment: Licensing & Administrative Procedures[POSTING]
- HB 1560 (Goldman) – Sunset Bill related to TX Department of Licensing & Regulation
- HB 3012 (Geren) – Adding an organization sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association to the list of professional sports teams that would qualify to conduct charitable raffles
- HB 3136 (Beckley) – Allowing for a commissioners court to conduct a local option election to be held to convert a county from ‘wet to dry’ or vice-versa related to alcohol sales within that jurisdiction
- HB 3721 (Ellzey) – Inclusion of additional contact information for DPS regarding suspicion of human trafficking on public signs.
- 10:30 AM or upon final adjournment: Urban Affairs[POSTING]
- HB 191 (Bernal) – Prohibition of housing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity
- HB 754 (Cain) – Prohibits municipalities from adopting or enforcing ordinances that require landlords to obtain a rental license, pay a change of address fee, or pay inspection fees over a certain amount
- HB 2045 (Lopez) – Creation of a task force to evaluate housing needs of senior citizens who are LGBTQ
- Thursday, 4/1
- 7:30 AM: Appropriations[POSTING]
- HB 2 (Bonnen) – Supplemental Budget
- 8 AM: Elections[POSTING]
- 8 AM: State Affairs[POSTING]
- HB 1500 (Hefner) – Authority of the governor and other political subdivisions to regulate firearms, ammo, knives, air guns, explosives, combustibles, and certain associated businesses during disasters and emergencies
- HB 2189 (King, P.) – Oil & Gas investment protection; prohibits state investment in companies that boycott certain energy companies
- HB 2558 (Capriglione) – Prohibited state contracts with companies that discriminate against the firearm or ammunition industries
- HB 2622 (Holland) – Enforcement of certain federal laws regulating firearms, accessories, and ammunition within the state of TX
- HB 2639 (Morales) – Study by PUC on the interconnection of electric service facilities with Mexico
- HB 3544 (Holland) – Enables electric co-ops to use securitization financing to recover extraordinary costs and expenses incurred during Winter Storm Uri
- HB 3749 (Lucio) – PUC to conduct regular inspections to ensure adequate weatherization preparedness for extreme weather conditions in ERCOT power region and regular audit of plans for emergency operations
- 10:00 AM or upon final adjournment: Redistricting[POSTING]
- Focus on the West TX region
- 10:30 AM or upon final adjournment: Homeland Security & Public Safety[POSTING]
- Friday, 4/2
- Nothing posted as of yet
- 7:30 AM: Appropriations[POSTING]
- 7:30 AM: Appropriations[POSTING]
- 7:30 AM: Appropriations[POSTING]
Senate
Convenes again on 3/29 at 11:00 am
- Monday, 3/29
- 9 AM: State Affairs [POSTING]
- SB 22 (Springer) – First Responders Pandemic Care Act (Gov. Patrick Priority)
- 11 AM: Overall Senate Convenes [INTENT CALENDAR]
- SB 3 (Hancock) – Power Grid Stability ( Gov. Patrick Priority)
- Abortion Related bills:
- SB 8 (Hughes) – Heartbeat Bill ( Gov. Patrick Priority)
- SB 9 (Paxton) – Prohibition of Abortion ( Gov. Patrick Priority)
- SB 394 (Lucio) – Prevention of chemical or ‘pill-induced’ abortions after 7 weeks of pregnancy
- SB 650 (Campbell) – Prohibition of local governments from spending taxpayer money on logistical expenses related to abortion
- SB 802 (Paxton) – Required information and resource assistance to offer before an abortion is performed
- SB 1173 (Hancock) – PRNDA
- SB 1647 (Perry) – Ban on abortion by 2025
- SB 12 (Hughes) – Social Media censorship ( Gov. Patrick Priority)
- SB 155 (Perry) – Jury lists used for voter roll verification of citizenship (RPT Priority)
- Tuesday, 3/30
- 8 AM: Business & Commerce [POSTING]
- SB 2 (Hancock) – ERCOT Reform ( Gov. Patrick Priority) (Gov. Abbott Priority)
- SB 865 (Creighton) – Study on Statewide Disaster Alert System & Implementation
- SB 1282 (Hancock) – Cost recovery for costs arising from the interconnection of certain electric generation facilities with the ERCOT transmission system
- SB 1580 (Hancock) – Electric Co-ops use of securitization to address extraordinary costs and expenses created by Winter Storm Uri
- 8:30 AM: Criminal Justice [POSTING]
- SB 112 (West) – Requirements for an affidavit supporting the installation and use of a mobile tracking device
- 9 AM: Finance [POSTING]
- SB 1 (Nelson) – State Budget; Pending Business might be passed out of committee.
- SB 248 (Johnson) – Updates statutes to come into compliance with E-Cigarette regulation from the last session. Requires additional permitting and enhances penalties.
- SB 477 (Nelson) – Updates statutes on overall legislation passed the last session that marketplace providers collect and remit Texas’ state and local sales and use taxes on taxable orders delivered to Texas.
- SB 1336 (Hancock) – Limit on the rate of growth of certain appropriations
- Wednesday, 3/31
- 8 AM: Transportation [POSTING]
- SB 15 (Nichols) – Ban the sale of personal data from certain state agencies ( Gov. Patrick Priority)
- 9 AM: State Affairs [POSTING]
- 9 AM: Health & Human Services [POSTING]
- SB 437 (Blanco) – State reserve of PPE for healthcare workers
- SB 968 (Kolkhorst) – Public health disaster and public health emergency preparedness and response’ providing for civil penalties
- SB 969 (Klokhorst) – Reporting procedures for information concerning public health disasters; creates the office of the chief state epidemiologist; providing for civil penalties
- SB 1310 (Hall) – Informed consent to immunizations of children
- SB 1313 (Hall) – Right to choose and refuse medical treatment and control measures and imposition of isolation or quarantine control measures
- SB 1616 (Bettencourt) – Powers and duties of governmental entities during a public health disaster; providing for civil penalties
- SCR 3 (Paxton) – Condemning China’s practice of involuntary organ harvesting
- 9 AM: Higher Education [POSTING]
- SB 1525 (Creighton) – Gives higher education institutions greater flexibility to attract researchers to their institutions using Governor’s University Research Initiative
- Thursday, 4/1
- Nothing posted as of yet
- Friday, 4/2
- Nothing posted as of yet
- 8 AM: Transportation [POSTING]
- 8 AM: Business & Commerce [POSTING]
- 9 AM: State Affairs [POSTING]
