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There are 12 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)
- SB 7 – State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R–Mineola)/State Rep. Briscoe Cain (R–Deer Park) – Omnibus election integrity. House appointed conferees to the conference committee to include State Reps. Briscoe Cain, Terry Canales (D–Edinburg), Travis Clardy (R–Nacogdoches), Nicole Collier (D–Ft. Worth), and Jacey Jetton (R–Sugar Land). They join the already appointed Senate conferees: State Sens. Bryan Hughes, Dawn Buckingham (R–Lakeway), Paul Bettencourt (R–Houston), Lois Kolkhorst (R–Brenham), and Beverly Powell (D–Burleson). The deadline for Conference Committee reports to be adopted is Sunday, May 30. (Gov. Abbott Priority) (Lt. Gov. Patrick Priority) (Speaker Phelan Priority) (RPT Priority – Election Integrity)
- SB 8 – State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R–Mineola)/State Rep. Shelby Slawson (R–Stephenville) – TX Heartbeat Act. Signed by Gov. Abbott into law, will go into effect 9/1. (Lt. Gov. Patrick Priority) (RPT Priority – Abolition of Abortion)
- HB 3979 – State Rep. Steve Toth (R–The Woodlands)/State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe) – Anti-critical race theory bill. Placed on Senate Intent Calendar for today. Senate State Affairs Committee revisions seem to strip out many of the amendments added when the bill passed the House on 5/11.
Texas House of Representatives
- Convenes at 10 a.m.
- Has 47 bills on SUPPLEMENTAL CALENDAR
- Sunset Bills: SB 703 – State Sen. Dawn Buckingham (R–Lakeway)/State Rep. Terry Canales (D–Edinburg) – Prescribed Burning Board & TX Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation; Abolishment of the Early Childhood Health & Nutrition Interagency Council. SB 705 – State Sen. Eddie Lucio (D–San Benito)/State Rep. John Cyrier (R–Lockhart) – TX Animal Health Commission. SB 713 – State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R–Houston)/State Rep. John Cyrier (R–Lockhart) – Sunset Schedule Bill.
- SB 1365 – State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R–Houston)/State Rep. Dan Huberty (R–Humble) – Revises provisions of the public-school accountability system, clarifies authorities of the Education Commissioner, and establishes that trustees have the ability to intervene in a failing school district/system.
- SB 1385 – State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe)/State Rep. Jim Murphy (R–Houston) – Allows student-athletes at TX universities/colleges to get paid for their name, image, and likeness and to obtain professional representation in making related contracts.
- SB 2154 – State Sen. Charles Schwertner (R–Georgetown)/State Rep. Chris Paddie (R–Marshall) – PUC membership reform; increases board members from 3 to 5 members as well as changes eligibility requirements to be appointed.
- SB 766 – State Sen. Joan Huffman (R–Houston)/State Rep. Jeff Leach (R–Allen) – Establishes criminal offenses and civil prohibitions to deter sexually oriented businesses from having anyone under the age of 18 on the premises and preventing such businesses from employing anyone under the age of 21. Also requires the businesses to participate in the E-VERIFY System.
- House Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee meeting to discuss SB 2247 – State Sen. Joan Huffman (R–Houston) – Removal of License To Carry fee.
Texas Senate
- Convenes at 11 a.m.
- Several bills still on INTENT CALENDAR
- HB 20 – State Rep. Andrew Murr (R–Junction)/State Sen. Joan Huffman (R–Houston) – Bail reform (Gov. Abbott Priority) (Speaker Phelan Priority)
- HB 1525 – State Rep. Dan Huberty (R–Humble)/State Sen. Larry Taylor (R–Friendswood) – School finance reform cleanup bill
- HB 1616 – State Rep. Greg Bonnen (R–Friendswood)/State Sen. Joan Huffman (R–Houston) – Creates a voluntary and expedited pathway to licensure for qualified physicians who wish to practice in multiple states through the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact.
- HB 1925 – State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R–Southlake)/State Sen. Dawn Buckingham (R–Lakeway) – Statewide public camping ban
- HB 3046 – State Rep. Mayes Middleton (R–Galveston)/State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe) – Requires the TX AG to issue a monthly report identifying certain rules adopted by federal government agencies in response to a presidential executive order that violates rights guaranteed by U.S. Constitution and prohibiting state agencies and political subdivisions from cooperating with a federal government agency to enforce certain unconstitutional federal rules
- HB 3924 – State Rep. Tom Oliverson (R–Cypress)/State Sen. Drew Springer (R–Muenster) – Health benefits offered by certain nonprofit agricultural organizations (Speaker Phelan Priority – Healthcare)
- The Senate Committee on Natural Resources & Economic Development will be hearing HB 3257 – State Rep. Phil King (R–Weatherford)/State Sen. Carol Alvarado (D–Houston) – Creation of the TX Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission. They will also be hearing HB 3584 – State Rep. Andrew Murr (R–Junction)/State Sen. Dawn Buckingham (R–Lakeway) – Requires that historical markers cannot be moved, removed, or concealed without the TX Historical Commission’s explicit permission, and doing so will result in fines (RPT Priority – Monument Protection)
- The Senate Committee on Jurisprudence will be hearing HB 1758 – State Rep. Matt Krause (R–Haslet)/State Sen. Brian Birdwell (R–Granbury) – Requires each state or local law enforcement agency that plans to use drones in the field to submit a written drone policy to TCOLE that would describe the rules of engagement and detail when the use of force by a drone is authorized. They will also be hearing HB 1900 – State Rep. Craig Goldman (R–Ft. Worth)/State Sen. Joan Huffman (R–Houston) – Punishment for local governments that “defund” police (Gov. Abbott Priority). They will also be hearing HJR 4 – State Rep. Kyle Kacal (R–College Station)/State Sen. Joan Huffman (R–Houston) – Bail reform (Gov. Abbott Priority) (Speaker Phelan Priority)
- The Senate Committee on State Affairs will be hearing HB 3 – State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock/State Sen. Brian Birdwell (R–Granbury) – TX Pandemic Response Act. They will also be hearing HB 1280 – State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R–Southlake)/State Sen. Angela Paxton (R–McKinney) – Prohibition of abortion (Lt. Gov. Patrick Priority) (RPT Priority – Abolition of Abortion)
- The Senate Finance Committee will be hearing HB 2 – State Rep. Greg Bonnen (R–Friendswood)/State Sen. Jane Nelson (R–Flower Mound) – Supplemental budget bill