As the 85th Legislative Session comes to conclusion here is an update on the legislative agenda and priorities of the Governor and Lt. Governor.
Governor Greg Abbott
has designated four issues as emergency items including:
1)
Reforming Child Protective Services
-
SB 11
has passed the Senate and is on the House Calendar for May 18, 2017. HB 7 has passed the House and is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee for May 17, 2017. HB 38 has passed the House and is also scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Health and Human Services Committee on May 17, 2017.
2)
Banning Sanctuary Cities
- SB 4 has passed the Senate and House and been signed by the Governor. It will take effect on September 1, 2017.
3)
Implementing Meaningful Ethics Reforms
- SB 500 has passed the Senate, and it passed the House on May 15, 2017. It now goes back to the Senate to decide whether to concur with House amendments or request a conference committee.
4)
Passing a Resolution for a Convention of the States
-
SB 21
has passed the Senate and House. The Senate refused to concur in House amendments and appointed conferees - Senators Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury), Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), Dawn Buckingham (R-Lakeway), Eddie Lucio (D-Brownsville) and Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola). It is on the House's Items Eligible Calendar for May 16, 2017 for the House to appoint conferees.
SJR 2
has passed the Senate and the House and has been filed with the Secretary of State for ballot placement (constitutional amendments do not go to the governor).
Lt. Governor Patrick's Priorities
- Lt. Governor Dan Patrick outlined his legislative priorities before the session started. They include:
2017 Budget Proposal
- SB 1 is the budget bill and it is in a conference committee.
1)
Property Tax Reform
- SB 2 has passed the Senate and was reported favorably as substituted from the House Ways and Means Committee on May 15, 2017.
2)
School Choice
- SB 3 passed the Senate on March 30, 2017 and was referred to the House Public Education Committee on May 11, 2017.
3)
Sanctuary Cities
- SB 4 has passed the Senate and House and has been signed by the Governor. It will take effect on September 1, 2017.
4)
Photo Voter ID
- SB 5 has passed the Senate and was reported favorably from the House Elections Committee on April 21, 2017. The companion, HB 2481, was voted favorably from the House Elections Committee on April 17, 2017, but died in the House Calendars Committee.
5)
Women's Privacy Act
- SB 6 passed the Senate on March 15, 2017 and was received in the House on March 16, 2017, but has not been referred to committee in the House. A similar bill, HB 2899, was heard in the House State Affairs Committee on April 19, 2017 and left pending.
6)
Inappropriate Teacher-Student Relationships - "Pass the Trash"
- SB 7 was substituted for HB 3769 on the House floor and passed on May 9, 2017. The Senate concurred in House amendments and it is on its way to the Governor.
7)
Fetal Tissue/Partial Birth Abortion
- SB 8 has passed the Senate and was reported favorably as substituted by the House State Affairs Committee on May 11, 2017. The companion, HB 200, died on the House Calendar on May 11, 2017.
8)
Spending Cap
- SB 9 passed the Senate on March 30, 2017 and was referred to the House Appropriations Committee on April 18, 2017. The companion, HB 1025, was introduced and referred to the House Appropriations Committee on March 6, 2017.
9)
Hailstorm Lawsuit Reform
- SB 10 was reported favorably as substituted from the Senate Business and Commerce Committee on April 24, 2017 and was placed on the Senate Intent Calendar on May 8, 2017 but has not been re-placed since then. HB 1774 has passed the House, been reported favorably from the Senate Business and Commerce Committee, was first placed on the Senate Intent Calendar on May 15, 2017, so is eligible to be taken up in the Senate on May 16, 2017.
10)
DFPS Child Protection Bill - SB 11
has passed the Senate and is on the House Calendar for May 18, 2017.
11)
Protective Vests for Police
- SB 12 has passed the Senate, been reported favorably from the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee and is set on the House Calendar for May 16, 2017.
1
2)
Union Dues
- SB 13 passed the Senate on March 30, 2017, and was referred to the House State Affairs Committee on May 15, 2017. The companion, HB 510, was introduced and referred to the House State Affairs Committee on February 22, 2017.
13)
Ethics Reform
- SB 14 passed the Senate on February 7, 2017 and was referred to the House General Investigating and Ethics Committee on May 15, 2017. The companion, HB 1283, was introduced and referred to the House General Investigating and Ethics Committee on March 22, 2017.
14)
First Responder Property Tax Relief
- SB 15 passed the Senate on March 13, 2017 and was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee on April 18, 2017. The companion, HB 2524, was reported favorably from the House Ways and Means Committee on May 5, 2017 but died in the House Calendars Committee.
15)
License to Carry Fee Reform
- SB 16 passed the Senate, was substituted for HB 300 on the House floor, and passed the House on May 3, 2017. The Senate concurred to House amendments on May 11, 2017 and it is on its way to the Governor.
16)
Franchise Tax Reduction
- SB 17 passed the Senate on March 21, 2017 and was referred to the House Ways and Means Committee on May 5, 2017. A similar bill, HB 28, passed the House on April 28, 2017 and was referred to the Senate Finance Committee on May 1, 2017.
17)
Tuition Set-Asides
- SB 18 passed the Senate on April 6, 2017 and was referred to the House Higher Education Committee on May 1, 2017.
18)
Tuition Reform
- SB 19 passed the Senate on April 4, 2017 and was referred to the House Higher Education Committee on May 1, 2017.
19)
Prohibiting Abortion Insurance Coverage
- SB 20 passed the Senate on March 28, 2017 and was referred to the House State Affairs Committee on May 1, 2017. The companion, HB 1113, was heard and left pending in the House State Affairs Committee on May 3, 2017.
20)
Convention of States
- SB 21 has passed the Senate and House. The Senate refused to concur in House amendments and appointed conferees - Senators Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury), Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), Dawn Buckingham (R-Lakeway), Eddie Lucio (D-Brownsville) and Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola). It is on the House's Items Eligible Calendar for May 16, 2017 for the House to appoint conferees.
SJR 2
has passed the Senate and the House and has been filed with the Secretary of State for ballot placement (constitutional amendments do not go to the governor).
21)
Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH)
- SB 22 has passed the Senate and was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee on May 15, 2017.
22)
E-Verify
- SB 23 passed the Senate on March 28, 2017 and was referred to the House State Affairs Committee on May 9, 2017.
23)
Religious Liberty/Sermon Safeguard
- SB 24 passed the Senate, was substituted for HB 3956 on the House floor and passed the House on May 6, 2017. It has been sent to the Governor.
24)
Wrongful Birth
- SB 25 passed the Senate on March 21, 2017 and was referred to the House State Affairs Committee on May 3, 2017. It was reported favorably on May 8, 2017. The companion, HB 434, died on the House Calendar on May 11, 2017.
