April 8 , 2019
DON'T MISS IT

 
TRACKED BILLS
 CLICK HERE  to view the bills we are tracking this session.

PUBLIC POLICY COMMITTEE
Join the Plano Chamber of Commerce on the first Wednesday of the month from 7:30-9am for our monthly Public Policy Committee meeting. This committee discusses legislation and issues that affect the business community. Committee meetings are open to all members in good standing. CLICK HERE for more details. 

COLLIN COUNTY DAYS
Collin County Days was held March 26-27, 2019 in Austin, TX. CLICK HERE  to learn more about our trip.

PLANO CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE FORUM / LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER
Register to join us on Thursday, April 11 to hear from candidates for Plano City Council. Program includes breakfast and a moderated forum by Steve Eager, Fox 4 Dallas Evening New Anchor. CLICK HERE to register.

COFFEE WITH THE CITY 
Learn more about City of Plano update and developments during Coffee with the City. This session provides you an opportunity to discuss the proposed projects in the May Bond Referendum.  CLICK HERE  to register.

LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
The Plano Chamber works tirelessly to identify the issues of highest priority to our business community and to act on their behalf.  View the Legislative Priorities  for the 86th Texas Legislative Session for more details.

Official Photo with Governor Abbott
STATEWIDE

Passed the Senate:
SB 285 by Borris Miles (D-Houston) would require state agencies to review and update their  hurricane preparedness plans and require the General Land Office to do a public information campaign regarding housing assistance available for hurricane or flooding before and after hurricane season.  The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate unanimously.
 
On Tuesday, the  Senate Business & Commerce Committee took up:
SB 494 by Joan Huffman (R-Houston) would suspend  open meeting requirements during a  natural disaster to allow a governmental body to deliberate or take action on the emergency or urgent public necessity.  It was initially left pending, but it was voted out favorably as substituted on Thursday.
SB 594 by Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) would establish    Business Advisory Council on Disaster Recovery and Mitigation.  It was voted favorably as substituted. The companion, HB 752, was heard and left pending in the House State Affairs Committee this week.
SB 799 by Carol Alvarado (D-Houston) would create a  business advisory council to provide advice and expertise on actions state and local governments can take to assist businesses in  recovering from a disaster.  It was voted out favorably.
SB 986 by Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) would require the comptroller to update the contract management guide to include contract management standards and information for  contracts related to emergency management.  It was voted out favorably.
Reported From Committee:
HB 2320 by Dennis Paul (R-Webster) would require the Division of Emergency Management to coordinate with other agencies to identify and determine methodologies for hardening utility facilities and  critical infrastructure during disasters.  It was reported favorably as substituted from the House Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee.

This Week :
Senate Intent Calendar:
SB 289 by Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville) would require the General Land Office to collaborate with the Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to secure reimbursement for  housing needs in areas affected by a natural disaster. ( committee substitute)
SB 443 by Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) would allow a property owner to continue to receive a  homestead exemption if the  property is uninhabitable and unusable due to  wind and water damage and the property owner is living in a different location while the property is being repaired. ( committee substitute)
 
The  House State Affairs Committee will meet on Monday, April 8, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 140 of the John H. Reagan State Office Building to take up:
HB 1299 by Sarah Davis (R-Houston) would require the comptroller to establish and maintain an electronically searchable  database that contains information on each  political subdivision's budget and expenditures for  disaster preparedness, response, rebuilding and mitigation.
SENATE NEWS  

The Senate was in session Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of last week. On Thursday, they had Senate Reunion Day honoring former Senate members.
On  Wednesday, the Senate gave preliminary approval to one bill and passed nine bills including:
  • SB 17 by Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) prohibiting an occupational licensing board from restricting a professional's exercise of a sincerely held religious belief. (additional information is in the Human Resources/Employment section)
  • SB 1324 by Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) requiring dual credit students to file a degree plan after completing 15 hours of dual credit. (additional information is in the Higher Education section)
SB 17 -  Dan Patrick commented on SB 17 saying, "SB 17 will ensure that no Texan will ever have to choose between their job and their faith. Preserving religious liberty has, and will always be, one of my top priorities, and I congratulate Sen. Perry on passing this important legislation. SB 17 will protect Texans of all religious faiths."
Texas Values Action Senior Policy Analyst Nicole Hudgens said, "No Texas professional should fear the government taking away their livelihood because of their faith. We applaud Senator Charles Perry for his work to protect religious freedom for Texas license holders. The Texas Professionals Protection Act, SB 17 ensures the government cannot punish a licensed professional by revoking or denying a license or certificate because of a person's sincerely held religious belief or because of their membership in a religious organization."
Texas Freedom Network President Kathy Miller commented on the passage of SB 17 saying, "This bill lets licensed professionals and the businesses they operate use religion to treat gay and transgender Texans like outcasts and second-class citizens and bars a licensing agency from doing virtually anything to prevent it. It's tragic to see the Texas Senate once again vote to turn religion into a license to discriminate against people simply because of who they are or whom they love. The Senate under Lt. Governor Patrick has twisted religious freedom, a founding American value, into a weapon to hurt people. The House should reject this sweeping, misguided discrimination bill and stand up for treating all Texans as equal under the law."
On  Thursday, the Senate gave preliminary approval to one bill and passed 27 bills including:
  • SB 812 by Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville) limiting appraisal of property damaged in a disaster.
  • SB 988 by Kirk Watson (D-Austin) establishing the standard for awarding court costs and attorney fees in actions under the public information law. (additional information is in the Tort section)
  • SB 1231 by Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) requiring the Department of Family and Protective Services to report to public and private schools investigations of alleged child abuse involving an employee of the school.
  • SB 1574 by Carol Alvarado (D-Houston) eliminating obsolete and duplicative requirements of the Texas Water Development Board.
  • SB 2190 by John Whitmire (D-Houston) allowing juvenile offenders to be housed in facilities that were previously intended for adults.
Total number of bills reported out of Senate Committees this week: 122
Total number of bills passed by the Senate this week: 45
Total number of bills passed by the Senate this session: 117

This Week: The Senate will reconvene at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 8, 2019.
HOUSE NEWS 

The House was in session Monday through Friday of last week. They debated bills every day. On Friday, they had House Reunion Day honoring former House members.
On  Monday, the House gave preliminary approval to eight bills.
On  Tuesday, the House passed eight bills to third reading and gave final approval to 17 including:
  • HB 440 by Jim Murphy (R-Houston) requiring approval to spend bond proceeds. (additional information is in the Budget section)
  • HB 807 by Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio) establishing an interregional water planning council. (additional information is in the Environmental section)
  • HB 2179 by John Wray (R-Waxahachie) revising the process to remove appraisal review board members. (additional information is in the Tax section)
On  Wednesday, the House passed 10 bills including:
  • HB 3 by Dan Huberty (R-Humble) is the public school finance reform bill. (additional information is in the Public Education section)
  • HB 27 by Terry Canales (D-Edinburg) increasing the penalty for assault of a federal law enforcement officer.
  • HB 539 by Ben Leman (R-Brenham) granting automatic university admission to valedictorians regardless of class size. (additional information is in the Higher Education section)
  • HB 1066 by Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin) coordinating transfer of groundwater permits. (additional information is in the Environment section)
  • HB 1550 by Chris Paddie (R-Marshall) is the sunset "safety net" bill.
HB 3 -  House Democratic Caucus Chairman Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie), who offered the compromise amendment on educator and school employee compensation said, "There's been a lot of talk this session about raising teacher pay and a lot of disagreement on the best way to do it. This amendment strikes the perfect balance by giving a uniform raise to teachers and support staff, making pay increases sustainable beyond the next two-year budget cycle, and ensuring that local districts have flexibility on how to use these additional funds for salaries."
Governor Greg Abbott commented on passage of HB 3 saying, "Texans are demanding meaningful reforms to our school finance system, and today's passage of HB 3 in the House is a vital step toward that goal. By reducing recapture, investing more money in our schools and in our teachers, the Legislature is making changes that will have a lasting impact on our education system, and more importantly, our students. I applaud Chairman Huberty and Speaker Bonnen for their work to pass this bill, and I look forward to working with Senator Taylor, Lt. Governor Patrick, and the entire Legislature to ensure the final passage of school finance reform this session."
Texas American Federation of Teachers President Louis Malfaro said, "The House plan for educator pay is a common-sense solution that lets school districts increase the pay for all school employees, and we're pleased that the bill now guarantees those raises locally. It means that in the future, whenever we provide more funding for our students, we ensure that the team that educates them also is recognized and supported. This bill is a building block for what's needed to keep funding the future of our state by providing the immediate resources our schools, students and educators need - and it's a big block, no doubt about it. We see this as something that we can and should build upon on each session to
make sure our kids and their teachers have the ongoing support they need."
On  Thursday, the House passed 15 bills to Third Reading.
On  Friday, the House gave final approval to those 15 bills including:
  • HB 293 by Ken King (R-Canadian) exempting city and school district officials from investment training if their city or school only invests in interest-bearing accounts. (additional information is in the Public Education section)
  • HB 674 by Jared Patterson (R-Frisco) requiring solicitation of feedback on state mandates for school districts. (additional information is in the Public Education section)
Total number of bills reported out of House Committees this week: 195    
Total number of bills passed by the House this week: 42
Total number of bills passed by the House this session: 76

This Week: The House will reconvene at 1:15 p.m. on Monday, April 8, 2019.
BUDGET

Passed the House:
HB 440 by Jim Murphy (R-Houston) would require a sample ballot for a  local general obligation bond election to be posted on a taxing unit's website at least 21 days before the election; and would add a new Chapter 1253 in the Government Code, "General Obligation Bonds Issued by Political Subdivisions" which would prohibit a taxing unit from issuing general obligation bonds to purchase, improve, or construct improvements or to purchase personal property if the weighted average maturity of the bonds exceeds 120 percent of the reasonably expected weighted average economic life of the items purchased.  The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 146 to 1.

On Wednesday, the  Senate Finance Committee took up:
HB 1 by Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) is the  appropriations bill. The committee substituted the Senate budget into HB 1, which was passed by the House last week.  HB 1 as substituted was unanimously voted out of the committee. It is on the Senate Intent calendar for Monday, April 8, 2019 (first placement). Chairman Jane Nelson said, "After many months of hearings and testimony, I am proud of the budget the Senate Finance Committee has crafted. This is a robust, fiscally responsible budget that meets the needs of our growing state. It prioritizes the two key issues of session - property tax relief and public education. It makes smart investments in our future and stays within our constitutional spending limits."

SB 69 by Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) would eliminate the legislative committee that determines the  sufficient balance for the  Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF) and require the comptroller to calculate the sufficient balance as 7 percent of the most recent general revenue-related biennial revenue estimate. It would also end federal revenues being deposited into the general revenue fund. It would allow the comptroller to invest up to 75 percent of the ESF in an investment portfolio.  It was voted favorably as substituted.
Also on Wednesday, the  House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Infrastructure, Resiliency & Investments took up:
HB 20 and  HJR 10 by Giovanni Capriglione (R-Keller) would establish the  Texas Legacy Fund and would provide that in a year in which the balance of the Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF) is above its sufficient balance, the remainder above the amount would be deposited to the Texas Legacy Fund; and would require the Comptroller to invest money in the legacy fund under the prudent-person standard.  They were left pending.
HB 274 and  HJR 145 by Sarah Davis (R-Houston) would establish a new  Disaster Reinvestment and Infrastructure Planning Revolving Fund to be used by political subdivisions for rebuilding infrastructure damaged or destroyed in a disaster or constructing infrastructure to mitigate damage from a future disaster; and would fund it from $15 million from the Economic Stabilization Fund.   They were left pending.
HB 690 by Will Metcalf (R-Conroe) would establish a  state debt retirement account and would provide that if the Economic Stabilization Fund reaches its constitutional cap, the annual amount that would have been transferred to the ESF to the debt retirement account to pay down the principal on state bonds, notes or other obligations.  It was left pending.
HB 1562 by John Frullo (R-Lubbock) would reallocate the annual constitutional  appropriation to institutions of higher education under the  Excellence in Higher Education Act beginning with the fiscal year ending August 31, 2021 (an update of the distribution set in 2016).  It was left pending. The companion, SB 709 is on the Senate Intent Calendar for Monday April 8, 2019.
HB 2154 by Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) and  HJR 82 by Tom Craddick (R-Midland) would establish the Generate Recurring Oil Wealth for Texas ( GROW Texas) to provide fund transportation infrastructure, law enforcement, and grants to political subdivisions for first responder, emergency services, educational, and workforce preparedness needs in  areas affected by increased oil and gas production; funded by allocations from the Economic Stabilization Fund.  They were left pending.

And on Wednesday, the  House Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee took up:
HB 2048 by John Zerwas (R-Fulshear) would  repeal the driver responsibility program and increase the  insurance policy surcharge from $2 to $4 and dedicate 60 percent of the surcharge to the trauma facility and emergency medical services account.  It was left pending. The companion, SB 918, is set for a hearing in the Senate Finance Committee for Thursday, April 11, 2019.

This Week :
House Calendar:
HB 477 by Jim Murphy (R-Houston) would require ballot language for issuance of  local debt obligations to include a general description of the purpose for which the debt obligations are to be authorized; the total principal amount of the debt obligations to be authorized; and that taxes sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the debt obligations will be imposed.  It is on the House calendar on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 (committee substitute).

The  Senate Finance Committee will meet on Thursday, April 11, 2019 9:00 a.m. in E1.036 of the capitol extension to take up:
SB 214 and  SJR 21 by Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo) would propose a constitutional amendment to provide for the reduction in the rates of the state  oil and gas production taxes if the Economic Stabilization Fund ending balance for the preceding fiscal year is greater than 10 percent of the prior fiscal year's total net general revenue-related (GR-R) collections.
SB 918 by Joan Huffman (R-Houston) would  repeal the driver responsibility program and increase the  insurance policy surcharge from $2 to $4 and dedicate 60 percent of the surcharge to the trauma facility and emergency medical services account.
ENVIRONMENT

Passed the House:
HB 807 by Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio) would require the  Interregional Planning Council to adopt a new state water plan every five years.  It passed the House by a vote of 146 to 1.
HIGHER EDUCATION

Passed the Senate:
SB 1324 by Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) would require  dual credit students to file a  degree plan after completing 15 semester credit hours.  It passed the Senate unanimously. The companion, HB 4010, was heard in the House Higher Education Committee this week and left pending.
On Wednesday, the  House Higher Education Committee took up:
HB 1630 by Ken King (R-Canadian) would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to ensure that institutions of higher education receive the same level of  funding for providing a  dual credit course for joint high school and junior college credit as the institution of higher education receives for providing the same course to non-dual credit students.  It was left pending.
HB 1759 by James White (R-Hillister) would require each institution of higher education to adopt a  core curriculum of no less than 42 semester credit hours that consists only of courses that are listed in the  common course numbering system approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the board's manual of general academic transfer courses that may be offered for state funding.  It was left pending.
HB 1933 by Donna Howard (D-Austin) would allow institutions of higher education to establish a  textbook affordability program that includes the cost of textbooks and required materials in the tuition and fees calculation for the course.  It was left pending.
HB 1943 by Ana-Maria Ramos (D-Dallas) would require institutions of higher education to include in the guidelines published on the institution's Internet website, information on a  transfer pathway for each major in the  top 25 majors at the institution.  It was left pending.
HB 2072 by Gene Wu (D-Houston) would promote  credit transfer by requiring institutions of higher education.  It was left pending.
HB 2073 by Gene Wu (D-Houston) would require institutions of higher education to use the single  common course numbering system for at least 42 semester credit hours in the institution's guidelines regarding transfer of credit.  It was left pending.
HB 2078 by J.M. Lozano (R-Kingsville) would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating board to implement a policy regarding the  transferability of lower division course credit among institutions of higher education; and to establish a database and collect information to annually identify the 25 degree programs that have the greatest transfer student enrollment.  It was left pending.
HB 2197 by John Frullo (R-Lubbock) would require a  memorandum of understanding between a school district and institution of higher education to provide a  dual credit program to include common advising strategies and terminology related to dual credit and college readiness; provide for the alignment of endorsements and dual credit courses that apply towards those endorsements, with postsecondary pathways at the institution; and identify tools to assist school counselors, students, and families in selecting endorsements offered by the district and dual credit courses offered.  It was left pending.
HB 2206 by Donna Howard (D-Austin) would allow  student loans to be refinanced through the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation.  It was left pending.
HB 3055 by John Frullo (R-Lubbock) would require the Texas Education Agency to conduct an ongoing study to examine  costs associated with dual credit courses offered a public high schools including data on costs associated with tuition, fees, textbooks, transportation, instructor compensation, assessments, and facilities; and including sources of funding.  It was left pending. The companion, SB 863, was voted out favorably as substituted from the Senate Education Committee this week.
HB 3382 by Leo Pacheco (D-San Antonio) would expand the  Teach for Texas loan repayment assistance program to students at a nonprofit, tax-exempt, regionally accredited college or university.  It was left pending.
HB 3607 by Yvonne Davis (D-Dallas) would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to study methods to  reduce the cost of electronic textbooks and course materials required or recommended for core curriculum courses.  It was left pending.
HB 3650 by Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie) would require a memorandum of understanding between a school district and an institution of higher education to provide a  dual credit program to consider the use of free or low-cost  open educational resources in the courses offered under the program.  It was left pending.
HB 3652 by Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie) would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to contract with a high-quality  open educational resource repository to develop and maintain a web portal customized to meet the needs of individual institutions of higher education, students, and others who may benefit from access to open educational resources.  It was left pending.
HB 3657 by Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie) would establish the  Texas Competency-Based Education Grant Program to provide financial assistance to enable eligible students to enroll in competency-based baccalaureate degree programs.  It was left pending.
HB 3808 by Armando Lucio Walle (D-Houston) would require  dual credit students to file a  degree plan after completing 30 semester credit hours.  It was left pending.
HB 4010 by Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie) would require  dual credit students to file a  degree plan after completing 15 semester credit hours.  It was left pending.
HB 4018 by Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie) would require institutions of higher education to develop a  recommended course sequence for each undergraduate certificate or degree program offered by the institution that identifies the required courses in the general core curriculum applicable to the certificate or degree.  It was left pending.
Also on Wednesday, the  House State Affairs Committee took up:
HB 2100 by Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) would require  institutions of higher education to ensure that the common outdoor areas of their buildings, grounds, or property are deemed  traditional public forums and permit any person lawfully present to engage in expressive activities in those area as long as the person's conduct is not unlawful, is not a disruptive activity, and does not materially and substantially disrupt the functioning of the institution.  It was left pending.

And on Wednesday, the  Senate Higher Education Committee took up:
SB 945 by Kirk Watson (D-Austin) would require public or private institutions of higher education that impose any mandatory training requirements on residential advisors or officers of student organizations to ensure that  drug and alcohol overdose awareness and appropriate response training is included with that training.  It was left pending.
SB 1162 by Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating board to prescribe a  formula for distributing funds to institutions of higher education in proportion to the  number of scaled points earned by each of the institutions based on  performance metrics.  It was left pending.
SB 1504 by Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) would abolish the B-On-Time student loan account and allocate the remaining funds in the account among eligible institutions based on a three-year average of the number of  bachelor's degrees conferred on at-risk students in accordance with a  performance-based methodology.  It was left pending.
On Thursday, the  House Corrections Committee took up:
HB 1621 by James White (R-Hillister) would establish a public  junior college district within  Texas Department of Criminal Justice to operate public junior college campuses  at the department's facilities.  It was left pending .

Voted from Committee:
HB 441 by Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio) would require the Texas Workforce Commission to provide a subsidy to individuals over the age of 21 to cover the cost of taking a  general education development (GED) exam.  It was voted favorably as substituted from the House International Relations & Economic Development Committee.
HB 2000 by Chris Turner (D- Grand Prairie) would authorize the issuance of  tuition revenue bonds for infrastructure at institutions of higher education.  It was voted favorably as substituted from the House Higher Education Committee.
HB 3042 Chris Turner (R- Grand Prairie) would establish the  Texas Working Off-Campus: Reinforcing Knowledge and Skills (WORKS) Internship Program to provide jobs funded in part by the state to enable students to attend institutions of higher education, explore career options, and strengthen marketable skills through paid internships.  It was voted out favorably from the House Higher Education Committee.

This Week :
The  House Higher Education Committee will meet on Wednesday, April 10, 2019 at 8:00 a.m. in E1.014 of the capitol extension to take up:
HB 2980 by Donna Howard (D-Austin) would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to administer a  grant program to fund innovative approaches for increasing the availability of  clinical education practice sites for graduate nurses.
HB 3655 by Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie) would make several changes to the  prepaid higher education tuition plan statutes including adding  medical and dental units for eligibility.
HB 4003 by J.D. Sheffield (R-Gatesville) would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to  study methods to mitigate or prevent a  shortage in the number of  primary care physicians practicing in the state.
HB 4206 by J.M. Lozano (R-Kingsville) would include the number of  commercial driver's license training program  certificates awarded by a public junior college in the achievement goals under the 60x30TX long-range plan for higher education.
HB 4465 by Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie) would eliminate the Texas Opportunity Plan Fund and replace it with the  student loan auxiliary fund.
HB 4615 by Morgan Meyer (R-Dallas) would require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to provide  performance-based incentives to institutions of higher education based on the achievement of progress toward the 60x30TX goals; and would require the board to provide grants to support  teacher education and development initiatives.
HUMAN RESOURCES/EMPLOYMENT

Passed the Senate:
SB 17 by Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) would prohibit a state agency that issues a license or regulates a business, occupation or profession from adopting a rule, regulation or policy or impose a penalty that limits an applicant's ability to obtain, maintain, or renew a license based on a  sincerely held religious belief of the applicant or burdens an applicant's or license holder's free exercise of religion, freedom of speech, or membership in any religious organization.  The committee substitute and one floor amendment were adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 19 to 12 along party lines with the Republicans voting for it and the Democrats voting against.
On Tuesday, the  House Business & Industry Committee took up:
HB 495 by Joe Deshotel (D-Beaumont) would prohibit an employer from inquiring about an applicant's  criminal history record information on an initial employment application form.  It was left pending.
HB 850 by Eric Johnson (D-Dallas) would prohibit  employment discrimination based on  sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.  It was left pending.
On Thursday, the  Senate State Affairs Committee took up:
SB 46 by Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) would clarify that  sexual harassment of an employee or an unpaid intern in the workplace is an unlawful employment practice.  It was voted out favorably as substituted.
SB 370 by Kirk Watson (D-Austin) would prohibit an employer from discharging, threatening to discharge, intimidate, or coerce an employee because the  employee serves as a juror or attends a court proceeding in connection with jury service.  It was voted out favorably.
 
Voted From Committee:
HB 1529 by Victoria Neave (D-Dallas) would extend the statute of limitations for an employee to file a  sexual harassment claim from 180 days to 300 days.  It was voted favorably from the House International Relations & Economic Development Committee.
 
This Week :
The  House International Relations & Economic Development Committee will meet on Monday, April 8, 2019 at 8:00 a.m. in E2.014 of the capitol extension to take up:
HB 1478 by Jon Rosenthal (R-Houston) would prohibit  employment discrimination on the basis of  reproductive decisions.
HB 1855 by Rhetta Bowers (D-Rowlett) would limit  children who are 14 or 15 years of age to  working no more than five days in one week; and a child who is 16 to no more than 10 hours in one day 54 hours in one week, six days in one week or between 11:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. on a school night.
The  House Business & Industry Committee will meet on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. in E2.016 of the capitol extension to take up:
HB 572 by Mary Gonzalez (D-El Paso) would make employees who leave a workplace due to  sexual harassment eligible for unemployment compensation if the employee reported the sexual harassment to the individual's employer or a law enforcement agency or filed an official sexual harassment complaint.
HB 1575 by Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie) would require employers to annually provide at least two hours per year of  sexual harassment prevention training for employees in a supervisory position and one hour per year for other employees.
INSURANCE

Voted From Committee:
HB 1411 by Eddie Lucio, III (D-San Benito) would prohibit an insurance company from  cancelling a commercial property insurance policy during the term of the policy except for fraud or failure to pay premiums.  It was voted favorably as substituted from the House Insurance Committee. The companion, SB 590, is on the Senate Intent Calendar for Monday, April 8, 2019.
 
This Week :
Senate Intent Calendar:
SB 590 by Kirk Watson (D-Austin) would prohibit an insurance company from  cancelling a commercial property insurance policy during the term of the policy except for fraud or failure to pay premiums. ( committee substitute)
PRIVACY 

Passed the Senate:
SB 59 by Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) would allow the capture of an image using an  unmanned aircraft if the image is captured for the purpose of  delivering consumer goods that were ordered through an Internet website or mobile application and the operator of the unmanned aircraft is authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration to conduct operations within the airspace from which the image is captured.  The committee substitute and one floor amendment were adopted and it passed the Senate unanimously.
 
On Monday, the  House State Affairs Committee took up:
HB 3834 by Giovanni Capriglione (R-Keller) would require the state cybersecurity coordinator to annually certify at least 20  cyberseucrity training programs for state and local government employees and update standards for maintenance of certification by the cybersecurity training programs; would require annual training for state and local government employees that use a computer at least 25 percent of the employee's required duties; and would require contractors (and subcontractors) of state agencies who have access to a state computer system or database to complete the cybersecurity training program.  It was left pending.
On Tuesday, the  House Business & Industry Committee took up:
HB 4390 by Giovanni Capriglione (R-Keller) would be the  Texas Privacy Protection Act. It would prohibit a business from collecting personally identifying information unless the information is relevant and necessary to accomplish the purpose for which the information was collected and that purpose is disclosed by the business.  It was left pending.
HB 4518 by Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio) would be the  Texas Consumer Privacy Act. It would allow a consumer to request a business that collects the consumer's personal information to disclose the categories and specific items of personal information the business has collected; and would allow a consumer to request that a business delete any personal information the business has collected.  It was left pending.
On Wednesday, the  House Transportation Committee took up:
HB 2301 by Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) would allow a person to operate a  personal delivery device if a human is actively monitoring or is exercising physical control over the navigation and operation of the device.  It was left pending. The companion, SB 969, has been reported favorably as substituted from the Senate Transportation Committee and recommended for the Local & Uncontested calendar.

This Week :
The  House State Affairs Committee will meet on Monday, April 8, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 140 of the John H. Reagan State Office Building to take up:
HB 2912 by John Zerwas (R-Fulshear) would allow  images captured on an  unmanned aircraft if the image is captured for the purpose of  disaster preparedness, including for the inspection, maintenance, or repair of public infrastructure.
HB 3164 by Travis Clardy (R-Nacogdoches) would make it lawful to  capture an image using an  unmanned aircraft if the image is captured by a governmental entity to provide a 9-1-1 service or a  mapping project or service other than for a law enforcement purpose.
HB 3494 by Sheryl Cole (D-Austin) would add airports to the definition of "critical infrastructure facility" in the statute prohibiting the operation of  unmanned aircraftaround  critical infrastructure facilities; and would prohibit cities or counties from adopting an ordinance regarding the operation of an unmanned aircraft.
The  House Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee will meet on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 8:00 a.m. in E2.028 of the capitol extension to take up:
HB 2399 by Craig Goldman (R-Fort Worth) would authorize establishments that sell  alcoholic beverages to rely on a  biometric identification device to determine a person's age.
PROCUREMENT

On Monday, the  Senate State Affairs Committee took up:
SB 1569 by Pat Fallon (R-Prosper) would prohibit school board members,  school employees, or contractors of a school district from distributing a  communication that advocates for or against a candidate, measure, political party,  political philosophy or matter of public interest including information on a social media platform or an electronic communication.  It was initially left pending, but it was voted favorably as substituted on Thursday.

Voted From Committee:
HB 2189 by Giovanni Capriglione (R-Keller) would make  contracting information excepted from public information requirements if the vendor or contractor or potential vendor or contractor to whom the information related demonstrates that disclosure of the information would reveal an individual approach to work organizational structure, staffing, line-item pricing, pricing information that will be used in future solicitation or bid documents, or internal operations and cause competitive harm to the vendor or contractor.  It was voted favorably as substituted from the House State Affairs Committee. The companion, SB 943, was voted favorably as substituted from the Senate Business & Commerce last week.

The  House State Affairs Committee will meet on Monday, April 8, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. in Room 140 of the John H. Reagan State Office Building to take up:
HB 1565 by Terry Meza (D-Irving) would add  persons with a disability to the definition of economically disadvantaged person to qualify for designation of a historically underutilized business for purposes of state contracting.
HB 3362 by Ana Hernandez (D-Houston) would add persons with a disability to the definition of "economically disadvantaged person" for determining whether a business is a  historically underutilized business for procurement statute purposes.
 
The  Senate Business & Commerce Committee will meet on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 8:00 a.m. in E1.012 of the capitol extension to take up:
SB 491 by Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) would specify that the statute prohibiting  government contracts with  companies that boycott Israel only applies to a contract between a governmental entity and a company with 10 or more full-time employees and has a value of $100,000 or more that is to be paid wholly or partly from public funds of the governmental entity.

PROPERTY

Passed the Senate:
SB 421 by Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) is a comprehensive  eminent domain reform bill. It would apply only to private entities with statutory eminent domain authority.  The committee substitute and one floor amendment were adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 28 to 3.
 
Calendar for Monday, April 8, 2019. The companion, HB 280, is scheduled for a hearing in the House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee on Monday, April 8, 2019.
SB 849 by Pat Fallon (R-Prosper) would require the proposed  budget of a local governmental entity that includes revenue from a new fee or a  fee increase to contain a cover page stating that the budget includes estimated revenue from a new or increased fee and a description of the fee.  It was reported favorably.
SB 855 by Pat Fallon (R-Prosper) would prohibit a municipality from considering the value of a dwelling or the cost of constructing or improving a dwelling when setting a  building permit or inspection fee.  It was reported favorably as substituted. It is on the Senate Intent calendar for Monday, April 8, 2019 (first placement). The companion, HB 852, was reported favorably as substituted from the House Urban Affairs Committee this week.
 
On Tuesday, the  House Business & Industry Committee took up:
HB 1036 by Michelle Beckley (D-Carrollton) would mandate  sales price disclosure when filing a record in the county clerk's office conveying real property; and would impose a civil penalty of 5 percent of the sales price on the purchaser for violation of the sales price disclosure requirement.  It was left pending.

This Week :
House Calendar:
HB 1136 by Four Price (R-Amarillo) would require an entity to disclose any new, amended, or updated appraisal report obtained after making an offer in an  eminent domain case and used in determining the entity's opinion of value within 10 days of receipt of the report.  It is on the House calendar on Monday, April 8, 2019 (committee substitute).
The  Senate Business & Commerce Committee will meet on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 at 8:00 a.m. in E1.012 of the capitol extension to take up:
SB 339 by Joan Huffman (R-Houston) would require a  seller of residential property to disclose to a potential buyer if the property is  located in a floodplain (a 100-year or 500-year flood plain), flood pool or within five miles downstream of a reservoir area and the property has flooded in a flood event.
PUBLIC EDUCATION

Passed the House:
HB 3 by Dan Huberty (R-Humble) is a comprehensive  school finance reform bill.  The committee substitute and 49 floor amendments were adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 148 to 1.
HB 293 by Ken King (R-Canadian) would exempt  school district chief financial officers or investment officers from  investment training requirements if the school district does not invest district funds or only deposits those funds in interest-bearing deposit accounts or certificates of deposits.  It passed by a vote of 143 to 0.
HB 674 by Jared Patterson (R-Frisco) would require school districts to report to the Commissioner of Education information on the district's  reliance on education service centers in complying with federal and state education laws and rules and indicate the specific federal or state education laws or rules for which compliance is the most burdensome and expensive.  The committee substitute was adopted and it passed by a vote of 143 to 0.
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