May 6 , 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 am -9:00 am 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. 

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.

MUNICIPAL ELECTION RESULTS
CLICK HERE for City of Plano Council and Bond Referendum Results.

CLICK HERE  for Plano Independent School District Results.

Runoffs for City Council Place 5 and Place 7 will be held Saturday, June 8th. 
GOVERNOR

Leadership Press Conference -
On Friday, Governor Greg Abbott, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Speaker Dennis Bonnen held a joint press conference to affirm their commitment to property tax reform and to a sales tax increase, which would offset a property tax reduction. Governor Abbott said, "Our goal is really simple. We're going beyond the point of hoping to reform property taxes to the point where we're hoping to deliver true property tax relief through property tax reduction." Lt. Governor Patrick indicated that if the votes are not there for a constitutional amendment, it can be accomplished by passing a bill that will only require a simple majority instead of the two-thirds majority required for a constitutional amendment. The three expressed a willingness to also look at alternative funding options.
 
STEM Camps -
On Wednesday, Governor Greg Abbott announced 16 grants totaling $946,905 that will be distributed through the Governor's Summer Merit Program to Texas universities and community colleges for summer youth camps that focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). 
Administered by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), the Governor's Summer Merit Program aims to inspire Texas youth to pursue STEM-related careers. The grants administered through the program provide over 1,200 scholarships for students ages 14 to 21 to attend camps that will help prepare them for future high-skill, high-demand jobs in STEM-related fields.
SENATE NEWS  

The Senate was in session Monday through Friday of last week.
 
On Tuesday, the Senate gave preliminary approval to two bills and passed 18 bills including SB 11 by Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), the School Safety Act. SB 11 would:
  • Require the Texas Education Agency to ensure that building standards provide a safe and secure environment.
  • Offer loan repayment assistance to those who serve as school counselors and licensed specialists on school psychology.
  • Offer a grant program for one-time facility hardening for schools.
  • Require that teachers, including substitute teachers, receive safety training and have access to a phone or electronic device to allow for quick connection to first responders in the event of an emergency.
  • Require that mental health authorities employ a non-physician mental health professional to serve as a resource and provide training to school district personnel.
  • Require that schools adopt a multi-hazard emergency operations plan and appoint a school safety committee.
  • Require that schools establish Safe and Supportive Care teams comprised of school personnel.
  • Train educators on methods of interacting with students coping with past trauma.
 
Other bills that passed the Senate this week are in the issue categories below.
 
Total number of bills reported out of Senate Committees this week: 151
Total number of bills passed by the Senate this week: 176
Total number of bills passed on the Local & Uncontested Calendar: 51
Total number of bills passed by the Senate this session: 763
 
This Week: The Senate will reconvene at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, May 6, 2019.
HOUSE NEWS 

The House was in session Monday through Friday of this week.
 
On Monday, the House gave preliminary approval to 34 bills and passed three bills. Preliminary approval was given to HB 63 by Joe Moody (D-El Paso), which would reduce the penalty for possession of an ounce or less of marijuana from a Class B misdemeanor to a non-arrestable Class C misdemeanor ticket.
 
On Tuesday, the House gave preliminary approval to 13 bills and passed 35 bills. After several hours of debate and 25 amendments added, the House passed SB 2 by Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) and Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock), the property tax reform bill, to Third Reading.
 
Also on Tuesday, the House passed HB 2100 by Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park), which would protect freedom of expression on college campuses.
 
On Friday, the House gave final passage to 55 bills and passed 271 bills on the Local & Consent calendar. One of those bills is HB 2227 by Gene Wu (D-Houston), which allows retired teachers to go back to work without affecting their retirement.
 
Other bills that passed the House this week are in the issue categories below.
 
Total number of bills reported out of House Committees this week:     400    
Total number of bills passed by the House this week:                               450
Total number of bills passed on the Local & Consent Calendar             271
Total number of bills passed by the House this session:                          1171
 
This Week: The House will reconvene at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, May 6, 2019.
2019 MAJOR ISSUES

2019 Major Issues:
There are three weeks left in the legislative session, which ends on May 27, 2019. Here is an update on the major issues and their status:
 
State Budget - HB 1, the general appropriations bill, is in a conference committee composed of Representatives John Zerwas (R-Fulshear), Greg Bonnen (R-Friendswood), Sarah Davis (R-Houston), Oscar Longoria (D-Mission), and Armando Lucio Walle (D-Houston); and Senators Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound), Joan Huffman (R-Houston), Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), and Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville).
 
In general, the appropriations bills are not very far apart.
Total Appropriations All Funds:
  • House - $251.1 billion, a 6.5 percent increase over 2018-2019
  • Senate - $247.7 billion, an increase of 5.1 percent
Total General Revenue Appropriations:
  • House - $116.5 billion, an increase of 7.9 billion (7.3 percent)
  • Senate - $116.8 billion, an increase of 8.3 billion (7.6 percent)
 
SB 500 by Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) and John Zerwas (R-Fulshear), the supplemental appropriations bill, is in a conference committee composed of Senators Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound), Joan Huffman (R-Houston), Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham), Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), and Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa (D-McAllen) and Representatives John Zerwas (R-Fulshear), Giovanni Capriglione (R-Keller), Mary Gonzalez (D-El Paso), Rick Miller (R-Sugar Land), and Toni Rose (D-Dallas).
 
Sunset Bills - In addition to the budget, the sunset bills are also "must pass" bills. State agencies undergoing sunset review will automatically be abolished if they are not renewed by the legislature.
Texas State Board of Public Accountancy - HB 1520 by Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) and Kirk Watson (D-Austin) has passed the House and the Senate.
Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission - HB 1545 Chris Paddie (R-Marshall) Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) has passed the House and is set for a hearing in the Senate Business & Commerce Committee on May 7, 2019.
Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council - HB 1501 by Poncho Nevarez (D-Eagle Pass) and Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville) consolidates the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, and Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners into the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. It has passed the House and was heard and left pending in the Senate Health & Human Services Committee on April 30, 2019.
Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner - HB 1442 by Chris Paddie (R-Marshall) and Bob Hall (R-Edgewood) has passed the House and the Senate.
Finance Commission of Texas, Texas Department of Banking, and Department of Savings and Mortgage Lending - SB 614 by Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville) and Stan Lambert (R-Abilene) has been sent to the governor.
Texas Funeral Service Commission - HB 1540 by Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) and Bob Hall (R-Edgewood) has passed the House and was heard and left pending in the Senate Business & Commerce Committee on May 2, 2019.
Texas Board of Professional Geoscientists - HB 1311 by Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) and Kirk Watson (D-Austin) has been sent to the governor.
Texas Historical Commission - HB 1422 by Chris Paddie (R-Marshall) and Dawn Buckingham (R-Lakeway) has passed the House and the Senate.
Texas Medical Board - HB 1504 by Chris Paddie (R-Marshall) and Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville) has passed the house and was heard and left pending in the Senate Health & Human Services Committee on April 30, 2019.
Department of Public Safety - SB 616 by Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) and Chris Paddie (R-Marshall) has passed the Senate and was heard and left pending in the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee on April 24, 2019.
Texas Real Estate Commission and Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board - SB 624 by Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville) and Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) has passed the Senate and was reported favorably from the House Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee on April 24, 2019.
 
Property Tax Reform - Both House and Senate versions of the appropriations bills set aside $2.3 billion for property tax reform.
SB 2 by Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) is the Senate version of the property tax reform bill. It:
  • applies a 3.5 percent rollback rate (voter-approved tax rate) to all local taxing jurisdictions except school districts, which would be at 2.5 percent;
  • Includes an exemption for taxing units with combined property and sales tax levies of $15 million or less, which would still be subject to the 8 percent rollback rate; and
  • includes truth-in-taxation requirements including real-time tax notices.
House-passed Version of SB 2 by Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) includes:
  • a 3.5 percent rollback rate and some property tax reform provisions concerning real time tax notices;
  • a 2.0 percent rollback rate for school districts;  
  • removes junior college districts and hospital districts;
  • allows local taxing jurisdictions to increase the homestead exemption; and
  • makes passage of SB 2 contingent on passage of HB 3, the public school finance bill.
 
Property Tax Reduction - The school finance reform bill provides a property tax reduction through HB 3.
  • HB 3 (as passed by the House) provides property tax relief through tax compression - tax rates go down as property values rise with the state picking up the increased cost of public education.
  • The $2.3 billion set aside in both appropriations bills would reduce school property taxes by four cents per $100 valuation.
 
Sales Tax/Property Tax Swap Proposal - The Governor, Lt. Governor and Speaker have endorsed a sales tax/property tax swap. HB 4621 and HJR 3 by Dan Huberty (R-Humble) is on the House's Major State Calendar on May 7, 2019.
  • The state sales tax would be increased by one cent - from 6.25 to 7.25 percent.
  • That would generate an additional $5 billion, enough to buy down property taxes by 20 cents per $100 valuation.
 
Public Education Reform - The House has passed HB 3 by Dan Huberty (R-Humble), the public school finance reform bill. Key provisions of the House-passed version would:
  • Increase the basic allotment from $4,140 to $6,030, an increase of $890 per student (17 percent);
  • Use prior year values in formula calculations;
  • Expand CTE allotment to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade;
  • Create a new dyslexia allotment with a weight of 0.10;
  • Create a new school safety allotment;
  • Require school districts to use 25 percent of the revenue from the increase in the basic allotment to provide salary increases for school district employees other than administrators;
  • Send an educator effectiveness allotment to school districts for st the most disadvantaged campuses to be used by the district to provide pay increases to effective teachers who teach at high needs campuses, rural campuses, or in areas experiencing a critical shortage of teachers;
  • Provide a tax compression rate of $0.04 (96 percent); and
  • Maintain the $25,000 homestead exemption.
The Senate Education Committee reported out a committee substitute for HB 3. It will be up for debate in the Senate on Monday, May 6, 2019. The Senate committee substitute for HB 3 would:
  • Increase the basic allotment from $5,140 to $5,880, an increase of $750 per student (15 percent):;
  • Use current year values in formula calculations;
  • Maintains CTE allotment at grades 9-12, but creates a set-aside for the P-Tech program;
  • Create a new dyslexia allotment of 0.12;
  • Add full-day Pre-K for children of educators;
  • Create a new 3rd grade reading outcomes allotment;
  • Create a new college, career, and military readiness allotment of $5,000 for economically disadvantaged students and $3,000 for non-economically disadvantaged students in districts in the top 25th percentile of performance on the SAT and ACT and other indicators established by the Commissioner of Education;
  • Create a new fast growth allotment of 0.042;
  • Create a new accelerated campus excellence turnaround plan allotment of 0.10;
  • Create a new dropout recovery school allotment of $275 per student;
  • Provide a $5,000 across-the-board salary increase for classroom teachers and librarians;
  • Create a new teacher incentive allotment to send to districts for teachers rated in the top quartile on criteria established by the Commissioner of Education; teachers who teach at campuses with the greatest need can receive a bonus of up to $44,000;
  • Require the Texas Education Agency to develop a transition plan to administer all STAAR tests electronically by the 2022-23 school year; with the tests being administered over multiple days, but not on Monday;
  • Provide a tax compression rate of 0.08 in the first year (92 percent) and $0.15 in the 2nd year (85 percent), contingent on the passage of a constitutional amendment;
  • Increase the mandatory state homestead exemption for school districts from $25,000 to $40,000, contingent on the passage of a constitutional amendment.
BUDGET

Passed the House:
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. The committee substitute and six floor amendments were adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 143 to 0. The companion, SB 918, was heard and left pending in the Senate Finance Committee on April 11, 2019.
 
Reported or Voted From Committee:
HB 477 by Jim Murphy (R-Houston) and Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) would specify required ballot language for issuance of local debt obligations. It was voted favorably as substituted from the Senate Property Tax Committee.
 
This Week :
The House Appropriations Committee will meet on Monday, May 6, 2019 at 8:00 a.m. in E1.030 of the capitol extension to take up:
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.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 

Passed the House:
HB 3143 by Jim Murphy (R-Houston) would extend the Property Redevelopment and Tax Abatement Act (Chapter 312) agreements until September 1, 2029 (instead of 2019); and would institute additional transparency requirements. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 146 to 0.
 
Passed the Senate:
SB 132 by Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa (D-McAllen) would establish the Texas Leverage Fund consisting of proceeds from the issuance of bonds, investment earnings and fees to be used to make loans to economic development corporations for eligible projects of Type A or Type B corporations. Loan repayments would be secured by a pledge of local economic development sales and use tax revenue. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 26 to 5. The companion, HB 31, was heard and left pending in the House International Relations & Economic Development Committee this week.
 
On Monday, the House International Relations & Economic Development took up:
HB 31 by Oscar Longoria (D-Mission) would establish the Texas Leverage Fund consisting of proceeds from the issuance of bonds, investment earnings and fees to be used to make loans to economic development corporations for eligible projects of Type A or Type B corporations. Loan repayments would be secured by a pledge of local economic development sales and use tax revenue. It was left pending. The companion, SB 132, passed the Senate this week.
ENERGY

Next Week :
The House State Affairs Committee will meet on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at 8:00 a.m. in E2.014 of the capitol extension to take up:
SB 1941 by Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) would allow a transmission and distribution utility to enter into an agreement with a generator to provide electricity from an energy storage facility for distribution system reliability.
SB 2232 by Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) would require the Public Utility Commission to identify and study the effects that renewable energy subsidies have on pricing, reliability and efficiency in the ERCOT power region.
ENVIRONMENT

Passed the House:
HB 720 by Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio) would allow an aquifer storage and recovery project to involve the use of water derived from multiple sources; and would require the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to adopt rules providing for an expedited procedure for acting on an application for a water right or an amended water right. The committee substitute and one floor amendment were adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 135 to 3.
HB 864 by Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) would specify the information that a distribution gas pipeline facility operator must provide to the Railroad Commission after a pipeline incident. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the House on the Local & Consent calendar.
HB 866 by Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) would prohibit distribution gas pipeline facility operators from installing a cast iron, wrought iron or bare steel pipeline and require them to replace cast iron, wrought iron or bare steel pipelines with plastic pipelines by December 31, 2020. The committee substitute and one floor amendment were adopted and it passed the House on the Local & Consent calendar.
HB 1649 by John Kuempel (R-Seguin) would add motorcycles to eligibility for the Texas Emissions Reduction Plan. Two floor amendments were adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 107 to 32. The companion, SB 486, has been heard and left pending in the Senate Natural Resources & Economic Development Committee.
 
On Tuesday, the House Natural Resources Committee took up:
SB 8 by Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) would create a statewide flood plan. It was left pending.
SB 563 by Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) would require state agencies that use or disburse federal money for flood research, planning, or mitigation projects to submit a quarterly report to the Texas Water Development Board that includes information on the federal money used or disbursed for flood research, planning, or mitigation projects. It was left pending.
 
On Wednesday, the Senate Natural Resources & Economic Development Committee took up:
SB 1070 by Kirk Watson (D-Austin) would allow counties to charge a vehicle inspection fee of up to $6 for local air quality initiatives including vehicle repair and replacement programs. It was voted out favorably as substituted.
 
This Week:
House Calendar:
HB 2726 by John Kuempel (R-Seguin) would allow an applicant for an air quality permit amendment to begin construction after Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has issued a draft permit. It was on the House calendar on May 1, 2019. The committee substitute and one floor amendment were adopted then it was postponed on second reading until Monday, May 7, 2019.
 
Senate Intent Calendar:
SB 2452 and SJR 79 by Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville) would propose a constitutional amendment providing additional bonding authority of up to $400 million for the Texas Water Development Board to fund projects through the Economically Distressed Areas Program.
GENERAL BUSINESS

On Monday, the House International Relations & Economic Development took up:
HB 227 by Matt Krause (R-Fort Worth) would exempt firearms, firearms accessories and ammunition that is manufactured in Texas and that remains in Texas from federal laws, regulation, or registration. It was left pending.
 
On Tuesday, the House Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee took up:
SB 1450 by Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) and Chris Paddie (R-Marshall) would create a consumer delivery permit from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to allow delivery of alcoholic beverages from a retailer to the ultimate consumer. It was reported out favorably.
 
This Week :
House Calendar:
HB 2165 by Ana Hernandez (D-Houston) would prohibit the holder of a permit or license for retail sale of alcoholic beverages from selling an alcoholic beverage at retail at a cost less than the retailer's cost.
HEALTH

Passed the House:
HB 406 by Four Price (R-Amarillo) would require applicants for a hunting or fishing license to be asked if they would like to register as an organ donor. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 137 to 0. The companion, SB 516, has been heard and left pending in the Senate Water & Rural Affairs Committee.
HB 1063 by Four Price (R-Amarillo) would extend home telemonitoring services through Medicaid to pediatric patients who are being concurrently treated by at least three medical specialists; are diagnosed with end-stage solid organ disease; have received an organ transplant; or require mechanical ventilation. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 138 to 3.
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. It passed the House by a vote of 118 to 22.
 
Passed the Senate:
SB 429 by Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville) would require the Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council, under the direction of the Health and Human Services Commission to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to increase and improve the workforce serving persons with mental health and substance use issues. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 27 to 4.
SB 2282 by Royce West (D-Dallas) would add mental health services to the list of services that a school district can provide through a cooperative health care program and school-based health centers. It passed the Senate unanimously. The companion, HB 198, has been heard and left pending in the House Public Education Committee.
 
On Wednesday, the House Public Health Committee took up:
SB 10 by Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) would establish the Texas Mental Health Care Consortium to foster collaboration among health-related institutions with the goal of improving early intervention and access to mental health services. It was left pending.
 
Reported from Committee:
HB 39 by John Zerwas (R-Fulshear) and Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) would repeal the expiration date (August 31, 2022) on the authority of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Oversight Committee to award grants. It was reported favorably from the Senate Administration Committee and recommended for the Local & Uncontested calendar.
 
This Week :
House Calendar:
HB 1782 by Philip Cortez (D-San Antonio) would require the Health and Human Services Commission to develop and implement an action plan to expand the use of and increase access to telemedicine medical services, telehealth services, and related mobile applications for those services by health care providers for Texas residents.
HB 2062 by Bobby Guerra (D-McAllen) would allow home telemonitoring services under Medicaid for pediatric patients with chronic or complex medical needs.
HB 3345 by Four Price (R-Amarillo) would require health benefit plans to provide coverage for a covered health care service or procedure delivered by a preferred or contracted health professional to a covered patient as a telemedicine medical service or telehealth service on the same basis and to the same extent that the plan provides coverage for the service or procedure in an in-person setting. It was on the House calendar for April 24, 2019 but was postponed until May 7, 2019.
HB 4455 by Rick Miller (R-Sugar Land) would authorize a health care professional to provide mental health services that are within the scope of his/her professional license through telemedicine or telehealth services to a patient who is located outside the state. It is on the House Local & Consent calendar on May 7, 2019.
 
The Senate Health & Human Services Committee will meet on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at 8:00 a.m. in the Senate Chamber to take up:
HB 10 by Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) would establish the Texas Mental & Behavioral Health Research Institute to be funded with voter-approved bonds.
HB 19 by Four Price (R-Amarillo) would require local mental health authorities to employ a non-physician mental health professional to serve as a mental health and substance use resource for school districts; and would require the authority to collaborate with local regional education service centers.
 
The Senate Finance Committee will meet on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. in E1.036 of the capitol extension to take up:
HB 2570 by John Zerwas (R-Fulshear) would authorize a claim related to grants awarded by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas to be paid from an appropriation up to seven years after the end of the fiscal year for which the appropriation was made.
HJR 12 by John Zerwas (R-Fulshear) would propose a constitutional amendment increasing the bonding authority for the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas from $3 billion to $6 billion.
HIGHER EDUCATION

Passed the House:                
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. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the House on the Local & Consent calendar.
 
On Wednesday, the House Higher Education Committee took up:
SB 16 by Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) would institute a student loan repayment assistance program for peace officers. It was voted out favorably as substituted.
 
Voted from Committee:
HB 4465 by Chris Turner (D-Grand Prairie) and Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) would eliminate the Texas Opportunity Plan Fund and replace it with the student loan auxiliary fund. It was voted favorably from the Senate Higher Education Committee.
HUMAN RESOURCES/EMPLOYMENT

On Wednesday, the House State Affairs Committee took up:
SB 2485 by Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) would prohibit local ordinances that regulate or mandate a private employer's terms of employment relating to employment benefits, including health, disability retirement, profit-sharing, death, and group accidental death and dismemberment benefits. It was left pending.
SB 2486 by Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) would prohibit local ordinances that regulate a private employer's terms of employment relating to scheduling practices or overtime compensation. It was voted out favorably as substituted.
SB 2487 by Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) would prohibit local ordinances that regulate a private employer's terms of employment relating to any form of employment leave, vacation, and personal necessity. It was left pending.
SB 2488 by Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) would prohibit local ordinances that prohibits, limits, or regulates a private employer's ability to request, consider, or take employment action based on the criminal history record information of an applicant or employee. It was left pending.
PROPERTY

Passed the Senate:
SB 545 by Kirk Watson (D-Austin) would require neighborhood organizations to be on record and in good standing with the secretary of state in order to receive development funding from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate unanimously.
 
On Tuesday, the Senate Intergovernmental Relations Committee took up:
HB 36 by Lina Ortega (D-El Paso) and Jose Rodriguez (D-El Paso) would provide for expedited court proceedings in a suit related to enforcement of an ordinance related to a dangerously damaged or deteriorated structure. It was left pending.
 
Reported or Voted from Committee:
HB 1987 by Ben Leman (R-Iola) would require an entity to report to the comptroller any court proceeding filed to determine the validity of extent of the entity's eminent domain authority including the outcome of the proceeding; and would require the comptroller to maintain a list of entities whose authority is subject to a current challenge. It was voted favorably as substituted from the House Land & Resource Management Committee.
PUBLIC EDUCATION

Passed the House:
HB 570 by Giovanni Capriglione (R-Keller) would require the governing body of a charter school to hold open meetings in the county in which the charter school is located or broadcast the open meeting over the Internet and make an archived copy of the recording available on the Internet. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 141 to 0.
HB 808 by Harold Dutton (D-Houston) would provide that public schools with at least 1,000 African American males to be evaluated on campus performance based only on the performance of African American males. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 106 to 40.
HB 963 by Cecil Bell, Jr. (R-Magnolia) would allow the $50 bonus for two or more advanced career and technology education courses to apply to advanced technology applications courses. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 138 to 3.
HB 1131 by Sheryl Cole (D-Austin) would allow school districts to borrow money from the Texas Public Finance Authority and to issue bonds and notes to purchase or lease equipment and for costs associated with maintenance, repair, rehabilitation of renovation of school district facilities; and would establish the School District Equipment and Improvement Fund administered by the comptroller for proceeds of the bonds to be used to fund equipment and facilities and repay bond obligations. Two floor amendments were adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 80 to 61.
HB 1517 by Garnet Coleman (D-Houston) would require schools and charters that do not have a full-time nurse assigned to be present at the school for more than 30 consecutive instructional days during the school year to provide written notice of the absence to the parents of each student enrolled in the school. It passed the House by a vote of 83 to 57.
HB 1640 by Armando "Mando" Martinez (D-Weslaco) would establish a life skills counselor pilot program in high schools in the border region to help address emotional and mental health concerns of students. It passed the House on the Local & Consent calendar.
HB 1906 by Dwayne Burns (R-Clelburne) would allow the parent of a cognitively disabled student to request that the student be exempted from administration of an alternative assessment instrument. One floor amendment was adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 134 to 2.
HB 2818 by Eddie Lucio, III (D-San Benito) would establish considerations the Commissioner of Education must make in calculating attendance for an Internet Online Dropout Recovery Education Program. It passed the House on the Local & Consent calendar.
HB 2983 by Dan Huberty (R-Humble) would eliminate the math assessments in grades four, six and seven; eliminate the reading assessments in grades four, six and seven; and eliminate the writing, spelling and grammar assessments in grade four and seven and require them in grades five and eight. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 142 to 0.
HB 3009 by James Talarico (D-Round Rock) would require the social studies curriculum to include civics instruction; and would require the State Board of Education to develop a civics curriculum. One floor amendment was adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 122 to 19.
HB 3132 by Alma Allen (D-Houston) would require staff development for teachers in grades K - 3 to include training in effective and systematic instructional practices in reading, including phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension; and the use of empirically validated instructional methods that are appropriate for assisting struggling learners. It passed the House by a vote of 118 to 25.
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 passed the House by a vote of 139 to 1.
HB 3904 by Dan Huberty (R-Humble) would make several changes to the accountability system. The committee substitute and three floor amendments were adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 134 to 7.
 
Passed the Senate:
HB 114 by James White (R-Hillister) and Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) would require high school students and their parents to receive information regarding the availability of college credit awarded by institutions of higher education to veterans and military service members for military experience, education, and training obtained during military service (the College Credit for Heroes Program). It passed the Senate on the Local & Uncontested calendar.
SB 11 by Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) would establish several new programs and requirements related to improving public school safety and student mental health. The committee substitute and seven floor amendments were adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 29 to 2.
SB 232 by Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio) would require school districts to notify parents of 9th - 12th grade students that are not required to complete an Algebra II course to graduate under the foundation school program the potential consequences to the student of not completing an Algebra II course include potential impact on eligibility for automatic college admission; and financial aid including the TEXAS grant program and the Texas Educational Opportunity Grant Program. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 30 to 0.
SB 686 by Carol Alvarado (D-Houston) would require school districts to provide a one-half credit course in personal financial literacy that includes instruction on completing the application for federal student aid (current law requires school districts to offer it as an elective). The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 30 to 1. The companion, HB 1182, has passed the House and been referred to the Senate Education Committee.
SB 723 by Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) would require school districts to post the annual compensation received by the superintendent on the district's Internet website. It passed the Senate by a vote of 30 to 1.
SB 784 by Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) would require the annual notice to parents about a school district's human sexuality instruction to include the date on which the district's human sexuality instruction will be provided to the student and a detailed description of the content of the instruction to be provided on that date. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 19 to 11.
SB 933 by Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) would establish a Texas Education Agency Office of the Inspector General to carry out investigations of fraud, waste, and abuse on behalf of the Commissioner of Education. The committee substitute and four floor amendments were adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 30 to 1.
SB 1016 by Beverly Powell (D-Burleson) would require the Texas Education Agency to review professional development training requirements every four years. The committee substitute and one floor amendment were adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 30 to 0.
SB 1045 by Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) would require the Commissioner of Education to evaluate the performance of students enrolled in a district or school full-time online campus program separately from the performance of other district or school students. The committee substitute and one floor amendment were adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 30 to 1.
SB 1133 by Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) would prohibit a school district or charter from having a business interest in a real estate and rental leasing business, an arts, entertainment, or recreation business, or an accommodation and food service business. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate unanimously. The companion, HB 4131, has been reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 1284 by Borris Miles (D-Houston) would require the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston to establish a competitive grant program to promote early literacy and award grants for the implementation or expansion of literacy programs. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 25 to 5.
SB 1374 by Angela Paxton (R-McKinney) would authorize school districts to allow a student to enroll concurrently in Algebra I and geometry to satisfy math curriculum requirements. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 30 to 0.
SB 1390 by Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio) would require suicide prevention training to be provided to all school employees on a biennial basis (instead of on a schedule adopted by agency rule); and would require mental health, including instruction on mental health conditions, substance abuse, skills to manage emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationship and responsible decision-making, and suicide prevention as part of the health curriculum in foundation curriculum requirements. The committee substitute and one floor amendment were adopted and it passed the Senate unanimously.
SB 1412 by Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) would allow low-performing schools to submit an accelerated campus excellence turnaround plan. The committee substitute and two floor amendments were adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 29 to 2.
SB 1454 by Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) would prescribe procedures for closing an open-enrollment charter school and liquidation of funds. The committee substitute and one floor amendment were adopted and it passed the Senate unanimously.
SB 1659 by Kirk Watson (D-Austin) would require revenue received by the School Land Board from mineral or royalty interests to be transferred monthly to the State Board of Education for investment in the permanent school fund. The committee substitute and two floor amendments were adopted and it passed the Senate unanimously. The companion, HB 3467, has been heard and left pending in the House Public Education Committee.
SB 1746 by Borris Miles (D-Houston) would add students who have been incarcerated or have a parent or guardian who has been incarcerated to the definition of students at risk of dropping out. It passed the Senate by a vote of 30 to 1. The companion, HB 2116 has been reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 2075 by Angela Paxton (R-McKinney) would require the Texas Education Agency to audit and monitor school districts to ensure they are complying with dyslexia screening and testing requirements. The committee substitute was adopted and it passed the Senate unanimously. The companion, HB 1199, has been reported favorably as substituted from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 2117 by Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) would clarify that for school district campuses operating under a charter partnership, the campus performance rating received during the first two school years of the partnership is included in calculating the campus performance rating in consecutive school years. The committee substitute and one floor amendment were adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 29 to 2. The companion, HB 3861, was reported favorably as substituted from the House Public Education Committee this week.
SB 2285 by Pat Fallon (R-Prosper) would establish a procedure to challenge a data or calculation error or inaccuracy attributable to a school district or charter if the inaccuracy caused the district or school to have a lower academic or financial accountability rating. The committee substitute and one floor amendment were adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 30 to 0. The companion, has been heard and left pending in the House Public Education Committee.
SB 2293 by Pat Fallon (R-Prosper) would provide that an open-enrollment charter school is a political subdivision and the officers and members of the governing body of the open-enrollment charter school are considered to be officials of the political subdivision and employees of the charter school considered to be public employees. It passed the Senate by a vote of 23 to 8.
 
On Tuesday, the House Public Education Committee took up:
SB 54 by Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) would exempt a student in a regional day school program for the deaf whose parent does not reside in the school district from the district's accountability rating classification. It was left pending.
SB 372 by Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) would authorize an open-enrollment charter school to employ security personnel and commission peace officers and to enter into a memorandum of understanding with a law enforcement agency to assign a school resource officer to the school. It was left pending.
SB 435 by Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) would require local school health advisory councils to recommend appropriate grade level curriculum for instruction regarding opioid addiction and abuse and methods for administering an opioid antagonist. It was left pending.
SB 522 by Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) would require the individualized education program for a student with a visual impairment to include instruction in braille unless the student's admission, review, and dismissal committee determines that braille is not an appropriate literacy medium for the student. It was left pending.
SB 1451 by Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) would require the Commissioner of Education to ensure that a teacher may not be assigned an area of deficiency in an appraisal solely on the basis of disciplinary referrals made by the teacher. It was left pending.
SB 1557 by Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville) would require the Commissioner of Education to designate a school district campus as a Purple Star Campus if the campus applies for designation and takes actions to assist military-connected students. It was left pending.
 
Also on Tuesday, the Senate Education Committee took up:
HB 403 by Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) and Joan Huffman (R-Houston) would require training for school superintendents and trustees regarding sexual abuse, human trafficking, and other maltreatment of children. It was left pending.
HB 684 by Travis Clardy (R-Nacogdoches) and Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) would require school nurses and other school district employees to complete an agency-approved online course on managing students with seizures, seizure recognition and related first aid. It was left pending.
SB 2312 by Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) would abolish the Harris County Board of Education effective September 1, 2021 unless it is approved by a majority of voters at an election held on the November 2020 uniform election date. It was left pending.
 
On Wednesday, the House Culture, Recreation & Tourism Committee took up:
HB 3730 by Valoree Swanson (R-Spring) would authorize the Texas Library and Archives Commission to purchase online library resources for primary and secondary schools. It was voted out favorably.
 
Also on Wednesday, the House Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee took up:
SB 406 by Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury) would clarify the authority of a school marshal to carry a concealed handgun on the physical premises of the school. It was left pending.
 
Voted and Reported From Committee:
HB 1730 by Yvonne Davis (D-Dallas) would require the Commissioner of Education to deny a charter application if the proposed charter school is to be located within one mile of another open-enrollment charter school campus unless the other campus has been operating at maximum student enrollment for at least the preceding two school years. It was voted out favorably as substituted from the House Public Education Committee.
HB 3145 by Steve Toth (R-The Woodlands) clarifies the rights of parents to attend school activities including school lunches, performances, and field trips. It was reported favorably from the House Juvenile Justice & Family Issues Committee and recommended for the Local & Consent calendar.
HB 3628 by Vikki Goodwin (D-Austin) would require the State Board of Educator Certification to establish a special education certificate. It was voted out favorably as substituted from the House Public Education Committee.
HB 3820 by Carl Sherman (D-De Soto) would require students to be given one of the valid, reliable, and nationally norm-referenced college-readiness assessment instruments used by colleges and universities as part of their undergraduate admissions process after the student has taken Algebra I or English I and English II. It was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 364 by Kirk Watson (D-Austin) and Alma Allen (D-Houston) would require Texas Education Agency to develop model policies on the recess period during the school day that encourages constructive, age-appropriate outdoor playtime that maximizes the effectiveness of outdoor physical activity; and would require school districts to adopt a recess policy based on the model policies. It was voted out favorably as substituted from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 668 by Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) and Gary VanDeaver (R-New Boston) would make several changes to the public education system involving reporting on educator preparation, homeless students, charters and completion. It was voted favorably from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 863 by Kirk Watson (D-Austin) and 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 voted favorably from the House Higher Education Committee.
SB 1230 by Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) and Morgan Meyer (R-Dallas) would require private schools to report to the State Board for Educator Certification information on educators that have a criminal record. It was voted favorably from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 1376 by Angela Paxton (R-McKinney) and Jared Patterson (R-Frisco) would expand the master teacher grant program from reading teachers only to include reading, mathematics, technology, and science teachers; and would make some other non-substantive changes in reporting requirements. It was voted favorably from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 1679 by Royce West (D-Dallas) and John Turner (D-Dallas) would clarify that a child that is eligible for enrollment in a pre-kindergarten class at the age of three remains eligible for enrollment at the age of four. It was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee.
SB 2018 by Royce West (D-Dallas) and Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) would abolish dissolution committees established to abolish county boards of education and transfer the duties to the commissioners court of the county in which the county board of education is located. It was voted favorably as substituted from the House Public Education Committee.
 
This Week :
House Calendar:
HB 142 by Joe Moody (D-El Paso) would require the Texas Education Agency to develop a notice indicating the change made from 2016 to 2017 in reporting requirements for school districts and charters regarding the special education representation indicator adopted in the Performance-Based Monitoring Analysis System Manual and in plain language, the rights of a child under federal and state law and the process to initiate a referral of a child for evaluation for eligibility for special education services. It is on the House Local & Consent calendar on May 7, 2019.
HB 233 by Matt Krause (R-Fort Worth) would prohibit school districts from having a school start date before Labor Day and require school districts to end the school year between May 15th and Memorial Day, unless the district operates a year-round system. These requirements would also apply to districts of innovation.
HB 974 by Will Metcalf (R-Conroe) would require school districts to conduct a safety and security audit once every two years (instead of three years); and would require (instead of allow) school districts to require a person that enters a campus, other than to attend a school sponsored event that is open to the public, to display the person's driver's license or other form of photo identification, and to cross-check the person with the Department of Public Safety's sex offender registry.
HB 1133 by Jonathan Stickland (R-Bedford) would change the class size limitation of 22 students per class for kindergarten through fourth grade to a campus-wide average of 22 students in each of those grades.
HB 1930 by James White (R-Hillister) would authorize the establishment of a charter school by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department for students previously adjudicated as having engaged in conduct indicating a need for supervision or delinquent conduct.
HB 2013 by Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D-San Antonio) would institute a two-school-year delay on implementation on public school accountability rules adopted by the Commissioner of Education unless a shorter implementation period is required by law.
HB 2184 by Alma Allen (D-Houston) would establish procedures to transition a student from an alternative education program to a regular classroom.
HB 2210 by Keith Bell (R-Forney) would exempt students receiving residential services in a state hospital whose parents do not reside in the school district from the district's accountability ratings.
HB 2526 by Jeff Leach (R-Plano) would require schools to admit students if the person and either parent reside in a residence homestead located on a parcel of property any part of which is located in the school district. It is on the House Local & Consent calendar on May 7, 2019.
HB 2689 by Jay Dean (R-Longview) would require school districts to designate a cybersecurity coordinator to serve as a liaison between the district and the Texas Education in cybersecurity matters; and would require reporting of cyber attacks, attempted cyber attacks, or other cybersecurity incidents.
HB 2797 by Gina Hinojosa (D-Austin) would require the Commissioner of Education to determine, report, and consider the performance of students enrolled in a specialized support campus separately from the school district that operates the campus for purposes of measuring annual improvement in student achievement; achievement indicators; and additional performance indicators.
HB 2879 by John Rainey (R-Bryan) would require the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston to establish a competitive grant program to promote early literacy and award grants for the implementation or expansion of literacy programs.
HB 3000 by James Talarico (D-Round Rock) would require school districts to notify Texas Education Agency and parents of students in the school district of a data breach involving student information within 10 days after the district becomes aware of a data breach.
HB 3069 by Mary Gonzalez (D-Clint) would require the Commissioner of Education to establish a professional development grant program to encourage teachers to obtain computer science certification; and continue professional development in coding, computational thinking, and computer science education.
HB 3683 by Harold Dutton (D-Houston) would authorize the Commissioner of Education to approve dropout recovery competency-based education programs at a school district campus or charter.
HB 3906 by Dan Huberty (R-Humble) would make several changes regarding student assessments.
HB 4186 by Scott Sanford (R-McKinney) would establish the Next Generation Commission on Digital Learning to develop and make recommendations for establishing a framework to incorporate digital teaching and learning in public schools. The companion, SB 2431, is on the Senate Intent calendar.
HB 4242 by Diego Bernal (D-San Antonio) would require assessments to be evaluated by an independent group of qualified educators with Texas teaching experience for readability within the grade level assessed, and each assessment item of sufficient length to be separately evaluated for readability within the grade level assessed before being field-tested.
 
Senate Intent Calendar:
HB 3 by Dan Huberty (R-Humble) and Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) is a comprehensive school finance reform bill.
SB 316 by Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) would require the attorney general to defend a teacher in a civil action brought against the teacher if the teacher acted in good faith within the scope of the teacher's duties.
SB 351 by Beverly Powell (D-Fort Worth) would add students who successfully complete a coherent sequence of career and technology courses to the evaluation criteria for school districts and campuses. The companion, HB 1388, has passed the House and been referred to the Senate Education Committee.
SB 451 by Beverly Powell (D-Fort Worth) would allow the bilingual education allotment to be used for salary supplements for bilingual teachers.
SB 629 by Pat Fallon (R-Prosper) would require the school districts ranked among the 50 highest in student enrollment to maintain on the district's Internet website financial information on the revenue and expenditure information as a total amount and per student and other financial information.
SB 869 by Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo) would require school districts and charters to base their policy for care of students at risk for anaphylaxis on the most recent "Guidelines for the Care of Students With Food Allergies At-Risk for Anaphylaxis" developed by the commissioner of health and human services.
SB 1182 by Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) would require the attorney general to approve bonds for the educational facilities for charter schools if the public notice and hearings procedure is completed.
SB 2283 by Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) would prohibit a person from serving as a school board member if the person has been convicted of a felony or a Class A misdemeanor.
SB 2343 by Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) would require the Blinn College District, the Houston Community College System District, the Lee College District, the Lone Star College System District, and the San Jacinto College District to enter into an agreement with each school district located in the county in the junior college district's service area to offer one or more dual credit courses.
SB 2431 by Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) would establish the Next Generation Commission on Digital Learning to develop and make recommendations for establishing a framework to incorporate digital teaching and learning in public schools. It is on the Senate Intent calendar for April 29, 2019. The companion, HB 4186, was reported favorably from the House Public Education Committee on April 25, 2019. It is on the House calendar for May 7, 2019.
 
The House Public Education Committee will meet on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at 8:00 a.m. in E2.036 of the capitol extension to take up:
SB 11 by Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) would establish several new programs and requirements related to improving public school safety and student mental health.
SB 1453 by Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) would authorize school districts to allow students enrolled in a course that requires the use of a graphing calculator to use the student's cellular telephone that provides the same functionality, unless the district makes a graphing calculator available to the student at no cost.
SB 1455 by Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) would authorize the Commissioner of Education to grant an application for a private entity or corporation to provide a full-time virtual school.
SB 1776 by Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) would require school districts and charters to offer a high school elective course for one-half credit on the founding principles of the Unites States.
SB 2042 by Pat Fallon (R-Prosper) would require the Texas Education Agency to evaluate the industry-recognized credentials and certificates that are currently being offered to public high school students through career and technology education programs and identify any unmet needs in CTE programs in each region of the state.
SB 2073 by Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) would require school districts that reduce the number of instruction days for students to give a corresponding reduction of teacher in-service days.
SB 2180 by Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) would require kindergarten through 8th-grade TEKS to include coding, computer programming, computational thinking, and cybersecurity in the technology applications curriculum. It would also require the Texas Education Agency to establish the Computer Science Strategic Advisory Committee to develop and provide recommendations for increasing computer science instruction and participation in public schools.
 
The Senate Education Committee will meet on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 at 9:00 a.m. in E1.028 of the capitol extension to take up:
HB 18 by Four Price (R-Amarillo) would add positive behavior interventions and support into each school district's improvement plan; increase training and curriculum requirements on mental health issues; and expand school counseling programs for students with mental health conditions.
HB 109 by Armando "Mando" Martinez (D-Weslaco) would apply the statute prohibiting classes on Memorial Day to open-enrollment charter schools.
HB 111 by Mary Gonzalez (D-El Paso) would require training for school employees to include prevention of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, and other maltreatment of children with significant cognitive disabilities in both educational and non-educational settings.
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.
HB 906 by Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston) would establish the Collaborative Task Force on Public School Mental Health Services to evaluate mental health services to students, parents or family members or school or school district employees.
HB 1597 by Stan Lambert (R-Abilene) would allow a student whose parent or guardian is an active-duty military member to establish residency in a school district by providing a copy of a military order requiring the parent's transfer to a military installation in or adjacent to the district's attendance zone.
TAX

Passed the House:
SB 2 by Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) is the House's property tax reform bill. SB 2 was substituted for HB 2 on the House calendar. The committee substitute and 25 floor amendments were adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 109 to 36.
HB 1313 by Phil King (R-Weatherford) would raise the standard for a chief appraiser to increase the value on a property that was the subject of a successful appeal in the previous year to "clear and convincing" evidence, instead of "substantial" evidence standard. One floor amendment was adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 140 to 0.
 
Passed the Senate:
HB 1802 by Dwayne Bohac (R-Houston) and Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) would increase the deadline from 45 days to 60 days for a property owner to request an appeal of a property appraisal for arbitration. It passed the Senate unanimously.
HB 2153 by Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) And Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) would allow an out-of-state Internet seller or other "remote seller" to elect to collect a single, statewide local sales tax rate calculated annually by the comptroller, instead of collecting the rate actually imposed by the various taxing jurisdictions (cities and other local entities) at a destination address. It passed the Senate on the Local & Uncontested calendar.
 
On Tuesday, the Senate Property Tax Committee took up:
HB 861 by Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas) and Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels) would clarify provisions on the penalties and interest on supplemental property tax bills. It was left pending.
 
On Wednesday, the House Ways & Means Committee took up:
HB 160 and HJR 19 by Richard Pena Raymond (D-Laredo) would propose a constitutional amendment extending the property tax exemption available to homeowners who are over 65 or disabled to parents or guardians of a disabled minor who resides with the parents. They were left pending.
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 for up to five years. It was voted out favorably.
 
Reported and Voted From Committee:
HB 1607 by Craig Goldman (R-Fort Worth) would allow a federal defense contractor to deduct any costs not already deducted as cost of goods sold (COGS) or as compensation that are properly allowable under the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) for contracts, or subcontracts supporting those contracts, for the sale of goods or services to the federal government. It was voted favorably as substituted from the House Ways & Means Committee.
SB 1428 by Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) would allow a property owner protesting a property appraisal to file suit against an appraisal district or appraisal review board to compel compliance with the law or a rule. It was voted favorably as substituted from the Senate Property Tax Committee. The companion, HB 1745, has been reported favorably as substituted from the House Ways & Means Committee.
 
This Week :
House Calendar:
HB 2159 by Morgan Meyer (R-Dallas) would establish procedures for correction of an appraisal roll based on unequal appraisal or excessive market value of a property.
HB 2993 by Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth) would require the income method of appraisal for property used for low-income housing in the first year of stable occupancy; and would prescribe the formula for appraisal in subsequent years. It is on the House Local & Consent calendar on May 7, 2019.
HB 3258 by Ina Minjarez (D-San Antonio) would allow an additional metropolitan transit authority sales tax of up to 0.5 percent. It was on the House calendar for May 2, 2019, but it was postponed on second reading until May 6, 2019.
HB 4621 and HJR 3 by Dan Huberty (R-Humble) would propose a constitutional amendment increasing the sales tax and provide an offset property tax reduction. They are on the Major State calendar for May 7, 2019.
TRANSPORTATION

Passed the House:
HB 1548 by Drew Springer (R-Muenster) would re-define all-terrain or recreational vehicles as "off-highway" vehicles; and would establish a procedure for licensing neighborhood electric vehicles. Two floor amendments were adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 142 to 0.
 
Passed the Senate:
SB 549 by Royce West (D-Dallas) would institute minimum requirements related to the operation of a motor-assisted scooter. The committee substitute and one floor amendment were adopted and it passed the Senate by a vote of 20 to 11.
 
On Wednesday, the Senate Transportation Committee took up:
HB 339 by Andrew Murr (R-Junction) and Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) would require an entity that sets a lower speed limit on a road or highway in the state highway system for a construction or maintenance work zone to place a sign at the end of the zone that indicates the speed limit after the zone ends. It was reported favorably and recommended for the Local & Uncontested calendar.
HB 1711 by Chris Paddie (R-Marshall) and Angela Paxton (R-McKinney) would require the Texas Department of motor vehicles to allow a vehicle registered with the department to be equipped with a digital license plate in lieu of a physical license plate; and would allow the department to contract with a digital license plate provider for the issuance of the digital license plates. It was left pending.
SB 478 by Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) would prohibit a private entity from entering the lands or waters of any person or corporation to make an examination or survey for a proposed high-speed rail facility unless the Texas Department of Transportation has determined that the entity is a railroad company. It was left pending.
 
Voted and Reported From Committee:
HB 1367 by Cody Harris (R-Palestine) would give persons from whom real property was acquired by a private high-speed rail entity, their heirs, successors and assigns first right of refusal to repurchase the property before all other purchasers for the price paid to the owner by the entity if the property is not used by the entity. It was voted favorably from the House Land & Resource Management Committee.
 
This Week :
House Calendar:
HB 803 by Jared Patterson (R-Frisco) would require toll project entities to annually report the entity's financial data, toll revenue, operational expenses, and outstanding debt for each toll project on the entity's Internet website.
HB 1631 by Jonathan Stickland (R-Bedford) would prohibit a local authority from implementing or operating a photographic traffic signal enforcement system on a highway or street under the jurisdiction of the authority. The companion, SB 653, is on the Senate Intent calendar.
 
Senate Intent Calendar:
SB 653 by Bob Hall (R-Canton) would prohibit a local authority from implementing or operating a photographic traffic signal enforcement system on a highway or street under the jurisdiction of the authority. The companion, HB 1631, is on the House calendar. 
PRIVACY

Passed the House:
HB 2282 by Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound) would remove the exemption for voiceprint data retained by a financial institution from statutes limiting the use of biometric identifiers. It passed the House by a vote of 132 to 9.
HB 4214 by Giovanni Capriglione (R-Keller) would make several changes related to cybersecurity at state agencies and other governmental entities. The committee substitute and five floor amendments were adopted and it passed by a vote of 139 to 3.
 
This Week :
House Calendar:
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.
 
The House State Affairs Committee will meet on Wednesday, May 8, 2019 at 8:00 a.m. in E2.014 of the capitol extension to take up:
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.
WORKFORCE

Passed the Senate:
SB 1192 by Royce West (D-Dallas) would establish the Texas Working Off-Campus: Reinforcing Knowledge and Skills Internship Program (Texas WORKS) internship program to provide jobs funded in part by the state to enable students employed through the program to attend public or private institutions of higher education while exploring career options and strengthening marketable skills. It passed the Senate on the Local & Uncontested calendar.
 
This Week :
House Calendar:
HB 1469 by Shawn Thierry (D-Houston) would expand the Skills Development Fund partnerships for customized workforce training programs to school districts and open-enrollment charter schools.
HB 2416 by John Frullo (R-Lubbock) would require the Texas Workforce Commission to establish a workforce diploma pilot program to assist adult students to obtain a high school diploma and develop technical career readiness skills and employability. It was on the House calendar May 1, 2019 but was postponed until May 6, 2019. The companion, SB 1055, has passed the Senate and been reported favorably from the House International Relations & Economic Development Committee. It will be substituted for HB 2416 on the House floor.
HB 3511 by Gary VanDeaver (F-New Boston) would establish the Commission on Texas Workforce of the Future to engage business, state agencies, and local workforce system partners in the efforts of state and local authorities to build the state's workforce talent pipeline.
 
Senate Intent Calendar:
SB 756 by Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa (D-McAllen) would add eligible non-profit organizations that prepare low-income students for careers in high-demand occupations to eligibility for a Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) grant. 
INSURANCE

Passed the House:
SB 590 by Kirk Watson (D-Austin) and Eddie Lucio, III (D-Brownsville) 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. SB 590 was substituted for HB 1411 on the Local & Consent calendar and it passed the House.
 
Reported or Voted From Committee:
SB 442 by Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) require all homeowner's insurance policies that do not provide flood coverage to explicitly state so by providing written notice to the insured. It was voted favorably from the House Insurance Committee.
 
This Week :
House Calendar:
HB 1739 by Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth) would prohibit an insurer from requiring as a prerequisite to asserting a claim under the uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage a judgment or other legal determination establishing the other motorist's liability or uninsured or underinsured status; and would prohibit an insurer from requiring as a prerequisite to paying benefits a judgment or legal determination of the other motorist's liability or the extent of the insured's damages before benefits are paid.
PROCUREMENT

Passed the House:
HB 2175 by Ben Leman (R-Iola) would increase the threshold over which a county is required to engage in a competitive purchasing procedure for county road repairs from $25,000 to $50,000. It passed the House on the Local & Consent calendar. The companion, SB 1720, has passed the Senate and was voted favorably from the House County Affairs Committee this week.
TECHNOLOGY

This Week :
House Calendar:
HB 4132 by Eddie Rodriguez (D-Austin) would establish procedures for governmental bodies to follow when responding to a request for public information that is maintained in an electronic format.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Reported or Voted From Committee:
HB 1960 by Four Price (R-Amarillo) and Charles Perry (R-Lubbock) would establish the Governor's Broadband Council to research the past and present development of broadband in areas that are currently underserved and unserved with broadband; identify barriers to residential and commercial broadband access and broadband development and study solutions to overcome the identified barriers. It was reported favorably as substituted and recommended for the Local & Uncontested calendar.
 
This Week :
House Calendar:
HB 3535 by Dade Phelan (R-Nederland) would require telecommunications or cable providers to pay the annual local right-of-way fees or state right-of-way fee, whichever is higher. The companion, SB 1152, has passed the Senate and been reported favorably from the House State Affairs Committee. It is likely going to be substituted for HB 3535 on the House calendar.
WORKERS' COMPENSATION

Passed the House:
HB 741 by Yvonne Davis (D-Dallas) would include the right to choose a treating doctor in the notice of rights and responsibilities provided to injured workers by the Office of Injured Employee Counsel. One floor amendment was adopted and it passed the House by a vote of 62 to 58.
 
On Tuesday, the House Business & Industry Committee took up:
HB 1305 by Terry Meza (D-Irving) would add a cost of living adjustment to death benefits paid under the workers' compensation system. It was left pending.
SB 934 by Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills) would change the timetable to appeal a Division of Workers' Compensation appeals panel decision to district court from 45 days to 60 days. It was left pending.
 
This Week :
House Calendar:
HB 2503 by Kyle Kacal (R-College Station) would allow an eligible spouse who remarries to be eligible for death benefits for life if the employee was a peace officer who suffered death in the course and scope of employment or while providing services as a volunteer.
END-OF-SESSION SLOW-DOWN RULES
Rules that institute deadlines prior to the end of the legislative session begin to kick in Monday, May 6, 2019:

May 6, 2019 - Last day for House committees to report House Bills and House Joint Resolutions (119th day).
May 7, 2019 - Last House Daily Calendar with House Bills and House Joint Resolutions must be distributed by 10:00 p.m. due to the 36-hour layout rule for calendars (120th day).
May 8, 2019 - Last House Local and Consent Calendar with Consent House Bills must be distributed by 9:00 a.m. due to the 48-hour layout rule for Local and Consent calendars (121st day).
May 9, 2019 - Last day (midnight deadline) for the House to consider Second Reading House Bills and House Joint Resolutions on the regular calendar (122nd Day).
May 10, 2019 - Last day (midnight deadline) for House to consider consent House Bills on Second and Third Reading and all Third reading House Bills and House Joint Resolutions on the regular calendar (123rd Day).
May 15, 2019 - Last House Local and Consent Calendar with local House Bills must be distributed by 9:00 a.m. due to the 48-hour layout for Local and Consent calendars (128th day).
May 17, 2019 - Last day for the House to consider local House Bills on Second and Third Reading. First day the Senate can consider bills and resolutions the first day they are posted on the Intent Calendar (130th Day).
May 18, 2019 - Last day for House Committees to report Senate Bills and Senate Joint Resolutions (131st Day).
May 19, 2019 - Last House Daily Calendar with Senate Bills and Senate Joint Resolutions must be printed and distributed (10:00 p.m. deadline) due to the 36-hour layout rule for regular calendars (132nd Day).
May 20, 2019 - Last House Local and Consent Calendar with Senate Bills must be distributed by 9:00 a.m. due to the 48-hour layout rule for Local and Consent calendars (133rd Day).
May 21, 2019 - Last day for the House to consider Second Reading Senate Bills and Senate Joint Resolutions on the regular calendar (134th Day).
May 22, 2019 - Last day for the House to consider local and consent Senate bills on Second and Third Reading and to consider all Third Reading Senate bills and Senate Joint Resolutions on the regular calendars. Last day for the Senate to consider all bills and joint resolutions on Second or Third Reading (135th Day).
May 23, 2019 - All Senate amendments must be distributed in the House before midnight due to the 24-hour layout rule (136th Day).
May 24, 2019 - Last day for the House to act on Senate amendments. Senate copies of conference committee reports on tax, general appropriations and reapportionment bills must be printed and distributed before midnight due to the 48-hour lay-out rule (137th Day).
May 25, 2019 - In the House, all conference Committee reports must be printed and distributed by midnight due to the 24-hour layout rule. In the Senate, all conference committee reports must be printed and distributed (other than those required to be printed the 137th day) before midnight due to the 24-hour lay-out rule (138th Day).
May 26, 2019 - Last day for the House to adopt conference committee reports and to discharge conference committees and adopt Senate amendments. Last day for the Senate to adopt conference committee reports or concur in House amendments (139th Day).
May 27, 2019 - Corrections only in the House and Senate. Last day of the session with midnight deadline to adjourn Sine Die (140th Day).

State Websites - Additional information can be obtained via the Senate, House, and capitol websites:
            www.senate.state.tx.us
            www.house.state.tx.us
            www.capitol.state.tx.us
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