SD 11 SREC: District 129 Session Newsletter

As the 88th Regular Legislative Session comes to a close, the final day is Monday, May 29th; the House has passed 16 of my bills. This week the Texas Senate passed eight of my bills, HB 1040, HB 1631, HB 1632, HB 2121, HB 2416, HB 2800, HB 2921, and HB 3993.

House Bill 1040 authorizes a business entity regulated by the Texas Department of Insurance to conduct business electronically.
House Bill 1631 seeks to allow all election watchers to come and go from a precinct polling place by removing the five-hour continuous service requirement.
House Bill 1632 creates standardized training for election officers.
House Bill 2121 amends current law relating to the form of a rendition statement or property report used to render property for ad valorem tax purposes.
House Bill 2416 creates the Gulf Coast Protection Trust Fund.
House Bill 2800 requires the county election board to have in-person meetings open to the public.
House Bill 2921 adds the Antarctic Service Medal to the list of specialty license plates.
House Bill 3993 amends the top 10 percent rule to clarify that when a public institution of higher education in Texas is admitting students using the top 10 percent rule, it should calculate a class rank for a homeschool graduate according to the formula passed by the legislature in 2015.

I have filed 30 bills on various issues affecting the people of Texas. This week I had four bills passed out of the House. If you would like to track my legislation, please click HERE.

If you need further information about the session, please keep reading and do not hesitate to contact my staff if you have any questions.

It is an honor to serve you in the Texas House of Representatives.

Updates

Senate Bill 3

Texans deserve to keep more of their money in their pockets. This week, the Texas House will pass the largest property tax cut in Texas history. Senate Bill 3 limits ALL property appraisals to 5%, raises the homestead exemption to $100,000 for homeowners and $110,000 for seniors and provides 15 cents of tax rate compression (on top of the 10-cent compression in the proposed state budget). The new version of SB 3 delivers more significant savings for Texas homeowners than any other proposed property tax relief plan considered on the House floor this session. Texans can be assured that relief is on the way!

Senate Bill 15

The Save Women’s Sports Act, or Senate Bill 15, ensures equality and opportunity security for Texas women in college-level athletic programs. SB 15 will prevent biological males from endangering female athletes, taking girls' spots on teams, breaking girls' hard-earned records, and unfairly putting girls' athletic scholarships at risk. The Save Women’s Sports Act passed the House this week!

Senate Bill 28

Unmet water needs are expected to grow to over 4.7 million acre-feet by 2030. That’s approximately 27% of the total water usage in Texas in 2020. This week, the Texas House made moves to address this growing problem so future generations do not have to. On Wednesday, the House passed Senate Bill 28, which dedicates billions of dollars toward improving the state’s water infrastructure and security throughout the state. The bill creates the New Water for Texas Fund with the goal of bringing seven million-acre feet of new water into Texas by 2034 and establishes the Texas Water Fund to fund water or wastewater infrastructure projects, the statewide water public awareness program, and water conservation strategies.

How to Track Legislation

Ever wonder how the laws that impact your everyday life originate? While this graphic provides you with a simplified overview, You can walk through the entire legislative process by reading this blog post from the Texas House Republican Caucus on how a bill becomes a law in Texas. From a bill being introduced to it becoming law or vetoed, there are many steps ahead for the many bills that have been filed.