SD 11 SREC: District 129 End of Regular Session Newsletter

The 88th Regular Legislative Session came to an end Monday evening. Though we had many great accomplishments, which I have outlined below, the job isn't finished. Governor Abbott called the first special session several hours after the adjournment of the regular session and placed two important items on the Special Session Call.

The first is compressing property tax rates so that we can give taxpayers the largest tax cut in Texas History. The second is strengthening the penalties for Human Trafficking and the Operation of a Stash House. You can view the Governor's Proclamation here.

The House of Representatives Met on Tuesday for the Special session and passed both pieces of legislation outlined on the Governor's Special Session Call and adjourned Sine Die.

During the Regular Session, I passed a total of 18 Bills which I have listed below. I am proud of the bills and the help they will provide to the residents of House District 129.

House Bill 998 allows condominium associations located within 10 miles of the TWIA Catastrophe zone to become eligible to purchase Texas FAIR plan insurance.

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 2188 seeks to modernize state law to help accommodate cyber data reporting by changing the five-year requirement to a two-year requirement.

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 2920 seeks to provide prospective college students with more transparent expectations of the true costs of higher education.

House Bill 2921 adds the Antarctic Service Medal to the list of specialty license plates.

House Bill 3981 will allow fire marshals, inspectors, or investigators who hold peace officer licenses and work for incorporated cities to be on the list of peace officers in the code of criminal procedure.

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.

House Bill 5409 clarifies the powers and duties of the Gulf Coast Protection District.

Senate Bill 1158 allows both Houston and Dallas to apply to the Major Events Reimbursement Program so each city can receive the benefits of hosting the World Cup.

Senate Bill 1393 will allow a homeowner who lives within 4 miles of the TWIA Catastrophe area who receives a quote for insurance that is 110% of the cost of an equivalent FAIR plan policy will be eligible to purchase FAIR plan insurance.

Senate Bill 1517 prohibits public institutions of higher education from adopting academic boycotts unless they are listed as a state sponsor of terrorism.

Senate Bill 1565 lays the groundwork for creating a secure and collaborative environment among higher education institutions.

Senate Bill 1766 ensures that appraisers cannot be held liable for the mistakes made by governmental entities.

If you would like more information on 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

Please see my statement regarding my vote on the impeachment of Attorney General Paxton.

Conservative Victories

During the regular session, we passed a balanced budget that increases funding for public education, builds on our commitment to securing the southern border, and provides much-needed resources to build out the state’s infrastructure.

We were successful in passing sweeping measures to stop the radical sexualization of children in Texas, including the READER Act eliminating sexually explicit materials from public school libraries, banning medically unnecessary and irreversible gender modification treatments for minors, and restricting children’s access to sexually explicit performances.

But we didn’t stop there as Vice Chair of the House Higher Education committee We also stopped radical policies at Texas universities by protecting women’s sports, stopping divisive DEI programs, and reforming tenure for professors.

These are just some of the accomplishments from this legislature and I look forward to continuing this work in the upcoming special sessions.

House Bill 1

On Saturday, the Texas House passed HB1, the state budget. For more details, please click HERE.

Senate Bill 10

Retired Texas educators invested their careers in our classrooms, and it’s time we invested in them. SB 10, which I cosponsored in the House, delivers a cost-of-living adjustment to retired teachers, enhancing their well-earned retirement benefits.

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.