SD 11 SREC: District 129 Session Newsletter

This Tuesday, the 89th Texas Legislature was gaveled into session. It was an honor for me to take the oath of office to serve the people of House District 129 for a fifth session.

Following the oath of office, House members elected State Representative Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives. Though I voted for David Cook, I congratulated Representative Burrows and look forward to passing a strong conservative agenda.

I plan on working on a variety of conservative legislation this session. If you would like to track my bills or any other legislation in the 88th session, I have provided instructions on how to use Texas Legislature Online below.

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

God Bless,

State Updates

Biennial Revenue Estimate

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar released Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE) tells the Legislature the amount of taxpayer dollars available to fund various programs like public safety, education, securing our border, and property tax relief during the upcoming session, which began Jan. 14.

The Comptroller estimates that the state will have $194.6 billion to spend on general purposes in the 2026-27 biennium. Last session, lawmakers' conservative budgeting led to a $23.8 billion surplus. This year’s estimate is about 1.1% less than what was available in the

2024-25 biennium.

Bills I Have Filled

HB 1089 helps create an account to help fund the coastal barrier.

HB 1090 will prohibit individuals who committed a crime(s) while acting as volunteer deputy registrar, from holding the position in the future.

HB 1091 aims to ensure mail in ballots are counted by election day, reducing the time Texas spends certifying elections.

HB 1552 changes the title of a "child pornography" offense to a "child sexual abuse material" offense, and conforms references to updated terminology.

HB 1783 requires political subdivisions to provide clear and accurate descriptions of ballot propositions, as to not mislead voters.

HB 1906 creates the Health Impact, Cost, and Coverage Program (HICAPP) at the University of Texas Health Science Center Houston. HICAPP will provide Texas lawmakers with independent evaluations of proposed health insurance mandates using cost data from insurers and other health care payers in Texas' all-payer claims database. HICAPP will analyze legislative proposals throughout the year to support interim and session discussions, and publicly share reviews of mandates, including information on existing coverage, public health benefits, and medical evidence.

HB 1907 prevents governmental contracts with Chinese companies, in connection with critical infrastructure and information and communications technology. The bill creates civil penalties and a criminal offense for violating provided guidelines.

It was an honor to have been surrounded by constituents, friends, and supporters on opening day. Here I am pictured with Robert and Sue Talton, who served our area until 2009.

How to Track Legislation

Have you ever wondered where the laws that affect your daily life come from? This graphic offers a simplified overview, but you can explore the full legislative process by reading this blog post from the Texas House Republican Caucus regarding how bills can become law in Texas. From introduction to passage or veto, every bill goes through several important steps before the Governor makes his decision.

To track legislation you can visit the Texas Legislature Online. You can do this by visiting https://capitol.texas.gov/ Once there you can create a saved search for all my bills, go to https://capitol.texas.gov/MnuMyTLO.aspx . If you've never set up an account here before, go to "Login" and click "New User" to set up your account. Once you are set up and get logged in, click on "MyTLO", then "Search", then "Bill Search". In the "Author" box pull-down menu select "Paul (H-A3090)". Hit the gray "Search" button on the top-right and you will see the bills I've filed this session which already have been assigned bill numbers. We have quite a few bills still being drafted, so you'll see more entries soon. Now go to the top-right and select "Save Search" and give this search a name, like "2025 Dennis Paul bills". From now on, when you come in to "MyTLO" you go to "Saved Searches". Click "Run" on your "2025 Dennis Paul Bills" and it will give you a current list of all my bills this session.

New Capitol Office Staff

My office has added new members to our existing staff for the 89th session. Returning is our Greg Bentch my Chief of Staff and Dawn McDonald my District Director. In addition I have made two new hires:

Gracie Peters Legislative Director - Gracie is a fighting Texas Aggie '23, who hired onto our capital team in fall 2024. She moved from Brown County to Austin, Texas in 2024 to pursue a career in public policy. Gracie enjoys weightlifting and has a beagle, Trey, who is her service animal / "first child". Gig 'em!

Gracie.Peters@House.Texas.Gov

Andrew Salem Legislative Aide/ Scheduler - Andrew recently graduated from Texas State University with a degree in Public Relations. An Austin native, and an avid archery enthusiast. Andrew is excited for his first session and can be contacted at:

Andrew.Salem@House.Texas.Gov