Upcoming Deadlines
- May 9 – last day for house committees to report House Bills and House Joint Resolutions.
- May 12 – last day the House can consider nonlocal bills on second reading.
For a complete list of deadlines, please visit: http://www.tlc.state.tx.us/gtli/sessions/dates.html. A calendar of the deadlines can also be downloaded at: http://www.lrl.state.tx.us/scanned/calendars/2011calendar.pdf
House
Listen to House Chamber: http://www.house.state.tx.us/video-audio/
House Calendars: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Calendars/CalendarsByDate.aspx?Chbr=H
Senate
Listen to Senate Chamber: http://www.senate.state.tx.us/bin/live.php
Senate Calendars: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Calendars/CalendarsByDate.aspx?Chbr=S
Spotlight on Bills on the Move
SB 656 is the Senate companion to HB 2250 by Bonnen, relating to the abolition of the Coastal Coordination Council and the transfer of its functions to the General Land Office. On May 5, SB 656 as substituted and amended (one clean-up amendment by bill author) was passed out of the House with 143 ayes and 0 nays.
SB 321 is the Senate companion to HB 681 by Kleinschmidt, relating to an employee’s transportation and storage of certain firearms or ammunition while on certain property owned or controlled by the employee’s employer. SB 321 passed the Senate as substituted in mid-May with 30 ayes and one nay and was taken up on May 3 in the House in lieu of HB 681. On May 4, after many hours of debate and a series of amendments, SB 321 passed the House as substituted and amended with 117 ayes and 29 nays.
SB 360 by Fraser, relating to the composition and use of money in the rural water assistance fund, passed the Senate on March 24 with 31 ayes and zero nays and passed the House on May 4 with 142 ayes and zero nays. The bill was signed in the Senate and the House on May 5 and sent to the Governor.
SB 894 is the Senate companion to HB 1700 by Coleman, relating to employment of physicians by certain hospitals. SB 894 passed the Senate in early April as substituted with 31 ayes and zero nays. SB 894 was taken up on May 3 in the House in lieu of HB 1700 and passed to third reading. SB 894 passed the House on May 4 with 142 ayes and zero nays.
HB 1720 by Rep. John Davis, relating to improving health care provider accountability and efficiency under the child health plan and Medicaid programs, was taken up on May 4 on the House floor and passed as amended with 138 ayes and zero nays.
HB 1942 by Diane Patrick, relating to bullying in public schools, passed the House on May 4 as substituted and amended with 94 ayes and 41 nays.
HB 699 by Deshotel/Lucio, relating to the Port Authority Advisory Committee and funding of port security, transportation, and facility projects and port studies. HB 699 was passed on the Senate local calendar on May 5.
SB 28 by Zaffirini/Branch, relating to eligibility for a TEXAS grant and to administration of the TEXAS grant program. On May 5 the Senate refused to concur in House amendments. Conferees: Zaffirini, Watson, Duncan, Carona and Eltife.
SB 313, Seliger/Price, relating to priority groundwater management areas. On May 5 the Senate refused to concur in House amendments. Conferees: Seliger, Eltife, Watson, Duncan and Hinojosa.
HB 600 by Solomons, relating to the composition of the districts for the election of members of the State Board of Education, passed the Senate as substituted on April 29 with 28 ayes and 3 nays. The bill was laid out as passed by the Senate for consideration in the House and passed with 80 ayes and 61 nays.