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Floor Report
The House and Senate will both reconvene on Monday, February 27 at 2 pm.
 
The House has set a calendar for Wednesday, March 1 where they will take up HB 4 and the committee substitute to HB 5 (Frank) which both relate to the Department of Family and Protective Services. For more details on the committee discussion (see //). Amendments that will be offered for the bills during floor discussion must be filed by 5p on Tuesday, February 28.
 
Video Broadcasts:   House | Senate

Hearing Update 
Monday, February 27
House Human Services – 2/27/2017
Time: 9:00 AM, Location: E2.030
HB 249 (Hernandez) – Relating to the definitions of abuse and neglect of a child applicable to investigations of abuse and neglect in certain facilities.

House Business & Industry – 2/27/2017
Time: 10:30 AM, Location: E2.016
The Committee will hold an organizational meeting and hear invited testimony only.

House Elections – 2/27/2017
Time: 2:00 PM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E1.026
The committee will meet for organizational purposes and to hear invited testimony.

House Energy Resources – 2/27/2017
Time: 2:00 PM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E2.010
Committee organizational meeting. Invited testimony only.

House Pensions – 2/27/2017
Time: 2:00 PM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E2.012
The Committee will meet to hear invited testimony from the following entities
Employees Retirement System, Teacher Retirement System, Texas County and District Retirement System, Texas Municipal Retirement System, Texas Emergency Services Retirement System, and Pension Review Board
 
Senate Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs – 2/27/2017
Time: 9:00 AM, Location: E1.012 (Hearing Room)
The Texas Senate Committee on Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs will meet to consider and adopt the Committee rules, and to discuss the issue of ensuring adequate veterinary care in rural areas of Texas.

Tuesday, February 28
House Homeland Security & Public Safety – 2/28/2017
Time: 8:00 AM, Location: E2.014
The committee will meet for organizational purposes and to hear invited testimony from entities under the committee's purview.

House Insurance – 2/28/2017
Time: 8:00 AM, Location: E2.016
The House Committee on Insurance will meet to hear invited testimony from the Texas Department of Insurance.

House Public Health – 2/28/2017
Time: 8:00 AM, Location: E2.012

  • HB 10 (Price) – Relating to access to and benefits for mental health conditions and substance use disorders.
  •  HB 279 (Howard) – Relating to the continuation of the women's health advisory committee.
  •  HB 280 (Howard) – Relating to a grant program for reducing workplace violence against nurses.
  •  HB 1148 (Davis) – Relating to emergency medical services and trauma care systems.

House Urban Affairs – 2/28/2017
Time: 10:30 AM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E2.028
The committee will hear invited testimony only from the following: Texas Municipal League, Texas Affiliation of Affordable Housing Providers, Texas Coalition of Affordable Developers, and
Texas Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies

House Public Education – 2/28/2017
Time: 12:00 PM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E2.036
The committee will meet to hear invited testimony on issues related to school finance.

Senate Business & Commerce – 2/28/2017
Time: 8:00 AM, Location: E1.016 (Hearing Room)
The Senate Committee on Business and Commerce will consider and adopt the Committee rules, and conduct any other organizational business deemed necessary by the Chair. The Committee will also take up and consider the following:

  • SB 20 (Taylor) – Relating to health plan and health benefit plan coverage for abortions.
  • SB 79 (Nelson) – Relating to the production of public information available on a publicly accessible website.
  • SB 115 (Huffines) – Relating to the internet broadcast of certain open meetings.
  • SB 347 (Watson) – Relating to the applicability of open meetings and public information laws to regional water planning groups and their committees.
  • SB 407 (Watson) – Relating to the exception from disclosure under the public information law for information related to competition or bidding.
  • SB 408 (Watson) – Relating to the definition of a governmental body for the purposes of the public information law.
  • SB 510 (Zaffirini) – Relating to the confidentiality of certain home address information in ad valorem tax appraisal records.
  • SB 515 (Taylor) – Relating to the right of certain public officers to access public information, documents, records, and property.

Senate Finance – 2/28/2017
Time: 9:00 AM, Location: E1.036 (Finance Room)
To consider the following:

  • SB 15 (Huffines) – Relating to an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a first responder who is killed or fatally injured in the line of duty.
  • SB 17 (Nelson) – Relating to the decrease of the rates of the franchise tax under certain circumstances and the expiration of that tax.
  • SB 142 (Taylor) – Relating to the determination of cost of goods sold for purposes of computing the franchise tax.
  • SB 518 (Miles) – Relating to a franchise tax credit for entities that employ certain students in certain paid internship or similar programs.
  • SB 532 (Nelson) – Relating to reports on and purchase of information technology by state agencies.
  • SB 550 (Campbell) – Relating to the sale or assignment of tax credits for the certified rehabilitation of certified historic structures.
  • SB 575 (Schwertner) – Relating to the total revenue exemption for the franchise tax.
  • SJR 1 (Campbell) – Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a first responder who is killed or fatally injured in the line of duty.

Wednesday, March 1
House Ways & Means – 3/1/2017
Time: 8:00 AM, Location: E2.012
The Committee will hold an organizational meeting with invited testimony only from the following: Legislative Budget Board (LBB), Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA), Center for Public Policy Priorities (CPPP), and Texas Taxpayers and Research Association (TTRA).

House Natural Resources – 3/1/2017
Time: 10:30 AM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E2.010
The Committee will meet to hear invited testimony from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Texas Water Development Board.

Senate Health & Human Services – 3/1/2017
Time: 8:00 AM, Location: E1.016 (Hearing Room)

  • SB 267 (Schwertner) – Relating to the licensing and regulation of hospitals in this state; increasing the amount of administrative penalties assessed or imposed against certain hospitals; authorizing the imposition of a fee.
  •  SB 497 (Uresti) – Relating to the creation of an office of workforce development and analytics in the Department of Family and Protective Services.
  • SB 674 (Schwertner) – Relating to an expedited licensing process for certain physicians specializing in psychiatry; authorizing a fee.

Thursday, March 2
House Economic & Small Business Development – 3/2/2017
Time: 8:00 AM, Location: E2.010
The Committee will meet for an organizational hearing and will hear invited testimony only from state agencies and other organizations.

House Special Purpose Districts – 3/2/2017
Time: 8:00 AM, Location: E2.028
The committee will meet for organizational purposes. Invited testimony only.

House Transportation – 3/2/2017
Time: 8:00 AM, Location: E2.012
The committee will hold an organizational meeting and hear invited testimony from the following state agencies: Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV), Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), and Texas Transportation Institute (TTI).

House General Investigating & Ethics – 3/2/2017
Time: 2:00 PM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E1.010
The committee will meet for organizational purposes and to hear invited testimony from the following: Texas Ethics Commission (TEC), Legislative Budget Board (LBB), Texas Legislative Council (TLC), and Texas State Auditor's Office (SAO).
 
Standing committee hearings, live and archived, can be listened to at the following links: House | Senate. Please note that formal hearings may not be broadcast.
 
Dates and times listed above are subject to change and additional hearings dates may also be added at any time so you will want to re-visit "Legislative News from Texas" frequently to confirm hearings.