In Committee
HB 32 (Bonnen) – Relating to decreasing the rates of the franchise tax was voted out of Senate Finance favorably as substituted on May 20. The substitute would reduce the franchise tax rates by 25 percent, would allow for an E-Z tax calculation option for businesses with revenue of $20 million or less and decrease E-Z rate from .575 to .331 percent.
HB 15 (Otto) – Relating to the management and oversight of state contracts, including contracts for information technology commodity items was voted out of Senate Finance favorably to the local and uncontested calendar on May 20.
HB 2595 (Keffer) – Relating to the use of municipal initiative and referendum to restrict property rights was heard in Senate Natural Resources and Economic Development on May 19 and left pending.
SB 13 (Perry) – Relating to measures to support public school student academic achievement and career preparation, including measures to improve and support dual credit courses and the development of public outreach materials was heard in the House Committee on Public Education. A committee substitute was offered, which will include language from HB 18 (Aycock) which related to college and career readiness training for certain public school counselors. SB 13, as substituted, was left pending on May 19.
SB 945 (Taylor) – Relating to funding under the public school finance system for a school district with a compressed tax rate below the state maximum compressed tax rate was heard in the House Committee on Public Education on 5/19 and was left pending.
SB 1200 (Taylor) – Relating to the creation of a commission to recommend a new system for student assessment and public school accountability was heard in the House Committee on Public Education on 5/19 and was left pending.
Passed both Chambers
SB 20 (Nelson) – Relating to state agency contracting was passed out of the House on May 19 with 13 floor amendments with a total 143 ayes and 0 nays. SB 20 will be sent back to the Senate where they can either concur with House amendments or move not to concur and appoint a conference committee.
HB 200 (Keffer) – Relating to the regulation of groundwater was passed out of the Senate on May 18 with 2 adopted floor amendments with 29 ayes and 1 nay. HB 200 will be sent back to the House where they can either concur with Senate amendments or move not to concur and appoint a conference committee.
Going to Conference
HB 3123 (Price/Neslon) – relating to governmental entities subject to the sunset review process, also referred to as the sunset safety net bill. On May 18, the House refused to concur in Senate amendments and named the following conferees Reps.: Price-chair, Burkett, Gonzales of Williamson, Raymond and Dutton.
HB 1378 (Flynn/Bettencourt) – relating to annual financial reporting of debt information. On May 18, the House refused to concur in Senate amendments and named the following conferees Reps.: Flynn-chair, King of Parker, Zedler, Bonnen of Brazoria and Rodriguez of Bexar.
SJR 5 (Nichols/Pickett) – proposing a constitutional amendment dedicating certain revenue derived from the tax imposed on the sale of motor vehicles to the state highway fund. On May 5, the House refused to concur in Senate amendments and named the following conferees Reps.: Pickett-chair, Otto, Davis of Dallas, Simmons and Harless.
Chamber/Hearings
The House has adjourned until 10 a.m. House Calendar
The Senate has adjourned until 11 a.m. Senate Calendar
Video Broadcasts: House | Senate
For a list of House and Senate Committee hearings that have been posted: Legislative News from Texas.