Today both the House and Senate will reconvene at 2 p.m. – 14 days remain until they adjourn Sine Die on May 29.
The calendar deadlines for May 11TH and May 12th meant hundreds of bills will no longer be moving through the legislative process as bills. Hundreds of bills on the regular calendar were impacted after the May 11th midnight deadline and just over 100 more bills were impacted after a procedural maneuver killing all bills on the House Local and Consent Calendar on Friday, May 12th. HillCo will continue to monitor as the language in those bills could always reappear as an amendment/substituted language or in a conference committee report.
Some of those bills are already leaning on Senate counterparts to keep moving or have already been substituted such as:
- HB 2159 (Giddings) “lunch shaming” legislation – language now in HB 367, as substituted, which was taken up in Senate Agriculture on 5/12
- HB 3302 (Gonzales) Sunset safety net legislation – the companion SB 310 (Taylor) is waiting to be taken up by Senate Business and Commerce
As HillCo monitors language that could reemerge, we will also keep an eye on further upcoming deadlines which include:
- Saturday May 20 – the last day for House committee to report out Senate Bills and SJRs, and
- Tuesday, May 23 – the last day for the House to consider SBs/SJRs on second reading.
Of course, as noted by multiple sources the legislative process is designed more to reduce the number of bills that will actually pass. That being said – despite deadlines and maneuvers noted above there still are numerous bills moving through the legislative process. The "Spotlight" on bills below are those that are currently moving or have landed on the Governor’s desk.
Video Broadcasts: House | Senate
Spotlight on Bills on the Move
SB 2 (Bettencourt) Relating to ad valorem taxation – was voted as substituted from House Ways and Means on 5/12.
HB 20 (Capriglione) Relating to the review, oversight, and reporting of certain state agency contracts – was received in the Senate and referred to Senate Finance on 5/11.
HB 21 (Huberty) Relating to the public school finance system – was voted as substituted from Senate Education on 5/11.
HB 25 (Simmons/Hancock) Relating to the elimination of straight-party voting – was voted out of Senate Business and Commerce on 5/11.
HB 2215 (Price) Relating to the adoption of desired future conditions for aquifers in groundwater management areas and the consideration of those conditions in the regional water planning process – was heard in Senate Agriculture, Water and Rural Affairs on 5/15.
HB 3618 (King) Relating to water quality permitting – was heard in Senate Agriculture, Water and Rural Affairs on 5/15.
HB 3991 (Larson) Relating to appropriations of water for use in aquifer storage and recovery projects – was passed out of the House unanimously on 5/12.
SB 8 (Schwertner/Burkett) Relating to certain prohibited abortions and the treatment and disposition of a human fetus, human fetal tissue, and other tissue resulting from pregnancy – the companion House bill did not meet calendar deadlines but SB 8 was voted out of House State Affairs on 5/11.
SB 11(Schwertner/Frank) Relating to the administration of services provided by the Department of Family and Protective Service, including foster care, child protective, and prevent and early intervention services – set on the House Calendar for 5/18, all proposed amendments will be prefiled the day before.
SB 22 (Taylor/Lucio) Relating to the establishment of a Pathways in Technology Early College High School (P-TECH) program and to the repeal of the tech-prep program – was reported favorably from House Public Education on 5/15.
SB 28 (Creighton/Deshotel) Relating to the financing of ports in the state – was set on the 5/15 House Calendar.
SB 179 (Menendez/Minjarez) Relating to student harassment, bullying, cyberbullying, injury to or death of a minor – passed out of the House 5/12 as substituted and amended, it will now move back to the Senate side where they can agree or go to Conference to work out the differences.
SB 312 (Nichols/Raymond) Relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas Department of Transportation – on 5/16 House Calendar.
SB 460 (Lucio/Murphy) Relating to general obligation bonds issued by political subdivisions – voted out of House Investments and Financial Services on 5/8.
SB 461 (Lucio/Murphy) Relating to the notice required before the issuance of certain debt obligations by political subdivisions – voted out of House Elections 5/11.
SB 533 (Nelson/Geren) Relating to state agency contracting – set on 5/16 House Calendar.
SB 509 (Huffman) Relating to the evaluation of investment practices and performance of certain public retirement systems – set for House Pension hearing 5/16.
HB 1818 (Gonzales/Taylor) Relating to the continuation and functions of the Railroad Commission of Texas – sent to the Governor's desk.
Upcoming Committee Hearings
The latest hearing information can be found by visiting HillCo’s “Legislative News from Texas.” Please note that dates and times are subject to change and additional hearings dates may also be added at any time so you will want to re-visit the page frequently to confirm hearings. Formal hearings may not be broadcast.
Senate Committee Meetings
Health & Human Services – 5/15/2017
Time: 9:00 AM, Location: E1.016 (Hearing Room)
State Affairs – 5/15/2017
Time: 9:00 AM, Location: Senate Chamber
Agriculture, Water & Rural Affairs – 5/15/2017
Time: 9:30 AM, Location: E1.012 (Hearing Room)
Intergovernmental Relations – 5/15/2017
Time: 9:30 AM, Location: E1.028 (Hearing Room)
Finance – 5/15/2017
Time: 10:00 AM, Location: E1.036 (Finance Room)
Higher Education – 5/15/2017
Time: 10:00 AM, Location: 2E.20 (Betty King Cmte. Rm.)
Business & Commerce – 5/16/2017
Time: 8:00 AM, Location: E1.016 (Hearing Room)
Education – 5/16/2017
Time: 9:00 AM, Location: E1.028 (Hearing Room)
Natural Resources & Economic Development – 5/16/2017
Time: 9:00 AM, Location: E1.012 (Hearing Room)
Criminal Justice – 5/16/2017
Time: 1:30 PM or upon adjournment, Location: E1.016 (Hearing Room)
Nominations – 5/18/2017
Time: 8:00 AM, Location: 2E.20 (Betty King Cmte. Rm.)
House Committee Meetings
Business & Industry – 5/15/2017
Time: 11:30 AM, Location: E2.016
Criminal Jurisprudence – 5/15/2017
Time: 2:00 PM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E2.014
Government Transparency & Operation – 5/15/2017
Time: 2:00 PM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E2.028
Land & Resource Management – 5/15/2017
Time: 2:00 PM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E2.026
Homeland Security & Public Safety – 5/16/2017
Time: 8:00 AM, Location: E2.014
Public Education – 5/16/2017
Time: 8:00 AM, Location: E2.036
Public Health – 5/16/2017
Time: 8:00 AM, Location: E2.012
Insurance – 5/16/2017
Time: 9:00 AM, Location: E2.016
Urban Affairs – 5/16/2017
Time: 10:30 AM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E2.028
Pensions – 5/16/2017
Time: 2:00 PM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E2.030
Natural Resources – 5/17/2017
Time: 10:30 AM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E2.010
Land & Resource Management – 5/17/2017
Time: 2:00 PM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E2.026
Special Purpose Districts – 5/18/2017
Time: 8:00 AM, Location: E2.028
General Investigating & Ethics – 5/18/2017
Time: 10:30 AM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E1.010