The Senate recessed until 10:00 a.m. Friday, October 8.
The House recessed until 11:00 a.m. Thursday, October 7.
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Senate
On 10/5, the Senate took the following action:
SB 10 (Hughes) relating to increasing the criminal penalty for committing certain offenses relating to elections passed out of the Senate (18-13). The bill moves to the House for further consideration.
SB 47 (Bettencourt) relating to processes to address election irregularities passed out of the Senate (17-14) with two amendments. Amendments clarify recounts would be manual instead of electronic and add a joint legislative oversight committee of 5 representatives appointed by the Speaker and 5 senators appointed by the Lt. Governor. The bill moves to the House for further consideration.
SCR 3 (Nichols) urging Congress to pass legislation that would grant licensing authority for public school bus drivers to the states passed out of the Senate unanimously. The resolution will move to the House for further consideration.
On 10/4 the Senate took the following action:
SB 4 (Huffman) relating to the composition of districts for the election of members of the Texas Senate passed out of the Senate (21-10) with three amendments. The plan would likely increase the Republican majority by one seat to 19-12 by adding all of part of seven rural and exurban counties to SD10, which is currently contained completely within Tarrant County. The bill will move to the House for further consideration.
SB 7 (Huffman) relating to the composition of districts for the election of members of the State Board of Education passed out of the Senate (21-10) with one amendment. The amendment moves Kendall and Comal counties to SBOE District 10. The bill now moves to the House for further consideration.
The Senate Redistricting Committee approved a new congressional map, SB 6 (Huffman,) on a 9-6 party-line vote. It now goes to the full Senate. Chair Huffman noted that the bill would not be brought onto the floor until Friday 10/8.
House
On 10/6 the House referred a number of memorial resolutions and the following bills:
SB 4 (Huffman) relating to the composition of districts for the election of members of the Texas Senate to Redistricting
SB 7 (Huffman) relating to the composition of districts for the election of members of the State Board of Education to Redistricting
SB 10 (Hughes) relating to increasing the criminal penalty for committing certain offenses relating to elections to Constitutional Rights & Remedies
HB 72 (Vasut) relating to a limitation on increases in the appraised value of real property for ad valorem tax purposes to Ways & Means
HB 102 (Cook) relating to a restriction on the authority of an appraisal district to increase the appraised value of a residence homestead for ad valorem tax purposes for the tax year following a tax year in which the appraised value of the property is lowered as a result of an agreement, protest, or appeal to Ways & Means
HB 116 (Huberty) relating to the extension of the expiration of certain parts of the Texas Economic Development Act to Ways & Means
HB 132 (Allision) relating to the ad valorem taxation of residential real property to Ways & Means
HJR 6 (Vasut) proposing a constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to limit the maximum appraised value of real property for ad valorem tax purposes to 103.5 percent or more of the appraised value of the property for the preceding tax year to Ways & Means
HJR 19 (Allision) proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to limit the maximum appraised value of residential real property for ad valorem tax purposes to 105 percent or more of the appraised value of the property for the preceding tax year to Ways & Means
On 10/5, House Redistricting took the following action:
On a party-line vote, the House Redistricting Committee approved HB 1 (Hunter), the proposed state House map, with amendments. Amendments altered Bell County, HD54 circumnavigates HD55, which encompasses most of Belton, Harker Heights and Temple. HD54 includes most of Killeen and the rural areas of the county. In Collin County, open HD70 has shifted to include largely Democratic precincts in the southwestern portion of the county. The bill has been placed on the House Calendar for Tuesday 10/12.
On 10/4, the House referred a number of memorial resolutions and the following bills:
HB 136 (Middleton/Bonnen) relating to certain criminal offenses related to elections; increasing a criminal penalty to Constitutional Rights & Remedies
HB 138 (Hefner) relating to increasing the criminal penalty for committing certain offenses relating to elections to Constitutional Rights & Remedies
HB 140 (Minjarez) relating to the Texas Leading on Opportunity, Investment, and Economic Stimulus Through Aid and Relief (LONESTAR) Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021; making appropriations and giving direction regarding appropriations to Appropriations
HB 144 (Schofield) relating to the establishment of a limitation on the total amount of ad valorem taxes that certain taxing units may impose on the residence homesteads of individuals who are disabled or elderly and their surviving spouses to Ways & Means
HB 145 (Bonnen) relating to making supplemental appropriations and giving direction regarding appropriations to Appropriations; scheduled for public hearing on 10/6
HJR 21 (Schofield) proposing a constitutional amendment establishing a limitation on the total amount of ad valorem taxes that certain political subdivisions may impose on the residence homesteads of persons who are disabled or elderly and their surviving spouses to Ways & Means