Legislative Update
The House and Senate will reconvene on Wednesday, May 5 at 10 a.m. and 8 a.m. respectively.
Floor deliberations: House Calendars & Senate Calendars
Committee hearings: House & Senate
Video Broadcasts: House | Senate
Budget Update
HB 2896 (Bonnen) relating to the creation and re-creation of funds and accounts, the dedication and rededication of revenue and allocation of accrued interest on dedicated revenue, and the exemption of unappropriated money from use has passed out of the House and on 5/4 was referred to the Senate Committee on Finance.
SB 1 – General Appropriations Act, on 5/3 the initial issue dockets and rider comparisons were posted on the Legislative Budget Board:
Article I – General Government
Article II – Health & Human Services
Article III – Education
Issue Docket – Public Education
Rider Comparison
Issue Docket – Higher Education
Rider Comparison
Article IV – Judiciary
Article V – Public Safety & Criminal Justice
Article VI – Natural Resources
Article VII – Business & Economic Development
Article VIII – Regulatory
Article IX – General Provisions
Article X – The Legislature
Bills on the Move Spotlight
SB 346 (Paxton / et al.) (SP: Dutton) relating to the participation of open-enrollment charter schools and eligible nonprofit organizations in the Jobs and Education for Texans (JET) Grant Program on 5/4 was passed out of the House with one amendment (123-20). The bill will now go back to the Senate where they can either concur or go to conference.
SB 1149 (Kolkhorst) relating to the transition of case management for children and pregnant women program services and Healthy Texas Women program services to a managed care program was passed on 5/4 by the Senate (29-1). The bill requires HHSC to contract with MCOs to provide Healthy Texas Women services and moves case management from DSHS to a managed care model. The bill will now move over to the House for further deliberation.
SB 1365 (Bettencourt) relating to public school organization, accountability, and fiscal management on 5/4 was passed out of the Senate with 5 adopted amendments, including language that ensures charter schools are also subject to certain provisions of the bill. (19-11). The bill will now move over to the House for further deliberation.
SB 1616 (Bettencourt) relating to powers and duties of governmental entities during a public health disaster was passed on 5/4 by the Senate (19-11). The bill alters the definition of “disaster” to exclude an epidemic or the spread of a communicable disease and shifts certain criminal penalties to civil penalties. The bill will now move over to the House for further deliberation.
SB 1716 (Taylor) relating to a supplemental special education services and instructional materials program for certain public school students receiving special education services on 5/3 was passed out of the Senate (21-9). Sen. Taylor as he laid out the bill noted funds cannot be used for any type of private school tuition, and offered the clarification this is not a voucher bill. The bill will now move over to the House for further deliberation.
SB 1921 (Lucio) relating to Medicaid reimbursement for the provision of certain behavioral health and physical health services was unanimously passed on 5/4 by the Senate. The bill allows facilities to be billed fee-for-service until a Medicaid-qualified patient is fully enrolled in managed care. The bill will now move over to the House for further deliberation.
SB 2026 (Taylor) relating to instruction in informed patriotism in public schools on 5/4 was passed out of the Senate with 2 adopted amendments, including language defining “Informed American Patriotism” that will be added to the education code (30-0). The bill will now move over to the House for further deliberation.
SB 2195 (Kolkhorst) relating to the relationship between pharmacists or pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers or health benefit plan issuers was unanimously passed on 5/3 by the Senate as amended. Provisions in the bill prohibit PBMs from reducing amounts of claim payments after they have been adjudicated, requiring accreditation or recertification standards more stringent than federal and state requirements, limiting dispensing allowed under a pharmacist’s or pharmacy’s license, and requiring enrollees to use mail order pharmacies. The bill will now move over to the House for further deliberation.
SR 342 (Schwertner) urging the Public Utility Commission of Texas to significantly reduce the high system-wide offer cap and evaluate changes to the market structure was passed unanimously on 5/3 by the Senate. The resolution urges PUC to reduce the system-wide offer cap and evaluate energy market structure changes. See here for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s statement on passage of SR 342.
The House refused to concur on Senate amendment to HB 5 (Ashby) relating to the expansion of broadband services to certain areas on 5/3. The House appointed Reps. Ashby (Chair), Anderson, Christina Morales, Paddie, and Rose. After the Senate appoints conferees, the bill will move to conference committee to resolve differences between House and Senate versions of the bill.
SB 721 (Schwertner) (SP: Leman) relating to the disclosure of appraisal reports in connection with the use of eminent domain authority passed on 5/4 by the House (145-0) with no amendments.
SB 725 (Schwertner) (SP: Leman) relating to the qualification of land for appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes as agricultural land and the liability for the additional tax imposed on such land if the use of the land changes as a result of a condemnation passed on 5/4 by the House with no amendments.
HB 1416 (Capriglione) relating to business days for purposes of the public information law passed on 5/4 by the House (144-0) with one amendment. The amendment allows government entities to declare 10 extra non-business days and allows for observations of certain holidays. The bill will now move over to the Senate for further deliberation.
HB 1505 (Paddie) relating to attachments for broadband service on utility poles owned by an electric cooperative passed on 5/4 by the House (138-7) with four amendments. The amendments ensure certain costs are recoverable and include negotiation language. The bill will now move over to the Senate for further deliberation.
HB 1869 (Burrows) relating to the definition of debt for the purposes of calculating certain ad valorem tax rates of a taxing unit was passed to engrossment on 5/4 by the House with three amendments. The amendments which roll a number of items into the bill such as telecommunications, cybersecurity and emergency vehicles and excludes certain counties.
HB 2000 (Huberty) relating to the funding of utility reliability and resiliency projects by the Texas Water Development Board was passed on 5/4 by the House (138-9). The bill creates a State Utilities Reliability Fund to provide financial support for projects that enhance utility reliability and resiliency. Amendments were added to expand the types of entities that can apply for funds and increase oversight. The bill will now move over to the Senate for further deliberation.
HB 2990 (Morales Shaw) relating to a requirement to make certain environmental and water use permit applications available online passed on 5/4 (146-0) with no amendments. The bill will now move over to the Senate for further deliberation.
HB 3012 (Geren) relating to charitable raffles conducted by the professional sports teams charitable foundations of organizations sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association at rodeo venues passed on 5/4 by the House (129-18) with one amendment. The amendment adds the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association. The bill will now move over to the Senate for further deliberation.
HB 3015 (Hernandez) relating to a governmental body’s response to a request for public information passed on 5/4 by the House (145-0) with one amendment to ensure certain fees are not charged. The bill will now move over to the Senate for further deliberation.
HB 3535 (Hunter) relating to the availability of dates of birth under the public information law passed to engrossment on 5/4 by the House with no amendments.