Special Session Discussions – SB 2
House Speaker Joe Straus responded to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's May 17 press conference on must past bills calling Patrick’s position regrettable, “Nobody is going to get everything they want,” Straus said in a statement released Wednesday evening.
In his statement, Straus compared Patrick's focus on SB 2, intended to provide tax relief and on Patrick's must pass list, to the House’s focus on property tax relief. “The Texas House is also concerned about property taxes, which is why we approved House Bill 21 to address the major cause of rising property-tax bills: local school taxes. As it passed the House, this legislation would begin to reduce our reliance on local property taxes in funding education. Nobody can claim to be serious about property-tax relief while consistently reducing the state’s share of education funding.”
SB 2 (Bettencourt) was scheduled on the House Calendar to be taken up yesterday. However, the bill received a point of order and the parliamentarian was said to still be resolving when the House recessed yesterday before bringing the bill back to the floor for debate. SB 2 is on the House Calendar for today, the second bill under postponed business.
Upcoming Deadlines
May 19th is the last day for the House to consider local HBs on 2nd and 3rd Reading. The Friday Local, Consent, and Resolutions Calendar has been posted.
May 19th is also the first day the Senate can consider bills and resolutions the first day they are posted on the Notice of Intent.
May 20th is the last day for House committees to report SBs/SJRs.
House
The House will reconvene today, Friday, May 19th at 10:00 a.m.
House Friday May 19 Local, Consent, and Resolutions Calendar
House Calendar – Saturday, May 20
House Calendar – Sunday, May 21
Senate
The Senate will reconvene today, Friday, May 19th at 11:00 a.m.
Senate May 19 Local Calendar
Senate Intent for May 19
Video Broadcasts: House | Senate
Bills on the Move Spotlight
SB 310 (Taylor), relating to the sunset review process and certain governmental entities subject to that process, also referred to as the sunset safety net bill was set on the Senate Business and Commerce for 5/18 but not heard. It should be noted that since the Senate rules were suspended to put the bill on the calendar, this bill can be brought up at any future hearing without being posted.
HB 22 (Huberty), relating to public school accountability was taken up as substituted in Senate Education on 5/18. Chair Taylor said the substitute closely reflects the committee substitute for SB 2015 which was voted out of the committee last week, however HB 22 as substituted creates 3 domains.
HB 2 (Zerwas), relating to making supplemental appropriations was taken up in Senate Finance on 5/18 and voted out as substituted unanimously. Chair Nelson laid out the bill noting the substitute addresses critical needs for the current cycle, covers increases in cost for state services and includes mechanisms to achieve savings. A significant portion of the bill intends to addresses the Medicaid shortfall by appropriating $794 million, and child protective services’ needs.
HB 3849 (Zerwas), known as the funds consolidation bill, was unanimously passed out of Senate Finance on 5/18.
HB 28 (Bonnen), relating to the use of certain surplus state revenue to phase out the franchise tax and to the expiration of that tax, is scheduled to be taken up in Senate Finance on 5/19.