Vetoes Summarized – Spotlight on the 84th Session

Governor Abbott issued a total of 42 vetoes for the 84^th Session. Below is a breakdown of those vetoes by issue and spotlight on some of the Governor’s statements during his vetoes.
 
Budget/Tax/Contract
HB 1 (John Otto, Jane Nelson) General appropriations bill. & HB 2 (John Otto, Jane Nelson) realting to making supplemental appropriations and giving direction and adjustment authority regarding appropriations.

• Line Item Veto 6-20-15

 
HB 2282 (Ryan Guillen, Carlos Uresti) Relating to the procedures for protests and appeals of certain ad valorem tax determinations.

• Veto remark: HB 2282 departs from the uniform, statewide rules governing appraisal appeals by allowing property owners in just one of the State's 254 counties to file their appeals with a justice of the peace instead of a district court.
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-20-15

 
SB 408 (Jose Rodriguez, Cesar Blanco) Relating to consideration of a bidder's principal place of business in awarding certain county contracts.

• Veto remark: All government contracts should be competitively bid, and the vendor who offers the best value to the taxpayers should be chosen every time.
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-10-15

HB 3193 (Diego Bernal, Jose Menendez) Relating to consideration of location of an offeror's principal place of business in awarding certain municipal contracts.

• Veto remark: The practice of competitive bidding forces government officials to put the taxpayers' interests ahead of any temptation to steer the people's business to favored vendors.
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-20-15

Ethics
HB 3736 (Sara Davis, Joan Huffman) Relating to conflicts of interest by members of state agency governing boards.

• Veto remark: Provisions in this bill would reduce Texans' trust in their elected officials…Serious ethics reform must be addressed next session – the right way.
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-20-15

HB 3511 (Sarah Davis, Joan Huffman) Relating to the contents of financial statements that are electronically filed by certain persons.

• Veto remark: HB 3511 weakens the ethics laws governing officeholder financial disclosures.
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-20-15

 
Education
HB 1 (John Otto, Jane Nelson) General appropriations bill.

• Veto remark: The Southern Regional Education Board supports the national Common Core curriculum effort. The federal government should not determine what is taught in Texas classrooms, and Texas taxpayer dollars should not be used to finance the promotion of Common Core.
• Complete comments: Line Item Veto 6-20-15

 
SB 1655 (Royce West, Geanie Morrison) Relating to Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board fees for the administration of certificates of authorization and certificates of authority issued to certain postsecondary educational institutions.

• Veto remark: The primary purpose of the bill is to raise more revenue for the Board by creating new fees that will ultimately be paid for by students through increased tuition. These fees would be unnecessary burdens on institutions of higher education and their students.
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-20-15

SB 313 (Kel Seliger, Jimmie Don Aycock) Relating to review and modification of the essential knowledge and skills of the required public school curriculum.

• Veto remark: The bill potentially restricts the ability of the State Board of Education to address the needs of Texas classrooms.
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-20-15

SB 496 (Kirk Watson, Donna Howard) Relating to Foundation School Program funding for students enrolled in an optional flexible school day program.

• Veto remark: SB 496 was amended to allow a school district to establish a flexible school day for entire campuses without approval from the Texas Education Agency. Allowing districts to drastically change the school calendar without TEA approval could cause unanticipated and untenable problems.
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-20-15

HB 2826 (Jim Murphy, Joan Huffman) Relating to the eligibility of property located in more than one school district for a limitation on appraised value for school district maintenance and operations ad valorem tax purposes under the Texas Economic Development Act.

• Veto remarks: (In regards to chapter 313 of the Tax Code) serious concerns exist about its oversight, its transparency, and its value to the taxpayers…I cannot support expansion of an incentive program that has not been proven to deliver the value taxpayers deserve.
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-20-15

 
Transportation
HB 1 (John Otto, Jane Nelson) General appropriations bill. & HB 2 (John Otto, Jane Nelson) realting to making supplemental appropriations and giving direction and adjustment authority regarding appropriations.

• Complete comments: Line Item Veto 6-20-15

 
HB 499 (Ryan Guillen, Sylvia Garcia) Relating to the public transportation advisory committee.

• Veto remark: limits the field of candidates…would impede the appointing officers' ability to provide effective committee members…
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-20-15

 
HB 1119 (Ana Hernandez, Sylvia Garcia) Relating to installation of mile markers on certain segments of the state highway system.

• Veto remark: Additional laws and studies are not needed to address issues that the law already accomodates.
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-18-15

 
HB 4025 (Jim Keffer, Carlos Uresti) Relating to county energy transportation reinvestment zones.

• Veto remark: If the Legislature wants counties to have the authority to create tax-increment reinvestment zones, it must again ask the votes to amend the Constitution. 
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-20-15

 
Environment
HB 1633 (Ramon Romero, Carlos Uresti) Relating to application and notification requirements for a permit to drill an oil or gas well in or near an easement held by the Texas Department of Transportation.

• Veto remark: HB 1633 thrusts a new and unnecessary hurdle onto oil and gas producers to solve the State's internal communication challenges. 
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-20-15

 
HB 2647 (Trenton Ashby, Craig Estes) Relating to a limitation on the authority to curtail groundwater production from wells used for power generation or mining.

• Veto remark: HB 2647 eliminates local discretion by mandating the preferential treatment of certain types of groundwater use over other important uses. 
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-20-15

 
HB 2788 (Drew Springer, Charles Perry) Relating to the authority of a retail public water utility to require an operator of a correctional facility to comply with water conservation measures.

• Veto remark: If the legislature wishes to require prisons and jails to use less water, it should do so directly rather than outsourcing the decision to local water utilities. 
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-9-15

 
HB 3291 (Richard Raymond, Judith Zaffirini) Relating to the creation of the offense of theft of pipeline equipment, oil and gas equipment, oil, gas, or condensate and the unauthorized purchase or sale of oil, gas, or condensate.

• Veto remark: Turning paperwork errors into felonies is not the right solution to the very real problem of oil and gas theft. 
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-18-15

 
Health Care
HB 2068 (Garnet Coleman, Sylvia Garcia) Relating to automatic employee participation in and administration of a deferred compensation plan provided by hospital districts.

• Veto remark: Studies have shown that automatic enrollment at a very low contribution percentage actually ends up reducing employees' overall retirement savings…Thus, House Bill 2068 would likely undermine its stated goal of increasing retirement savings and investment returns.
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-20-15

 
HB 2084 (Sergio Munoz, Chuy Hinojosa) Relating to transparency in the STAR Medicaid managed care rate-setting process.

• Veto remark: House Bill 2084 would require HHSC to reveal the details of the internal actuarial analysis it uses when negotiating rates on behalf of the State. This would hamper HHSC's ability to negotiate for the best possible rate. Billions of dollars in taxpayer funds are at stake. 'Where there is room for negotiation, HHSC should have all available tools at its disposal to protect Texas taxpayers.
• Complete comments: Vetoed 6-20-15

 
HCR 84 (Travis Clardy, Robert Nichols) Commending mental health professionals on the occasion of National Mental Health Month.

• Veto remark: I agree with the Legislature's statements, expressed in House Concurrent Resolution No. 84, regarding the importance of good mental health for all Texans. However, Article III, Section 30 of the Texas Constitution requires all laws to be passed as bills. New law cannot be made by concurrent resolution. Because House Concurrent Resolution No. 84 purports to direct the actions of state agencies in the manner of a law, it goes beyond the proper bounds of a concurrent resolution.
• Complete comments: Vetoed 5-18-15

 
Other
HB 225(Ryan Guillen, Kirk Watson) Relating to the prosecution of certain offenses involving controlled substances and other prohibited drugs, substances, or paraphernalia.

• Vetoed 6-1-15

 
HB 184 (Tony Dale, Charles Schwertner) Relating to the allocation of costs and attorney's fees incurred by a Court of Inquiry.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

 
HB 973 (Ana Hernandez, Sylvia Garcia) Relating to the compensation and per diem compensation of emergency services commissioners.

• Vetoed 6-18-15

 
HB 1015 (Terry Canales, Chuy Hinojosa) Relating to notice provided to a court regarding certain defendants placed on state jail felony community supervision.

• Vetoed 6-18-15

 
HB 1363 (Eric Johnson, John Whitmire) Relating to the prosecution of the offense of prostitution.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

 
HB 1628 (Eric Johnson, Jose Rodriguez) Relating to authorizing a credit union or other financial institution to conduct savings promotion raffles.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

 
HB 1855 (Toni Rose, John Whitmire) Relating to training, continuing education, and weapons proficiency standards for correctional officers employed by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

 
HB 2100 (Ana Hernandez, Sylvia Garcia) Relating to the creation of the East Houston Management District.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

 
HB 2381 (Ron Reynolds, Jose Rodriguez) Relating to the appointment and duties of election officers.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

 
HB 2466 (Nicole Collier, Kevin Eltife) Relating to the creation of a safety reimbursement program for employers in the Texas Workers Compensation system

• Vetoed 6-20-15

 
HB 2775 (Eddie Rodriguez, Judith Zaffirini) Relating to a petition filed in connection with an application for a place on the ballot.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

 
HB 2830 (Armando Martinez, Chuy Hinojosa) Relating to the duty of a county to refund an amount of $2 or less paid to the county clerk.

• Vetoed 6-19-15

 
HB 3043 (Senfronia Thompson, Sylvia Garcia) Relating to the licensing and regulation of a journeyman lineman.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

HB 3060 (Rafael Anchia, Royce West) Relating to additional functions of a commission panel of a 2 municipal building and standards commission.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

HB 3184 (Ruth Jones McClendon, Jose Menendez) Relating to the establishment, operation, and funding of victim-offender mediation programs.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

HB 3390 (Lyle Larson, Charles Perry) Relating to a written agreement concerning a projectile that travels across a property line.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

HB 3579 (Roberto Alonzo, Jose Rodriguez) Relating to the expunction of records and files relating to an offense for which a person is arrested.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

 
HB 4103 (Ryan Guillen, Sylvia Garcia) Relating to the continued service of municipal court judges for another term of office.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

SB 130 (Royce West, Terry Canales) Relating to the eligibility of criminal defendants for an order of nondisclosure.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

SB 359 (Royce West, Paul Workman) Relating to the authority of a peace officer to apprehend a person for emergency detention and the authority of certain facilities to temporarily detain a person with mental illness.

• Vetoed 6-2-15

SB 1032 (Kirk Watson, Celia Israel) Relating to authority for certain state employees to work flexible hours and to work from home or other authorized alternative work sites.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

SB 1034 (Jose Rodriguez, Rick Miller) Relating to the applicability of canceling an annual application for a ballot to be voted by mail to subsequent elections.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

SB 1408 (Eddie Lucio, Tracy King) Relating to the establishment of a matching grant program for community development in certain municipalities and counties.

• Vetoed 6-20-15

Reference:
All Bills Signed by Governor 
All Bills Filed Without Signature by Governor
All Bills Vetoed by Governor