Here are bills being heard this week related to the RPT Legislative Priorities with a few that relate to Texas Constitutional Enforcement and that interest me.
The big ones for me are the Texas Sovereignty Act and Transactional Gold bills on Wednesday. Note the online comments links for Texas House hearings for use if you are not in the Capitol.
Monday, March 24
SB 618 - Kevin Sparks – Requires Secretary of State to upon receipt or discovery of election law procedures by public or election officials, to investigate and report to the attorney general for imposition of civil penalties. In Senate State Affairs starting at 9:00 am in Senate Chamber. RPT Legislative Priority Election Integrity.
SB 1436 - Paul Bettencourt – Creates Class A misdemeanor for suspending legal requirements for processing mail ballots. In Senate State Affairs starting at 9:00 am in Senate Chamber. RPT Legislative Priority Election Integrity.
SB 1626 - Bryan Hughes – Updates bill to protect free speech of Texans from social media companies in light of litigation from HB 20 passed in 2021. In Senate State Affairs starting at 9:00 am in Senate Chamber. Part of Texas Constitutional Enforcement pushback on the Great Reset.
SB 1999 - Bryan Hughes – Prohibits schools from retaliating against school district employees or students for addressing others in terms consistent with their biological sex. In Senate State Affairs starting at 9:00 am in Senate Chamber. RPT Legislative Priority Stop Sexualizing Texas Kids.
HJR 138 by Daniel Alders – Constitutional amendment to prohibit imposition of carbon tax.
In House Ways & Means starting 2:00 pm in JHR 140.
Hearing notice. Online comments: https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c490
Wednesday, March 26
HB 796 – Cecil Bell, Jr. – Texas Sovereignty Act. See txce.org/Texas_soverignty_act. In House State Affairs starting at 8 am in JHR 140 (John Reagan Building on north end of Capitol Complex). RPT Legislative Priority End Federal Overreach.
Hearing notice. Online comments: https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c450
HB 1056 – Mark Dorazio – Transactional Gold. See transactionalgold.com. In House State Affairs starting at 8 am in JHR 140 (John Reagan Building on north end of Capitol Complex).
Hearing notice. Online comments: https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c450
HB 1544 – Richard Raymond – Instructs Comptroller to bill the federal government for back Texas border security costs. In House State Affairs starting at 8 am in JHR 140 (John Reagan Building on north end of Capitol Complex).
Hearing notice. Online comments: https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c450
HB 3228 – Stan Lambert – Requires wind and solar lease agreements to address end of life cleanup costs. In House State Affairs starting at 8 am in JHR 140 (John Reagan Building on north end of Capitol Complex).
Hearing notice. Online comments: https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c450
HJR 98 – Cody Vasut – Removes expiration date from Texas Convention of States application. In House State Affairs starting at 8 am in JHR 140 (John Reagan Building on north end of Capitol Complex).
Hearing notice. Online comments: https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c450
OPPOSE SB 744 – Donna Campbell companion to HB 3034 – Amends law eliminating red light cameras (passed by Jonathan Stickland) to allow school bus cameras and automatic ticketing. In Senate Transportation starting at 8:00 am in E1.016. RPT Legislative Priority End Federal Overreach OPPOSES due to restriction on freedom to travel and due process grounds.
HB 29 - Stan Gerdes - Mandates big city water utilities audit their distribution system leaks. All of the water being pumped out of Burleson County (and negatively impacting Lee and Milam Counties) that is being piped to San Antonio is being lost in the San Antonio system leaks. This bill seeks to address that outrageous problem. In House Natural Resources starting at 8:00 am in E2.036.
Hearing notice. Online comments: https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c390
Thursday, March 27
OPPOSE HB 3034 – Tom Craddick – companion to SB 744 – Amends law eliminating red light cameras (passed by Jonathan Stickland) to allow school bus cameras and automatic ticketing. In House Transportation starting at 8:00 am in E2.010. RPT Legislative Priority End Federal Overreach OPPOSES due to restriction on freedom to travel and due process grounds.
Hearing notice. Online comments: https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c470
HB 1478 – Briscoe Cain – Secretary of State can withhold funding to county registrar for failing to follow parts of the Election Code. In House Elections starting at 10:30 am or upon adjournment in E2.012. RPT Legislative Priority Election Integrity.
Hearing notice. Online Comments: https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c240
HB 1661 – Cody Vasut – Creates criminal penalty for intentionally providing election precinct with ballots required by law. In House Elections starting at 10:30 am or upon adjournment in E2.012. RPT Legislative Priority Election Integrity.
Hearing notice. Online Comments: https://comments.house.texas.gov/home?c=c240