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88th Texas Legislature | NTC State Report
Monday, May 8, 2023
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Quick Takes
- The Texas Jobs & Security Act (HB 5) advanced through the House.
- Plagued by procedural issues, SB 14 was pulled off the House floor twice last week and will return for a third attempt sometime this week.
- North Texas legislator faces expulsion from the House on the recommendation of the House General Investigating Committee.
State Report
Today marks the first major deadline for action on the legislative calendar: it is the last day for House committees to report house bills and house joint resolutions. The final House calendar with house bills and house joint resolutions will be distributed by tomorrow evening and will be taken up Thursday of this week. The House is expected to meet until midnight Thursday. The major deadline for advancing bills in the Senate remains a couple of weeks out.
There was movement on several significant legislative proposals last week and a big delay on another one. Last Thursday, the House overwhelmingly approved HB 5, authored by Representative Todd Hunter and seventy-nine joint authors and coauthors, which authorizes school district tax abatement agreements. This is a major economic development priority for the business community following the expiration of its predecessor program last year. Another House priority advanced in the Senate with State Affairs approving HB 4, regulation of consumer data, also referred to as the Texas Data Privacy and Security Act. It could be on the Senate Floor this week along with HB 1000, legislative redistricting for the Texas House of Representatives. Almost all of the Speaker’s priority bills have now advanced to the Senate. There are a few border security-related priorities headed to the House Floor Tuesday of this week.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, a conference committee has been requested on SB 10, which would provide a cost-of-living adjustment for eligible recipients of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas. Both chambers are supportive of this proposal and will work out the differences in the conference committee. Today, the House Committee on Higher Education is taking up two higher education reform bills sought by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. SB 17 proposes to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices at the state’s public universities while SB 18 seeks to change tenure policies at universities. However, the full House spent a significant amount of time on two separate days last week addressing another Senate priority: SB 14, the prohibition of gender modification treatments for certain children. It was initially up for consideration last Tuesday afternoon, but following vocal outbursts and disruptions in the House gallery, Speaker Phelan directed the House Sergeant and DPS to clear the gallery of all visitors. The bill was eventually returned to the House Public Health Committee on a sustained point of order but was rescheduled for the Friday, May 5th House Calendar. Once again, Democrats raised points of order on the bill, and the bill returned to committee for a second time. House Calendars Chairman Dustin Burrows tweeted later Friday that SB 14 will be heard this week.
The Texas House convened at 9 am Saturday for its first-weekend session to take up a Local Calendar, a Congratulatory and Memorial Calendar, and the regular House Calendar. House members met for almost seven hours. About midway through the proceedings, Representative Andy Murr, Chairman of the General Investigating Committee, was recognized by Speaker Dade Phelan to address the House with a statement on the findings of his committee in response to allegations involving Representative Bryan Slaton. Chairman Murr concluded his remarks by stating his intention to be recognized tomorrow on House Resolution 1542, which calls for Representative Slaton to be expelled from the body. Approval of the resolution will require a two-thirds vote of the Texas House of Representatives.
The House convenes at 10 am, and the Senate will meet at 11 am today. The House Calendar, including a Local Calendar, has been scheduled through Tuesday. The Senate Notice of Intent Calendar and other daily business can be found here.
For questions regarding the legislative session, please reach out to Patrick Brophey.
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