Saturday, April 15, 2017

Saturday Morning update. 4/15/17

This week the Senate passed two bills by Sen. Hughes,

SB 944, Relating to the adoption of the Uniform Foreign-Country Money Judgments Recognition Act.
SB 813, Relating to recovery of damages, attorney s fees, and costs related to frivolous ’
regulatory actions by state agencies

Of note: The Senate also passed SCR 3, Claiming sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the U.S. Constitution, serving notice to the federal government to halt and reverse certain mandates, and providing that certain federal legislation be prohibited or repealed

Passed out of House Committee's

Corrections Committee ( Rep. Schaefer )

HB 1041, Relating to the review of certain privately operated residential facilities for persons released on parole or to mandatory supervision.
Investment & Financial Services ( Rep. Dean )
HB 471, Relating to permitting credit unions and other financial institutions to award prizes by lot to promote savings.
HB 1701, Relating to the presentation of the investment policy of certain governmental entities to a business organization that conducts investment transactions for the entity.
HB 2647, Relating to authorized investments of public funds
Licensing & Administrative Procedures ( Rep. Paddie )
HB 47, Relating to the status and taxation of powdered alcohol as an alcoholic beverage.
HB 133, Relating to the status, regulation, and taxation of powdered alcohol as an alcoholic beverage; creating an offense
HB 442, Relating to the online publication of home addresses of certain occupational license holders.
HB 1247, Relating to notice provided to vehicle owners and lienholders by operators of vehicle storage facilities
HB 1555, Relating to the sale of lottery tickets by certain wine and beer retailers.
HB 1698, Relating to the licensing and regulation of a journeyman industrial electrician.
HB 2019, Relating to the regulation of manufactured homes.
HB 2113, Relating to the regulation of for-profit legal service contract companies.
HB 2097, Relating to the sale of malt liquor, ale, and beer by the holder of a brewpub license
HB 2275, by Paddie, Relating to the regulation of a service contract.
HB 2953, Relating to the definition of a public entertainment facility and the promotion, sponsorship, or advertising of an entertainment event or venue or alcoholic beverage at certain governmentally owned public entertainment facilities.

Passed on the House Floor

HB 280, A bill to be entitled An Act relating to a grant program for reducing workplace violence against nurses. Voting Yes were Paddie, Clardy, and VanDeaver. Voting No were Hefner, Schaefer, Dean, and Cook. Statement of votes by Cook & Dean said they intended to vote Yes.
HB 257, A bill to be entitled An Act relating to a report by the Texas Workforce Commission regarding the transition from military service to employment. All reps. voted Yes except for Schaefer.
HB 1862, A bill to be entitled An Act relating to the designation of certain river or stream segments as being of unique ecological value, (Passed 91-55), Voting Yes were Paddie, Dean, Cook, and VanDeaver. Voting No were Hefner, Schaefer, and Clardy.
HB 1178, A bill to be entitled An Act relating to the punishment for burglary and theft of controlled substances. All reps. voted Yes except for Clardy.
HB 271, A bill to be entitled An Act relating to the establishment of the Veterans Recovery Pilot Program to provide certain veterans with hyperbaric oxygen treatment. All reps voted Yes except for Schaefer.
HB 915, A bill to be entitled An Act relating to named driver insurance policies and certain related exclusions. All reps voted Yes except for Schaefer. Cook was absent and would have voted Yes.
HB 827, A bill to be entitled An Act relating to a database for prospective employers to qualify veterans military service experience and employment qualifications. Voting No were Hefner and Schaefer. All others voted Yes.
HB 970, A bill to be entitled An Act relating to the establishment of a state plan for Streptococcus pneumoniae education and prevention. All voted Yes except Schaefer














Thursday, April 13, 2017

From Austin this week:

On Monday this week, SJR 2 and SB 21 were referred to the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee. Both deal with Article V Convention of States. 

HB 522 was passed out of the Business and Industry Committee and sent to House Floor Calendars, This Bill would prevent home owners associations from enforcing or adopting policies that would hinder a property owners display of religious displays on their property. 

The Investment and Financial Services Committee ( Rep. Jay Dean, HD 7) reported favorably a few Bills this week. 

HB 2648, Relating to including the obligations of Federal Home Loan Banks as authorized investments for a governmental entity.

HB 2928, Relating to including the obligations of Federal Home Loan banks as authorized investments for a governmental entity and the requirements for certificates of deposit or share certificates held as authorized investments for a governmental entity.

HB 2964, Relating to abandonment of shares of a mutual fund

HJR 37, Proposing a constitutional amendment relating to legislative authority to permit credit unions and other financial institutions to award prizes by lot to promote savings.


The State Affairs Committee (Rep. Chris Paddie, HD 9) reported favorably to Calendars

HB 29, Relating to prostitution and the trafficking of persons, civil racketeering related to trafficking, the prosecution of and punishment for certain sexual offenses and offenses involving or related to trafficking, reimbursement of certain costs for criminal victims who are children, and the release and reporting of certain information relating to a child; increasing a criminal penalty; creating a criminal offense. This Bill is set to be heard on the floor April 18th.

HB 89, Relating to state contracts with and investments in companies that boycott Israel.

The Criminal Jurisprudence Committee ( Rep. Cole Hefner, HD 5) reported favorably to Calendars. 

HB 913, Relating to the prosecution of the criminal offense of the possession, manufacture, transport, repair, or sale of certain prohibited explosive weapons.


The Higher Education Committee (Rep. Travis Clardy, HD 11) reported favorably two Bills to Calendars.

HB 655 by Clardy, Relating to the filing of a degree plan by students at public junior colleges, and 

HB 1198, Relating to the filing of a degree plan by students at public junior colleges.

The Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee ( Rep. Matt Schaefer, HD 6) reported favorably to Calendars

HB 56, Relating to the carrying of a handgun by a first responder engaged in the actual discharge of the first responders duties. 

HB 106, Relating to certain images captured by an unmanned aircraft.

HB 421, Relating to an exemption from application of the Private Security Act for volunteer security services provided at a place of religious worship. 

The Public Education Committee, (Rep. Gary VanDeaver, HD 1) referred to Calendars

HB 21, Relating to the public school finance system. 

HB 657, Relating to procedures for a student enrolled in a speial education program who fails to perform satisfactorily on certain assesment instruments.

HB 789, Relating to minimum scores required for students in certain school districts to pass an examination for acceleration or for credit.
















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