As the session reaches its final weeks, bills that remain in committee are in serious difficulty. Bills are being scheduled for floor action in the House and Senate. Bills will change by floor amendment during this process. However, some issues and subjects are beginning to be discarded. Some significant areas and bills include the following:
Good Bills – Need Support
- H.B. 7 by Rep. Darby reduces diversion of dedicated funds.
- H.B. 11 by Rep. Ritter appropriates $2 billion from the Rainy Day Fund for water infrastructure projects.
- H.B. 104 by Rep. Gonzales repeals the excessive fees on driver’s licenses.
- H.B. 205 by Rep. McClendon requires state to develop plan for allocation of sufficient hospital beds for mental commitments.
- H.B. 335 by Rep. Stickland authorizes posting of notices on county website as an alternative to newspaper publications.
- H.B. 385 by Rep. Thompson / S.B. 265 by Sen. Huffman authorizes commissioners court to self-insure county officers and employees in lieu of surety bonds.
- H.B. 520 by Rep. Kuempel requires municipalities to fund autopsy when body is found within municipality.
- H.B. 563 by Rep. Guillen provides severance tax funding for counties within shale oil and gas development areas.
- H.B. 675 by Rep. Ratliff authorizes county regulation of off-premises signs advertising sexually oriented business.
- H.B. 691 by Rep. Phillips authorizes county to regulate location of halfway houses for probationers and parolees.
- H.B. 714 by Rep. Kuempel authorizes county to contract with DPS for joint vehicle-weight facilities.
- H.B. 761 by Rep. Marquez / S.B. 170 by Sen. West / S.B. 456 by Sen. Rodriguez authorizes commissioners court to require residential code inspection before utilities are connected.
- H. B. 832 by Rep. Giddings / S.B. 186 by Sen. Carona authorizes county to abate mosquitoes on uninhabited residential property.
- H.B. 1336 by Rep. Keffer appropriates $1.4 billion from Rainy Day Fund for county roads and state highways affected by oil and gas production.
- H.B. 1513 by Rep. Gooden / S.B. 1229 by Sen. West increases county records management fee from $5 to $10.
- H.B. 2147 by Rep. Hildebran, commissioners court may authorize county officer or employee with CHL to carry in courthouse.
- H.B. 2327 by Rep. Gooden / S.B. 1411 by Sen. Deuell increases the courthouse security fee by $5.
- H.B. 2454 by Rep. Frank authorizes county to count inmate health care expense toward state assistance.
- H.B. 3124 by Rep. Lucio III authorizes a $2 county records technology and infrastructure fee.
- H.J.R. 96 by Rep. Coleman prohibits state unfunded mandates on counties.
- H.J.R. 103 by Rep. Simpson allows counties under 50,000 to have fewer than four justice of the peace precincts.
- S.B. 300 by Sen. Uresti provides severance tax funding for oil and gas counties.
- S.B. 1729 by Sen. Nichols authorizes commissioners court to contract with DPS to operate driver license renewal offices.
Problem Bills – Need Improvement
- H.B. 14 by Rep. Pitts / S.B. 14 by Sen. Williams requires all counties to maintain a website and post financial information; increases requirements for issuance of certificates of obligation.
- H.B. 708 by Rep Isaac removes commissioners court authority over approval of deputy constables.
- H.B. 777 by Rep White increases axle weight allowance for overweight timber or timber product trucks.
- H.B. 958 by Rep. Orr reduces TCDRS rate of return from 7 percent to 5 percent.
- H.B. 960 by Rep. Sanford increases mandatory county bond ballot language to require debt and surplus funds information.
- H.B. 1250 by Rep. Frank restricts initial use of property purchased after eminent domain notice.
- H.B. 3054 by Rep. Springer would require all county bond elections to be held on November election date.
- H.B. 3429 by Rep. Lucio III / H.B. 3557 by Rep. Ritter repeals county authority to prohibit fireworks under Texas Disaster Act.
- H.J.R. 46 by Rep Burkett requires all county commissioners to run after redistricting of precincts.
- S.B. 144 by Sen. Williams – Revenue Cap; reduces rollback rate from 8 percent to 5 percent.
- S.B. 262 by Sen. Huffman denies criminal justice grants to counties that fail to satisfy DPS reporting requirements.
For more information, please call me at 1-800-733-0699.
