CJCAT Senior General Counsel Jim Allison has updated the CJCAT Bills of Interest List:
Good Bills – Need Support
HB 103 by Murr – Allows a retired judge with 96 months of service to serve as a retired visiting judge to a constitutional county court.
HB 251 by Murr – Assess visiting statutory probate judge fees against estate.
HB 458 by Craddick – Require Texas Juvenile Justice Department to accept a committed juvenile within 30 days
HB 499 by Meza – Allows all counties to adopt countywide voting.
HB 657 by Bailes – Allows a county to post notices on the internet, instead of newspaper, after satisfying certain requirements.
HB 1132 by Spiller – Raises bid limit from $50,000 to $100,000
HB 1487 by Gerdes – Creates Rural County Law Enforcement Agency Grant Program which can be used for personnel costs, equipment and training.
HB 1591 by Ashby – Retired constitutional county judges would be eligible for a license to carry a handgun by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
SJR 20 by Eckhardt – Authorizes optional dollar amount county homestead exemption.
SB 157 by Perry – Raises warrant fee from $50 to $75 for felony, class A and B offenses
SB 778 by Kolkhorst – Requires TJJD to reimburse a county without a juvenile detention facility for court committed juveniles awaiting transfer.
SB 782 by Birdwell – Enables DIR’s Chief Privacy Officer to assist counties with data privacy.
Problem Bills – Need Work
HB 192 Schaefer – Limits authority to restrict firearms to court rooms, instead of courthouse.
HB 257 by Cortez – Allows the sale of fireworks on July 5.
HB 1310 by Gamez – 2 day deadline for juvenile detention hearings.
HB 1489 by Tepper – Restricts use of Certificates of Obligation.
HB 2021 by Harrison – Requires 60% percent majority of voters to approve a tax rate increase.
HB 2220 by Harrison – Requires election for county revenue increase and eliminates exemptions including de minimis rate.
HB 2384 by Leach – Requires a candidate for county judge who will perform judicial functions to be a lawyer.
SB 171 by Blanco – Requires criminal disposition reporting within 5 days jeopardizing grants.
SB 175 by Middleton – Silences county officials legislative communications and deletes TAC’s enabling statute.
SB 295 by Perry – Shifts court costs for paying patients from private facility to county taxpayers.
SB 814 by Creighton – Waives immunity and allows claims to be filed in any county for enforcing an invalid order or rule in fields of specified codes.