Bill Analysis

BILL NAME SESSION ANALYSIS
SB 1640 86(R) - 2019 SB 1640 would amend the Texas Open Meetings Act (TOMA) as a response to it being struck down as unconstitutionally vague by the Court of Criminal Appeals in February 2019.  Specifically, the bill would prohibit a member of a governmental body from knowingly engaging in at least one among a series of communications that each occur outside of an open meeting concerning any public business of the governmental body where the individual...Read More
SB 1283 86(R) - 2019 SB 1283 would prohibit the Health and Human Services Commission or managed care organizations from requiring certain actions in Medicaid related to dispensing of antiretroviral drugs for HIV (e.g., prior authorization or step therapy). This bill would codify what is already HHSC policy. More specifically, this bill would prevent patients from having to experiment with lower-cost drugs and fail before accessing higher cost medications. Read More
SB 1092 86(R) - 2019 SB 1092 would require the Texas Department of Transportation to submit for competitive bids each contract for traffic control or safety devices to be used on a state highway.Read More
SB 2075 86(R) - 2019 SB 2075 would direct the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to audit and monitor school districts to ensure they are complying with state law to screen and treat students for dyslexia and related disorders. The TEA would also be required to identify problems school districts have complying with state law and to develop plans to help schools that are in noncompliance. Additionally, this bill would require the State Library and...Read More
SB 708 86(R) - 2019 SB 708 would require the Department of Family and Protective Services' Child Care Licensing Division to collect, compile, and publish on the commission’s Internet website data aggregated by child age on reported incidents in licensed day-care centers that threaten or impair the basic health, safety, or welfare of a child.Read More
SB 1579 86(R) - 2019 SB 1579 would allow certain districts that were created to perform both fire prevention and emergency medical services to separate into two overlapping districts for the purposes for working out internal errors, and (according to the author), creating a more efficient process. Under current law, if any of these emergency districts have issues, they work out the issues with overlapping districts. It is important to note that this...Read More
SB 436 86(R) - 2019 SB 436 would require the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to work with the Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force to develop tools and best practices necessary to assess and treat opioid use disorders among pregnant women, and to prevent opioid-related overdose among pregnant women. This would include things such as improving screening procedures for women with opioid use disorder, improving continuity...Read More
SB 2342 86(R) - 2019 The Texas Supreme Court is required to adopt rules to promote the prompt, efficient, and cost-effective resolution of civil actions in district courts, county courts at law, and statutory probate courts.SB 2342 would increase the amount in controversy in cases to which these rules apply from $100,000 to $250,000, and would remove the specification that the amount is inclusive of all claims for damages of any kind. The bill would also increase...Read More
SB 1151 86(R) - 2019 SB 1151 would entitle the comptroller to obtain information about criminal history that the comptroller believes is necessary for the enforcement and administration of Chapter 103, relating to the compensation to persons wrongfully imprisoned. This would allow the comptroller to more effectively and immediately cease compensation for wrongful conviction if the claimant was convicted of a felony.Read More
SB 1376 86(R) - 2019 SB 1376 would remove several unfunded mandates on public schools in the Education Code as well as make several administrative changes in the Texas Education Agency by delegating authority to more relevant agencies such as the University Interscholastic League. It would also eliminate requirements imposed on school districts that are unrelated to academic outcomes.Read More
SB 943 86(R) - 2019 SB 943 would amend certain provisions of the Government Code relating to the disclosure of contracting information subject to the Public Information Act. It would require disclosure of certain contract information, such as key contract terms and whether a contractor fulfilled its duties under the contract. It would also exempt certain information from disclosure such as trade secrets, financial information, and certain proprietary information.This...Read More
SB 22 86(R) - 2019 SB 22 would prevent state and political subdivisions from using taxpayer dollars to fund abortion providers and their affiliates. Certain hospitals, physician offices that perform 50 or fewer abortions per year, and residency programs would be exempt. In addition, the Attorney General would be authorized to issue an injunction on transactions between non-compliant governmental entities and abortion providers and affiliates, and recover reasonable...Read More
SB 1680 86(R) - 2019 SB 1680 would require the Higher Education Coordinating Board to approve a private or independent institution of higher education if they had previously been approved but currently do not hold the same accreditation as a public institution. These institutions would be required to be accredited by an accreditation board approved by the Coordinating Board, be a work college, and participate in a federal financial aid program. This bill would...Read More
SB 733 86(R) - 2019 SB 733 would allow the Parks and Wildlife Commission to collect a fee for participation in the Managed Lands Deer Program. Revenue collected from these fees would be deposited to the General Revenue-Dedicated Game, Fish and Water Safety Account No. 9. Read More
SB 810 86(R) - 2019 SB 810 would require deer breeders to have a physical Parks and Wildlife Department tag, either an electronic or button tag, on their captive deer by March 31 of the year following their birth. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department would be required to create a database containing electric ID device numbers entered in by deer breeders. Read More
SB 1096 86(R) - 2019 The Medically Dependent Children Program (MCDP) offers community-based services for children with disabilities who require a nursing facility level of care. These children may access Medicaid services on a medical-needs-based criteria through MCDP, allowing the child to remain at home with family while still accessing life-sustaining, medically necessary services. MCDP exists within the STAR Kids Medicaid managed care program that provides...Read More
SB 1840 86(R) - 2019 SB 1840 would authorize a county commissioners court to use the technology fund for court assistance, such as additional court personnel and training. It would also allow the $4 fee to be collected from an individual who receives deferred adjudication in the justice court, rather than only from individuals who has a sentence imposed on them or on whom the court defers final disposition.Read More
SB 29 86(R) - 2019 SB 29 would prevent certain political subdivisions from paying lobbying expenses. The bill would prohibit lobbying activities that consist of spending public money in order to influence any legislation relating to taxation, bond elections, or ethical issues of public servants.SB 29 would not prohibit local officials or their staff from providing testimony. This bill would only apply to individuals who fall under the category of activities...Read More
SB 1947 86(R) - 2019 Currently, wholesale distributors are required to report certain information to the Automation of Reports and Consolidated Orders System (ARCOS) of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration and to the Texas State Board of Pharmacy (TSBP).SB 1947 would require the TSBP to make that information available to the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (TBVME) for purposes of routine inspections and investigations regarding the...Read More
SB 170 86(R) - 2019 SB 170 would codify existing policy to pay rural hospitals the actual and documented cost to treat Medicaid patients. The Health and Human Services Commission would be required to update the costs every other year.Read More