Bill Analysis

BILL NAME SESSION ANALYSIS
HB 3305 85(R) - 2017 This bill would make a person ineligible to be appointed to public office by the governor if the individual made contributions that in aggregate exceed $2,500 to the governor or a specific purpose committee supporting the governor as a candidate or officeholder. The bill would also prohibit a person serving as an officer appointed by the governor from making political contributions that in aggregate exceed $2,500 to the governor or a specific...Read More
SB 561 85(R) - 2017 SB 561 would amend the Insurance Code to require insurers to compare its in-force life insurance policies, annuity contracts, and retained asset accounts to a Death Master File at least semi-annually to identify any matches. For each match with the Death Master File, the insurer must, by no later than the 90th day of discovery, confirm the death of the account holder, determine if the account holder had any additional coverage, and determine...Read More
SB 630 85(R) - 2017 This bill would require peace officers to file an affidavit after they have arrested a person without a warrant. The affidavit must contain a statement of probable cause for the arrest. If this bill passes, the affidavit would have to be filed with a magistrate before the defendant appears; or the affidavit would be given to the officer to whom custody has been transferred. It may be delivered in writing, or by verbal communication to the...Read More
SB 1942 85(R) - 2017 SB 1942 would prohibit school districts from adopting rules restricting the storing, carrying, or transporting of a firearm or ammunition in a privately owned car by someone with a license to carry.Read More
SB 880 85(R) - 2017 Under current law, the hunting, fishing, and possession of certain animals and at certain times is prohibited under the Wildlife Conservation Act of 1983. SB 880 would create an exemption allowing members of the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas to hunt antlerless white-tailed deer for religious ceremonial purposes, as subject to certain conditions.Read More
SB 1886 85(R) - 2017 This bill would establish the Office of Inspector General within the Texas Education Agency and would charge the Inspector General with the responsibility of investigating, preventing, and detecting criminal misconduct and wrongdoing and the same for fraud, waste, and abuse in the administration of public education.Read More
HB 183 85(R) - 2017 Under current law, if an individual successfully completes their sentence of deferred adjudication community supervision a judge may dismiss the proceedings and discharge the defendant. Currently, the dismissal and discharge under this chapter may not be considered a conviction for the purposes of disqualifications or disabilities imposed by law for conviction of an offense. This bill would add a section to this portion of the code...Read More
SB 1673 85(R) - 2017 SB 1673 would require the General Land Office (or an alternative agency selected by the governor) to collaborate with the governor and the Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center at Texas A&M University to approve local housing recovery plans that this bill would authorize local governments to create in order to provide for the rapid and efficient construction of permanent replacement housing following a natural disaster.To perform these...Read More
SB 1980 85(R) - 2017 Under current law, a developer must execute a performance bond for the construction of the improvements in a municipal developer contract to ensure the completion of the project. SB 1980 would require the amount of the bond to be for the contract price for the improvements. The municipality and developer may agree that, instead of a performance bond, the developer may submit to the municipality an irrevocable letter of credit in the amount...Read More
SB 1972 85(R) - 2017 SB 1972 would establish the Texas-bred Incentive Fund as escrow account in the registry of the Texas Racing Commission. The commission would be required to deposit money set aside for the Texas-bred program into this account for distribution in accordance with the Texas Racing Act.Read More
SB 1931 85(R) - 2017 Under current law, community land trusts are organized as nonprofit organizations to provide affordable housing for low-income and moderate-income residents in the community. SB 1931 would expand the types of ways a community land trust can be organized; expand the number of tax exemptions related to community land trusts; require the chief-appraiser to use the income method of appraisal for taxes charged to a low-income family that receives...Read More
SB 1031 85(R) - 2017 Current law allows for the deduction from total revenue for calculating the taxable margin for some business on certain contracts with the federal government. SB 1031 would amend current Tax Code by expanding the allowable requirements to include all taxable entities with at least one federal contract which qualify under the Federal Acquisition and the Defense Acquisition federal regulations. Read More
SB 926 85(R) - 2017 SB 926 would update statute with respect to durable powers of attorney, and would allow the principal to designate an multiple agents or successor agents. The authority of the agent or agents would be clarified to include the power to:create, amend, revoke, or terminate an inter vivos trust;make a gift;create or change rights of survivorship;create or change a beneficiary designation;delegate authority granted under the power of attorney;create...Read More
HB 3919 85(R) - 2017 Under current law, certain municipalities are authorized to create homestead preservation districts and reinvestment zones to provide affordable housing and prevent involuntary homestead loss for low- and moderate-income homeowners. HB 3919 would expand this authorization to include the City of Houston.Read More
HB 161 85(R) - 2017 This bill would modify the rules surrounding contempt of court for failure to pay child support. If this bill passes a court may not find a defendant in contempt of court for failure to pay child support if obligor can prove that the unpaid child support accrued during their confinement in local, state, or federal institutions. There are two exceptions however, the first is if the offense that they were incarcerated for was family violence....Read More
HB 72 85(R) - 2017 This bill would modify the Code of Criminal Procedure pertaining to pretrial hearings by allowing a defendant’s attorney, or the defendant, to request a motion to enter a pretrial victim-offender mediation program. This program is for individuals who have been arrested for, or charged with, a misdemeanor offense against property. To qualify the individual may not have previously been convicted of a felony or a misdemeanor, except...Read More
SB 631 85(R) - 2017 Under current law, if there is a criminal action relating to allegedly stolen property the hearing will be held in the municipality in which the property was seized. If this bill passes, the venue for the hearing could be held in either the municipality in which the property was seized, or in the municipality in which the property was allegedly stolen. Read More
SB 2244 85(R) - 2017 SB 2244 would create the University Hills Municipal Management District. The territory of the MMD would defined and the district would be authorized to issue bonds, impose taxes, assess fees, conduct improvement projects, and road projects. The district would not be permitted to exercise eminent domain power or create toll roads.Read More
SB 2026 85(R) - 2017 Under current law, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is required to file a biennial report with the governor and legislature outlining commission activities and recommendations. SB 2026 would also require the inclusion of details, recommendations, goals, and progress concerning green stormwater infrastructure (which reduces and treats stormwater at the source through natural processes). Each biennium, the TCEQ would be required...Read More
SB 529 85(R) - 2017 The bill would require minimum qualifications to include basic knowledge of each disability category under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, competency with the use of evidence-based inclusive instructional practices, and appropriate adaptation strategies. The bill would require educator preparation programs to use a universal design for learning framework integrating inclusion for all students as a requirement for approval...Read More