Bill Analysis

BILL NAME SESSION ANALYSIS
SB 207 84(R) - 2015 5/22/15 Update:We continue to support SB 207 with the adopted amendments. The second chamber sponsor is Representative Larry Gonzalez.Original chamber analysis below:This legislation would implement some of the recommendations that were provided by the Sunset Advisory Committee in regards to the Office of the Inspector General (IG) within the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). This bill would do the following:Amend the definition...Read More
SB 1664 84(R) - 2015 SB 1664 would establish the Texas Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Program. The stated purpose of this bill is to encourage and assist individuals with disabilities to save private funds to help pay for future expenses related to the disability. ABLE would supplement a disabled person’s income in conjunction with receiving benefits from the federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program and the Medicaid program. The...Read More
HCR 52 84(R) - 2015 On behalf of the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas, HCR 52 would authorize the State Preservation Board (SPB) to approve the relocation of the Texas Game Warden Memorial (which currently resides at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens, Texas) to the State Capitol Complex.  The legislation also requests the SPB to consider a site south of the Sam Houston Building for the location of the memorial.  Read More
HCR 61 84(R) - 2015 This Concurrent Resolution conveys the 84th Texas State Legislature’s dissatisfaction with the federal government's insufficient efforts to secure the border between Texas and Mexico.Read More
SCR 5 84(R) - 2015 This Continuing Resolution conveys the Texas Senate' dissatisfaction with the federal government's insufficient efforts to secure the border between Texas and Mexico.Read More
SB 1934 84(R) - 2015 SB 1934 would amend the Transportation Code to stipulate how Department of Public Safety may request and use a driver license applicant's social security number. The bill would apply the same standards to personal identification cards. The bill would require an individual to surrender their identification card to get a driver license, and their driver license to get an identification card.Read More
SB 100 84(R) - 2015 Senate Bill 100 would make several changes to the Enterprise Zone Program.It would change the definition of a "qualified employee" under the program by amending section 2303.003 (7)(C) to include persons engaging in transportation of goods and services who report to the qualified business site and live within 50 miles of it. Senate Bill 100 would require that any county enter into an interlocal agreement with a municipality that has...Read More
HB 2812 84(R) - 2015 HB 2812 would repeal Section 130.008(f) of the Education Code; "Except as provided by this section, a student may not enroll in more than three courses under this section at a junior college if the junior college does not have a service area that includes the student's high school. A student enrolled at an early college high school may enroll in a greater number of courses to the extent approved by the commissioner of education." Read More
HB 2396 84(R) - 2015 HB 2396 would repeal Sections 61.539 and 61.9731, Education Code, eliminating the requirement that higher education institutions set aside medical school and law school tuition for student loan repayment programs for certain physicians and lawyers who ave met the eligibility requirements, applicable beginning with the 2015 fall semester. Read More
HB 1305 84(R) - 2015 05/21/2015 update:HB 1305 was amended to include free or reduced-price lunches along with breakfast. First chamber analysis:HB 1305 would authorize a school district which would otherwise be required to participate in the National School Breakfast Program to instead develop and implement a locally funded program to provide a free or reduced-price breakfast to all students in the school or schools eligible for the national program.The...Read More
HB 1300 84(R) - 2015 The State Board of Education is currently permitted to admit a person to an educator preparation program if the individual has not obtained the required grade point average if up to 10 percent of the total number of people admitted to the program in a year fail to satisfy that requirement.  HB 1300 would amend the Education Code to add the condition that each person so admitted performs, before admission, at a satisfactory...Read More
HB 700 84(R) - 2015 HB 700 would repeal the Texas B-On-Time Student Loan Account effective September 1, 2020 (Fiscal Year 2021).  Remaining funds would be appropriated to eligible public institutions in accordance with a formula adopted by the Board. The bill would eliminate the requirement that public higher education institutions set aside 5 percent of their tuition to fund the program. Read More
HB 3996 84(R) - 2015 HB 3996 would amend the code to allow jurors to donate all or part of their daily reimbursement to the Veterans Court program, which adds the program to the current list of four programs. Read More
HB 3729 84(R) - 2015 The fiscal note above provides an accurate and adequate explanation of what this bill would do. Read More
HB 3185 84(R) - 2015 HB 3185 would allow a county not served by a hospital district or a public hospital, with a population of less than 200,000, and with two municipalities with a population larger than 75,000 to create a Local Provider Participation Fund (LPPF) to collect mandatory payments based on paying hospital net patient revenue to provide the nonfederal share of a Medicaid supplemental payment program.Under this bill, money deposited to the...Read More
HB 2789 84(R) - 2015 The bill would amend Chapter 161 of the Human Resources Code by requiring the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) to develop and adopt trauma-informed care traing for employees who work directly with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in state supported living centers (SSLCs) and intermediate care facilities (ICFs). The executive commissioner by rule would require new employees to complete the...Read More
HB 2265 84(R) - 2015 From the Author's Statement of Intent:"Interested observers note that with the tragic loss of Army Ranger Sergeant Tanner Stone Higgins in military operations in a foreign theater, Texas has lost another brave son. These observers call for the distinguished service of Sergeant Higgins to be recognized with a tribute as special as the selfless soldier himself. H.B. 2265 seeks to honor the memory of Sergeant Higgins. H.B. 2265 amends the...Read More
HB 1741 84(R) - 2015 This legislation would authorize overweight corridors between the free trade International Bridge in Los Indios to The Port of Harlingen east and west entrance, Harlingen Industrial Park, and Harlingen Aerotropolis at Valley International Airport.Read More
HB 1717 84(R) - 2015 House Bill 1717 would amend Chapter 351 of the Tax Code relating to municipal hotel occupancy taxes to allow an eligible barrier island coastal municipality to use revenue from the municipal hotel occupancy tax to pay for promotion and expenses related to ecological tourism events if these events are mainly attended by tourists and increase economic activity at hotels in and around the municipality, and to pay for expenses related to the...Read More
HB 1386 84(R) - 2015 Under current law, not more than one counsel can conduct either the prosecution or the defense in justice and municipal courts.House Bill 1386 would amend Article 45.020 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to remove this provision. It would also clarify current law by specifying that the State's counsel may open and conclude the argument in the case.Read More