Bill Analysis

BILL NAME SESSION ANALYSIS
HB 3212 87(R) - 2021 HB 3212 would require information relating to the dangers and consequences of street racing to be included in the curriculum of each driver education and driving safety course.Read More
HB 1693 87(R) - 2021 HB 1693 would allow a justice or municipal court to access the verification program established under existing law to verify financial responsibility for the purpose of court proceedings. The bill also specifies that the cost of accessing the program would be paid out of the county treasury.Read More
HB 2219 87(R) - 2021 HB 2219 would strike a provision from Transportation code prohibiting the Texas Transportation commission from issuing certain obligations. Read More
SB 874 87(R) - 2021 SB 874 would extend the reporting and expiration dates of a temporary health insurance risk pool administered by the Commissioner of Insurance from August 31, 2021 to August 31, 2023.Read More
HB 29 87(R) - 2021 HB 29 would allow temporary secure storage of weapons by citizens in certain buildings used by state agencies, generally open to the public, and in which carrying a firearm or other weapon is prohibited. This provision would not apply to a penal institution or a public primary or secondary school or institute of higher education. The bill would also authorize a state agency to provide self-service weapon lockers for the temporary secure...Read More
HB 532 87(R) - 2021 HB would designate the portion of State Highway Loop 121 in Bell County between its intersection with Interstate Highway 35 and its intersection with Interstate Highway 14 as the Deputy Sheriff John Rhoden Memorial Highway.Read More
HB 690 87(R) - 2021 HB 690 would require ISD trustees to complete a school safety training. This training would be developed by the State Board of Education in coordination with the Texas School Safety Center.Read More
SB 49 87(R) - 2021 CSSB 49 would require a defendant’s mental illness or intellectual disability interview report to be provided to the sheriff or person responsible for the defendant's medical records and the personal bond office or office responsible for supervising pretrial releasees. A magistrate would not be required to order such an interview if the defendant is no longer in custody.CSSB 49 would exempt a personal bond from containing the required...Read More
SB 572 87(R) - 2021 SB 572 would stipulate that a health care facility "may not prohibit a resident or patient of the facility from receiving in-person visitation with a religious counselor on the patient's or resident’s request during a public health emergency." The executive commissioner of Health and Human Services would be required to develop guidelines to assist health care facilities with establishing in-person religious counselor visitation policies...Read More
SB 1129 87(R) - 2021 SB 1129 would amend the standard for approval in a hearing to transfer guardianship of a ward to a different county. A court would be able to approve a transfer if good cause is not shown to deny it, or if the ward has resided at least six months in the county to which the ward would be transferred. In determining whether the transfer would be in the best interest of the ward, a court would be permitted to consider justice, convenience,...Read More
SB 860 87(R) - 2021 SB 860 would exempt certain car haulers from the definition of "tow truck" thereby exempting them from the Texas Towing and Booting Act. The purpose of this bill is to provide clarity in the law with respect to moving damaged vehicles from a vehicle storage facility.Read More
SB 626 87(R) - 2021 SB 626 would make a number of changes to guardianship laws. A few significant provisions are outlined below.The bill would add the interpretation and administration of a testamentary or inter vivos trust in which a ward is an income or remainder beneficiary to the list of guardianship proceedings that a county with a court exercising original probate jurisdiction has jurisdiction over. Statutory probate courts in a county would also...Read More
SB 742 87(R) - 2021 SB 742 would allow the governing body of a taxing unit to authorize a person to pay their property taxes in installments, provided that the property is in a disaster area (or emergency area that has been damaged as a result of a disaster or emergency), regardless of whether or not the business was damaged by the disaster, and is owned or leased by a business entity that meets certain eligibility requirements as specified...Read More
SB 1588 87(R) - 2021 SB 1588 would modify existing law regarding property owners' associations in a variety of ways. Among other things, the bill caps certain fees that may be imposed by an association, enacts restrictions on who can serve on an architectural review committee, requires associations to file a management certificate with the Texas Real Estate Commission to create a database of property owners' associations, and exempts property owners from...Read More
SB 282 87(R) - 2021 SB 282 would prohibit the Legislature from appropriating money or a state agency from using appropriated money to settle or pay a sexual harassment claim made against an elected member of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of state government or a person appointed by the governor to serve as a member of a department, commission, board, or another public office within the executive, legislative, or judicial branches...Read More
SB 1160 87(R) - 2021 SB 1160 would create the Gulf Coast Protection District composed of the territory in Brazoria, Chambers, Galveston, Harris, Jefferson, and Orange Counties. The district would have the power to manage and build coastal barriers or storm surge gates, defer granted authority to counties, build and maintain public recreational facilities, and provide interior drainage remediation or improvements to reduce...Read More
SB 22 87(R) - 2021 SB 22 would create a rebuttable presumption that when a detention officer, corrections employee, peace officer, firefighter, or emergency medical technician meeting certain conditions contracts SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19 which results in their death or total or partial disability, they contracted the disease during the course and scope of their employment.Read More
SB 231 87(R) - 2021 SB 231 would mandate that the secretary of state shall provide a standardized training program and materials for county election officers in the same manner it provides such a program to election judges and clerks.Read More
HB 1525 87(R) - 2021 CSHB 1525 is an omnibus bill making numerous changes to Education Code. Some of the provisions of the bill are beneficial, including Section 3 which removes a teacher certification requirement for a classroom teacher to receive a designation as a master, exemplary, or recognized teacher for certain purposes. Another beneficial provision of the bill is Section 11 which would bring some accountability to school districts that levy maintenance...Read More
SB 1202 87(R) - 2021 SB 1202 would specify that a person who owns or operates equipment used solely to provide electricity charging services for vehicles is not included in the definition of electric utility or retail electric provider. It would also specify that such a person is not considered a retail electric utility.Read More