Bill Analysis

BILL NAME SESSION ANALYSIS
SB 385 87(R) - 2021 SB 385 would allow the Tarrant County Hospital District rights to sell or license technology or intellectual property that is owned by or licensed to the district or a nonprofit formed by the district, enter into a contract to provide services related to such technology or intellectual property and to take necessary action to protect or benefit from the exclusivity of the technology and intellectual property owned by the district. The bill...Read More
SB 1266 87(R) - 2021 SB 1266 would establish a joint interim committee to continue to study the implementation of a coastal barrier system in this state that includes a series of gates and barriers to prevent storm surge damage to gulf beaches or coastal ports, industry, or property. The committee will be composed of the members of the standing committee of the senate that has primary jurisdiction over natural resources, members of the standing...Read More
HB 1791 87(R) - 2021 HB 1791 would expand access to certain job training programs by removing the requirement that recipients of job training programs funded by the self-sufficiency fund be on government assistance. Instead, the bill simply requires recipients to be identified by the commission as being low-income or at risk of becoming dependent on public assistance.Read More
HB 1092 87(R) - 2021 HB 1092 would require the Sherriff of each county to identify veterans during the intake process. The jail would then provide the prisoner with a prepaid postcard that is supplied by the Texas Veterans Commission to request assistance in applying for veterans benefits. Sheriffs would also have to submit a daily report identifying each prisoner veteran to the Texas Veterans Commission and, as applicable, the veterans county service officer...Read More
HB 1485 87(R) - 2021 HB 1485 would create a mandatory registration requirement for elevator mechanics. An elevator mechanic is an individual who is erects, constructs, installs, alters, services, repairs, or maintains elevator equipment.The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) would be required to administer and enforce the provisions of the bill and to establish the requirements for the issuance and renewal of a elevator mechanic's registration....Read More
HB 542 87(R) - 2021 HB 542 would require the Department of Family and Protective Services to establish guidelines for child placement in a facility where a preventable death of a child in the managing conservatorship of the department occurred. The application for a license, listing, or registration of these facilities would be denied if a preventable death of a child in managing conservatorship occurred and the commission terminated a contract with the residential...Read More
HB 3315 87(R) - 2021 HB 3315 would require each county to create a pretrial intervention program for minors without a criminal history who are arrested for or charged with an offense that is punishable as a Class B misdemeanor or any higher category, other than certain violent offenses. Two or more counties would be able to create a shared regional program. These programs would be required to provide individualized and carefully monitored services to the...Read More
HB 4172 87(R) - 2021 HB 4172 would, in suits to determine public beach easements, place the burden of proof on the party seeking to establish that a property owner's title does not include the right to prevent the public from using their property to access the sea.Read More
HB 3338 87(R) - 2021 HB 3338 would include burglary of vehicles in the list of criminal offenses which cause a place to be considered a common nuisance. If the owner of a place knowingly tolerates vehicle burglaries and fails to make reasonable attempts to abate them, another person would be permitted to bring a common nuisance suit against the owner.Read More
HB 4139 87(R) - 2021 HB 4139 would change the Center for the Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities to the Office for Health Equity. The Health and Human Services Commission would be required to create health equity and seek out state and federal agencies, universities, private interest groups, communities, foundations, and offices of minority, gender, age health in order to coordinate and maximize use of existing resources.HB 4139 would require this...Read More
HB 842 87(R) - 2021 HB 842 would make the state attorney’s timely disclosure to the defendant of criminal history record information in its original format fulfill the state’s notice requirements in introducing evidence relating to a witness’ criminal history. The disclosure would have to include a copy of the section of code detailing criminal penalties for unauthorized uses of such information. The bill would allow an attorney representing the state...Read More
HB 3158 87(R) - 2021 HB 3158 would expand current law regarding compensable deaths to allow the parents, including adoptive or step-parents, of a deceased worker to sue the worker's employer for a compensable death under certain circumstances.  The bill specifies that this privilege would not be extended to parents whose parental rights have been revoked.Read More
HB 441 87(R) - 2021 HB 441 would decrease the possession of one ounce or less of marijuana from a Class B misdemeanor to a Class C misdemeanor, punishable only by a fine of up to $500. Police officers would be required to issue a citation to a person charged with a Class C misdemeanor marijuana possession or possession of drug paraphernalia offense rather than arresting them. HB 441 would permit the expunction of records related to these two offenses if...Read More
HB 830 87(R) - 2021 HB 830 would prohibit peace officers from arresting an individual found only to be committing one or more traffic-related misdemeanors punishable by fine only. Officers would instead be required to issue a written citation. Texas Southern University, in consultation with law enforcement agencies, experts, and community organizations, would be required to create a model policy the issuance of citations for fine-only misdemeanors. All law...Read More
HB 829 87(R) - 2021 HB 829 would establish a progressive disciplinary model for all law enforcement agencies to comply with in their disciplinary action against peace officers. Read More
SB 206 87(R) - 2021 SB 206 would allow golf cart operators to drive on roads with a posted speed limit of not more than 35mph in certain residential subdivisions without having a golf cart license plate. The Texas Department of Transportation would be able to prohibit the operation of golf carts on certain roads if it is deemed necessary in the interest of public safety. Read More
HB 3915 87(R) - 2021 HB 3915 would require the Public Utility Commission of Texas to establish a process for priority of designation and eligibility requirements for a transmission and distribution utility or an agency that oversees such utilities to designate its facility as critical load. The commission would also be required to make an annual report to the legislature regarding critical load entity designation.Read More
SB 809 87(R) - 2021 SB 809 would require health care institutions that received federal money for assisted health care institutions during the COVID-19 public health emergency to report the money received to the Health and Safety Commission on a monthly basis. Money received as a loan would not need to be reported. The Commission would be required to compile this information into a written report and provide it to certain members of the legislature and the...Read More
SB 284 87(R) - 2021 SB 284 requires the Texas Medical Board to conduct a study regarding out-of-state licensed physicians who practiced medicine in this state under licensing waivers granted during COVID-19 pandemic. To conduct this study, the board shall solicit and consider information from hospitals and sponsoring physicians regarding the performance of these out of state physicians. The board would be required to submit a written report that includes...Read More
HB 1717 87(R) - 2021 HB 1717 would expand the continuing duty of the state to disclose additional evidence in a criminal case to apply regardless of the date the offense was committed. Prosecuting attorneys would not be permitted to retaliate against an assistant prosecutor for disclosing evidence that the state is required to disclose. An assistant prosecutor whose employment is terminated for that reason would be able to bring a civil action for injunctive...Read More