The 88th Legislative session is getting off to a slow start. For several weeks in a row our House leadership has passed a vote to take a 5 day weekend. Please remember that when you are told that they did not have enough time to pass YOUR bill.
The Senate is moving faster than the House and many bills have been referred to Senate committees starting February 15. The House began referring bills to committee on Thursday, February 23. Approximately 700 House Bills were read for the first time and assigned to committee. This allows the committees to start hearing bills, which means you need to be on alert to testify when YOUR issue comes up!
Committees are beginning to meet in both chambers, however the business is mostly organizational and housekeeping.
Scheduled for public testimony from 2/27 thru 3/3 in The House:
Tuesday – Appropriations –This committee will meet in 4 separate subcommittees all on The House Budget recommendations for:
Appropriations – S/C on Articles I, IV, & V
– Department of Public Safety
– Overview of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Correctional Populations
– Texas Juvenile Justice Department
– Texas Department of Criminal Justice
– Board of Pardons and Paroles
– Texas Military Department
– Texas Commission on Fire Protection
– Texas Commission on Jail Standards
– Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
– Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission
Appropriations – S/C on Articles VI, VII, & VIII
– Texas Railroad Commission
– Department of Agriculture
– Texas Animal Health Commission
– Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
– General Land Office and Veterans’ Land Board
– Low-Level Radioactive Waste Disposal Compact Commission
– Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
– Texas Water Development Board
– Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board
Appropriations – S/C on Article III
– Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
– Texas School for the Deaf
– Special Provisions for School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
– Special Provisions for the School for the Deaf
– Texas Education Agency
– Texas Permanent School Corporation
– Teacher Retirement System
– Optional Retirement Program
Appropriations – S/C on Article II
– Health and Human Services Commission
– Health and Human Services Commission – Office of Inspector General
– Texas Civil Commitment Office
– Department of State Health Services
– Department of Family and Protective Services
Tuesday –Criminal Jurisprudence will take public testimony on the following bills:
HB 178, HB 188, HB 218, HB 247, HB 270, HB 286, HB 381, HB 393, HB 469, HB 513, HB 598, HB 611
Scheduled for public testimony from 2/27 thru 3/3 in The Senate:
Monday – State Affairs will take public testimony on the following bills:
SB 2, SB 599, SCR 17, SB 559, SB 578
Wednesday – Criminal Justice will take public testimony on the following bills:
SB 287, SB 402, SB 645, SB 1004, SJR 44