DOC'S BILLS
87th Legislature BY THE NUMBERS
Filed 7 bills
Carried 9 bills
Passed 100% of bills carried
Filed Bills: HB 2101, HB 2531 (SB 507), HB 3442, HB 3688 (SB 634), HB 3853, HB 4632, & HB 4666
Senate Bills 2: SB 742, SB 1179, SB 507, SB 634
Passed in Omnibus Bill: HB 2101 & HB 4632 were both passed in HB 3774
Passed and signed by the Governor, effective immediately
This “Middle Mile” bill drastically expands the opportunity for rural communities to have faster and cheaper broadband deployment. Currently, utility companies have existing fibers throughout their infrastructure so that they are able to communicate with their electric networks to maintain electric utility reliability. Having excess capacity with this fiber creates an opportunity to work together with providers so that connectivity can be accessed faster. This bill allows providers and utilities to work together to close and deploy that last mile. At the time of passage, this was the most extensive broadband legislation to be passed in the nation.
Passed and signed by the Governor, effective 9/1
We currently have a Carrizo Cane Eradication Program to help cut down the invasive, water-hoarding, and tick-infested Carrizo Cane plant throughout Texas. While many tried participating in the program, they were often faced with groups protesting and threatening their lives. To protect the identity and livelihood, while cutting down on illegal immigration, tick infestation, and water drainage, we aided these participants by removing their information from public view.
Bills passed in the omnibus courts bill, HB 3774, effective 10/1/2022
McLennan County has experienced substantial economic and population growth over the last 15 years, and we still continue to anticipate significant additional growth in the very near future with several new manufacturing and warehouse employers relocating to McLennan County. Due to these increases, our Commissioners and Judges requested the creation of two more courts. Per those requests, we filed and passed HB 2101, which created the 474th Judicial District of McLennan County, and HB 4632 created the McLennan County Court at Law No. 3.
Passed as Senate Bill 507 and signed by the Governor, effective immediately
This bill expands upon a bill I previously passed in the 86th Legislative Session, HB 2422. We expanded the opportunities to include broadband-only providers, such as school districts and libraries. By adding these providers, we are able to further broadband deployment to larger portions of our populations.
Bill passed and signed by the Governor, effective 9/1
Due to the increasing need of broadband expansion, I carried and passed HB 2422, the “one-dig” bill. This bill works to close the gap in rural broadband accessibility by assigning the Public Utility Commission the task of coordinating efforts to plan, relocate, install, or improve broadband conduit during any current or planned highway construction in conjunction with TxDOT.
Bill passed and signed by the Governor, effective 9/1
By always putting their lives in danger, our police officers often experience situations that need to be reviewed by family members of parties involved. To aid in transparency and the de-escalation process, I filed and passed HB 4236. This bill allows for one family member of an individual involved in a situation where use of a deadly force by a police officer was used would be permitted to view the full and unedited recording of the incident.
85th Legislature BY THE NUMBERS
Filed 12 bills
Passed 7 as original House Bills (HB 544, 639, 1140, 1884, 2004, 3243, & HCR 49) (all passed bills were signed by the Governor)
Passed 1 as a rider to the budget (HB 957)
Passed 1 amended onto another bill (HB 545)
Had 2 die (HB 3258 & HB 831)
Bill passed, but the rider did not. Signed by Governor & is effective 9/1
In conjunction with a funding rider in the amount of $150,000, this bill creates the opportunity for the TWDB to provide one-on-one assistance to small and rural utilities with obtaining financing for water and wastewater projects; in addition to outreach, financial, technical and planning assistance.
Outcome | Amended onto SB 1566 by Sen. Kolkhorst, Signed by Governor & is effective 9/1
Will allow for the congressionally designated Title 36 youth groups to coordinate with the principal of a public school at the beginning of the school year to come in and briefly speak to the students about the benefits of getting involved in youth organizations. (Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Civil Air Patrol, FFA, Little League, Naval Sea Cadets, Big Brother/Sister, Boys & Girls Club of America)
Bill passed, Signed by Governor & is effective immediately
Will allow for school districts to carry liability insurance for students participating in career tech programs
Bill died on the last calendar
Will expand the insurance code to clarify secondary follow-up care that children with cleft palates may require.
Bill was included as a rider in the Budget
Would require TPWD to keep the longhorns on BBRSP
Bill passed, Signed by Governor & is effective 9/1
Would require a person convicted of a littering offence to perform up to 60 hours of community services picking up litter or working at a recycling facility as part of their punishment.
Bill passed, Signed by the Governor & is effective on 9/1
Would create a third category that state transit funding is available to by adding a “small urbanized area”.
• Large Urban (pop. + 200,000)
• Small Urban (50,000 – 200,000)
• Rural (- 50,000)
HB 1140 recognizes the population growth of all rural and urban transit districts. It does not diminish the funding available under the formula allocation. TXDOT has included an additional $7 million in their budget for the 2018-2019 biennium to fund the “large urbanized area” category created under HB 1140.
Bill passed, Signed by the Governor & is effective on 9/1
• This legislation will continue the Texas Economic Development Fund, and the two original programs, J4T & C4T.
• In addition, it will allow for the creation of a program to encourage the export of Texas agricultural products or products manufactured in rural Texas. It will also allow for the creation of a program to encourage rural economic development in Texas.
• The bill does not require any additional funding. The funds that are included in the TEDF are the same recycled funds that were a result of the US Treasury grant.
• The main purpose of this bill is to clarify the use of funds and focus on rural economic development.
Bill passed, Signed by the Governor & is effective on 9/1
HB 3243 makes clarifying changes to the roles and duties of the Structural Pest Advisory Committee under TDA
Bill died, the bill was killed on the last Local & Consent Calendar in the House
The bill updates the county road administration laws to allow for McLennan County to adopt a Road Superintendent system
Bill passed, Signed by the Governor effective immediately
The bill designates July as Train Safety Awareness Month for a 10 year period