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Legislative Wrap-Ups, 84th Regular Session

Aug 17

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, 84th Session

Texas organizations and state agencies are beginning to release their summaries of the Texas Legislature's 84th Regular Session. Below is a list of summaries we've seen so far. Summaries can be a good source of information if you are trying to find descriptions of new laws.

 

General

League of Women Voters of Texas

 

Lloyd Gosselink, Attorneys at Law

 

Texas Freedom Network

 

Texas Public Policy Foundation

 

Texas Star Alliance

 

Center for Public Policy Priorities

Texas Watch

 

Agriculture

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension

 

Farm & Ranch Freedom Alliance

 

 

Animals

Texas Humane Legislation Network

 

Children & Families

TexProtects (Texas Association for the Protection of Children)

 

Children at Risk

 

Texans Care for Children

 

One Voice Texas

 

Texas Alliance of Child & Family Services

 

Texas CASA

 

Courts

Office of Court Administration/Texas Judicial Council

 

Texas Civil Justice League

 

Criminal Justice

Texas Department of Criminal Justice

 

Texas District & County Attorneys Association (TDCAA)

 

Education

Texas Association of School Boards (TASB)

 

Texas Education Agency

 

Texas Home School Coalition Association

 

Raise Your Hand Texas

 

Texas Classroom Teachers Association (TCTA)

 

Texas Association of School Administrators

 

Texas AFT (American Federation of Teachers)

 

Career & Technology Association of Texas

 

Elderly and Individuals with Disabilities

Department of Aging and Disabilities Services

 

The Coalition of Texans with Disabilties

 

Energy

Texas Renewable Energy Industry Alliance (TREIA)

 

SHALE Oil & Gas Business Magazine

 

Environment

The Sierra Club

 

Air Alliance Houston

 

Texas Water Conservation Association

 

Health & Human Services

Texas EMS Trauma & Acute Care Foundation (TETAF)

 

Texas Medical Association (TMA)

 

Texas Nurses Association

 

Higher Education

Texas Association of Community Colleges (TACC)

 

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

 

Homeowners & Property Owners Associations

 

Local Government

Texas Association of Counties

 

Texas Municipal League

 

Mental Health

Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

 

Miscellaneous

Texas Alliance of Recreational Organizations, Inc. (TARO)

 

Texas Economic Development Council

 

Texas Travel Industry Association (TTIA)

 

Occupational Regulation

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR)

Parks & Wildlife

Texas Deer Association

 

Public Employees

Texas Public Employees Association

 

Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)

 

Public Safety

Texas Department of Public Safety

 

Rural Areas

Association of Rural Communities in Texas (ARCIT)

 

Taxes

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts

 

Popp/Hutcheson PLLC

 

 

Technology

Department of Information Resources (DIR)

 

Transportation

Texas Department of Transportation

 

Texans Uniting for Reform & Freedom (TURF)

 

Locke Lord LLP

 

Veterans

Texas Veterans Commission

 

 

Cover image by Pixabay user skeeze.

 

This entry was posted on August 17, 2015 at 9:41 AM and has received 6900 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings – Week of August 10, 2015

Aug 4

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings – Week of August 10th

Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas. Below are resources related to upcoming Interim Hearings.

 

August 11th

House Committee on Transportation

Topic: Update from the Department of Motor Vehicles on legislation passed in 84th or related issues

Topic: Utility relocation issues on state right-of-way construction and maintenance projects

Topic: Update on HB 1 from the 3rd called Special Session of the 83rd Legislative Session

 

Topic: Update on any proposed policy changes or revisions to the Unified Transportation Program (UTP)

Topic: Update on toll collection issues, contracts, and third party monitoring

Topic: Update on development of the ten year plans for Metropolitan Planning Organizations

 

This entry was posted on August 4, 2015 at 10:25 AM and has received 1693 views. Print this entry.

Interim Hearings - Week of July 27, 2015

Jul 22

posted by TexasLRL in Interim hearings, 84th Session

Interim Hearings – Week of July 27th

Today's Committee Meetings on the LRL website is a calendar of interim committee hearings with links to agendas. Below are resources related to upcoming Interim Hearings.

 

July 29th

Senate Committee on Health & Human Services

Charge: Examine the business practices and regulatory structure of Planned Parenthood affiliates in Texas, and investigate whether state or federal laws are being broken by Planned Parenthood and/or its affiliates in Texas in regards to the donation and/or sale of fetal tissue. Consider recommendations to strengthen regulations on abortion providers, including further restrictions on the sale of fetal tissue by these entities.

July 30th

House Committee on County Affairs

Topic: Jail standards, procedures with regards to potentially mentally ill persons in county jails, as well as issues stemming from interactions between the general public and peace officers.

 

 

This entry was posted on July 22, 2015 at 9:22 AM and has received 2156 views. Print this entry.

Bill Statistics for the 84th R.S.

Jun 23

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, Bill statistics, 84th Session, Legislative process

June 21 was the last day the Governor could sign, veto, or allow to become law without his signature bills presented to him less than 10 days (not counting Sundays) prior to final adjournment of the 84th Regular Session.

 

The following bill statistics were calculated on June 23 at 11:15 a.m.

  • To see how these statistics have changed since last week, please view our blog post from June 17. 
  • To learn about session law chapter numbers and copies of signed bills, please view our blog post from June 10.

 

House and Senate Bills
Filed 6,276
Sent to the Governor 1,323
Signed by the Governor 1,117
Signed by the Governor w/line-item veto 2
Vetoed by the Governor 41
Filed without the Governor's signature 163
House and Senate Joint Resolutions
Filed 200
Filed with the Secretary of State 7
House and Senate Concurrent Resolutions
Filed 174
Filed with the Secretary of State 15
Sent to the Governor 85
Signed by the Governor 84
Vetoed by the Governor 1

 

This entry was posted on June 23, 2015 at 1:58 PM and has received 1789 views. Print this entry.

Bill Statistics, June 17th

Jun 17

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, Bill statistics, 84th Session, Legislative process

June 21 is the last day the Governor can sign, veto, or allow to become law without his signature bills presented to him less than 10 days (not counting Sundays) prior to final adjournment of the 84th Regular Session.

 

The following bill statistics were calculated on June 17 at 9:15 a.m. To see how these statistics have changed since last week, and to learn about session law chapter numbers and copies of signed bills, please view our blog post from June 10.

 

House and Senate Bills
Filed 6,276
Sent to the Governor 1,323
Signed by the Governor 587
Vetoed by the Governor 4
Filed without the Governor's signature 60
House and Senate Joint Resolutions
Filed 200
Filed with the Secretary of State 7
House and Senate Concurrent Resolutions
Filed 174
Filed with the Secretary of State 15
Sent to the Governor 85
Signed by the Governor 46
Vetoed by the Governor 1

 

This entry was posted on June 17, 2015 at 10:42 AM and has received 1115 views. Print this entry.

84th R.S. Bill Statistics and FAQs

Jun 10

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, Bill statistics, 84th Session, Legislative process

House and Senate Bills
Filed 6,276
Sent to the Governor 1,323
Signed by the Governor 355
Vetoed by the Governor 4
Filed without the Governor's signature 20
House and Senate Joint Resolutions
Filed 200
Filed with the Secretary of State 7
House and Senate Concurrent Resolutions
Filed 174
Filed with the Secretary of State 15
Sent to the Governor 85
Signed by the Governor 33
Vetoed by the Governor 1

 

What happens now?

The 84th Regular Session ended June 1, 2015. Bills that passed both the House and the Senate were sent to the Governor for him to sign, veto, or allow to become law without his signature. Joint Resolutions that passed both chambers of the Legislature were filed with the Secretary of State, and will be on the ballot for the November 3, 2015 election.

 

How much time does the Governor have to act on a bill?

If a bill is sent to the Governor during the legislative session, the Governor has 10 days (not counting Sundays) to sign the bill or return the bill to the Legislature with objection. If after 10 days the bill is not returned to the Legislature by the Governor with objections or he has not yet signed it, the bill becomes law as if the Governor had signed it.

 

If the Legislature has adjourned sine die, or if the bill is presented to the Governor less than 10 days (not counting Sundays) prior to final adjournment, the Governor has 20 days (counting Sundays) after the final day of the session to sign or veto the bill. If neither action is taken, the bill becomes law without the Governor's signature (Texas Const. art. IV, § 14).

 

Sunday, June 21, is the 20th day following final adjournment of the 84th Regular Session. It is the last day the Governor can sign or veto  bills passed during the 84th Regular Session. To view veto proclamations issued by Governor Abbott for the 84th Regular Session, please visit the library's Vetoed Bills page.

 

Bill Effective Dates

The library reviews the text of all bills that become law to determine their effective dates, and enters the information into the Texas Legislature Online. To find the effective date of a bill, check the "Last action" field on the bill's main page. In some cases, different sections of a bill may have different effective dates, in which case remarks will be given to provide the information.

 

In addition to updating the Texas Legislature Online with effective date information, the library compiles a list of bills and their effective dates following each regular and called session. The list is made available on the library's website once it is complete.

 

Signed Copies of Bills

Bills that the Governor signed or allowed to become law without his signature are sent to the Secretary of State's office, where they are made available online on the Bills and Resolutions page.

 

You can determine whether a bill sent to the Governor was signed or filed without signature by checking the bill in the Texas Legislature Online. If the bill passed but was filed without signature, you will see the action "Filed without the Governor's signature."

 

Session Law Chapter Numbers

The Secretary of State's Bills and Resolutions page also lists the session law chapter number that is assigned to each bill that has become law. The session laws contain the text of all bills passed into law during a particular legislative session. Chapter numbers are used primarily for citing a bill in a legislative history annotation.

This entry was posted on June 10, 2015 at 4:53 PM and has received 2997 views. Print this entry.

Conference Committee Reports and Bill Statistics

May 29

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, Bill statistics, 84th Session, Legislative process

The 84th Regular Session ends Monday, June 1. As the end of session nears, House and Senate members are meeting in conference committees to resolve differences between their versions of bills. For information on the conference committee process, please see How a Bill Becomes Law and Guide to Texas Legislative Information.

 

To see a list of bills still in conference committee, please click here. The members of a bill's conference committee are listed in Texas Legislature Online, and can be viewed by searching on the bill. For instructions on searching in TLO, please see the TLO Help section.

 

The below chart provides a snapshot of bill statistics as of 11:30 am today.

 

 

 

This entry was posted on May 29, 2015 at 12:46 PM and has received 1470 views. Print this entry.

Bill Statistics, 133rd Legislative Day

May 26

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, Bill statistics, 84th Session, Legislative process

Bill statistics comparing the 133rd legislative day of the 84th and the 83rd Regular Sessions are below. For information about what happens to a bill after it passes, please see our Legislative FAQ page. We've also calculated bill statistics for earlier points in the 84th Regular Session.

 

 

 

 

This entry was posted on May 26, 2015 at 1:32 PM and has received 1358 views. Print this entry.

Bill Statistics & Upcoming Deadlines

May 20

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, Bill statistics, 84th Session, Legislative process

As the 84th Legislature draws to a close, a series of end-of-session deadlines begins to take effect. Below is a list of deadlines that occur next week:

  • Monday, May 25: Deadline for house to distribute last House Local and Consent Calendar with senate bills.
  • Tuesday, May 26: Last day for house to consider senate bills and joint resolutions, other than local and consent, on second reading on House Daily or Supplemental Calendar.
  • Wednesday, May 27: Last day for house to consider local and consent senate bills on second and third reading and all senate bills or joint resolutions on third reading on House Supplemental Calendar. Last day for senate to consider all bills and joint resolutions on second or third reading.
  • Thursday, May 28: Midnight deadline for house to distribute senate amendments.
  • Friday, May 29: Last day for house to act on senate amendments. Midnight deadline for senate to print and distribute senate copies of conference committee reports on tax, general appropriations, and reapportionment bills. Last day for senate committees to report all bills and joint resolutions.
  • Saturday, May 30: Midnight deadline for house to distribute house copies of all conference committee reports. Midnight deadline for senate to print and distribute senate copies of all conference committee reports on bills other than those on tax, general appropriations, and reapportionment and all house amendments to senate bills and joint resolutions that did not go to a conference committee.
  • Sunday, May 31: Last day for house to adopt conference committee reports or discharge house conferees and concur in Senate Amendments. Last day for senate to adopt conference committee reports or concur in house amendments.
  • Monday, June 1: Last day of 84th Regular Session; corrections only in house and senate.

House and Senate calendars are available on the Texas Legislature Online, and Senate agendas are available in hard copy from the library (Rm. 2N.3). 

 

Bill statistics for the period of Nov. 10, 2014 - May 19, 2015 are below. For information about what happens to a bill after it passes, please see our Legislative FAQ page.

 

  House Bills (HB) & Joint Resolutions (HJR) Senate Bills (SB) & Joint Resolutions (SJR)
Filed  4,340 2,136
Reported out of committee 1,953 857
Passed by chamber of origin 1,162 717
Referred to committee in opposite chamber 1,107 709
Reported out of committee in opposite chamber 369 478
Passed opposite chamber 121 201
Sent to the Governor (bills only) 84 96
Signed by the Governor (bills only) 3 42

 

This entry was posted on May 20, 2015 at 10:09 AM and has received 1216 views. Print this entry.

Bill Statistics & Upcoming Deadlines

May 14

posted by TexasLRL in Legislation, Bill statistics, 84th Session, Legislative process

As the 84th Legislature draws to a close, a series of end-of-session deadlines begins to take effect. Below is a list of deadlines that occur next week:

 

  • Wednesday, May 20: Deadline for house to distribute last House Local and Consent Calendar with local house bills.
  • Friday, May 22: Last day for house to consider local house bills on second and third reading. First day senate can consider bills and resolutions the first day they are posted on the Senate Intent Calendar.
  • Saturday, May 23: Last day for house committees to report senate bills and senate joint resolutions.
  • Sunday, May 24: Deadline for house to distribute last House Daily Calendar with senate bills and senate joint resolutions.

House and Senate calendars are available on the Texas Legislature Online, and Senate agendas are available in hard copy from the library (Rm. 2N.3). 

 

Bill statistics for the period of Nov. 10, 2014 - May 14, 2015 (as of 2:45pm) are below.

 

  House Bills (HB) & Joint Resolutions (HJR) Senate Bills (SB) & Joint Resolutions (SJR)
Filed  4,340 2,136
Reported out of committee 1,953 845
Passed by chamber of origin 1,032 702
Referred to committee in opposite chamber 824 643
Reported out of committee in opposite chamber 246 309
Passed opposite chamber 55 113
Sent to the Governor 35 94
Signed by the Governor 1 6

 

This entry was posted on May 14, 2015 at 2:52 PM and has received 1580 views. Print this entry.

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