80th Legislature: Friday Bill Round Up

We’ve got a ton of bills to round up for you as we head into the long Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend.

SB 200 by Sen. Jane Nelson expands the state’s faith and community-based initiatives. I’ve never been in favor of faith-based initiatives, so I’m not a big fan of this bill. I do expect it to pass, though, as it seems Democrats and Republicans in Texas don’t have much of a problem with FBI’s.

HB 549 by Rep. Jessica Farrar would allow commissioners courts to have environmental reviews conducted for toll road and turnpike projects that aren’t already subject to federal regulations for such studies. I suspect this is a piece of anti-Trans-Texas Corridor legislation and could throw quite a hiccough in the TTC plans.

Farrar also has HB 548, which would create a low-emission vehicle program in Texas.

SB 200 by Sen. Rodney Ellis opens up the clemency process with some much-needed reform. It would require the BOP&P to meet in person or by conference call to debate capital cases (including having witnesses). At present, I believe this can be done by fax (believe it or not).

Ellis also has SB 207, which is quite interesting. HB 207 would allow counties and minimum wage greater than that established by other laws. I am curious, however, if this is to allow counties and cities to establish higher minimum wages for all workers or only for county employees. I suspect it is for the general workforce, however.

HCR 29 by Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton), is one of those right-wing resolutions that seem to get filed every session. And, it’s by a representative who, while he has been in the Lege since 1996 and chaired Environmental Regulation in the 79th, has probably never been mentioned on a blog before. Anyway, the resolution is to encourage the U.S. Congress to pass Congressman (and would-be Presidential Contender) Ron Paul’s bill to have the United States withdraw from the United Nations.

HB 552 by Turner would put some safeguards in the electric market to control prices after the expiration of the “price to beat” part of electric deregulation.  Not being an expert on electric deregulation or the electricity market, I’m hoping a press release comes out on this one so I can explain it better, as I’m sure it’s a very pro-consumer bill.
HB 566 by Hamilton is no doubt geared at increasing graduation rates, as it would require students who turn 18 to continue in school until the end of the school year in which they turn 18, meaning it would be unlawful for students to drop out just because they turned 18.

SB 180 by Carona would make drivers licenses expire on people’s 90th birthdays and cause to expire drivers licenses of people older than 90 on the second anniversary of the date of issuance. Anyone who is 90 or over could not be issued a drivers license without passing an exam. Expect AARP to come out in force against this legislation.

Tweet This Post   Ping This Post

Bookmark It