Legislative Services

House Bill 9 by Rep. Ashby – Creates the Texas Broadband Infrastructure Fund to expand and enhance access to reliable, high-speed broadband connectivity.

House Bill 431 by Rep. Thompson/Senate Bill 643 by Sen. Zaffirini – Makes changes to the laws governing charitable bingo, including the issuance of licenses and bingo prize fee sharing by counties and municipalities.

House Bill 2864 by Rep. Raymond – Requires a service member or veteran arrested on a misdemeanor or felony charge to participate in a veterans treatment court program absent a show of good cause.

House Bill 2992 by Rep. Harrison – Increases reporting requirements for asset forfeitures.

House Bill 3166 by Rep. Murr – Creates a statewide 15th Court of Appeals for certain civil appeals.

House Bill 3247 by Rep. Cain – Creates the offense of prosecutorial misconduct.

House Bill 3307 by Rep. Cook – Amends the removal provision in Local Government Code Chapter 87 to specify that "official misconduct" includes announcing, adopting or implementing a formal or stated policy under which the prosecutor prohibits or materially limits the enforcement of any criminal offense except to comply with an injunction, judgment or court order.

House Bill 3538 by Rep. Troxclair/Senate Bill 175 by Sen. Middleton – Repeals the Texas Association of Counties' (TAC) enabling statute. Prohibits the expenditure of public funds for lobbying activities, including the payment of dues to a nonprofit state agency such as TAC.

House Bill 3823 by Rep. King – Addresses the administration of the Universal Service Fund.

Senate Bill 1273 by Sen. Hughes/House Bill 2963 by Rep. Smithee – Allows motions for new trials by the agreement of parties.

Senate Bill 1422 by Sen. King – Authorizes the Attorney General to sue any state agency, law enforcement agency, political subdivision or local entity that adopts, enforces or endorses a policy categorically prohibiting or discouraging the enforcement or prosecution of a criminal offense.

Senate Bill 1445 by Sen. Paxton/House Bill 1530 by Rep. Goldman – Covers many of the Sunset Committee recommendations aimed at enhancing the operations of the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. The bills' amendments to the existing statutes are almost exclusively directed at the commission's regulatory oversight of peace officer licensing.

Senate Bill 1462 by Sen. Hughes/House Bill 3474 by Rep. Leach – Addresses the operation and administration of the judicial branch.

Senate Bill 1710 by Sen. Perry – Provides Universal Service Fund (USF) assistance to high-cost rural areas and modifies statutes governing the uniform charge that funds the USF.

Senate Bill 1810 by Sen. Sparks – Prohibits a county and other specified entities from issuing an anticipation note to pay for a contractual obligation if a bond proposition for the same purpose was disapproved by voters in the preceding five years, the total amount of the anticipation note exceeds 5% of the county's total outstanding bonded indebtedness or 5% of registered voters protest the anticipation note's issuance. Under current law, a county may not issue a certificate of obligation if voters rejected a bond proposition for the same purpose in the preceding three years. SB 1810 would lengthen the prohibition to five years.

House Joint Resolution 109 by Rep. Burns – Proposes a constitutional amendment to abolish the office of County Treasurer in Somervell County. Provides that the county may employ, contract with or designate another county officer to perform the functions of Treasurer.

Senate Joint Resolution 28 by Sen. Middleton/House Joint Resolution 134 by Rep. Bonnen – Proposes a constitutional amendment to abolish the office of County Treasurer in Galveston County. Provides that the county may employ, contract with or designate another county officer to perform the functions of Treasurer.