As of April 17, the Texas House will have 24 days before the deadline for HB’s to pass the House. Realistically, with the “traffic jam” that happens on the House Calendar, and the mysterious “trip wires” that can happen to a bill in the House Calendars Committee that places bills on the House Calendar, and the paperwork pile up that happens to committee clerks writing the required reports, this week is the last “train out of town” for bills being heard in committee.
Where Are the Maternal Health Bills?!
Support HB 2215 by Howard
HB 2215 would provide vital clarification that doctors may perform abortions if in the doctor’s best medical judgment, abortion is necessary to preserve the pregnant patient’s life, future fertility, or physical or mental health, or is requested because of a lethal fetal anomaly.
HB 2215 has not been scheduled for committee hearing. The state’s leadership might rather not talk about it, but this bill is critical to prevent medical horrors from happening to women across the state such as what happened to Samantha Casiano, Farrah Day, or these five women.
Call the Speaker, the Chair of House Public Health, and your legislator.
Chair: Rep. Stephanie Klick – (855) 701-2295
Speaker Dade Phelan – (866) 730-0867
Support HB 12 by Rose
HB 12 would extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months.
Support HB 663 by Thierry.
HB 663 would improve the data collection related to maternal mortality and morbidity in Texas.
Support HB 2873 by Howard.
HB 2873 would consolidate multiple required reports into a strategic plan for maternal health.
Call the Speaker and urge him to keep his commitment to maternal health and get these bills to the House floor.
Speaker Dade Phelan – (866) 730-0867
Everything Else
House Ways & Means
Monday, April 17
Support HB 3894 by Shine. HB 3894 would advance the marketplace for battery energy storage by exempting the systems from the sales tax.
Call the House Ways & Means Committee
Chair: Rep. Morgan Meyer – (855) 704-2553
Vice Chair: Rep. Shawn Thierry – (855) 704-2554
Rep. Tom Craddick – (855) 705-3750
Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins – (855) 706-0756
Rep. Cole Hefner – (855) 706-0757
Rep. Sergio Muñoz, Jr – (855) 706-1694
Rep. Candy Noble – (855) 706-1703
Rep. Richard Peña Raymond – (855) 729-6257
Rep. Hugh D. Shine – (855) 733-2187
Rep. Chris Turner – (855) 736-6906
House Select Committee on Youth Health & Safety
Monday, April 17
Support HB 4625 by Reynolds. HB 3894 would expand the public school bullying program, including adding cyberbully and identity-based bullying.
Support HB 4845 by Allison. HB 4845 would establish a bullying prevention program for public schools.
Call the House Select Committee on Youth Health & Safety
Chair: Rep. Senfronia Thompson – (866) 721-0903
Vice Chair: Rep. Lacey Hull – (866) 721-0897
Rep. Steve Allison – (866) 695-0633
Rep. Giovanni Capriglione – (855) 918-1296
Rep. Harold V. Dutton, Jr. – (866) 721-0905
Rep. Ann Johnson – (866) 721-0892
Rep. Tracy O. King – (855) 796-6983
Rep. J.M. Lozano – (866) 486-7133
House Higher Education Committee
Monday, April 17
Support HB 1361 by Morales Shaw. HB 1361 would create resources at public universities for students that are also parents.
Support HB 2642 by Howard. HB 2642 would require public universities to provide information about the women’s health program to students.
Support HB 3631 by Lalani. HB 3631 would require public universities to provide information about existing mental health services to entering students.
Call the House Higher Education Committee
Chair: Rep. John Kuempel – (866) 488-3704
Vice Chair: Rep. Dennis Paul – (866) 721-0618
Rep. John H. Bucy III – (855) 692-0019
Rep. DeWayne Burns – (866) 516-3104
Rep. Dustin Burrows – (855) 767-5441
Rep. Travis Clardy – (855) 921-1369
Rep. Sheryl Cole – (855) 921-1346
Rep. Mary E. González – (866) 536-9211
Rep. Donna Howard – (855) 685-2931
Rep. Suleman Lalani, M.D. – (866) 538-6613
Rep. John Raney – (855) 921-1372
Senate Water & Ag Committee
Monday, April 17
Support SB 758 by West. SB 758 would create a food system security and resiliency planning council that would create a food system security plan.
Call the Senate Water & Ag Committee
Chair: Sen. Perry – (866) 821-0521
Vice Chair: Sen. Hancock – (866) 730-1386
Sen. Gutierrez – (866) 770-7374
Sen. Johnson – (866) 770-7364
Sen. Flores – (866) 770-7401
Sen. Kolkhorst – (866) 770-7366
Sen. Blanco – (866) 821-0526
Sen. Sparks – (866) 821-0531
Sen. Springer – (866) 821-0530
House Human Services Committee
Tuesday, April 17
Support HB 1796 by Howard. HB 1796 is part of a package of family violence legislation that would improve the services of family violence centers.
Support HB 3765 by Bucy. HB 3765 would require DFPS to have luggage on hand that can be provided to a child when they remove a child or change the child’s placement. DFPS commonly uses trash bags.
Call the House Human Services
House Select Committee on Community Safety
Tuesday, April 18
Support HB 22 by Moody. HB 22 would require firearm sales of multiple guns or magazines within 5 consecutive days be reported to local law enforcement.
Support HB 106 by Bernal. HB 106 would require firearm sales of more than 1 firearm within 5 days be reported to local law enforcement.
Support HB 220 by Goodwin. HB 220 would close a loop-hole by requiring gun sales to report an expired license to carry, and prevent them from selling a firearm unless they either pass the national instant criminal background check or have a valid license to carry.
Support HB 1138 by Martinez. HB 1138 would make recklessly discharging a firearm a crime anywhere.
Support HB 236 by Goodwin. HB 236 would require background checks for all firearm sales and close the gun show loop-hole.
Support HB 1007 by Turner. HB 1007 would add mental health facilities to the list of locations firearms are prohibited.
Support HB 2744 by King. HB 2744 would make the age limit to purchase a semi-automatic rifle 21.
Support HB 3271 by Reynolds. HB 3271 would require officers to confiscate any firearms of someone they are arresting under a mental health order.
Call the House Select Committee on Community Safety
Chair: Rep. Ryan Guillen – (855) 737-9013
Vice Chair: Rep. Jarvis Johnson – (855) 738-4981
Rep. Rhetta Andrews Bowers – (855) 739-2182
Rep. Terry Canales – (855) 768-3031
Rep. Mark Dorazio – (855) 769-0800
Rep. Vikki Goodwin – (855) 772-2323
Rep. Sam Harless – (855) 685-2930
Rep. Justin Holland – (855) 774-9591
Rep. Ellen Troxclair – (855) 918-1293
Rep. Dustin Burrows – (855) 767-5441
Rep. Tracy O. King – (855) 796-6983
Rep. Brooks Landgraf – (855) 799-2437
Rep. Joe Moody – (855) 893-7425
Senate Natural Resources Committee
Wednesday, April 19
Oppose SB 1860 by Hughes. SB 1860 would preempt city authority, and require state approval, before a city could adopt a climate policy for the city’s municipal charter and submit it to the voters for approval. Currently, the city of Dallas has a climate policy that is a national model for other cities.
Call the Senate Natural Resources Committee
Sen. Birdwell – (866) 770-7384
Sen. Zaffirini – (866) 770-7383
Sen. Alvarado – (866) 730-1362
Sen. Sparks – (866) 821-0531
Sen. Blanco – (866) 821-0526
Sen. Miles – (866) 740-0825
Sen. Hancock – (866) 730-1386
Sen. Kolkhorst – (866) 770-7366
Sen. Hughes – (866) 730-0869
House State Affairs
Wednesday, April 19
Oppose HB 4930 by Craddick. HB 4930 would preempt city authority, and require state approval, before a city could adopt a climate policy for the city’s municipal charter and submit it to the voters for approval. Currently, the city of Dallas has a climate policy that is a national model for other cities.
Call the House State Affairs Committee
Chair: Rep. Todd Hunter – (866) 419-0102
Vice Chair: Rep. Ana Hernandez – (866) 721-0908
Rep. Rafael Anchía – (866) 631-6169
Rep. Jay Dean – (855) 921-1362
Rep. Charlie Geren – (866) 629-4776
Rep. Ryan Guillen – (855) 737-9013
Rep. Will Metcalf – (855) 921-1374
Rep. Richard Peña Raymond – (855) 729-6257
Rep. Shelby Slawson – (866) 516-3108
Rep. John T. Smithee – (866) 554-6284
Rep. David Spiller – (866) 535-0914
Rep. Senfronia Thompson – (866) 721-0903
Rep. Chris Turner – (855) 736-6906
House Calendars Committee
Support HB 12 by Rose. HB 12 would extend postpartum medicaid coverage to 12 months.
Support HB 188 by Moody. HB 188 would provide clarity to the jury in death penalty cases.
Support HB 381 by Thompson. HB 381 would prohibit the death penalty in cases where the defendant has an intellectual disability.
Support HB 386 by Gonzalez. HB 386 would make it easier for a person with a disability to vote in person.
Oppose HB 636 by Patterson. HB 636 would allow election judges to carry firearms at polling locations. The United States has a long and sad history of voter intimidation. Even Justice Thomas — the author of the N.Y. State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen opinion — specifically named polling places as a location where government retains the ability to restrict gun possession. This is not a second amendment issue, but a voting rights issue.
Support HB 1212 by Jetton. HB 1212 would ensure that a religious holy day is an excused absence from school with a simple note from a parent.
Oppose HB 1686 by Oliverson & Oppose SB 14 by Campbell. HB 1686/SB 14 would prohibit gender affirming care for minors, including hormone therapies. The bill would exempt children born intersex, which would allow parents and doctors to impose a gender on an infant born intersex. The bill would also prohibit any public money from being used in the CHIP program, and contains a provision that would allow the Attorney General to bring a civil action against parents and providers. HB 1686 & SB 14 are companions. It is unclear, but likely, that the HB would be set and then “swapped” for the SB on the floor under House Rules.
Ask House Calendars to set or not set the above bills for floor debate.
Chair: Rep. Dustin Burrows – (855) 767-5441
Vice Chair: Rep. Toni Rose – (855) 704-0851
Rep. David Cook – (866) 596-1702
Rep. Charlie Geren – (866) 629-4776
Rep. Charlie Hefner – (855) 706-0757
Rep. Ana Hernandez – (866) 721-0908
Rep. Ann Johnson – (866) 721-0892
Rep. Jared Patterson – (866) 631-6172
Rep. Shelby Slawson – (866) 516-3108
Rep. James Talarico – (866) 491-0258
Rep. Ed Thompson – (866) 256-4241
House Floor
Support HB 465 by Thierry. HB 465 would create a pilot program to cover doula services in the Medicaid program in two counties with high maternal and infant mortality rates.
Support HB 916 by Ordaz. HB 916 would help women — especially rural women that travel long distances — access contraception by requiring health insurance to provide a 12-month supply.
Support HB 1287 by Guillen would adjust the vehicle asset test for inflation so that families are not disqualified from SNAP due to the current high value of used vehicles. The current limits on vehicle value have not been updated since 2001 for a primary vehicle and 1974 for additional vehicles.
Oppose HB 2127 by Burrows. HB 2127 would take away local cities’ authority to regulate on a wide variety of topics ranging from payday lending to environmental policy to protections for labor to domestic animals. It would also likely trigger numerous lawsuits due to new ambiguities. For those that want to get into the legal weeds, this is the written testimony from the city attorneys for the City of Houston. The bottom line, however, is that city ordinances are enacted by local elected officials. The proper remedy for “bad regulations” that do not conflict with state law is the ballot box. HB 2127 really would preempt local voters.
Call your Representative.
Senate Floor
Oppose SB 1396 by Middleton. SB 1396 would allow a school district to adopt a policy creating a period of prayer and Bible reading. In the 19th century, bible reading was a highly divisive issue between different denominations of christians over which canon and translation was used, and which passages were selected. In the 20th century, the U.S. Supreme Court struck the proper balance where the government does not involve itself (the Establishment Clause), but individual students may form student groups such as the FCA or Good News Clubs (the Free Exercise Clause). Additionally, Texas law already allows schools to teach about the bible as opposed to interpretive bible reading or other acts of worship. The “state action” of a school district creating a policy regarding religious worship would lead to litigation, in which this settled issue would be re-litigated. In the 21st century, our schools are more diverse than ever, and the government has no business picking and choosing religions for favored status.
Call your Senator
TAKE ACTION!
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