Senate UPDATE: Patrick Talks Border Security First 100 Days of Session

ALSO: Tax Credit Scholarships & School Choice in Texas By Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas In the Senates continuing efforts to deliver quality education to all Texans Senate Education Chair Larry Taylor along with joint authors Senators Paul Bettencourt and Donna Campbell passed Senate Bill 4 (SB 4) known as the tax credit scholarship bill over to the House of Representatives. Ive been pushing for school choice for five sessions now and Im very proud of Sens. Larry Taylor Bettencourt and Campbell for advancing such important legislation in the Texas Senate. SB 4 is simply about school choice. It enables tax credit scholarships for students that have no other option but to attend a failing school. These scholarships give students including those with disabilities the ability to attend a school of their choice. Businesses who donate to the scholarship fund will be able to lower a portion of their franchise tax liability. Its a win-win for everyone.

• (Read more from Lt. Gov. Patricks Press Release here.)

Border Security Starts In Texas Senate Bill 3 (SB 3) by Border Security Subcommittee Chairman Senator Brian Birdwell passed the Senate floor this week with strong bipartisan support 26-4. This bill dramatically improves and increases border security along the Texas southern border. The highlights of this bill include:

• Reinforcing the crucial role of the National Guard in securing the border
• Immediately allows DPS to implement southbound checkpoints
• Provides funding for a statewide ten-hour workday for the DPS
• Reorganizes the Transnational and Organized Crime Division of the Office of the Attorney General to assist with border prosecutions with an enhanced focus on human trafficking and other trans-national crimes
• Creates a multi-agency training facility in the Rio Grande Valley which will serve local state and federal law enforcement authorities.

Securing the border is a serious matter and continues to be one of my top priorities.

• (Read more from Lt. Gov. Patricks full statement here.)

Senate Accomplishments In The First 100 Days Of Session The Texas Senate continues delivering on the priorities of Texans. Weve passed 17 of your top 20 priority bills for the Senate in the first 100 days. Here is the latest update:

1. SB 1 Property tax relief through doubling the homestead exemption.
2. SB 2 Conservative budget with $4.5 billion in tax relief and significant funding for border security education and transportation. It stayed under the state spending cap and passed with a 30-1 margin.
3. SB 3 Border Security passed out of committee and is also embedded in our budget. The Senates budget keeps the National Guard on the border until the DPS replaces them.
4. SB 4 Tax Credit Scholarships passed out of the Senate for the first time in history.
5. SB 5 $2-3 billion in new transportation funding without raising any fees or taxes (we also ended the gas tax diversion in our budget).
6. SB 6 Increases accountability by grading individual schools on an A - F basis for the first time in history.
7. SB 7 Cuts the franchise tax by 15 for all businesses with over $4 million in gross revenue. Amended to totally repeal the franchise tax in coming years.
8. SB 8 Eliminates the franchise tax immediately for 52 of Texas small businesses operating under $4 million in annual revenue.
9. SB 9 Caps budget spending at inflation plus population for first time in history.
10. SB 10 Removes the Public Integrity Unit from Travis County and makes elected officials more accountable to their voters.
11. SB 11 Allows Campus Carry for CHL holders.
12. SB 12 Transfers state government vehicles to natural gas over the next decade saving taxpayers millions of dollars in fuel costs creating jobs and leading to cleaner air.
13. SB 13 Funds workforce development programs to prepare high school students for careers and higher education.
14. SB 14 This parent empowerment bill allows parents to repurpose failing schools.
15. SB 17 Expands second amendment rights by allowing Open Carry for CHL holders.
16. SB 18 Creates more residency slots for medical students to meet demand for doctors in Texas.
17. SB 20 Reforms oversight in how the state signs contracts to save taxpayers from government waste.

Dont Be The Last To Know  Visit my website at www.ltgov.state.tx.us for the latest updates from the Texas Senate. Follow me on Twitter @LtGovTX and Instagram @LtGovTX and LIKE us on Facebook at Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Texas.