The House Floor schedule is more important now than ever. Soon, we’ll be considering bills on the floor.
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN, Texas – Last week, Speaker Dade Phelan announced additional priority bills for the 88th Legislative Session. There is more to come for these bills this session, which is why it’s important to review our Capitol Report and better understand what Conservatives are fighting for. From Border Security to investing in infrastructure, this legislation is paving the way for a new, better Texas. This week we will dive more in depth on investing in Texas Schools, Border Security, and more!
Investing In Texas Schools
Texas schools are critical for shaping the future of Texas. This session, legislation has been filed to improve teacher retention, better secure our schools, and reward our teachers for their lifelong investment in our children. Learn more about these important education bills:
- House Bill 3 by Rep. Dustin Burrows better prepares our schools for potential emergencies by further developing school safety standards.
- House Bill 11 aims to better the lives of Texas educators by improving the state’s teacher recruitment, preparation and retention policies.
- House Bill 13 by Rep. Ken King will help to protect the lives of Texas educators and students. The bill requires all Texas schools to have an Active Shooter Preparedness Plan and provides greater funding support for school safety and mental health.
- House Bill 600 by Rep. Greg Bonnen provides a much-needed cost-of-living adjustment to retired educators so they are financially secure.
- House Bill 900, the Restricting Explicit & Adult Designated Educational Resources (READER) Act, by Rep. Jared Patterson addresses the rising concerns among Texas parents of sexually explicit and inappropriate literature infiltrating public schools by implementing mandatory review standards for books being displayed in school libraries.
- House Bill 9 by Rep. Trent Ashby creates the Texas Broadband Infrastructure Fund, which would be dedicated to administering the state’s broadband development program, ensuring that broadband expansion is affordable, accessible, and universal across Texas.
- With House Bill 10, the Texas House would create the Texas Water Fund to invest billions of dollars into much needed water infrastructure projects and improve water security amid rising demand.
- House Bill 14 by Rep. Cody Harris streamlines the process for property development, making building reviews more timely.
Where the federal government has failed our communities, the Texas House is ready to invest in securing our southern border. We are considering numerous bills that will better fortify our state and provide Texans with a greater sense of security.
- House Bill 7 by Rep. Ryan Guillen would establish the Legislative Border Safety Oversight Committee, which would guide the state’s border safety policies and provide oversight over the Border Protection Unit (in cooperation with House Bill 20).
- House Bill 20 by Rep. Matt Schaefer creates the Border Protection Unit, a specialized unit focused on mission-based tasks, to defend the border.
- House Bill 800 by Rep. Ryan Guillen cracks down on human smuggling, increasing the mandatory minimum sentence for such convictions to 10 years in prison, while also requiring a person who is convicted of running a stash house to serve a minimum of 5 years.
- House Bill 1600 by Rep. Cole Hefner issues fines to people entering Texas and not using an official port of entry.
Fentanyl is now the number one killer of Americans between 15 and 45 years old. House Bill 6 by Rep. Craig Goldman targets the manufacturing and delivery of this fatal drug by increasing the penalties for certain fentanyl-related crimes in Texas.
Holding Attorney's Accountable
In recent years, District Attorneys in Texas have refused to prosecute certain criminal offenses, hindering enforcement and putting public safety at risk. Conservatives have proposed various bills to combat the negative effects of DA’s prioritizing political beliefs over enforcing law and order.
- House Bill 17 by Rep. David Cook enforces criminal laws uniformly across the state by prohibiting district and county attorneys from announcing, adopting or implementing policies that prevent or materially limit the enforcement of criminal offenses in Texas.
- House Bill 200 by Rep. Jeff Leach re-establishes the Prosecuting Attorneys Coordinating Council, a state agency administratively attached to the Supreme Court of Texas, to review and resolve complaints involving incompetence and misconduct by prosecuting attorneys.
