Legislative Services

Bill Filing Deadline Met, All Bills Now Eligible

In last week’s County Issues, we took stock of the approaching 60th day, a critical session milestone. We noted that before the 60th day, only the governor’s designated emergency items or legislation approved with a four-fifths majority is eligible for consideration. The 60th day is also the last day lawmakers may file legislation without a supermajority.

Last week’s bill count stood at around 6,000. At the time of this writing on March 13, a day before the filing deadline, the total had swelled to nearly 8,000. Hundreds of last-minute filings are expected. How high will the tally go? We’ll share that total and how it compares to past sessions in next week’s newsletter.

With the landscape of bills set and all bills eligible, House and Senate committees will meet weekly with increasingly packed agendas as other critical deadlines fast approach. Floor action will also increase, making long days the norm, with meetings into the night and even the wee hours not uncommon.

Senate Leader Unveils Second Round of Priorities

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick reserved Senate Bills 1-40 for priority legislation, and earlier announced the first 25 of those priorities. On March 13, he announced the remaining priority items. The group includes initiatives on wildfire response, business tax relief and teacher pay.

House DOGE Committee Examines Government Purchasing

The House Committee on Delivery of Government Efficiency, newly formed for the 89th Legislature, met for the second time on March 12. Among the items posted for consideration was government purchasing. Archived video of the hearing is available online.

County Officials’ Testimony Continues

On March 5, District Attorney Philip Mack Furlow, who represents the 106th District that spans multiple West Texas counties, testified before the Senate Committee on Finance on Senate Bill 293 by Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston). Archived video of the hearing is available online. Furlow’s testimony begins at about the 50:50 mark.

On March 11, Bell County Judge David Blackburn and Cherokee County Commissioner Kelly Traylor provided invited testimony before the House Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs regarding county interactions and partnerships with the state and state agencies. Archived video of the hearing is available online. Blackburn’s testimony begins at about 2:10:25, Traylor’s at 2:44:10.

Also on March 11, Comal County Criminal District Attorney Jennifer Tharp testified before the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice in support of SB 1300 by Sen Pete Flores (R-Pleasanton). Archived video of the hearing is available online. Tharp’s testimony begins at about the 1:03:50 mark.

On March 12, Kaufman County Criminal District Attorney Erleigh Wiley testified before the House Committee on Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence for House Bill 204 by Rep. Carl Tepper (R-Lubbock). Archived video of the hearing is available online.

County Officials to Brief Legislators on Indigent Defense

In recognition of the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark 1963 Gideon v. Wainwright ruling, county officials will travel to Austin on March 18. They will attend TAC’s Tuesday Morning Breakfast before heading to the Capitol to meet with lawmakers to discuss indigent defense issues and funding.

Legislative Directory Now Available

TAC’s Legislative Directory for the 89th Legislature is now available. The directory includes contact information for legislative leaders, committees, county official associations and TAC’s Legislative Services team.

Order your free copies here.

Grant Opportunities

This newsletter will highlight new grant opportunities on the last Friday of each month. Look for updates in the March 28 edition of County Issues, or visit TAC’s continuously updated Grant Opportunities webpage.

TAC also maintains a listserv community to foster discussion between county officials on available grants. To join the listserv or share a grant success story, please contact Zelma Smith.

Week in Review is a collaborative column from TAC Legislative Services.