84th Regular Legislative Session Comes To An End: Several New Laws To Watch
On June 1st, 2015, the 84th Texas Legislative Session officially came to an end. The last day of legislative session is commonly referred to as “Sine Die,” a Latin phrase which means “without assigning a day for a further meeting or hearing,” though it does not represent the final point for the bills to become law. During the twenty days following the end of a regular session, the Governor of Texas has the ability to sign bills into law, pass them into law indirectly by not signing them, or to veto them. It is during these twenty days that members of the Texas House and Texas Senate find out if the bills they worked on and passed during the session will become law or not. This year, the deadline for the Governor to act fell on Sunday, June 21st.
As a recap of the 84th Session, here are several bills in addition to those featured in last week’s article, which were passed and have been signed by the Governor:
• House Bill 26 is relating to state economic development measures, including administration of the Texas Enterprise Fund, creation of the Economic Incentive Oversight Board and the governor’s university research initiative, abolishment of the Texas emerging technology fund, and renaming the Major Events trust fund to the Major Events Reimbursement Program.
• House Bill 280 increases the amount of information required to be posted by Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) staff on TWDB’s website regarding the use of the state water implementation fund for Texas (SWIFT). TWDB would be required to regularly post and update additional information regarding: the amounts of bonds issued, terms of the bonds, and summary of the bond enhancement agreement; the status of repayment of the loan and default risk assessment; a “check register” for the project; information on financial management of the fund’s investment portfolio; a description of the point system for prioritizing projects and points awarded to each project; any non-confidential information submitted as part of a SWIFT application that is approved by TWDB; and administrative and operating expenses for creation of the state water plan and providing financial assistance for projects included in the plan.
• House Bill 426 is relating to the acceptance of employment applications through the online system for listing state agency employment openings maintained by the Texas Workforce Commission. Currently, state agencies are required to list job openings with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). However, not all agencies are required to accept applications from the TWC online application system, WorkInTexas . With this bill, it will require that all state agencies, excluding institutions of higher education and university systems, to accept applications through the WorkInTexas.com website.
• Senate Bill 18 is relating to measures to support or enhance graduate medical education in this state, including the transfer of certain assets from the Texas Medical Liability Insurance Underwriting Association to the permanent fund supporting graduate medical education and the authority of the association to issue new policies.
• Senate Bill 272 is relating to making a voluntary contribution to the Special Olympics Texas fund when registering a motor vehicle or renewing a motor vehicle registration.
• Senate Bill 458 is relating to the aerospace and aviation office of the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office and to the aerospace and aviation advisory committee.
I invite you to follow the governor’s latest actions by going to Office of the Governor Gregg Abbot or to see the bills that have already been signed, please visit Office of the Governor bills . If you would like to see more about the legislature, please visit the Texas Legislature Online .
If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this week’s article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. Please always feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or issues regarding a Texas state agency, or if you would like to contact my office regarding constituent services. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
– State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32
Rep. Hunter represents Nueces (Part) County. He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.state.tx.us or at 512-463-0672.
