Legislative Priorities Update
As the legislative session marches on we are seeing some priority bills receive committee hearings while others are still awaiting attention. Your assistance is needed to pressure members to advance Republican Party Legislative Priorities before time runs out.
This week we have several action items that require your involvement!
Urgent Call to Action!
SB618 by Senator Kevin Sparks. Stops Waivers of Election Code and Creates Penalties. It is on the Intent Calendar in the Senate. We need them to bring it up and get it through the Senate.
Call Senate Calendars Committee and ask for placement on the floor calendar here.
Contact senate committee members of the State Affairs committee here
SB2753 by Senator Bob Hall. Removes the Gap between Early Voting and Election Day and has all Early Voting sites report out at the end of Election Day without changing out any equipment. This was heard in the Senate State Affairs last week and we need it voted out of Committee ASAP.
Contact senate committee members of the State Affairs committee here and ask for a vote.
SB16 by Senator Brian Hughes. Requires proof of Citizenship to Register to Vote. House received this from the Senate on 2-April and have yet to assign it to a Committee. We need this assigned. Companion of HB5337 by Representative Carrie Isaac is being heard on Thursday April 24th in House Elections and so need Companion bill testimony FOR and then voted out of Committee ASAP.
Register your support for HB 5337 here or come down and testify in person on Thursday April 24th!
Contact senate committee members of the State Affairs committee here
SB985 by Senator Paul Bettencourt has passed the Senate and has been referred to the House Committee on Elections. This bill allows precincts to be combined so we can get out of countywide and facilitates other important election integrity bills. Companion (identical) of HB342 by Representative Richard Hayes in the House was heard by House Elections and voted out. Need this (HB342) sent to Calendars and placed on Calendar as well as have House vote this out.
Contact house committee members on Elections committee here
HB1907 by Representative Dennis Paul – Prohibition on Texas governmental contracts with Chinese companies or companies controlled by China selling information and communications technology. It is scheduled for a public hearing on Wednesday April 23rd.
Register your support for this bill here.
Contact house State Affairs committee members here
SB6 by Senators Phil King and Charles Schwertner. Secure The Electric Grid Priority Bill relating to electricity planning and infrastructure costs for large loads-improves reliability.
Contact senate Business & Commerce committee members here
SB75 by Senator Bob Hall. Relating to the resilience of the electric grid and certain municipalities addressing risks to the Grid including16 critical infrastructure sectors.
Contact senate Business & Commerce committee members here
SB2148 by Senator Bob Hall - relating to the reliability of the electricity supply chain.
Contact house State Affairs committee members here
SB819 by Senator Lois Kolkhorst. Relating to renewable energy generation facilities; authorizing fees, disincentivizing wind and solar energy production.
Call the House Committee on State Affairs here and ask for a hearing on the above Grid Security legislation!
HB1549 by Representative Hillary Hickland Regulates the sale of obscene devices to stores that require 18+ age verification.
Call the Trade, Workforce & Economic Development Committee and ask for a hearing here.
HB2258 by Representative Steve Toth. This bill provides Civil Penalties for Transitioning Minors.
Call the House Committee on State Affairs here and ask for a hearing on the above Grid Security legislation!
Please take a look at Texas Legislature Online under ‘Bill Stages’ to see which stage the legislation above is in:
Waiting for a committee hearing - Contact the committee chair or members of the committee to get a hearing for a priority bill (Once assigned to a committee a bill must have a hearing in order to remain viable.)
Left pending in committee - Contact the committee chair and members of the committee for a bill that has had a hearing but left pending. It needs to be voted out of committee (To remain viable a bill must be voted out of the committee into the Calendars Com.)
How to contact your legislator:
Learn how to email or call your legislator here
We will continue to update you at the beginning of each week regarding bills to watch in committee and that need your assistance to be heard. Follow our bill list of legislative priorities here and if you want to know the status of one of the bills listed, simply click on the bill number and it will take you to the Texas Legislature Online and you can see all the details as well as co-authors and text of the bill.
