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The Texas Report
Happy Wednesday!
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar
Written by: Jay Williamson
Formerly the Texas Insider, we've decided to rebrand as the "Texas Report."
Statewide News Round-Up
Governor Abbott has made two stops this week on his rural tour for "Parent Empowerment." Monday night, Abbott spoke in Corsicana with parents to advocate for increased education funding, opposing "woke" curriculum, and expanding school choice.
Tuesday, Abbott was in Conroe, Texas, where he hit a lot of the same points as before and pointed out that Senator Brandon Creighton (who represents Conroe) will be carrying the voucher bill in the Senate. In Conroe. Abbott specifically said that across the state, "children today are just not educated the same way you or I were," and this was one of several reasons behind the parental empowerment proposals. (Full video) Other things mentioned:
Parents are angry about a woke agenda being pushed in our schools.
Abbott is committed to more funding for schools and increases to teacher pay
If only one thing were to be taught it should be love our country and what it stands for
Abbott has also directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to mobilize state firefighting resources to support local officials responding to wildfires in the Panhandle, the South Plains, West, and Northwest Texas. (More here)
On Tuesday, Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) named three more priority bills for the session. Each of the bills today focused on major house economic development priorities. Specifics on the filed legislation:
House Bill (HB) 5 by Representative Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi), also known as the Texas Jobs & Security Act. Would provide Texas with new incentives for targeting and attracting large-scale, capital-intensive manufacturing, national security and energy infrastructure projects. This is the replacement legislation for the recently expired Chapter 313 incentive program.
HB 8 by Representative Gary VanDeaver (R-Texarkana) would establish a new funding model for community colleges that provides more reward and incentive for associate degrees, non-credit workforce education programs, and other credentials of value. This legislation would also create a new scholarship program focused on helping economically disadvantaged high schoolers enroll in dual credit classes.
HB 19 by Representative Andrew Murr (R-Kerrville) would create a specialized court focused on complex business cases and allowing companies to solve legal matters in a new avenue intended for those issues.
The Texas Association of Business and over 200 chambers of commerce, and various other business organizations released a letter Tuesday applauding the Speaker and Hunter for announcing the Texas Jobs and Security Act. (Official Press Release)
During testimony on Tuesday in front of the House Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee. Family members of the Uvalde victims confronted Texas DPS Director Steve McCraw after he finished testifying. (Video here)
Additionally, on Monday, in front of a House Appropriations subcommittee, McCraw testified that a Chinese organized crime group duped the Department of Public Safety into sending 3,000 Texas driver's licenses. The group would then go on to sell the licenses. The criminals were able to pull personal data on individuals with Asian surnames from the "dark web" and then used the state-run Texas.gov to order duplicates of active licenses. Texas.gov is actually run by the Department of Information Resources (DIR). The problem was first detected in December, and letters are expected to go out to affected Texans this week. McCraw said this security vulnerability "should never have happened." (More here)
Hundreds of gun control activists to marched on the Capitol this Tuesday to rally and advocate for gun safety legislation. Included was Caitlyne Gonzales, a 10-year-old Uvalde survivor marching for her friends who "don't have a voice no more." (More here)
Senate State Affairs will meet Thursday to discuss a variety of controversial bills to block the purchase or acquisition of property by certain foreign countries and their subsequent corporations and citizens. Additionally, the Senate Border Security committee will hold an organizational hearing Thursday and hear invited testimony from a variety of relevant state agencies, like the Texas Department of Public Safety. (Stream here)
Former Senator and Gubernatorial Candidate Wendy Davis will return to the Texas Capitol as a senior adviser for Planned Parenthood. Davis became widely known after a nearly 13-hour filibuster to block a 2013 abortion bill. In a statement, Davis said, "I've dedicated much of my life to pushing back against extremist attacks on our most fundamental rights. I couldn't sit on the sidelines while those same actors attempt to eradicate the crucial healthcare Planned Parenthood provides to patients across this state and this country each and every day." (More Here)
The Comptroller has released his Fiscal Note report for February. The report studied Higher Education Enrollment declines and subsequent proposals to help increase educational attainment. Per data from the Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB), there were 66,000 fewer students enrolled in Texas higher education institutions in the fall of 2022 than before the COVID-19 pandemic. The Comptroller explains the recommendations from the Commission on Community College Finance and, subsequently, what policies the Commissioner on Higher Education recommends for ensuring Colleges are able to meet the workforce demands of tomorrow. (More Here).
Following their hearing Monday, Senate State Affairs voted out several pieces of legislation, including SB 2 by Senator Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola), which would raise the penalty for intentional illegal voting to a state jail felony. SB 2 passed on a 7-3 party-line vote and will now be sent for discussion to the full Texas Senate.
Committee Schedule for the rest of the week:
Wednesday - The Senate Committees on Education, Natural Resources & Economic Development. and the Subcommittee on Higher Education. The House Committees on Agriculture & Livestock, Appropriations Subcommittees, Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence, Pensions, Investments & Financial Services, County Affairs, Defense & Veterans' Affairs, Juvenile Justice & Family Issues, State Affairs, Transportation.
Thursday - The Senate Committees on Border Security and State Affairs. The House Committees on Appropriations, and Culture, Recreation & Tourism.
Potential Articles of Interest
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Legislative Report Full Bill Report Friday
Over 4,390 bills have been filed as of 3/1/23.
92 days till Sine Die (Last day of the legislative session)
11 days till bill filing deadline
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Happy Wednesday!!
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