Legislative Updates
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Above we have links to bills that have been filed for the 81st Legislature. We have the bills grouped into those amending the Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and other bills of interest to TDCAA members.
For information concerning legislation filed during the 81st Regular Session or any other past session, visit the state legislature's web site at http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/.
For all other legislative inquiries, e-mail Shannon Edmonds, Director of Governmental Relations, or call him at (512) 474-2436.
Bill filings have begun for 2009
November 19, 2008
Bill filing has begun for the 81st Legislature. Our bill tracking buttons (above) are now up and running, and you can use them to keep track of some of the legislation we are following on behalf of our members.
In addition, you can always access (and track for yourself) legislation at www.capitol.state.tx.us.
Lt. Governor issues interim charges to Senate committees
The Lt. Governor has recently released the list of issues to be studied by Senate committees during the legislative interim. For a complete listing, view the entire document here:
http://www.senate.state.tx.us/assets/pdf/InterimCharges2008.pdf
Here is a brief run-down of some of the topics to be reviewed, arranged by committee:
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
- implementation of Senate Bill 103, the TYC reform bill
- drug prevention, esp. "cheese" heroin and meth
- effectiveness of TDCJ's increased budget for rehabilitation
- oversight and accountability for local asset forfeiture funds
- deferred adjudication
- delays in resolution of criminal cases involving child victims
- inmate re-entry to free society
- joinder/severance of capital murder defendants
- mentally ill offenders (*joint charge with STATE AFFAIRS committee)
- impact of Senate Bill 909, the TDCJ sunset legislation
- copper theft
FINANCE
- funding of county public hospitals
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
- CPS caseloads
- foster care
- preventing child abuse
JURISPRUDENCE
- SAPCRs involving non-parents/grandparents
- new tools for child abuse cases, including changes to the rules of evidence
- increasing jury participation through note-taking, asking questions, etc.
STATE AFFAIRS
- voting fraud
- illegal gambling, including eight-liners
TRANSPORTATION AND HOMELAND SECURITY
- HPD crime lab and other urban crime labs
- illegal immigration, drug trafficking, human smuggling, and border crime (*joint charge with INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND TRADE committee)
- compliance and collection under Driver Responsibility Program (aka "surcharges")
Speaker issues charges for interim studies
November 30, 2007
This week, Speaker Craddick released the list of issues to be examined by House committees during the current legislative interim. For a complete listing of those issues (which were released in no particular order in three separate documents), click on the links below.
House interim charges, part II
House interim charges, part III
Senate committee charges have yet to be released by the Lt. Governor; we will update this page with those issues when they are made public.
Welcome!
Welcome to the new Legislative page for TDCAA's website. There won't be much content on this page until we work out the bugs in the new website, but that's OK because there isn't anything new to report anyway!
Check back for updates late in 2007, when the House and Senate are expected to announce their interim studies.
Until then, enjoy surfing our new website!
-Shannon
