Sadly, both a legislative staffer (March 27) and a legislator (April 23) have been arrested for DWI in the past four weeks, and now a female Senate staff member has made a sexual assault allegation against a lobbyist. This session can’t end soon enough.
Senate floor calendar
For the upcoming House calendar—including a dozen or so bills that impact prosecutors—see our Week 15 update from Friday.
The Senate Intent Calendar for the first part of this week includes the following bills that may be debated by the full Senate, including (for the first time) several House bills:
- HB 567 by Frank/Hughes limiting CPS intervention in alleged child neglect cases
- HB 1024 by Geren/Hancock authorizing “alcohol to go” sales
- SJR 47 by Huffman increasing the constitutional requirements for certain judges
- SB 69 by Miles banning chokeholds by peace officers in certain circumstances
- SB 112 by West relating to affidavits requesting mobile tracking devices
- SB 162 by Blanco relating to a false or misleading statement made to illegally acquire a firearm
- SB 321 by Huffman changing the benefit system for future ERS participants
- SB 508 by West providing confidentiality of information related to a witness protection program
- SB 912 by Buckingham increasing penalties for various riot-related crimes
- SB 1458 by Zaffirini creating statewide standards for protective orders forms, etc.
- SB 1508 by Creighton establishing an election integrity division at OAG
- SB 1879 by Bettencourt requiring local governments to report certain lobbying expenditures
All the bills calendared for possible consideration on the Senate floor can be found here; the list changes daily, so check back for updates as needed.
Committee notices
Below are some relevant committee notices for bills to be heard later this week. For a full agenda of all the bills to be heard at each meeting listed below, please click the link in the committee’s name below; the text of each individual bill will be accessible on that notice by clicking the bill number. For Monday’s agenda, see our previous update.
Wednesday, April 28
House Pensions/Investments/Financial Services – 8:00 a.m., E2.030
HB 2741 by Raymond granting up to two years of service credit in ERS’s elected class for prior military service
House Public Health – 8:00 a.m., JHR 140
HB 1678 by Raymond granting next of kin (and their lawyers) access to autopsy photos
HB 3917 by A. Johnson barring SANE kit evidence from being used to prosecute complainants for misdemeanor or drug offenses
Thursday, April 29
House Homeland Security & Public Safety – 10:30 a.m. or upon adj., E2.010
SB 343 by Kolkhorst relating to entering FV bond conditions into TCIC
SB 550 by Springer removing the “shoulder or belt” modifier for holster language in various gun offenses
HB 175 by Thierry limiting “citizen’s arrests”
HB 2844 by Goodwin relating to certain TCOLE discharges and disciplinary records
More “Quotes of the Week”
“Fortunately, no one was seriously injured. I know I have a problem and this incident serves as wake-up call for me. I am seeking treatment options to begin today.”
—State Rep. Dan Huberty (R-Kingwood), in a Facebook post accepting responsibility for his recent driving while intoxicated arrest.
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