The House Committee on Elections

87th Legislature

April 29, 2021

8:00 a.m.

E2.028

Pursuant to a notice posted on April 23, 2021, revised on April 27, 2021 and April 28, 2021, and a suspension of the 5-day posting rule on April 27, 2021, the House Committee on Elections met in a public hearing and was called to order by the chair, Representative Cain, at 8:08 a.m.

The initial quorum call was answered as follows: Representatives Cain; González, Jessica; Bucy; Clardy; Fierro; Jetton; Schofield; and Swanson.

A quorum was present.

HB 1183

The chair laid out HB 1183.

The chair recognized Representative Dutton to explain HB 1183.

Testimony taken/registration recorded.  (See attached witness list.)

The chair recognized Representative Dutton to close on HB 1183.

HB 1183 was left pending without objection.

HB 2860

The chair laid out HB 2860.

The chair recognized Representative Bucy to explain HB 2860.

Testimony taken/registration recorded.  (See attached witness list.)

The chair recognized Representative Bucy to close on HB 2860.

HB 2860 was left pending without objection.

SB 331

The chair laid out SB 331, the companion to HB 3285.

The chair offered a complete committee substitute.

The chair recognized Representative Button to explain SB 331.

Testimony taken/registration recorded.  (See attached witness list.)

The chair recognized Representative Button to close on SB 331.

The committee substitute was withdrawn without objection.

SB 331 was left pending without objection.

(Representative González, Jessica in chair.)

HB 4555

The chair laid out HB 4555.

The chair offered a complete committee substitute.

The chair recognized Representative Guillen to explain HB 4555.

Testimony taken/registration recorded.  (See attached witness list.)

The chair recognized Representative Guillen to close on HB 4555.

The committee substitute was withdrawn without objection.

HB 4555 was left pending without objection.

HB 4530

The chair laid out HB 4530.

The chair recognized Representative Oliverson to explain HB 4530.

Testimony taken/registration recorded.  (See attached witness list.)

The chair recognized Representative Oliverson to close on HB 4530.

HB 4530 was left pending without objection.

(Representative Cain in chair.)

HB 2594

The chair laid out HB 2594.

The chair recognized Representative Moody to explain HB 2594.

Testimony taken/registration recorded.  (See attached witness list.)

The chair recognized Representative Moody to close on HB 2594.

HB 2594 was left pending without objection.

SB 1018

The chair laid out SB 1018, the companion to HB 1464.

The chair recognized Representative Hinojosa to explain SB 1018.

Testimony taken/registration recorded.  (See attached witness list.)

(Representative Beckley now present.)

Testimony taken/registration recorded.  (See attached witness list.)

SB 1018 was left pending without objection.

HB 740

The chair laid out HB 740 as pending business.

Representative Fierro offered a complete committee substitute.

The committee substitute was adopted without objection.

Representative Fierro moved that HB 740, as substituted, be reported favorably to the full house with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion prevailed by the following record vote:

Ayes:                           Representatives Cain; González, Jessica; Beckley; Bucy; Clardy; Fierro; Jetton; Swanson (8).

Nays:                           Representative Schofield (1).

Present, Not Voting:   None (0).

Absent:                        None (0).

SB 1387

The chair laid out SB 1387, companion to HB 1314.

Representative Clardy moved that SB 1387, without amendments, be reported favorably to the full house with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion prevailed by the following record vote:

Ayes:                           Representatives Cain; Clardy; Jetton; Schofield; Swanson (5).

Nays:                           Representatives González, Jessica; Beckley; Bucy; Fierro (4).

Present, Not Voting:   None (0).

Absent:                        None (0).

HB 2860

The chair laid out HB 2860 as pending business.

Representative Bucy moved that HB 2860, without amendments, be reported favorably to the full house with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion prevailed by the following record vote:

Ayes:                           Representatives Cain; González, Jessica; Beckley; Bucy; Clardy; Fierro; Jetton; Schofield; Swanson (9).

Nays:                           None (0).

Present, Not Voting:   None (0).

Absent:                        None (0).

SB 7

The chair laid out SB 7.

The chair offered a complete committee substitute.

The chair explained the committee substitute.

The committee substitute was adopted without objection.

The chair moved that SB 7, as substituted, be reported favorably to the full house with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed. 

During the roll call, the chair withdrew the motion without objection.

The committee substitute was withdrawn without objection.

SB 7 was left pending without objection.

The chair directed that the April 8, 2021 minutes for the House Committee on Elections be corrected. The corrected minutes were authorized without objection.

At 9:45 a.m., on the motion of the chair and without objection, the meeting was recessed until upon final adjournment or recess of the House today or during the period authorized for the reading and referral of bills if permission is granted by the House.

The committee reconvened at 7:09 p.m. and was called to order by the chair, Representative Cain.

The quorum call was answered as follows: Representatives Cain; González, Jessica; Bucy; Jetton; Schofield; and Swanson.

A quorum was present.

HB 160

The chair laid out HB 160.

The chair recognized Representative Zwiener to explain HB 160.

(Representative Beckley now present.)

(Representative Fierro now present.)

(Representative Clardy now present.)

Testimony taken/registration recorded.  (See attached witness list.)

The chair recognized Representative Zwiener to close on HB 160.

HB 160 was left pending without objection.

HB 1183

The chair laid out HB 1183 as pending business.

Representative Swanson moved that HB 1183, without amendments, be reported favorably to the full house with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion prevailed by the following record vote:

Ayes:                           Representatives Cain; Clardy; Jetton; Schofield; Swanson (5).

Nays:                           Representatives González, Jessica; Beckley; Bucy; Fierro (4).

Present, Not Voting:   None (0).

Absent:                        None (0).

SB 7

The chair laid out SB 7 as pending business.

The chair offered a complete committee substitute.

The committee substitute was adopted without objection.

The chair limited amendments to amendments pending on his desk and limited explanation of each amendment to 3 minutes and discussion of each amendment to 5 minutes without objection.

Representative Beckley offered an amendment to the committee substitute without objection.

The chair recognized Representative Beckley to explain the amendment.

Representative Schofield raised a point of order that the amendment was not germane to the bill. The point of order was withdrawn.

The amendment failed by the following record vote:

Ayes:                           Representatives González, Jessica; Beckley; Bucy; Fierro (4).

Nays:                           Representatives Cain; Clardy; Jetton; Schofield; Swanson (5).

Present, Not Voting:   None (0).

Absent:                        None (0).

Representative Beckley offered an amendment to the committee substitute without objection.

The chair recognized Representative Beckley to explain the amendment.

Representative Schofield raised a point of order that the amendment was not germane to the bill. The point of order was withdrawn.

The amendment failed by the following record vote:

Ayes:                           Representatives González, Jessica; Beckley; Bucy; Fierro (4).

Nays:                           Representatives Cain; Clardy; Jetton; Schofield; Swanson (5).

Present, Not Voting:   None (0).

Absent:                        None (0).

Representative Bucy offered an amendment to the committee substitute without objection.

The chair recognized Representative Bucy to explain the amendment.

The amendment failed by the following record vote:

Ayes:                           Representatives González, Jessica; Beckley; Bucy; Fierro (4).

Nays:                           Representatives Cain; Clardy; Jetton; Schofield; Swanson (5).

Present, Not Voting:   None (0).

Absent:                        None (0).

Representative Bucy offered an amendment to the committee substitute without objection.

The chair recognized Representative Bucy to explain the amendment.

The amendment failed by the following record vote:

Ayes:                           Representatives González, Jessica; Beckley; Bucy; Fierro (4).

Nays:                           Representatives Cain; Clardy; Jetton; Schofield; Swanson (5).

Present, Not Voting:   None (0).

Absent:                        None (0).

Representative Fierro offered an amendment to the committee substitute without objection.

The chair recognized Representative Fierro to explain the amendment.

The amendment failed by the following record vote:

Ayes:                           Representatives González, Jessica; Beckley; Bucy; Fierro (4).

Nays:                           Representatives Cain; Clardy; Jetton; Schofield; Swanson (5).

Present, Not Voting:   None (0).

Absent:                        None (0).

Representative Fierro offered an amendment to the committee substitute without objection.

The chair recognized Representative Fierro to explain the amendment.

The amendment failed by the following record vote:

Ayes:                           Representatives González, Jessica; Beckley; Bucy; Fierro (4).

Nays:                           Representatives Cain; Clardy; Jetton; Schofield; Swanson (5).

Present, Not Voting:   None (0).

Absent:                        None (0).

Representative González, Jessica offered an amendment to the committee substitute without objection.

The chair recognized Representative González, Jessica to explain the amendment.

The amendment failed by the following record vote:

Ayes:                           Representatives González, Jessica; Beckley; Bucy; Fierro (4).

Nays:                           Representatives Cain; Clardy; Jetton; Schofield; Swanson (5).

Present, Not Voting:   None (0).

Absent:                        None (0).

Representative González, Jessica offered an amendment to the committee substitute without objection.

The chair recognized Representative González, Jessica to explain the amendment.

The amendment failed by the following record vote:

Ayes:                           Representatives González, Jessica; Beckley; Bucy; Fierro (4).

Nays:                           Representatives Cain; Clardy; Jetton; Schofield; Swanson (5).

Present, Not Voting:   None (0).

Absent:                        None (0).

Representative González, Jessica offered an amendment to the committee substitute without objection.

The chair recognized Representative González, Jessica to explain the amendment.

The amendment failed by the following record vote:

Ayes:                           Representatives González, Jessica; Beckley; Bucy; Fierro (4).

Nays:                           Representatives Cain; Clardy; Jetton; Schofield; Swanson (5).

Present, Not Voting:   None (0).

Absent:                        None (0).

The chair moved that SB 7, as substituted, be reported favorably to the full house with the recommendation that it do pass and be printed.  The motion prevailed by the following record vote:

Ayes:                           Representatives Cain; Clardy; Jetton; Schofield; Swanson (5).

Nays:                           Representatives González, Jessica; Beckley; Bucy; Fierro (4).

Present, Not Voting:   None (0).

Absent:                        None (0).

SB 1018

The chair laid out SB 1018 as pending business.

Testimony taken/registration recorded.  (See attached witness list.)

The chair recognized Representative Bucy to close on SB 1018.

SB 1018 was left pending without objection.

(Representative Clardy in chair.)

HB 32

The chair laid out HB 32.

Representative Fierro offered a complete committee substitute.

The chair recognized Representative Fierro to explain HB 32.

Testimony taken/registration recorded.  (See attached witness list.)

The chair recognized Representative Fierro to close on HB 32.

The committee substitute was withdrawn without objection.

HB 32 was left pending without objection.

SB 598

The chair laid out SB 598.

The chair recognized Representative Jetton to explain SB 598.

Testimony taken/registration recorded.  (See attached witness list.)

(Representative Cain in chair.)

Testimony taken/registration recorded.  (See attached witness list.)

The chair recognized Representative Jetton to close on SB 598.

SB 598 was left pending without objection.

SB 1340

The chair laid out SB 1340.

The chair explained SB 1340.

Testimony taken/registration recorded.  (See attached witness list.)

The chair closed on SB 1340.

SB 1340 was left pending without objection.

At 10:42 p.m., on the motion of the chair and without objection, the meeting was adjourned subject to the call of the chair.

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Rep. Cain, Chair

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Jessica Hart, Clerk