SENATE FLOOR ACTION

Thursday

April 16, 2009

The Senate suspended the necessary rules to consider and finally pass:

Relating to professional development institutes for public school teachers and paraprofessionals regarding education of students with disabilities.

2 Floor Amendments

Relating to the exemption of volunteer fire departments from certain motor fuel taxes.

Relating to the eligibility of school districts for state assistance with payment of existing debt.

Relating to the issuance of an occupational license to certain applicants with criminal convictions.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the certification and regulation of pain management clinics.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to providing certain documents and training to children in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services.

Relating to the continuation and functions of the Department of Agriculture and the Prescribed Burning Board and the abolition of the Texas-Israel Exchange Fund Board; providing penalties.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the penalties for theft of cattle, horses, exotic livestock, exotic fowl, sheep, swine, or goats.

Relating to the use of municipal hotel occupancy tax revenue to finance a convention center hotel in certain municipalities.

Relating to the fraudulent obtaining of a controlled substance from a practitioner; providing a penalty.

Relating to the regulation of certain aggregate production operations by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; providing penalties.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the requirement that the county clerk of certain counties prepare a written records management and preservation services plan.

Relating to involuntary termination of parental rights based on attempted murder or solicitation of murder of the child's other parent.

Relating to the authorization of certain municipalities and counties to issue public securities for the financing of permanent improvements for use by an institution of higher education.

Relating to the designation of Farm-to-Market Road 1015 in Hidalgo County as the Bill Summers International Boulevard.

Relating to the closure or modification of certain man-made passes between the Gulf of Mexico and inland bays by the commissioner of the General Land Office.

2 Floor Amendments

The Senate suspended the regular order, read third time and finally passed:

Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature by general law to permit counties to assess and collect a local motor fuels tax and an additional vehicle registration fee to be used for mobility improvement projects.

The Senate suspended the regular order, read second time and passed to engrossment:

Relating to optional fees on the registration of a vehicle imposed by a county.

3 Floor Amendments

Relating to the exchange of information among certain governmental entities concerning at-risk youth.

Relating to the standard of causation in claims involving mesothelioma caused by exposure to asbestos fibers.

Relating to unemployment compensation modernization.

The Senate adopted the following resolutions:

Recognizing April 20 through April 26, 2009, as Financial Literacy Awareness Week in Texas.

Recognizing April 16, 2009, as East End Chamber Day at the State Capitol.

Congratulating Michelle Jackson on her selection as the 2009 Cherry Blossom Princess for the State of Texas.

The Senate confirmed all nominees as reported by the Committee on Nominations.

The following bills were passed on the Local and Uncontested Bills Calendar:

Urging Congress to provide emergency funding and resources to begin immediately addressing increasing delays at United States ports of entry on the Texas-Mexico border.

Relating to minimum standards for juvenile case managers.

Relating to photograph and live lineup identification procedures in criminal cases.

Relating to the reporting of health care-associated infections in certain health care facilities.

Relating to procedures for rescinding or challenging an acknowledgment or denial of paternity.

Relating to the time limitation for certain proceedings to adjudicate paternity.

Relating to the designated doctor's examination under the workers' compensation system.

Relating to the operation of certain managed care plans regarding out-of-network health care providers.

Relating to the sealing of and discovery procedures relating to evidence that constitutes child pornography in a criminal hearing or proceeding.

Relating to examination requirements for certain applicants for a license to practice medicine.

Relating to continued health coverage for employees of certain political subdivisions.

Relating to the requirements for a funeral establishment license.

Relating to the Port of Corpus Christi Authority of Nueces County, Texas.

Relating to the operation of health care sharing organizations.

Relating to the performance of annual soil tests for certain concentrated animal feeding operations by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Relating to the definition of charitable trust for purposes of court jurisdiction.

Relating to attorney general participation in proceedings involving charitable trusts.

Relating to the continuation and functions of the Commission on Jail Standards.

Relating to the establishment of an interagency farm-to-school coordination task force.

Relating to the cities or counties that may create a cultural education facilities finance corporation.

Relating to the appointment or removal of guardians of incapacitated persons.

Relating to criminal history record information relating to persons who are certified to provide guardianship services.

Relating to reporting requirements for health occupation regulatory agencies.

Relating to the use of a perpetual trust fund for a cemetery by certain municipalities.

Relating to the authority of certain municipalities to extend the termination date for a reinvestment zone created under the Tax Increment Financing Act.

Relating to contracts by governmental entities and related professional services and to public works performance and payment bonds.

Relating to the making or acceptance of political contributions in a courthouse; providing penalties.

Relating to community land trusts.

Relating to the creation, administration, powers, duties, and operation of the Riverbend Water Resources District; providing authority to issue bonds and exercise the power of eminent domain.

Relating to faculty temporary licenses to practice medicine.

Relating to the jurisdiction of the State Office of Administrative Hearings in contested case hearings involving certain contract claims against the state.

Relating to the participation of certain transportation entities and hospital districts in the comptroller of public accounts' travel services contracts.

Relating to the summoning of jurors to justice of the peace courts in certain counties.

Relating to the creation of the Aliana Management District; providing authority to impose a tax and issue bonds.

Relating to insurance premium payment assistance for certain persons who have hemophilia and are unable to pay the entire cost of treatment.

Relating to the authority of the commissioners court of a county to enter into an ad valorem tax abatement agreement with certain property owners.

Relating to the regulation of the practice of acupuncture.

Relating to a study on the feasibility of providing vaccines to first responders deployed to a disaster area.

Relating to the appeal of a censure issued by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.

Relating to the powers of an associate judge in a Title IV-D case.

Relating to the travel, board, and lodging expenses of a person appointed to assist the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.

Relating to orders and judgments rendered by associate judges in child support and child protection cases.

Relating to the terms of the members of the Court Reporters Certification Board.

Relating to civil remedy of violations of certain municipal health and safety ordinances.

Relating to the appointment of a receiver to remedy hazardous properties.

Relating to the authority of the commissioners court of a county to enter into an ad valorem tax abatement agreement.

Relating to the provision of information regarding health care and other benefits for veterans and their family members.

Relating to public meetings for permit applications under the Texas Clean Air Act.

Relating to a court's authority to order a proposed patient to receive extended outpatient mental health services.

Relating to the authority of hospital districts to lease undeveloped real property.

Relating to the sale of surplus or salvage property and firefighting equipment by an emergency services district.

Relating to child support arrearages and a credit based on certain disability payments.

Relating to certain costs and fees in a Title IV-D case.

Relating to the creation of the Prairielands Groundwater Conservation District; providing authority to issue bonds; granting a limited power of eminent domain.

Relating to the calculation by a school district of a high school student's grade point average.

Relating to land reclamation projects using tires.

Relating to the assignment of security interests in certain collateral.

Relating to the applicability of certain municipal home-rule charter provisions on actions relating to the issuance of public securities by a home-rule municipality.

Relating to certain restrictions on the composition of a tax increment financing reinvestment zone.

Relating to the organization, duties, and functions of the Texas Veterans Commission.

Relating to requiring the corroboration of certain testimony to support a criminal conviction.

Relating to the use of state hotel occupancy tax revenue to clean and maintain beaches in certain municipalities.

Relating to the authority of the Matagorda County Hospital District of Matagorda County, Texas, to lease property.

Relating to safety requirements for public swimming pools and other artificial bodies of water.

Relating to municipal regulation of the discharge of firearms and certain other weapons; providing a criminal penalty.

Relating to return-to-work coordination services and a return-to-work reimbursement program for employers participating in the workers' compensation system.

Relating to immunity from liability for doctors performing certain services at the request of the division of workers' compensation of the Texas Department of Insurance.

Relating to providing an exemption from the administration of certain assessment instruments for certain public school students who are asylees or refugees.

Relating to the automatic expunction of arrest records and files after an individual receives a pardon or a grant of certain other relief with respect to the offense for which the individual was arrested.

Relating to the membership of the Advisory Board on Cosmetology.

Relating to the fund for veterans' assistance.

Relating to the allocation of revenue from the state hotel tax for certain purposes in certain municipalities.

Relating to the regulation of retail installment contracts for commercial vehicles.

Relating to debt cancellation agreements offered in connection with motor vehicle retail installment contracts.

Relating to the creation and duties of the state energy savings performance contract advisory council.

Relating to access to criminal history record information by the Texas Veterans Commission.

Relating to the establishment of a smart growth policy work group and the development of a smart growth policy for this state.

The following bills were removed from the Local and Uncontested Bills Calendar:

Relating to powers of the Port of Corpus Christi Authority of Nueces County, Texas, pertaining to land in and adjacent to Naval Station Ingleside.

Relating to the election and terms of office of directors of the Guadalupe County Groundwater Conservation District.

Relating to including certain veterans service organizations as small businesses for the purpose of state contracting.

Committee referral on the following:

Relating to creating the health care access fund to recruit health care providers in health professional shortage areas and to support federally-qualified health centers and to using for those purposes revenue from a tax imposed on certain tobacco products.

Health & Human Services

Relating to the creation of the League City Improvement District; providing authority to impose an assessment, impose a tax, and issue bonds.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to the creation of the Red River Groundwater Conservation District; providing authority to issue bonds.

Natural Resources

Relating to a study of the availability and sustainability of groundwater in the Hays Trinity Groundwater Conservation District; providing funds for the study.

Natural Resources

Relating to participation and credit in, contributions to, benefits from, and administration of the Texas County and District Retirement System.

State Affairs

Relating to the composition of the jury in certain adjudication hearings in juvenile court.

Jurisprudence

Relating to the award of stipends to nationally certified classroom teachers under the educator excellence awards program.

Education

Relating to eligibility requirements for a beginning police department position in certain municipalities under municipal civil service.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to competitive procurement and change order requirements for local governments.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to certain procedures for forwarding a warrant of arrest or a complaint in a criminal case.

Criminal Justice

Relating to information required to be provided to parents of an infant.

Health & Human Services

Relating to the establishment of a volunteer-supported decision-making advocate pilot program for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities and persons with other cognitive disabilities.

Health & Human Services

Relating to the practice of veterinarians in certain mercantile establishments.

Natural Resources

Relating to review of certain license examinations for insurance agents.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the election and terms of office of directors of the Guadalupe County Groundwater Conservation District.

Natural Resources

Relating to the distribution of proceeds from the sale of forfeited property in a criminal case.

Criminal Justice

Relating to the designation by the commissioner of the General Land Office of critical coastal erosion areas for purposes of the coastal erosion response plan.

Natural Resources

Relating to the holidays for members of fire and police departments in certain municipalities.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to the authority of the General Land Office to undertake coastal erosion studies and projects in conjunction with qualified project partners.

Natural Resources

Relating to a specialty insurance agent license for certain vendors of portable electronic devices.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the procedure for claiming an exemption from ad valorem taxation for a motor vehicle used for the production of income and for personal activities.

Finance

Relating to the eligibility of certain nonprofit wildlife conservation associations to conduct charitable raffles.

State Affairs

Relating to the coordination and administration of the Texas Career Opportunity Grant Program.

Economic Development

Relating to the management and control of certain utility systems.

International Relations & Trade

Relating to the registration with the Texas Department of Insurance of certain contract examiners.

Business & Commerce

Committee re-referral on the following:

Relating to creating the health care access fund to recruit health care providers in health professional shortage areas and to support federally-qualified health centers and to using for those purposes revenue from a tax imposed on certain tobacco products.

Re-referred from Health & Human Services to Finance