SENATE FLOOR ACTION

Monday

April 27, 2009

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

Relating to the eligibility of certain postdoctoral fellows and graduate students to participate in health benefit programs at public institutions of higher education.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the prosecution, punishment, and prevention of offenses involving trafficking of persons or certain forced or sex-based labor or services, law enforcement training relating to the trafficking of persons, and the creation of the trafficking of persons investigation and prosecution account in the general revenue fund.

Relating to certain peace officers commissioned by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy.

Relating to the creation of a pilot program to improve curricula alignment between junior colleges and general academic teaching institutions for engineering degree programs.

Relating to the responsibility of oil and gas well operators with regard to plugging inactive oil or gas wells and to ensuring the proper connection of electric lines.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to notification of an applicant for admission to a general academic teaching institution regarding the availability of degree programs in the applicant's preferred major field of study offered by other institutions.

Relating to the time for bringing an action on a consumer debt.

Relating to child support liens on real property.

Relating to prohibition of certain practices by owners of developments supported with low income housing tax credit allocations.

Relating to the administration of and eligibility for the Joint Admissions Medical Program.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to coverage of drivers under a personal automobile insurance policy.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the confidentiality of information and documents collected, developed, or produced during a school district security audit.

Relating to certain constitutionally dedicated funds allocated to the Lamar Institute of Technology and to the administration of that institution.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to limiting the liability of space flight entities.

Relating to the implementation of and incentives for projects involving the capture, transportation, injection, sequestration, geologic storage, or abatement of carbon dioxide; providing for the issuance of bonds.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the management, operation, and review of groundwater conservation districts.

2 Floor Amendments

Relating to the repayment of certain education loans for licensed physicians and dentists.

3 Floor Amendments

Relating to the change of the name of Texas A&M University--Kingsville to Texas A&I University.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the authorization of certain nonemergency ambulance services under the Medicaid program.

Relating to the creation of the North Texas Trauma and Burn Authority in Trauma Service Area E.

Relating to the use of certain professional titles by interior designers.

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

Relating to the creation of district courts in certain counties.

Relating to filing fees for civil actions or proceedings in a district, county, justice, or small claims court.

Relating to the confidentiality of certain travel vouchers submitted by certain peace officers.

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

Relating to the persons exempted from the required prepayment of the personnel costs incurred by a governmental body in responding to requests from a requestor under the public information law that require large amounts of personnel time.

The Senate adopted the following resolutions:

Congratulating the members of the Episcopal Day School Leopards United Football Club for winning the Under 9 division of the Rio Grande Valley Soccer Championship.

Designating April 27, 2009, as Social Work Day at the State Capitol.

Committee referral on the following:

Relating to the creation of the Rowlett Downtown Management District; providing authority to impose a tax, levy an assessment, and issue bonds.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to the creation of the Rowlett Pecan Grove Management District; providing authority to impose a tax, levy an assessment, and issue bonds.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to the creation of the Rowlett Waterfront Entertainment Management District; providing authority to impose a tax, levy an assessment, and issue bonds.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to the creation of an additional county court at law in Kaufman County.

Jurisprudence

Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the governor to grant one or more reprieves in a capital case.

Criminal Justice

Relating to the collateralization of certain public funds and to custodians with which certain pledged securities may be deposited; providing administrative penalties.

Finance

Relating to the applicability of certain city requirements affecting the restraint of certain dogs on annexed or otherwise acquired property used for agricultural operations.

Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Relating to the punishment for theft of certain aluminum, bronze, or copper materials.

Criminal Justice

Relating to use of school district resources for athletic or instructional facilities.

Education

Relating to school bus emergency evacuation training.

Transportation & Homeland Security

Relating to classifying elk and elk hybrids as livestock under the Agriculture Code.

Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Relating to requirements for expedited credentialing of certain physicians by managed care plans.

State Affairs

Relating to expunction of a notice of lis pendens.

Jurisprudence

Relating to the dismissal of a charge of unlawfully parking a vehicle in a space designated specifically for persons with disabilities.

Transportation & Homeland Security

Relating to the disposition of excess proceeds of a tax sale of real property or foreclosure of a tax lien on real property.

Finance

Relating to the regulation of employer-based day-care facilities.

Health & Human Services

Relating to the contents of a receipt issued for payment of a good or service; providing a civil penalty.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the voter registration of a person who submits a federal postcard application to vote in an election.

State Affairs

Relating to the electronic transmission of a federal postcard application used for voting.

State Affairs

Relating to law enforcement and judicial procedures for, and the prosecution of, children who engage in conduct constituting public intoxication.

Criminal Justice

Relating to informing the parents and guardians of certain children about the availability of the child health plan and medical assistance programs.

State Affairs

Relating to the name of the Crime Stoppers Advisory Council.

Criminal Justice

Relating to mileage reimbursement for state employees.

Government Organization

Relating to certain services provided by the office of injured employee counsel under the workers' compensation program of this state.

State Affairs

Relating to a retired status license for an optometrist or therapeutic optometrist practicing voluntary charity care.

Health & Human Services

Relating to fall prevention awareness.

Health & Human Services

Relating to the jurisdiction of a court over a child in the managing conservatorship of the state after the child's 18th birthday.

Health & Human Services

Relating to certain content requirements for signs used to identify the location of a polling place during a primary election.

State Affairs

Relating to the provision of services to certain individuals with developmental disabilities by a state school or state center.

Health & Human Services

Relating to certain offenses that involve impersonating a peace officer or other public servant and misrepresenting the nature of certain property.

Criminal Justice

Relating to the recusal or disqualification of a statutory probate court judge and subsequent assignment of another judge.

Jurisprudence

Relating to supplemental payments made to certain statutory probate court judges.

Jurisprudence

Relating to Internet broadcasts of open meetings held by the State Board of Education.

Education

Relating to registration exemptions for certain foreign commercial motor vehicles.

Transportation & Homeland Security

Relating to the imposition of conditions on and access to case records regarding a child adjudicated of having engaged in conduct that constitutes the commission of a hate crime.

State Affairs

Relating to the abolition of the Texas Incentive and Productivity Commission and the state employee incentive program.

Government Organization

Relating to the terminology used to describe certain judicial officers.

Jurisprudence

Relating to the purchase of library goods and services by public junior colleges.

Higher Education

Relating to a criminal history evaluation letter determining occupational license eligibility.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the use of crossbows for hunting.

Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Relating to the authority of a county to regulate the installation and use of lighting in certain areas.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to the use of certain state property transferred from the state to Spindletop MHMR Services.

Health & Human Services

Relating to the determination of the market value of a residence homestead for purposes of ad valorem taxation.

Finance

Relating to the appellate process for the community development block grant program.

Economic Development

Relating to requiring posting of certain information regarding nursing homes and related institutions on the Department of Aging and Disability Services website.

Health & Human Services

Relating to shipment of wine to ultimate consumers.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the appointment of election judges.

State Affairs

Relating to local regulation of distance requirements for the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages near certain establishments.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the creation of the Starr County Drainage District.

Natural Resources

Relating to the collection of administrative fees by the commissioners courts of certain counties.

Criminal Justice

Relating to the information about certain candidates required to be filed with the secretary of state.

State Affairs

Relating to optional flexible school day program courses offered by school districts to enable students to earn course credit under certain circumstances.

Education

Relating to titles by which certain officers of a defense base development authority may be known.

S/C on Base Realignment and Closure

Relating to service records of professional staff employed by school districts and payment of compensation based on those records.

Education

Relating to the establishment and use of a columbarium by a church.

Health & Human Services

Relating to the minimum patient age for administration of an influenza vaccination by a pharmacist.

Health & Human Services

Relating to capital stock and surplus requirements for certain insurance companies.

Business & Commerce

Relating to including information on sudden infant death syndrome in a resource pamphlet for parents of newborn children.

Health & Human Services

Relating to the licensing and regulation of health-related pest control by the Department of Agriculture.

Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Relating to the requirement that electric utilities create and implement a plan for infrastructure improvement and maintenance.

Business & Commerce

Relating to requiring the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to establish a comprehensive reentry and reintegration plan for offenders released or discharged from a correctional facility.

Criminal Justice

Relating to the proceedings that may be referred to and the powers of a criminal law magistrate in Bexar County.

Criminal Justice

Relating to compensation of persons wrongfully imprisoned.

State Affairs

Relating to the reserve requirements for credit life and credit accident and health insurance.

State Affairs

Relating to the licensing of occupational therapists.

Health & Human Services

Relating to judicial instruction for judges who hear complaints against children alleging violations of certain misdemeanor offenses.

Jurisprudence

Relating to mobile food units in certain municipalities.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to service of process for delinquent taxes on a nonresident.

Jurisprudence

Relating to the use of laser sighting devices by hunters who have certain documented disabilities.

Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Relating to proceedings in a statutory probate court during the judge's absence.

Jurisprudence

Relating to minimum habitability standards for multi-family rental buildings in certain municipalities; providing a penalty.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to the use of certain terms by certificated telecommunications utilities, retail electric providers, and electric utilities in retail bills.

Business & Commerce

Relating to changing the name of the Office of Rural Community Affairs to the Texas Department of Rural Affairs.

Government Organization

Relating to the maturity dates of certain annuities.

State Affairs

Relating to eliminating the limitation on lottery advertising expenses based on the lottery prize payout percentage.

State Affairs

Relating to the authority of certain municipalities to use tax revenue for certain venue projects.

Economic Development

Relating to the Chronic Kidney Disease Task Force.

Health & Human Services

Relating to enhancing penalties for assaulting a family member by strangulation or suffocation.

Criminal Justice

Relating to the reporting of certain inventories for ad valorem tax purposes; providing penalties.

Finance

Relating to the powers and duties of the Harris County Municipal Utility District No. 403; providing authority to impose a tax and issue bonds; granting a limited power of eminent domain.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to the establishment of additional job incentive programs by the Texas Workforce Commission using the skills development fund.

Economic Development

Relating to the exemptions from fees imposed by a municipal storm water utility on certain property in certain counties.

International Relations & Trade

Relating to the establishment of a workgroup to study and make recommendations on the integration of health and behavioral health services.

Health & Human Services

Relating to protective orders against family violence.

Jurisprudence

Relating to possession by certain alcoholic beverage permit holders of certain alcoholic beverages for cooking purposes.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the regulation of staff leasing services.

Business & Commerce

Relating to extending the high school innovation grant initiative to middle and junior high schools.

Education

Relating to creating a task force to develop uniform standards for subdivisions in the unincorporated areas of counties near the international border and in economically distressed counties.

International Relations & Trade

Relating to laboratory tests measuring kidney function.

Health & Human Services

Relating to the limitations period for certain disciplinary actions against title insurance companies.

Business & Commerce

Relating to financing of water and wastewater connections and plumbing improvements in economically distressed areas.

International Relations & Trade

Relating to scholarships for fifth-year accounting students.

Higher Education

Relating to the repeal of the authority for the establishment and administration of the Border Health Institute in the city of El Paso.

International Relations & Trade

Relating to the payment of a lottery prize awarded to a minor.

State Affairs

Relating to authorization to make an audio recording of a meeting or proceeding arising from a grievance reported by a public school employee.

Education

Relating to excused absences in public schools for students visiting institutions of higher education.

Education

Relating to the evaluation of highway or other mobility projects as toll projects by the Texas Department of Transportation.

Transportation & Homeland Security

Relating to registration for evacuation and disaster preparedness for clients of home and community support services agencies.

S/C on Flooding & Evacuations

Relating to the regulation of stipulated premium insurance companies.

State Affairs

Relating to independent audits of insurer financial statements and insurer internal controls.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the authority of a veterinarian to fill certain prescriptions in an emergency.

Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Relating to the expansion of the boundaries of the Cibolo Creek Municipal Authority.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to the establishment of a fuel mitigation pilot grant program for fire departments.

Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Relating to animal shelter standards; providing a civil penalty.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to charges at closing of certain real property transactions.

Business & Commerce

Relating to insurance charters and certificates of authority.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the establishment and operation of the unauthorized insurance guaranty fund.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the regulation of premium rates for long-term care insurance.

State Affairs

Relating to disposition of proceeds from the development or sale of the rights to natural resources or minerals in land held by Webb County for the county permanent school fund.

Intergovernmental Relations

Directing the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Texas Education Agency to educate parents of adolescent Texans regarding the importance of adolescents' receiving regular physical exams and updated immunizations.

Health & Human Services

Urging the U.S. Congress to increase COPS grants for smaller communities and less populated counties in the South Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area.

Criminal Justice