SENATE FLOOR ACTION

Thursday

April 14, 2011

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

Proposing a constitutional amendment to change the length of the unexpired term that causes the automatic resignation of certain elected county or district officeholders if they become candidates for another office.

2 Floor Amendments

Relating to certification to teach public school students who have visual impairments.

Relating to the adoption of certain voting procedures and to certain elections, including procedures necessary to implement the federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act, deadlines for declaration of candidacy and dates for certain elections, and to terms of certain elected officials.

3 Floor Amendments

Relating to developing a developmental education plan for students entering public institutions of higher education.

Relating to exempting persons who are convicted of certain sexual offenses from registering as a sex offender in this state.

Relating to an alcohol awareness component of the science curriculum used in public schools.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the creation of the offense of electronic transmission of certain visual material depicting a minor and to certain educational programs concerning the prevention and awareness of that offense.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the continuation and functions of the State Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; providing an administrative penalty.

Relating to objective assessment processes for and appropriate provision of acute nursing services and certain other services provided under the Medicaid program.

Relating to the authority of the Travis County Healthcare District to make capital or financial contributions to certain public institutions or charitable organizations.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the offense of escape from custody by a person lawfully detained.

Relating to the creation of a cybersecurity, education, and economic development council.

Relating to the practice of certain professions regulated under the Occupations Code.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the regulation of barbers and cosmetologists.

Relating to the elimination of certain required reports prepared by state agencies and institutions of higher education and other obsolete provisions of law.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to contributions to the fund for veterans' assistance.

Relating to certain evidence in a prosecution of fraud or theft involving Medicaid or Medicare benefits and to certain criminal procedures involving offenses in general.

Relating to the use of the fund for veterans' assistance.

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

Relating to energy efficiency programs in institutions of higher education and certain governmental entities.

Relating to ad valorem tax lien transfers.

Relating to emergency service districts.

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

Relating to the establishment of the judicial access and improvement account to provide funding for basic civil legal services, indigent defense, and judicial technical support through certain county service fees and court costs imposed to fund the account.

The Senate adopted the following resolutions:

Recognizing April 14, 2011, as Houston County Day at the Capitol.

Recognizing April 14, 2011, as Willacy County Day at the State Capitol.

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

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

Relating to certain facilities and care providers, including providers under the state Medicaid program; providing penalties.

Relating to reporting individual student performance on a physical fitness assessment instrument to the Texas Education Agency.

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

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

Relating to community land trusts.

Relating to payment of costs of improvements of a public improvement district designated by a municipality or county.

Relating to notice by a governmental entity regarding certain geospatial data products.

Relating to the collection of unpaid tolls by a regional tollway authority.

Relating to an exception to disclosure under the public information law concerning officers and employees of a hospital district.

Relating to the required public notice of the names of a certain number of finalists for the position of superintendent of a public school district.

Relating to contracts between dentists and health maintenance organizations or insurers.

Relating to the use of facsimile signatures for certain documents involving certain municipalities.

Relating to the reporting of health care-associated infections and preventable adverse events.

Relating to management of certain metropolitan rapid transit authorities.

Relating to the confidentiality of certain identifying information regarding students of career schools or colleges and other educational entities; providing a criminal penalty.

Relating to a court order for the possession of or access to a child under three years of age.

Relating to the election of the board of directors of the Crockett County Water Control and Improvement District No. 1.

Relating to the authority of certain hospital districts to contract for the performance of administrative functions and services.

Relating to certain state attorneys called into active duty military service.

Relating to the ad valorem taxation of manufactured homes.

Relating to notice by sign requirement for sexually oriented businesses.

Relating to the eligibility of employees convicted of certain offenses to provide services under a contract with a public school.

Relating to authorizing counties to finance the acquisition of conservation easements.

Relating to the lease of certain state parking facilities to other persons.

Relating to strategic partnerships for the continuation of certain water districts annexed by a municipality.

Relating to the exchange of confidential information among certain governmental entities concerning certain juveniles.

Relating to state agency procurement and the comptroller's procurement powers and duties.

Relating to payment by a water control and improvement district for certain damages caused by the district's operation of a sanitary sewer system.

Relating to the nonsubstantive revision of certain local laws concerning special districts, including conforming amendments.

Relating to the certification of the state's primary standards of weights and measures.

Relating to the reduction and confirmation of child support arrearages and an incentive program to encourage payment of arrearages.

Relating to the board of directors of the Greater East End Management District.

Relating to applications for appeal filed with an appellate court.

Relating to the public information law.

Relating to tuition rates and formula funding for certain nonresident students enrolled at Texas A&M University--Texarkana.

Relating to the issuance of a driver's license to a peace officer that includes an alternative to the officer's residence address.

Relating to the confidentiality of information obtained by a compliance office of an institution of higher education.

Relating to the membership, powers, and duties of the State Preservation Board.

Relating to the lease of property or hospital facilities by certain hospital districts.

Relating to authorizing certain border counties and municipalities in those counties to regulate land development; providing a penalty.

Relating to the enforcement of subdivision platting requirements in certain counties near the international border of this state.

Relating to authorizing open-enrollment charter schools to be awarded academic distinction designations.

Relating to the election of directors of the Real-Edwards Conservation and Reclamation District.

Relating to the liability of a volunteer health care practitioner who conducts a physical examination or medical screening of a student athlete.

Relating to the addition of a county to a freight rail district.

Relating to certain comprehensive development agreements of regional mobility authorities.

Relating to certain comprehensive development agreements of regional mobility authorities.

Relating to the Fannin County Juvenile Board.

Relating to the appointment of bailiffs in certain county criminal courts of Tarrant County.

Committee referral on the following:

Proposing a constitutional amendment clarifying that a tax imposed on certain business entities is not subject to Section 24, Article VIII, Texas Constitution, and imposing certain limitations on the computation of a tax imposed on a business entity.

Finance

Relating to the definition of a governmental body for the purposes of the open meetings and public information laws.

Open Government, Select

Relating to the provision of emergency services in certain rural counties using admission fees charged at state parks.

Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Relating to the imposition by certain municipalities and municipal transit departments of the local sales and use tax in certain federal military installations.

Finance

Relating to the purposes and designation of a transportation reinvestment zone.

Transportation & Homeland Security

Relating to certain notices sent by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

Administration

Relating to change order approval requirements for certain political subdivisions of the state.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to the taking of certain feral hogs and coyotes using a helicopter.

Natural Resources

Relating to the authority of certain hospital districts to contract for the performance of administrative functions and services.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to certain defenses to prosecution for the offense of sale, distribution, or display of harmful material to a minor.

Criminal Justice

Relating to certain temporary orders in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship during a parent's military deployment.

Jurisprudence

Relating to the first day of instruction in certain school districts that provide additional days of instruction financed with local funds.

Education

Relating to the applicability of the constitutional limit on state debt payable from the general revenues of the state to bonds issued by the Texas Water Development Board.

Finance

Relating to the continuation and functions of the State Soil and Water Conservation Board.

Government Organization

Relating to certain criminal and civil consequences of trafficking of persons, compelling prostitution, and certain other related criminal offenses and to the prevention, prosecution, and punishment of those offenses.

Criminal Justice

Relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas Racing Commission, the abolishment of the Equine Research Account Advisory Committee, and the authority of Texas AgriLife Research; providing an administrative penalty.

Government Organization

Relating to the regulation of plumbing.

Business & Commerce