SENATE FLOOR ACTION

Wednesday

May 4, 2011

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

Relating to authorizing the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas to operate one or more southbound vehicle checkpoints near the international border of this state for the purpose of preventing certain criminal offenses.

Relating to the curriculum that must be provided by a disciplinary alternative education program.

Relating to notice required in connection with possessory liens on motor vehicles.

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

Relating to the age until which juveniles placed on determinate sentence probation may be on probation.

Relating to the deadline for filing a suit to compel an appraisal review board to change an appraisal roll.

Relating to the right to a new hearing before an appraisal review board following a failure to attend a hearing.

Relating to developmental education courses and the assessment of student readiness under the Texas Success Initiative for public institutions of higher education.

Relating to a grant program to support the prosecution of certain crimes.

Relating to the powers and duties of and contributions to and benefits from the systems and programs administered by the Employees Retirement System of Texas.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to procedures for establishment, modification, and enforcement of child support obligations.

1 Floor Amendment

The Senate laid out and finally passed:

General Appropriations Bill.

Committee report printed and distributed 01:40 PM, 04/21/11

1 Floor Amendment

The Senate adopted the following resolutions:

Commending the Justin Ford Kimball High School boys basketball team on winning the 2011 University Interscholastic League Class 4A state championship.

Recognizing May 4, 2011, as Texas Environmental Excellence Awards Day at the State Capitol.

Commending Martha L. Valencia on her many contributions to the citizens of South Texas.

Recognizing October of 2011 as Inflammatory Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Recognizing May 4, 2011, as United Technologies Corporation Legislative Day at the State Capitol.

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

Committee referral on the following:

Expressing the legislature's support for the construction of a monument to African American Texans on the grounds of the State Capitol at the location approved by the State Preservation Board for a Juneteenth monument.

Administration

Relating to an African American Texans memorial monument on the Capitol grounds.

Administration

Relating to the issuance of specialty license plates to certain family members of a person who dies while serving in the United States armed forces.

Transportation & Homeland Security

Relating to a fee collected by a district clerk for certain certified copies.

Jurisprudence

Relating to the continuing issuance of freshwater fishing stamps by the Parks and Wildlife Department.

Agriculture & Rural Affairs

Relating to the authority of certain local governmental entities to borrow money for a public hospital.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to the Rankin County Hospital District.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to the de-annexation of land in Bastrop County by the Barton Springs-Edwards Aquifer Conservation District.

Natural Resources

Relating to a probate fee exemption for estates of certain law enforcement officers, firefighters, and others killed in the line of duty.

Jurisprudence

Relating to proper venue for certain criminal prosecutions of mortgage fraud.

Jurisprudence

Relating to retainage under certain construction contracts.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the purchase of plastic bulk merchandise containers by certain businesses; providing a civil penalty.

Natural Resources

Relating to the type of newspaper required for publication of notice in certain counties.

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to the designation of State Highway 20 as a historic highway.

Transportation & Homeland Security

Relating to the county ethics commission for certain counties.

International Relations & Trade

Relating to critical incident stress management and crisis response services.

Transportation & Homeland Security

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

Jurisprudence

Relating to enforcement of laws related to water safety.

Transportation & Homeland Security

Relating to certain violations of and offenses under The Securities Act; providing penalties.

Business & Commerce

Relating to access to a child's medical records by the child's attorney ad litem, guardian ad litem, or amicus attorney.

Jurisprudence

Relating to cemeteries and perpetual care cemetery corporations; providing a penalty.

Business & Commerce

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

Open Government, Select

Relating to the purchasing powers and duties of a navigation district or port authority.

Transportation & Homeland Security

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

Finance

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

Intergovernmental Relations

Relating to prepaid funeral benefits contracts and the prepaid funeral contract guaranty fund.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the creation of guidelines for the Office of the State Demographer to encourage the inclusion of a broad variety of racial/ethnic groups in estimates and projections.

State Affairs

Relating to the designation of the El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail as a historic highway.

Transportation & Homeland Security

Relating to regulations concerning certain service animals; providing a criminal penalty.

Business & Commerce

Relating to the regulation of certain telecommunicators; providing penalties.

Transportation & Homeland Security

Requesting the lieutenant governor and the speaker to create a joint interim committee to study the benefits, including health insurance, retirement programs, and other benefits, of active and retired state employees.

State Affairs

Committee re-referral on the following:

Relating to the duties and responsibilities of certain county officials and the functions of county government.

Re-referred from Intergovernmental Relations to Jurisprudence