SENATE FLOOR ACTION

Thursday

April 20, 2017

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

Proposing a constitutional amendment limiting the service of certain officeholders after the expiration of the person's term of office.

Proposing a constitutional amendment prohibiting a tax on the sale or purchase of water at wholesale.

Proposing a constitutional amendment establishing a lower amount for expenses that can be charged to a borrower and removing certain financing expense limitations for a home equity loan, establishing certain authorized lenders to make a home equity loan, changing certain options for the refinancing of home equity loans, changing the threshold for an advance of a home equity line of credit, and allowing home equity loans on agricultural homesteads.

Relating to civil liability for removing certain individuals or animals from a motor vehicle and criminal liability for removing certain animals from a motor vehicle.

2 Floor Amendments

Relating to the administrative closure of certain reported cases of child abuse or neglect made to the Department of Family and Protective Services.

Relating to a parent's right to view the body of a deceased child before an autopsy is performed.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the creation of a grant program to reduce recidivism, arrest, and incarceration of individuals with mental illness.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the continuation and functions of the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners; authorizing a reduction in fees; providing penalties.

Relating to eligibility of surviving spouses of disabled veterans for specialty license plates.

Relating to state agency contracting and procurement.

Relating to the distribution of universal service funds to certain small and rural incumbent local exchange companies.

Relating to a study by the Texas Department of Transportation of the feasibility of certain improvements to Interstate Highway 27.

Relating to franchises granted by navigation districts.

Relating to the licensing of certain facilities, homes, and agencies that provide child-care services.

Relating to the prosecution of criminal offenses regarding unauthorized recordings.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the authority of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles over real property and to the transfer of specific property from the Texas Department of Transportation.

Relating to the use of habitual toll violator remedies by certain toll project entities.

Relating to eligibility for support from the universal service fund.

Relating to preauthorization and concurrent review of certain health care services under the workers' compensation system.

Relating to the eligibility of certain victims of trafficking of persons for an order of nondisclosure.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to mental health first aid training for university employees.

Relating to the liability of a person who allows handguns to be carried on property owned, controlled, or managed by the person.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the creation of the offense of theft of petroleum products.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to prescription drug benefits in the Medicaid managed care program.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the conduct that constitutes the practice of psychology.

Relating to the resolution of disputes or errors involving the ad valorem taxation of the same property by multiple taxing units of the same type as a result of disputed, overlapping, or erroneously applied boundaries.

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

Proposing a constitutional amendment prohibiting the use of state funds to pay for the obligations of a local public retirement system.

Relating to the authority and liability of owners and managers of apartment houses, manufactured home rental communities, condominiums, and multiple use facilities in charging tenants for submetered and nonsubmetered master metered water and wastewater services.

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

Relating to the abolishment of the Office of Immigration and Refugee Affairs and the Governor's Advisory Committee on Immigration and Refugees.

Relating to municipal annexation.

3 Floor Amendments

Relating to a limitation on the amount of attorney's fees awarded in a case assigned to a special three-judge district court.

The Senate adopted the following resolutions:

Recognizing April 20, 2017, as Doctors of Osteopathic Medical Excellence Day and April 16 through 22, 2017, as Texas Osteopathic Medicine Week.

Recognizing the ninth class of the Senator Gregory Luna Legislative Scholars and Fellows Program.

The nominee pending from the March 16, 2017 meeting was confirmed.

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