As we enter the last two days of the third called special session, the members have been working all weekend into the wee morning hours of the morning. It appears the two Houses are coming into agreement on “must pass” items. I think it’s safe to say that everyone is ready to go home to their families, their jobs, and their districts. Once there, they will also need to upstart their campaigns for re-election, just as soon we are done. (That is if they are running again… more on that later…)
The question of a fourth called special session will be easier to answer by midnight on Tuesday night. Stay Tuned!
The Must Pass Bills
Texas Senate and House Redistricting Maps are DONE! Congressional maps are still pending changes between the House and Senate. Covid Funding from the Feds (roughly $16 billion) was completed and now awaits conference committee action in order to “iron out” the difference in each house’s version. These were the “must do’ items for a fall Session. Other items like property tax reform are in conference committee as well.
Vaccination legislation– has resulted in a disagreement between Republicans and business groups on vaccination requirements for employers. It really heated up this past week with SB 51. Today the Texas Senate is set to take it up on the Senate Floor. Business groups have come out strongly against a ban on vaccine requirements for Employers. Business sees the issue as an intrusion into the liberty of employers to operate their business as they see fit. Those in favor of the legislation see it as an intrusion into the liberty of individuals they are trying to protect. And potential lawsuits on business hang in the air during this debate as well … Much more to follow on this!
Political Prognosis
As the political season is set to begin – below is a comprehensive list of lawmakers coming and going in the next season – with likely more to follow.
Texas Attorney General
Attorney General Ken Paxton
George P. Bush
Justice Eva Guzman
Joe Jaworski
Matt Krause
Lee Merritt
Texas GOP Chairman
David Covey
Matt Rinaldi
Chad Wilbanks
Governor
Governor Greg Abbott
James Huffines
Allen West
Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick
Matthew Dowd
Comptroller
Comptroller Glen Hegar
Agriculture Commissioner
Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller
Representative James White
General Lands Commissioner
Senator Dawn Buckingham
Railroad Commissioner
Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian
Not Returning to the Texas House
Michelle Beckley (D) District 65
Celia Israel (D) District 50
Phil King (R) District 61
Matt Krause (R) District 93
Ben Leman (R) District 13
Eddie Lucio III (D) District 38
Jim Murphy (R) District 133
Leo Pacheco (D) District 118
Chris Paddie (R) District 9
Tan Parker (R) District 63
Scott Sanford (R) District 70
John Turner (D) District 114
James White (R) District 19
Seeking Reelection to the Texas House
Speaker Dade Phelan (R) District 21
Cecil Bell (R) District 3
Keith Bell (R) District 4
Travis Clardy (R) District 11
David Cook (R) District 96
Jay Dean (R) District 7
Charlie Geren (R) District 99
Craig Goldman (R) District 97
Mary Gonzalez (D) District 75
Bobby Guerra (D) District 41
Abel Herrero (D) District 34
Justin Holland (R) District 33
Will Metcalf (R) District 16
Joe Moody (D) District 78
Tom Oliverson (R) District 130
Evelina Ortega (D) District 77
Hugh Shine (R) District 55
Lynn Stucky (R) District 64
Ed Thompson (R) District 29
Terry Wilson (R) District 20
Not Returning to the Texas Senate
Dawn Buckingham (R) District 24
Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D) District 27
Jane Nelson (R) District 12
Seeking Reelection to the Texas Senate
Paul Bettencourt (R) District 7
Brian Birdwell (R) District 22
Donna Campbell (R) District 25
Brandon Creighton (R) District 4
Kelly Hancock (R) District 9
Chuy Hinojosa (D) District 20
Joan Huffman (R) District 17
Lois Kolkhorst (R) District 18
Robert Nichols (R) District 3
Charles Perry (R) District 28
Charles Schwertner (R) District 5
Drew Springer (R) District 30
Larry Taylor (R) District 11
John Whitmire (D) District 15
On the Move
Stormy Bradley for the Texas Senate
Phil King for the Texas Senate
Tan Parker for the Texas Senate
November Elections
With a big voting date just around the corner, take a minute to refresh your memory on some key constitutional amendments our lawmakers passed this year that need your vote. Voting day is November 2, 2021!
Proposition 1 (HJR 143): The constitutional amendment authorizing the professional sports team charitable foundations of organizations sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association or the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association to conduct charitable raffles at rodeo venues.
Proposition 2 (HJR 99): The constitutional amendment authorizing a county to finance the development or redevelopment of transportation or infrastructure in unproductive, underdeveloped, or blighted areas in the county.
Proposition 3 (SJR 27): The constitutional amendment to prohibit this state or a political subdivision of this state from prohibiting or limiting religious services of religious organizations.
Proposition 4 (SJR 47): The constitutional amendment changing the eligibility requirements for a justice of the supreme court, a judge of the court of criminal appeals, a justice of a court of appeals, and a district judge.
Proposition 5 (HJR 165): The constitutional amendment providing additional powers to the State Commission on Judicial Conduct with respect to candidates for judicial office.
Proposition 6 (SJR 19): The constitutional amendment establishing a right for residents of certain facilities to designate an essential caregiver for in-person visitation.
Proposition 7 (HJR 125): The constitutional amendment to allow the surviving spouse of a person who is disabled to receive a limitation on the school district ad valorem taxes on the spouse’s residence homestead if the spouse is 55 years of age or older at the time of the person’s death.
Proposition 8 (SJR 35): The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a member of the armed services of the United States who is killed or fatally injured in the line of duty.
For more information and resources for voting in Texas, visit VoteTexas.gov.
Until next time,
Lara Laneri Keel
President, LLK, LLC.