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The next legislative session of the Texas Legislature is set to begin January 13, 2015. The legislature meets in regular sessions every two years, beginning at noon on the second Tuesday of odd numbered years. A regular legislative session lasts for 140 consecutive days.
The incoming representatives and senators were able to begin filing legislation for the 84th session on November 10th. As of this writing, there have been 751 bills filed, a few of which I will discuss this week.
House Bill 306 would prohibit a state governmental entity from providing education or health benefits or services at no cost to a person who is not lawfully present in the United States, unless required by federal law. Each year, the comptroller would determine the total amount spent during the previous state fiscal year by all governmental entities to provide to persons not lawfully present in the United States education and health benefits and services required by federal law. Based on this information, the comptroller would be required to issue a written request to the United States Congress for reimbursement of the cost of providing to persons not lawfully present in the United States education and health benefits and services required by federal law during the previous year.
HB 312 would require the secretary of state develop a program to allow a person with a valid driver's license or personal identification card issued in this state to complete a voter registration application over the Internet. An applicant for electronic voter registration would be required to attest to the truth of the information provided on the application and consent to the use of the address and signature on the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card for voter registration purposes. A copy of the applicant's digital signature would be obtained from the Department of Public Safety. The secretary of state would be required to provide for additional security measures necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of applications submitted electronically.
I encourage you to log on to www.capitol.state.tx.us and to view the legislation that has already been pre-filed. Please contact me regarding any legislation of interest to you. You can contact me by writing to P.O. Box 2910, Austin, TX 78768-2910 or by e-mailing me at larry.phillips@house.state.tx.us.