As we write this, state representatives are debating House Bill 1, the state appropriations act for the next two years. While we watch that thrilling debate on Austin access cable, we are gearing up for next week's "sex offender" day, a second week of cockfighting debates, and more bills to open the prison doors and release inmates early because, doggone it, we just can't afford to keep them locked up anymore. (Seriously—this is not an April Fools' joke.) Sounds exciting, doesn't it? If we could sell tickets and popcorn for the show, we'd be ... well, we'd be as broke as the state is, because who wants to pay to watch a slow-motion G-rated train wreck?

Floor recap

This week, the Senate passed SBs 158 and 159 by Williams (fraudulent drug diversion), SB 331 by Shapiro (fake weed), and SB 377 by Huffman (death penalty for murder of child under 10). Across the rotunda, the House passed HB 215 by Gallego (eyewitness ID reform)—now that House bill goes to the Senate and the Senate bill sits in the House while both chambers fight over whose bill will pass first (ain't politics grand?).

Committee news

The House Elections Committee approved HB 1696 by Zedler (expanding the AG's authority over election fraud cases) ... House State Affairs approved HB 892 by C. Howard (unlawful transport of an illegal alien) ... House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence voted out HB 1072 by Solomons (waiving State Bar dues for attorneys employed by the state), HB 2014 by Thompson (human trafficking), HB 2015 by Thompson (making juvenile prostitution a CINS offense), HB 2294 by Hunter (limiting Declaratory Judgment Act claims), and HB 3000 by Thompson (continuous human trafficking) ... and House Criminal Jurisprudence voted out HB 1106 by Johnson (notice to defendants placed on deferred adjudication) and HB 2725 by Hartnett (incompetency procedures). And over in the Senate, the Senate Criminal Justice Committee voted out SB 1416 by Hinojosa (tire deflation devices).

Scheduled floor debates

Assuming the House members survive today's budget discussion, upon their return on Monday they are scheduled to debate and vote on HB 371 by Hochberg (no deferred adjudication for certain murderers) among other business. Over in the Senate, bills eligible for debate include SB 153 by Huffman (overruling Ivey v. State), SB 170 by Ellis (making the Task Force on Indigent Defense a permanent agency), SB 789 by Harris (extending the duration of certain protective orders), SB 1308 by Seliger (standards for appointed counsel in death penalty cases), and SB 1702 by Williams (creating a money laundering task force in the AG's office).

Committee hearings

Here's a glimpse of what will be considered next week:

Monday, April 4

House Licensing and Administrative Procedures (8:00 a.m., E2.030)

HB 1822 by Harless relating to the withdrawal of security by a bail bond surety
HB 1823 by Harless relating to who can execute bail bonds and act as sureties

Senate Government Organization (9:00 a.m., 2E.20)

SB 653 by Whitmire abolishing TYC and TJPC; creating a new Juvenile Justice Dept.

Senate State Affairs (9:00 a.m., Senate Chamber)

SB 1718 and SJR 45 by Duncan relating to the appointment/retention of state judges

House Homeland Security & Public Safety, Subcommittee on Law Enforcement Issues (1:00 p.m. or upon adjournment, E1.026)

HB 19 by Riddle increasing penalties for operation of a motor vehicle without a license
HB 595 by Raymond increasing the punishment for false identification as a peace officer

Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs (1:30 p.m. or upon adjournment, E1.012)

SB 958 by Wentworth relating to the regulation of dangerous wild animals
SB 1480 by Hegar relating to the regulation of exotic aquatic species

House Elections (2:00 p.m. or upon adjournment, E2.028)

HB 304 by Pena limiting the assistance a person may provide a voter
HB 2589 by Pena increasing the penalty for certain fraudulent acts by a voter registrar
HB 2629 by Branch clarifying certain honorariums offered to/accepted by public servants
HB 3498 by Aliseda increasing the penalty for illegal voting

House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence (2:00 p.m. or upon adjournment, E2.010)

HB 1381 by Madden relating to the service of civil process on a TDCJ inmate
HB 1418 by Hughes relating to inmate litigation
HB 1559 by S. Davis prohibiting the destruction of certain court documents
HB 1771 by Madden establishing the Specialty Courts Advisory Council
HB 1911 by Bonnen limiting the liability for damages arising from training exercises
HB 1985 by S. Turner relating to the collection of court costs, fees, and fines
HB 2976 by Hunter relating to the issuance of a warrant to take physical custody of a child in certain suits affecting the parent-child relationship

Tuesday, April 5

House Licensing and Administrative Procedures (8:00 a.m., E2.012)

HB 1822 by Harless relating to the withdrawal of security by a bail bond surety
HB 2728 by Thompson relating to the operation and regulation of charitable bingo

House Criminal Jurisprudence (10:30 a.m. or upon adjournment, JHR 120) (sex crimes day!)

HB 36 by Menendez increasing the penalty for certain prostitution offenses
HB 649 by Gallego relating to certain protective orders for victims of sexual assault
HB 764 by Lozano authorizing general-law municipalities to impose child safety zones
HB 772 by Riddle cleaning up certain statutory discrepancies relating to sex offenses
HB 867 by Darby limiting eligibility for jury-recommended community supervision
HB 927 by Harper-Brown increasing the punishment for habitual indecent exposure
HB 940 by Dukes expanding the offense of improper relationship between educator/student
HB 1049 by Woolley authorizing evidence of other offenses in certain sex crimes trials
HB 1471 by Miles increasing the penalty prescribed for official oppression
HB 1345 by Veasey relating to the statute of limitations for kidnapping of a minor
HB 3001 by Thompson relating to the electronic monitoring of certain sex offenders
HB 2227 by Coleman expanding hate crimes to include gender identity or expression
HB 604 by Farrar repealing the offense of homosexual conduct
HB 2156 by Coleman repealing the offense of homosexual conduct
HB 1721 by Lucio III relating to protective orders for stalking or sexual assault
HB 2966 by Naishtat relating to the confidentiality of certain communications and records made or collected in reference to certain sexual assault survivors
HB 2993 by Miles increasing penalties for improper sexual activity with an inmate
HB 3 by Thompson imposing life without parole on certain repeat sex offenders
HB 825 by Anchia relating to protective orders for stalking victims
HB 3177 by S. King expanding venue for certain crimes against children
HB 1722 by Lucio III relating to the failure to stop/report certain crimes against a child
HB 3176 by S. King relating to failure to stop/report aggravated sexual assault of a child
HB 1874 by Zedler expanding the offense of improper relationship between educator/student
HB 1909 by Coleman relating to indecency with a child between members of the same sex
HB 3746 by Frullo relating to providing resources to combat crimes against children
HB 1994 by Weber creating a first-offender prostitution prevention program
HB 2019 by McClendon authorizing victim-offender mediation programs for certain property crimes (that do not give prosecutors a role in who enters the program)
HB 2196 by Rodriguez relating to the prosecution of the offense of theft of service
HB 3031 by McClendon creating "shock" deferred adjudication
HB 3077 by Gallego relating to discharging a surety's liability on a bail bond
HB 1070 by Scott relating to the taking of a defendant's bail bond by county jailers
HB 3692 by Gallego authorizing citations for persons with mental illness/incompetency
HB 47 by Pena creating a crime relating to tire deflation devices
HB 3695 by Gallego making confidential certain Class C misdemeanor records of a child
HB 3396 by Hernandez Luna increasing the penalty for breach of computer security
HB 1707 by Gutierrez changing the value ladder for the offense of misdemeanor theft
HB 385 by Menendez relating to theft/fraud committed against a disabled individual

Senate Criminal Justice (1:30 p.m. or upon adjournment, E1.016)

SB 152 by Huffman authorizing evidence of other offenses in sex crimes trials
SB 167 by West relating to expunction after a pardon
SB 348 by Estes relating to the sale or delivery of salvia to a child
SB 496 by Fraser relating to evading arrest or detention in a watercraft
SB 757 by Deuell limiting certain defenses to display of harmful material to a minor
SB 843 by D. Patrick relating to failure to identify after a detention
SB 844 by D. Patrick relating to escape from custody by a person lawfully detained
SB 913 by Estes relating to records regarding over-the-counter sales of certain drugs
SB 939 by Lucio creating an offense for cockfighting
SB 976 by Hinojosa mandating the early release of TDCJ inmates with less than 1 year or 10% of their sentence remaining to be served
SB 1010 by Huffman providing a victim with notice of a plea bargain agreement
SB 1014 by W. Davis, relating to time during which prisoners may be released from jails
SB 1055 by Carona authorizing "commitment reduction plans" by CSCDs
SB 1103 by Carona expanding the venue for prosecution of certain theft offenses
SB 1273 by Williams relating to the lawful manufacture, distribution, and possession of and prescriptions for controlled substances
SB 1600 by Whitmire relating to peace officers registering as private security officers
SB 1676 by Ellis requiring peace officer training on ethical decision making
SB 1680 by Ellis relating to certain evidence in Medicaid or Medicare fraud cases

Senate Jurisprudence (1:30 p.m. or upon adjournment, 2E.20)

SB 910 by Lucio relating to elected prosecutors called into active duty military service
SB 1490 by Uresti relating to the custody of a child in certain SAPCR suits
SB 1607 by Carona relating to the duties and responsibilities of county clerks
SB 1617 by Harris relating to the discretionary transfer of certain juvenile offenders

House Homeland Security & Public Safety (2:00 p.m. or upon adjournment, E1.026)

HB 2990 by Deshotel relating to the electronic storage of personal identification information obtained from driver's licenses
HB 48 by Pena authorizing DPS to investigate the feasibility of southbound checkpoints

Wednesday, April 6

Senate Transportation & Homeland Security (8:00 a.m., E1.016)

SB 150 by West granting limited state law enforcement authority to special agents of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
SB 530 by Huffman granting limited state law enforcement authority to special agents of the Inspector General of the U.S. Social Security Administration
SB 947 by D. Patrick granting limited state law enforcement authority to certain criminal investigators of the United States and to other federal law enforcement personnel

Senate Intergovernmental Relations (9:30 a.m., E1.028)

SB 373 by Duncan expanding authority of county treasurers and auditors
SB 1233 by West promoting efficiencies in certain county services and functions
SB 1243 by West authorizing the use of a county risk management pool by certain county and district officers instead of the execution of bonds

House Corrections (2:00 p.m. or upon adjournment, E2.014)

HB 961 by S. Turner sealing and restricting access to certain juvenile records
HB 2649 by Allen awarding a type of good time credit to state jail confinees
HB 2650 by Allen mandating intermediate sanctions for persons on probation
HB 2735 by Madden authorizing bonds for blue warrant violations of parole
HB 3538 by Thompson expanding release of certain inmates on medically recommended intensive supervision or on super-intensive supervision parole

Thursday, April 7

House Defense and Veteran's Affairs (2:00 p.m. or upon adjournment, E2.014)

HB 1178 by Flynn extending certain veterans' employment protection
HB 2122 by Lozano relating to elected prosecutors called into active duty military service

SOS

Due to circumstances beyond their control, both of the elected prosecutors who volunteered to come to Austin to help out during the week of April 11 are now unavailable. If you are free that week—or at least the first three days of that week—and are willing to lend a hand, please contact Shannon for more details.