What Happened to the Republican Party of Texas’ 2020-2021 Legislative Priorities’ Bills in the 87th Legislative Session
Resolved, that we, the Republican Party of Texas, urge the Texas Senate and House Republican Caucuses to adopt these legislative priorities as their own.
1. Election Integrity
Require citizenship verification of each voter, and felony penalties for Election Code violations that threaten election integrity. Approved bills: SB 155, HB 329, HB 335, HB 574, HB 1368
SB 7 – by Hughes/Bettencourt/Birdwell/Buckingham/Campbell/Creighton/Hall/Kolkhorst/Nelson/
Paxton/Perry/Schwertner/Springer
Passed committees in both Senate and House, Senate adopted the conference committee report, a House point of order was overruled, then House Democrats left the chamber before midnight on May 30th, eliminating the quorum necessary to vote on the bill
SB 155 – by Perry
Passed in committees in Senate and House, passed in Senate and House, Senate adopted the conference committee report, (Companion HB 2339)
Was scheduled to be heard on the floor when the Democrats walked out Sunday night, May 30th, breaking the quorum
SB 1514 – by Taylor
Last action on TLO is “Referred to State Affairs,” no hearing listed
HB 6 – by Cain
Tabled, companion bill
SB 7considered in lieu of
HB 329 – by Cain
Referred to Elections Committee and never received a hearing
HB 335 – by Cain
Referred to Elections Committee and never received a hearing
HB 574 – by Bonnen/Goldman
Sent to Governor to sign
HB 1368 – by Leach/Noble
Referred to Elections Committee and never received a hearing
HB 2339 – by Klick
Tabled, Companion bill SB 155 considered in lieu of
HB 2546 – by Jetton/Cain/Noble
Passed House Committee, passed Calendars, placed on General State Calendar and expired there
HB 4331 – by Jetton/Lozano
Passed House Committee, never got past Calendars
HB 3297 – by Allison/Burns/VanDeaver/Landgraf/Murr
Passed Committee, never got past Calendars
HB 4044 – by Cain
Passed House Committee, never got past Calendars
2. Religious Freedom
Restore the rights of individuals, organizations and businesses, to exercise their sincerely held religious beliefs by prohibiting local ordinances, state laws, or executive orders that violate those rights.
Approved bills: HCR 1, HJR 72, HB 525, HB 1218, HB 1239, HB 1291, HB 1424, HB 1487, HB 1569, HB 1691, HB 3596, SB 26, SB 251, SB 573, SB 654, SB 797
HJR 72 – by Leach/Parker/Noble/Slawson
Postponed, then Companion considered in lieu of, laid on the table subject to call, Never made it out of the House
HB 525 – by Shaheen/Dean/Noble/Harless/Cook
Passed both House and Senate Committees, Signed in the House, Signed in the Senate, reported enrolled
Sent June 1st to the Governor to sign
HB 1239 – by Sanford/Metcalf/Raymond/Slawson/Noble
House concurred with Senate amendments, signed in both the Senate and House
Effective Immediately
HCR 1 – by Kolkhorst
Sent to Governor to sign
HB 1218 – by Oliverson/Huberty/Hefner/Anderson/Noble
Referred to Public Education Committee and never received a hearing
HB 1291 – by Keith Bell/Oliverson/Cain/Noble/Sanford
Committee report was sent to Calendars and that’s where it stopped
HB 1424 – by Oliverson/Klick/Krause/Rogers/Jetton
Placed on General State Calendar, never reached the floor
HB 1487 – by Dean/Harless, Metcalf/Slawson/Oliverson
Had a hearing in State Affairs Committee but was never voted out
HB 1569 – by Schofield/Hefner/Cook/Noble
Was left pending in Business & Industry Committee
HB 1691 – by Tinderholt/Harless
Had a hearing in State Affairs Committee then was left pending
HB 3596 – by Leach
Referred to State Affairs, never received a hearing
SB 26 –
by Paxton/Buckingham/Campbell/Creighton/Hall/Hancock/Hughes/Nelson/Perry/Schwertner/Springer
Referred to Senate State Affairs Committee, never received a hearing
SB 29 – by Perry/Bettencourt/Birdwell/Buckingham/Campbell/Creighton/Hall/Hancock/Hughes/Kolkhorst/Nelson/Nichols/Paxton/Seliger/Springer/Taylor
Passed the Senate, reached 2nd reading in the House, postponed, nonrecord vote, no 3rd reading
SB 247 – by Perry
Passed in Senate, passed in House Committee, never got past Calendars
SB 251 – by Perry/Paxton
Referred to State Affairs Committee, never received a hearing
SB 573 – by Springer, Companion HB 1291
Referred to Senate State Affairs Committee, never received a hearing
SB 581 – by Bettencourt/Creighton/Kolkhorst
Signed by the Governor, effective immediately
SB 654 – by Bettencourt/Lucio/Springer
Referred to Senate Criminal Justice Committee, never received a hearing
SB 738 – by Birdwell
Referred to Senate State Affairs Committee, never received a hearing
SB 797 – by Hughes
Sent to Governor to sign
SB 1201 – by Hughes
Referred to Senate State Affairs Committee, never received a hearing
SB 1681 – by Hancock,
Companion HB 3596
Referred to Senate State Affairs Committee, never received a hearing
SB 1699 – by Hughes,
Companion HB 4500
Passed Senate Committee, placed on Intent Calendar then “Not again placed on intent calendar”
SB 1674 – by Hall/Hughes/Kolkhorst/Perry, Companion HB 2693
Referred to Senate Health & Human Services Committee, never received a hearing
SJR 27 – by Hancock,
Companion HJR 72
Signed in the House, signed in the Senate, filed with the Secretary of State
3. Children and Gender Modification
Abolish the following practices for minors: intervention to prevent natural progression of puberty; administration of opposite sex hormones; and performance of any type of gender reassignment surgery. Approved bills: HB 68, HB 1399, HB 2693, HB 4014
SB 1311 – by Hall,
Companion HB 2693
Passed the Senate May 18, no committee hearing in the House
SB 1646 – by Perry/Bettencourt/Birdwell/Buckingham/Campbell/Creighton/Hall/Hancock/Hughes/
Paxton/Schwertner/Springer/Taylor, Companion HB 4014
Passed the Senate April 28, never received a committee hearing in the House
HB 68 – by Toth/Parker/Noble/Cecil Bell
Referred to Public Health Committee, never received a hearing
HB 1399 – by Krause/Oliverson/Toth/Hefner/Parker
Passed Committee, Passed Calendars, Placed on House General State Calendar
HB 2693 – by by Toth/Cain/Harris/Vasut/Burrows
Referred to Public Health Committee, never received a hearing
HB 4014 – by Hefner
Referred to Public Health Committee, never received a hearing
4. Abolition of Abortion
Abolish abortion by ensuring the right to life and equal protection of the laws to all preborn children from the moment of fertilization. Approved bills: SB 9, SJR 25, SB 391, HB 1280, HB 1623, HB 3326, HB 3641, HJR 80, HJR 113
SB 9: by Paxton/Bettencourt/Buckingham/Campbell/Hall/Hancock/Lucio/Perry/Seliger/Springer,Passed by the Senate, Referred to the House Public Health Committee on April 6, never received a hearing
SJR 25: by Hall, Referred to the Health & Human Services Committee, never received a hearing
SB 391: by Paxton/Bettencourt/Buckingham/Campbell/Hancock/Lucio/Perry/Springer, sent to Senate State Affairs Committee, never received a hearing
HB 1280: by Capriglione/Klick/Noble/Hunter/Bonnen, üSent to the Governor to sign
HB 1515: by Slawson/Cain/Burrows/Klick/Leach, Companion SB 8, last actions reported on TLO are it passed House Public Health Committee and Committee Report was sent to Calendars April 30
(But we all know the Heartbeat Bill passed and was signed by the Governor)
HB 1623: by Toth, Referred to House Public Health Committee, never received a hearing
HB 3326: by Slaton, Referred to the House Public Health Committee, never received a hearing
HB 3641: by Slaton/Cason/Cain/Vasut/Biedermann, Referred to the House State Affairs Committee, never received a hearing
HJR 80: by Slawson, Referred to the House State Affairs Committee, never received a hearing
HJR 113: by Cason, Referred to House State Affairs Committee, never received a hearing
5. Constitutional Carry
Restore legal Texas firearms owners’ rights to carry them openly or concealed without a permit, while maintaining the option of a permit for reciprocity purposes.
Approved bills: HB 1238, HB 1911, HB 1927, HB 2900
HB 1238: by Biedermann/White,had ahearing in House Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee, left pending in committee
HB 1911: by White/Burrows/Canales/Schaefer/Hefner, Passed out of committee, sent to Calendars
HB 1927: by Schwertner/White/Hefner/Guillen/Canales, Sent to the Governor to sign
HB 2900: by Hefner, hearing held in Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee, left pending in committee
6. Monument Protection
All monuments or markers in our state shall be protected by law from being removed, defaced, destroyed, or otherwise dishonored. In particular, specific protection shall be given to the Alamo Cenotaph which shall not be removed from its current location off the Alamo Battlefield footprint. Approved bills: HB 446, HB 1079, HB 2571, HB 2713, HB 2866, HB 3013, HB 3584
SB 1416: by Creighton/Bettencourt/Buckingham/Campbell/Hall/Hughes/Kolkhorst/Paxton/Perry/
Schwertner/Springer, Referred to the Senate Natural Resources & Economic Development Committee, never received a hearing
SB 1501: by Buckingham, Companion HB 3584, Referred to the Senate Natural Resources & Economic Development Committee, never received a hearing
HB 446: by Allison/Ashby/Clardy/Keith Bell/Murr, hearing held in Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, left pending in committee
HB 1079: by Perez/Cain/Christina Morales/Guillen, hearing held in Culture, Recreation & Tourism Committee, reported favorably by committee
HB 2571: by Slaton, referred to House Culture, Recreation & Tourism Committee, never received a hearing
HB 2713: by Hefner/White/Metcalf/Cecil Bell, passed committee, passed Calendars, placed on House General State Calendar
HB 2866: by Biedermann, referred to Culture, Recreation & Tourism Committee, never received a hearing
HB 3013: by Biedermann/Krause/Burns, passed the House on May 14, received by the Senate on May 17, no action on the Senate side
HB 3584: by Murr/Krause/Allison/Burns/Ashby, passed and signed in both the House and Senate, sent on June 1st to the Governor to sign
7. School Choice for All
Empower parents and guardians to choose from public, private, charter, or homeschool options for their children’s education using tax credits or exemptions without government restraint or intrusion. Approved bills: SB 1968 by Bettencourt and companion bill HB 4537 by Middleton
SB 1968: by Bettencourt, coauthors Lucio & Campbell, hearing held May 11, passed out of Education Committee with 7 Ayes 4 Nays on May 14, placed on Intent Calendar May 17, not again placed on Intent calendar May 18
HB 4537: by Middleton, coauthors Paul & Oliverson, referred to House Public Education Committee, never received a hearing
Topic-related bills:
SB 481: by Kolkhorst, Sent to the Governor to sign
HB 1015: by Toth, referred to the House Public Education Committee, never received a hearing
Bad Bill Amendment: CSSB 1 Budget Amendment 84, by Herrero, VanDeaver, Morales Shaw, and Meza:
Passed overwhelmingly. All but 29 House Republican legislators voted for this amendment to “Defund School Choice of any kind.” Three of the 29 later reported that they had meant to vote for it, and one said he meant to vote against.
8. Ban Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
Abolish all forms of taxpayer-funded lobbying. Approved bills: SB 234, HB 749, HB 1702, HB 2319
SB 10: by Bettencourt/Birdwell/Campbell/Creighton/Hall/Hancock/Hughes/Paxton/Perry/Springer, passed Senate Local Government Committee, passed Senate, passed House State Affairs Committee, passed Calendars, then postponed repeatedly
SB 234: by Hall, Companion HB 749, referred to Senate State Affairs Committee, never received a hearing
HB 749: by Middleton/Burrows/Metcalf/Bonnen, hearing held on March 26, left pending in committee
HB 1702: by Middleton, referred to House State Affairs Committee, never received a hearing
HB 2319: by Jetton/Middleton, referred to House State Affairs Committee, never received a hearing