Quick Update on My Week in the Texas Legislature

People are always surprised to learn how much work goes into being a legislator.  This is my reading and study material just for yesterday.  This week I will be presenting five of my bills in committee, three of my bills on the House floor as well as a number of floor amendments.  

Parker County Day at the Texas State Capitol 

We had a great event in Austin hosted by East Parker County Chamber of Commerce, Weatherford Chamber of Commerce and Springtown Chamber of Commerce.  We conducted a private night tour of the capitol and had an in depth legislative discussion.  Often issues that on their face seem so simple are actually very complex once you learn all the details.  The local delegation had many productive meetings with various legislative offices.  It was so great to see everyone and have friends and local elected officials come visit and see the legislative session in action. 

HB 1115 is Heard and Passed Out of Committee 

I laid out a bill to rename a portion of Hwy 114 in Bridgeport as the Sergeant Randy D White Memorial Highway to honor his life and service to the citizens of Bridgeport.  Sergeant White was killed in the line of duty and his end of watch was on April 2, 2009.  He had served 5 years with the Bridgeport PD and was a loving husband and father and a courageous officer.  The committee not only heard the bill but also voted it out of committee the same day (which is very unusual) with all members of the committee standing as they cast their vote as a sign of respect and gratitude.   I was joined by Chief Steve Stanford and Sergeant White’s widow Janet and daughter Jadyn.  

Constitutional Carry Advances to the Senate 

This week I was proud to cast my vote for House Bill 1927, the Constitutional Carry bill I co-authored to ensure our Second Amendment Freedoms. The day featured more than 7 hours of debate, and I was honored to work with gun rights organizations to help ensure passage. The bill – a top conservative priority for this session – was voted out of the Texas House, taking us one step closer to becoming the 21st state to allow permitless carry.

Budget to be Heard on House Floor 

On Thursday, April 22nd, the Texas House will debate the draft budget, SB 1.  Unlike in Washington, the Texas Legislature passes balanced budgets using four Constitutional limits on spending and growth.  This keeps our spending in check every two years.  Last year, Texas was expected to have up to a $5 billion budget shortfall in response to the pandemic.  But based on the Biennial Revenue Estimate released in January, the real number is closer to $1 billion.  Below is a summary of the base budget bill we will be debating on the House floor this Thursday.