Author Archive

Important Dates of Interest 

On March 8th, the legislature will be in its 60th day of the 140 day legislative session.  This is a significant for two reasons.  This day makes the last day for bills to be filed and it also means we are able to start hearing legislation on the floor.  The Texas Constitution states that bills can not be considered on the floor until the 60th day of session unless it is declared an emergency item by the Governor.  The emergency items declared are: school finance reform, increasing teacher pay, school safety, mental health programs, property tax reform and disaster response. 
Last session at the bill filing deadline we had 6,631 bills filed with only 1,211 bills passed.  As of today we are at a total of 4,290 bills filed which is a higher number than this exact day last session.  We are also experiencing a record high of legislation being drafted by the attorneys at legislative council.  All signs point to another record breaking number of bills being filed.

Now is the point in session where I will spend most of my days in committee hearings vetting legislation and we will gradually transition to more time on the floor debating legislation.  

If you are ever interested in learning more about a bill or tracking legislation, the public has access to Texas Legislature Online where you can set up alerts and follow the status of a particular bill.  My office tracks bills that constituents call or email about so that when it is up for a vote on the house floor or in a committee that I am a member of, I know who from the district has called in favor or against.  To voice your thoughts on a bill, you can email [email protected] or call the Capitol office at 512-463-0738.   
Click here to follow Texas Legislature Online 

Parker and Wise County Days

The last two weeks residents of Parker and Wise counties joined me the Capitol to celebrate their county days.  I enjoyed attending the Wise County reception and giving Parker County residents a night-time tour of the Capitol.  I was honored to pass resolutions recognizing each counties’ achievements and contributions to the State of Texas.  It is always a pleasure to meet with officials, leaders, and residents.

First Redistricting Hearing

This week the House Committee on Redistricting which I chair held its first public hearing.  Our committee consists of 15 members with only 6 members that were in the legislature during the last redistricting cycle.   Our committee hearing focused on the data and tools used in the redistricting process with a presentation by the U.S. Census Bureau to discuss the process of conducting the decennial census.  Census Day will be on April 1, 2020.  I expressed my commitment to ensure a transparent and legal redistricting process and I appointed a bipartisan subcommittee to propose locations in Texas for our committee to hold interim hearings. We are excited to get started on this very important process for 2021 redistricting.

Ending Forced Annexation for All Texans 

In November, Parker and Wise counties approved a ballot measure to become a Tier-2 county – ending all forced annexation by home rule cities in our district.  Right now, only 16 counties in Texas are Tier-2.  This leaves 238 counties without protection!  Many others are collecting signatures to be on the May ballot but as our community knows, this is a very arduous process.  I have filed HB 347 that would end the need for county to county elections and end forced annexation for all Texans once and for all.  

We are one of the few states that allows the practice of involuntary annexation by our home rule cities.  Forced annexation is un-Texan and protecting private property rights of ALL citizens is simply the right thing to do.

Having Parker and Wise counties lead the charge last November and pass this measure with overwhelming support has built a foundation with great momentum to end all forced annexation this legislative session.   Thank you to everyone that worked so hard last year to make Parker and Wise counties Tier-2 status.  

State of The State Address by Governor Abbott 

This week Governor Abbott addressed all Texans and members of the legislature to promote legislative priorities for this session.  

The key points include:

• Texas is leading the nation in job creation and has the fastest growing economy in America.  We are the top oil and gas producer and a leader in exports.  We need to continue to look for ways to promote innovation, jobs and good regulatory environment.  
• Student achievement is top priority which means ensuring our best teachers are in the classroom serving our students.  More state funding will be necessary to invest in our students, teachers and to ensure schools are properly funded.
• No government should have the ability to tax its citizens out of their homes.  Our school finance system is too dependent on local property taxes.  We need to limit property tax growth, lower property tax bills and increase the state share of spending on education.
• Our number one priority is keeping Texans safe and investing in resources to combat gang violence, human trafficking and equipping law enforcement to keep us safe.  
• Hurricane Harvey was the costliest and most destructive storm in our state’s history.  This session we will be looking at additional financial means to support our local communities as they continue to recover.   
• We need to ensure our students are safe at school and the state will allocate the necessary resources to school districts for mental health programs, additional law enforcement and school hardening.  

Honorary Page

Last week I was delighted to have Jonathan Catlin serve as an Honorary Page for the day. The Honorary Page Program allows students between the ages of 8 and 18 to experience the Texas legislative process first-hand. Honorary pages are able to join Representatives on the House floor and shadow pages as they fulfill their duties around the Capitol. I always enjoy having young Texans join me to learn about their state government.

Remembering the Holocaust

This week I was honored to carry HR 129 commemorating the 74th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and death camp.  On International Holocaust Remembrance Day we memorialize the six million Jewish victims of the Nazi regime. It is critical that we educate future generations about the tragic events of the holocaust to help prevent future genocide.  

Property Tax Reform

 This week identical bills were introduced in the Texas House and Senate for property tax reform.  These bills increase transparency in the property tax system, lower the maximum rate of increase from 8 to 2.5%, and generally empower property owners to take a more active role in rate setting.   I know additional legislation will soon follow.  

This is a significant first step toward reforming our antiquated property tax system.  In addition to this reform, we will still need legislation that will provide true property tax relief to the citizens of Parker and Wise counties.  This relief will come through the overhaul of our school finance system and will likely be through a state buy down of local school taxes.  

Committees will begin hearings next week.  We are at the beginning of the legislative session so there is a long journey ahead for discussions on school finance reform and property tax relief before any effective change. But having identical bills filed in both chambers demonstrates legislative commitment to reform.  

Constituents Visit the Capitol 

Committee Assignments

This week committee assignments were announced.  I am honored to now chair the House Committee on Redistricting.  This is two term commitment in which our committee will redraw Texas’ electoral maps based on data from the 2020 United States census.  This is a very challenging task because of its impact on future elections.  The committee will be responsible for drawing Congressional, State House and Senate districts.  Also our State Board of Education and Appellate Court districts.  Even though the census data will not be available until 2020, the committee’s work begins this year. 

I will also serve on the State Affairs and the Criminal Jurisprudence committees.  State Affairs has broad jurisdiction covering all matters of state policy including telecommunications, electricity, cybersecurity, and pro-life matters.  Criminal Jurisprudence has jurisdiction over criminal law, probation and parole, and all criminal procedures in our Texas courts.

Analysis of Committee Assignments 

• The current makeup of the Texas House is 83 Republicans and 64 Democrats (with 3 vacant seats).
• Including the Speaker Pro Tempore (a leadership position equivalent to a chair), 22 Republicans and 13 Democrats received chair appointments.
• 19 chairs and 22 vice chairs are women, African-American, Hispanic or Asian-American.
• 15 chairs represent rural areas of the state, while 20 chairs represent urban areas. 
• 15 chairs will be serving in committee leadership for the first time.

Legislative Priorities 
With the Governor, Lt. Governor and Speaker of the House all publicly in agreement – the focus of this legislative session will be school finance reform and property tax relief.  Texans have spoken, skyrocketing property taxes that make it hard for you to own your home or operate your business is unacceptable. And investing in our next generation is of utmost importance to the future of Texas.  These issues impact all Texans in their day-to-day life and we will work diligently over the next 140 days of session to find real solutions and deliver meaningful reform.  

Meeting with constituents regarding the fight to end human trafficking in Texas

(L-R) Rep. Dan Flynn, Rep. Geanie Morrison, Rep. Phil King, Dean and Mrs. Craddick at Gov. Abbott Inauguration