Around the Texas Capitol: From constitutional amendments to legislative seats, it’s all about elections
By Shayne Woodard, J Pete Laney and Lauren Spreen
TAD Governmental Affairs
As Texas legislators start to decide if they are running for election to return to the Capitol in January 2021, the fruits of their labor from this past session are coming due. Of the 1,429 House and Senate bills passed last spring by the 86thLegislature, 820 became law effective on Sept. 1. Others became law immediately upon signing by Gov. Greg Abbott or had other effective dates.
Also, Sept. 1 was the start of the state’s new fiscal biennium, which means a new budget is now in effect. House Bill 1, the two-year budget – the only bill the Texas Legislature is constitutionally required to pass every session – totals $250.65 billion.
Included in the budget was $17.4 million to build the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine. The new school will help meet the state’s demand for veterinarians, especially those who treat large animals.
House Bill 1 also reinstates a critical budgetary tool for the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) that allows for unexpended balance authority and intra-strategy transfer authority for the agency. TDA lost this ability when the 84th Texas Legislature required TDA to move into cost recovery on an annual basis in order to achieve greater efficiency as a state agency. The inability to retain unexpended balances across budget cycles directly clashes with the staggered fee assessment schedule in the agricultural industry.
Other bills – now laws as of Sept. 1 – that impact Texas agriculture include:
HB 191 by Rep. Phil Stephenson (R-Wharton) creates a statewide program for the safe disposal of pesticide waste and containers led by TDA, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. It establishes a pesticide disposal fund to be administered by TDA that will consist of fees already being collected for purposes of pesticide disposal activities. The annual deposit of money received into the fund is capped at $400,000, and TDA is prohibited from increasing the amount of a pesticide registration fee collected for purposes of pesticide disposal activities.
HB 1325 by Rep. Tracy King (D-Uvalde) requires participation in the state hemp program in order to cultivate, handle or process hemp in Texas. The law outlines a state hemp production plan written by TDA that would give the state primary regulatory authority over hemp grown in the state.
HB 2290 by Rep. Brad Buckley (R-Killeen) relates to the placement of the slow-moving vehicle emblem. Previously, slow-moving vehicles were required to mount an emblem on the rear of the vehicle that is three to five feet above the road surface. The new law removes the height requirement and allows the owner to mount the emblem at a height that does not impair the visibility of the emblem.
HB 2837 by Rep. Terry Canales (D-Edinburg) is a multi-purpose transportation law that relates to the operation of and equipment for vehicles. The law contains several small changes that will be helpful to farmers and ranchers. One provision states that a trailer, semitrailer or pole trailer that is equipped with air or vacuum brakes or that has a gross weight of 4,500 (instead of 3,000 pounds) is required to have brakes. Another provision allows slow-moving vehicles to travel on an improved shoulder.
On the November 2019 ballot: Flood Infrastructure Fund
On Aug. 7, supporters of Proposition 8, which will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot, announced the formation of the Stronger Texas PAC. Proposition 8 proposes a constitutional amendment that, if approved by voters, would create the Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF) to assist in the financing of drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects across the Texas
On the 2020 ballot: Texas legislative seats
Texas Senate:
Of the Senate’s 31 members, 16 are up for re-election in 2020. So far, only one – Sen. José Rodríguez (D-El Paso) of District 29 – has announced he will not run again.
Texas House of Representatives:
Two incumbents have announced they will not run again:
Two incumbents have announced they will not run again:
- Jonathan Stickland (R-Bedford)
- John Wray (R-Waxahachie)
Three incumbents have already retired:
- HD 28 – John Zerwas (R-Fulshear) resigned effective Sept. 30
- HD 100 – Eric Johnson (D-Dallas) resigned June 8 after election as Mayor of Dallas
- HD 148 – Jessica Farrar (D-Houston) resigned effective Sept. 30
Special elections for fill these three House seats are sent for Nov. 5. Early voting is Oct. 21-Nov. 1.
On the November 2019 ballot: Flood Infrastructure Fund
On Aug. 7, supporters of Proposition 8, which will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot, announced the formation of the Stronger Texas PAC. Proposition 8 proposes a constitutional amendment that, if approved by voters, would create the Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF) to assist in the financing of drainage, flood mitigation, and flood control projects across the Texas.