Top Issues in the 87th: Key Bills Reach Governor’s Desk (May 26 Update)
Before the 87th Texas Legislature convened, the Lubbock Chamber highlighted a handful of key issues that we were keeping an eye on throughout the session. Beyond our top issues, we tracked more than 400 pieces of legislation spanning all sectors and topics from agriculture, healthcare, COVID-19, local control, energy, and more.
With Sine Die quickly approaching on Memorial Day, here is an update on key legislation that has made its way from the legislature to Governor Abbott’s desk.
HB 1522 - Relating to the transfer of Midwestern State University to the Texas Tech University System.
This legislation would formally add Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls to the Texas Tech University System. The two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding last year, indicating their mutual support for this transition. As one of the leading liberal arts universities in the country, Midwestern State will bring a lot to the Texas Tech University System.
It passed the House 146-3 and the Senate 30-1 before being sent to the Governor on May 26.
SB 6 - Relating to liability for certain claims arising during a pandemic or disaster-related to a pandemic.
Another top priority for the Chamber this session was ensuring that good-faith actors who were following health guidelines wouldn’t be subjected to frivolous lawsuits while reopening. CEO Eddie McBride testified in favor of business liability protections for a different bill earlier in the session, and its ultimate passage will be a positive for businesses and their employees all across Texas. Several other states across the country have already passed some form of temporary, targeted business liability reform.
SB 6 passed the Senate by a vote of 29-1 and the House by a vote of 133-10. It should be sent to the Governor’s desk shortly.
HB 1259 - Relating to the rural veterinarian incentive program.
Last session, the Lubbock Chamber’s top priority was the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine, which was needed to help address a veterinarian shortage in rural Texas. In this session, HB 1259 sought to further address this workforce issue by creating the rural veterinarian incentive program. The legislation will amend the Education Code to transfer the administration of the program from Texas A&M to the Texas Animal Health Commission, ensuring Texas Tech’s vet school can participate in the program and will have representation on the program’s committee. The bill also increases the population threshold for qualifying counties from 50,000 to 100,000.
HB 1259 passed in the House by a vote of 121-24 and in the Senate by a vote of 31-0. It was sent to the Governor on May 25.
HB 4103 - Relating to the use of certain tax revenue by certain municipalities and to the entitlement of certain municipalities to certain tax revenue related to a hotel and convention center project.
This bracketed legislation will allow the City of Lubbock to receive revenue derived from a convention center hotel. The deadline for when the City could begin the convention center hotel project was pushed back from 2023 to 2027 via this legislation, an extension needed due to setbacks brought on by the pandemic.
It passed 107-20 in the House and also passed in the Senate. It should be sent to the Governor’s desk for approval shortly.
With Sine Die quickly approaching on Memorial Day, here is an update on key legislation that has made its way from the legislature to Governor Abbott’s desk.
HB 1522 - Relating to the transfer of Midwestern State University to the Texas Tech University System.
This legislation would formally add Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls to the Texas Tech University System. The two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding last year, indicating their mutual support for this transition. As one of the leading liberal arts universities in the country, Midwestern State will bring a lot to the Texas Tech University System.
It passed the House 146-3 and the Senate 30-1 before being sent to the Governor on May 26.
SB 6 - Relating to liability for certain claims arising during a pandemic or disaster-related to a pandemic.
Another top priority for the Chamber this session was ensuring that good-faith actors who were following health guidelines wouldn’t be subjected to frivolous lawsuits while reopening. CEO Eddie McBride testified in favor of business liability protections for a different bill earlier in the session, and its ultimate passage will be a positive for businesses and their employees all across Texas. Several other states across the country have already passed some form of temporary, targeted business liability reform.
SB 6 passed the Senate by a vote of 29-1 and the House by a vote of 133-10. It should be sent to the Governor’s desk shortly.
HB 1259 - Relating to the rural veterinarian incentive program.
Last session, the Lubbock Chamber’s top priority was the Texas Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine, which was needed to help address a veterinarian shortage in rural Texas. In this session, HB 1259 sought to further address this workforce issue by creating the rural veterinarian incentive program. The legislation will amend the Education Code to transfer the administration of the program from Texas A&M to the Texas Animal Health Commission, ensuring Texas Tech’s vet school can participate in the program and will have representation on the program’s committee. The bill also increases the population threshold for qualifying counties from 50,000 to 100,000.
HB 1259 passed in the House by a vote of 121-24 and in the Senate by a vote of 31-0. It was sent to the Governor on May 25.
HB 4103 - Relating to the use of certain tax revenue by certain municipalities and to the entitlement of certain municipalities to certain tax revenue related to a hotel and convention center project.
This bracketed legislation will allow the City of Lubbock to receive revenue derived from a convention center hotel. The deadline for when the City could begin the convention center hotel project was pushed back from 2023 to 2027 via this legislation, an extension needed due to setbacks brought on by the pandemic.
It passed 107-20 in the House and also passed in the Senate. It should be sent to the Governor’s desk for approval shortly.
