Sen. Kirk Watson
D-Austin • Elected: 2006 [email protected]
Recent Activity Watson votes no on HB 100: HB 100 creates blanket regulations for ride-hailing companies across the state that allows Uber and Lyft to operate within Austin city limits.
Sen. Judith Zaffirini
D-Laredo • Elected: 1987 [email protected]
Recent Activity HB 62 moves to governor: Zaffirini co-sponsored HB 62 in the Senate, which bans texting while driving statewide. The bill was passed in the House and Senate.
Sen. Donna Campbell
R-New Braunfels • Elected: 2012 [email protected]
Recent Activity SB 21 heads to governor’s desk: SB 21, which provides qualifications for delegates should a convention be called to amend the U.S. Constitution, passed the House 119-20.
Rep. Jason Isaac
R-Dripping Springs • Elected: 2010 [email protected]
Recent Activity Pot possession penalty bill dies: HB 81, which died in the House due to a lack of time, would have lessened the penalty for possessing small amounts of marijuana.
Rep. Paul Workman
R-Austin • Elected: 2010 [email protected]
Recent Activity A-F accountability changes sought: Workman voted HB 22, a bill that would change the A-F school accountability system, out of the House. The bill is pending in the Senate Education Committee.
Rep. Donna Howard
D-Austin • Elected: 2006 [email protected]
Recent Activity ‘Sanctuary city’ bill now law: Howard joined with 52 other representatives in the House in voting against SB 4, the so-called “sanctuary city” bill, which is now law.
Rep. Gina Hinojosa
D-Austin • Elected: 2016 [email protected]
Recent Activity
Veterans bill goes to governor: Hinojosa’s HB 217 was sent to the governor’s desk. The bill allows disabled veterans to defer or abate the collection of ad valorem taxes.
Rep. Eddie Rodriguez
D-Austin • Elected: 2002 [email protected]
Recent Activity
HB 168 moves to Senate: Rodriguez’s HB 168, which will recognize healthy lifestyle programs in schools, passed in the House 115-28 and will now move to Senate.
3 things to know about the Senate and House budget proposals
- The House budget would allocate $42.1 billion on public schools and advocate for $1.5 billion more for public education through school finance reform. The Senate’s proposal also allocates $42 billion to public schools but would cut the state’s overall portion by $1.8 billion.
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The House reduces the current amount allocated to border security—$800 million—to a proposed $653.1 million. The Senate matches the current expenditure with another budget line of $800 million.
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The House will take money from the state’s Economic Stabilization Fund or Rainy Day Fund to shore up the budget. The House’s proposal would take $2.5 billion from the RDF. The Senate’s budget draft does not touch it, which has more than $10 billion currently.
State voter ID changes come amid federal rulings
Appeals judge: Texas intentionally discriminated in 2011 legislation
In the middle of the House Elections Committee’s regularly scheduled hearing April 10, a federal judge handed down an especially pertinent decision declaring that Texas’ 2011 voter identification legislation was passed with a discriminatory intent.
In 2016, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the law had a discriminatory effect on minority voters. The court declined to rule at the time on the law’s intent, waiting until mid-April to do so.
As if the meeting were scheduled with this ruling in mind, the House Elections Committee reviewed an updated voter ID law to address the 5th Circuit’s rulings.
“We had this court ruling that literally happened here while we are sitting here on the dais,” Chairwoman Jodie Laubenburg, R-Parker, said.
The piece of House legislation presented was authored by Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, and mirrors the legislation passed in the Senate by Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, earlier in the session.
The proposed law requires voters to use photo identification in limited forms, including a driver’s license, U.S. military ID card, U.S. citizenship certificate, handgun carry license or U.S. passport.
Should a voter not be able to obtain one of these ID forms, he or she could present other forms of ID with a signed affidavit stating a reasonable impediment. These forms include a government document showing the name and address of the voter, a copy of a current utility bill, a bank statement, a government check, a paycheck or a certified copy of a domestic birth certificate.
If a voter lies about his or her circumstance, that person could be charged with a third-degree felony, which carries a sentence of two to 10 years in prison. A prosecutor must prove that a voter intentionally lied about his or her impediment.
Rep. Celia Israel, D-Austin, said she did not understand the reasoning for such a harsh penalty.
“The overwhelming reason if there is voter fraud is not because someone impersonated someone else,” she said.
Brantley Starr, deputy first assistant attorney general, said proving intent would be the most challenging part of the proposed law.
In response to the April court ruling, Starr said the Texas Attorney General’s office has yet to appeal the ruling.
