State
BY COLBY FARR & HANNAH JOHNSON
5 legislative updates from North Texas-area lawmakers
With the 89th Texas Legislature inching into May, lawmakers from the Dallas-Fort Worth area are pursuing passage for a variety of bills. Officials from the Texas House of Representatives held a public hearing for a new bill that aims to redirect 25% of Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s sales tax revenues back to its member cities. The bill was left pending in committee. Catch up on five bills filed by DFW-area lawmakers for the 89th legislative session. The legislature’s last day in session is scheduled June 2. 1 Officials talk DART funding during public hearing Texas lawmakers heard testimony from dozens on a bill that could potentially redirect 25% of DART’s sales tax revenues back to its member cities. The house’s Transportation Committee held a public hearing for House Bill 3187 on April 24 that featured more than 2.5 hours of testimony provided by officials and residents from across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
3 State cybersecurity command ap- proved by the House The House voted in April on new legislation that would create a state cyber command responsible for cybersecurity matters across the state. The bill was engrossed and received in the Texas Senate after the record vote that was taken April 16. House Bill 150, filed by Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, would create a “Texas Cyber Command” out of the University of Texas at San Antonio.
2 House approves Frisco lawmaker’s social media bill House Bill 186 is headed to the Texas Senate after state representatives passed the legislation in a 116-25 vote. The bill was filed by Rep. Jared Patterson, R-Frisco, and aims to prohibit social media use for children under the age of 18. During a March 19 committee meeting, Patterson said it was “the most important bill” that he would present this session. If signed into law, the bill would require age verification for all social media platforms and prevent anyone under 18 years old from creating an account. Parents would also be able to request social media companies to delete their child’s data and information. “After researching and participating in study committees in this body, I firmly believe that social media is the most harmful product that our kids have legal access to in Texas.” REP. JARED PATTERSON, R-FRISCO
4 Library advisory council bill referred to education committee in the House Senate Bill 13, co-authored by Sen. Angela Paxton, R-McKinney, was received and read on the House floor. The bill was referred to the Public Education Committee. The bill mandates the formation of a local school library advisory council to assist school district officials in managing library material catalogues.
HB 3187, a bill filed by Rep. Matt Shaheen, R-Plano, seeks to mandate that 25% of Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s sales tax revenue is made available to its member cities for general mobility improvements.
Expenses vs. sales tax contribution by member city
Sales tax contribution
Expenses
5 Cancer screening bill for firefighters passes the House, heads to Senate
$0 $20M $40M $60M $80M $100M $120M
A bill that would require political subdivisions to offer free occupational cancer screenings for firefighters after five years of employment has passed the House. Rep. Ben Bumgarner, R-Flower Mound, filed House Bill 198 in November which was then referred to the subcommittee on county and regional government. The committee passed the bill in March. On the House floor, the bill was approved in a 148-1 vote. The bill was engrossed and sent to the Senate.
The occupational cancer screening must be confidential and include the following tests:
• Electrocardiogram • Chest X-ray • Blood test • Breast cancer screening
SOURCE: ERNST AND YOUNG INFRASTRUCTURE ADVISORS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCE: TEXAS LEGISLATURE ONLINE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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