HB 7 Guillen, Ryan — This bill establishes the Texas Border Force in the Texas Rangers Division of DPS. There is no limitation on Border Force authority by local governments. It creates a state crime for unlawful entry from a foreign nation. It establishes a 10-year minimum for smuggling, and adds "foreign terrorist organization" to laws on gangs and organized crime. It creates a landowner compensation program for property damage caused by illegal activity, an interagency workgroup on border issues, and provides financial assistance for infrastructure, facilities, equipment, and services in the border region. The TCCB opposes HB 7 because it creates a state crime of a person’s presence in the United States while pursuing legal federal processes including the years long asylum process. Additionally, the scale and scope of the Texas Border Force is overly broad with little oversight and significant due process concerns.

HB 12 Rose, Toni — This bill extends Medicaid eligibility to new mothers to a year after the delivery of their child. The TCCB supports this bill to significantly increase the length of time moms can access critical postpartum health coverage.  

HB 13 King, Ken — This bill requires school district employees to complete training on mental health first aid training, makes updates to the school guardian program, requires and provides grants for active shooter plans. The TCCB supports this bill to improve school safety.

HB 15 Thompson, Senfronia | HJR 135 Thompson, Senfronia — This bill establishes the Mental Health and Brain Research Institute of Texas to create and expedite innovation in mental health and brain research. The TCCB supports this bill to improve the health of Texas residents, and enhance the potential for a medical or scientific breakthrough in mental health and brain-related sciences and biomedical research.

HB 16 Moody, Joe — This bill overhauls the state response to juvenile offenders, providing alternatives to incarceration and community-based services which more accurately reflect the hallmark features of youth and the greater capacity of juveniles for change. The TCCB supports this bill to promote rehabilitation of youthful offenders.

HB 18 Slawson, Shelby — This bill prohibits a digital service provider that targets or appeals to minors from collecting their personal identifying information (PII) without parental consent and requires the provision of parental tools to monitor a child's activity. The TCCB supports this bill to protect children online from physical, emotional, and developmental harm.

HB 20 Schaefer, Matt — HB 20 amends the powers and duties of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to add the defense and security of the Texas air, maritime and land borders. It also adds a new division within DPS called "The Border Protection Unit," with a chief appointed by the governor whose responsibilities would include oversight and governance over civilian enforcement. Additionally, it authorizes the unit to construct a wall. In the event of a “state of invasion,” the unit chief would be authorized to deter and repel persons attempting to enter the state illegally and return all aliens to Mexico, including by use of force. The TCCB opposes this bill because it does not recognize the responsibility of the government to morally ascertain the difference among traffickers, victims, and legitimate refugees, and it allows for civilian activity in law enforcement. 

HB 24 Neave Criado, Victoria | HB 1887 Thierry, Shawn — This bill adds maternity clothing to the list of items exempt from the state sales and use tax. The TCCB supports this bill to support pregnant women and mothers. 

HB 48 Neave Criado, Victoria — This bill adds children's diapers and baby wipes to the list of items exempt from the state sales and use tax. The TCCB supports this bill to defray the cost of basic necessities for families. 

HB 53 Thompson, Ed | SB 479 Ekhardt, Sarah — This bill exempts a vehicle used by a nonprofit disaster relief organization exclusively for emergencies, training, equipment maintenance, transportation of disaster relief supplies, or other activities related to disaster relief from registration fees. The TCCB supports this bill to support disaster relief efforts. 

HB 54 Thompson, Senfronia — This bill raises the personal needs allowance for certain Medicaid recipients who are residents of long-term care facilities from $60 to $85. The TCCB supports this bill to increase financial support for basic necessities for residents of long-term care facilities receiving Medicaid. 

HB 60 Vasut, Cody | HB 574 Leo-Wilson, Terri — This bill adds instruction that human life begins at conception and has inherent dignity from the moment of conception to the required health curriculum for public school students. The TCCB supports this bill as it acknowledges the dignity of the unborn. 

HB 61 Noble, Candy — This bill prohibits a governmental entity from entering into a taxpayer resource transaction, appropriate, or spend money to provide any person logistical support for the express purpose of assisting a woman with procuring an abortion. The TCCB supports this bill to protect the sanctity and dignity of human life. 

HB 68 Talarico, James — This bill requires the TEA and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to notify students in state custody and in grades 9-12 of the availability of an exemption from the payment of tuition and fees and to develop a digital system that automatically enrolls eligible students in the state college tuition waiver program. The TCCB supports this program to support youth aging out of foster care. 

HB 65 Spiller, David — This bill increases the criminal penalties for offenses committed in the course of or for the purpose of unlawfully entering the United States, unlawfully bypassing certain law enforcement checkpoints, or evading arrest or detention. First, the bill includes a presumption of intent for smuggling of persons if the actor unlawfully bypassed a federal or state law enforcement checkpoint. Second, the bill makes it a third degree felony if it is shown at trial that the actor committed an assault in the course of or for the purpose of unlawfully entering the US. The bill also enhances the penalty for certain misdemeanors or state jail felonies if it is shown at trial that the crime was committed in the course of or for the purpose of unlawfully entering the US or engaging in evading arrest or detention (e.g., burglary, burglary of a vehicle). The TCCB opposes this bill because it creates greater penalties for immigrants than other criminals and because its overly broad definition of smuggling could encompass a wide range of acts.

HB 82 Spiller, David — This bill gives the governor authority to coordinate, develop, and execute an interstate compact for border security among interested states with or without approval of the US Congress. The TCCB opposes this bill because it encroaches on the federal government’s jurisdiction over matters of immigration. 

HB 94 Johnson, Jarvis — This bill requires the TCEQ executive director, in determining whether to approve an application for a concrete batch plant, to base the decision on the potential harm to local property values and the location of the facility relative to homes, schools, places of worship, parks, and other community assets. The TCCB supports this bill to promote the health of vulnerable communities and improve transparency and community engagement in environmental planning and regulation. 

HB 98 Moody, Joe | SB 113 Menendez, Jose — This bill allows a school to contract with a local mental health authority to provide mental health services to students and allows the school district to enroll as a provider under the medical assistance program for the provision of mental health services to students who are Medicaid recipients. The TCCB supports this bill to increase access to mental health services for students.

HB 111 Toth, Steve | HB 976 Patterson, Jared | SB 437 Middleton, Mayes — This bill removes the affirmative defense to prosecution for offenses involving material or conduct that is obscene or otherwise harmful to children, on the basis that the conduct was for a "scientific, educational, governmental, or other similar" justification. The TCCB supports this bill to limit the sale, distribution, or exhibition of harmful materials to children.

HB 131 Murr, Andrew | SB 68 Zaffirini, Judith — This bill allows students to have excused absences for career visits in addition to college visits. The TCCB supports this bill to assist students in identifying career options as they prepare for their future.  

HB 133 Gonzalez, Mary | SB 1610 Zaffirini, Judith — This bill prohibits school districts from using restraints on a special education student that result in immobilization of a student in a prone or supine position or fully taking a student to the ground. The TCCB supports this bill to protect special education students from improper restraint. 

HB 142 Moody, Joe — This bill abolishes the death penalty in Texas, leaving life imprisonment (if the person committed the capital offense when younger than 18 years of age) or life without parole (if the person committed the offense when 18 years or older). The TCCB supports this bill to end the use of the death penalty. 

HB 151 Slaton, Bryan — This bill removes the affirmative defense to prosecution for the criminal offenses of sexual performance by a child and possession or promotion of child pornography on the basis that the conduct was for an educational, medical, psychological, psychiatric, or legislative purpose or if the defendant is less than two years older than the child. The TCCB supports this bill to protect children from exploitation and viewing harmful material. 

HB 156 Moody, Joe — This bill allows the board of pardons and paroles to hear clemency matters by videoconference. Furthermore, in capital cases, the attorney or other person representing the inmate and any person representing the family of the victim may appear in person or be present on a telephone call or video conference call. An in-person hearing must be held at the correctional facility where the inmate is confined. The board is allowed to deliberate privately after holding a hearing, but the presiding officer must announce publicly each member's decision regarding whether or not to grant clemency. The TCCB supports this bill to improve the clemency process in capital cases. 

HB 168 Moody, Joe — This bill makes public (not confidential) the name, address, and other identifying information of any entity that manufactures, transports, tests, procures, compounds, prescribes, dispenses, or provides a substance or supplies used in an execution. The information would not be excepted from disclosure under the Public Information Act. The TCCB supports this bill to improve transparency surrounding drugs used in executions. 

HB 180 Moody, Joe — This bill requires a court that sets an execution date to withdraw the date on the motion of the prosecuting attorney with jurisdiction over the case. The TCCB supports this bill to limit the use of the death penalty. 

HB 188 Moody, Joe — This bill allows a judge to explain to a capital sentencing jury that unanimity is required and that every juror - acting alone - has the power to sentence a capital offender to life without parole rather than death. The TCCB supports this bill to improve transparency in capital sentencing proceedings. 

HB 195 Gonzalez, Mary — This bill requires the inclusion of accommodations during a disaster or emergency situation in an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or Section 504 plan. It also requires the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in consultation with advocacy groups representing individuals with disabilities to establish guidelines for the required provisions in a school district's multihazard emergency operations plan to ensure the safety of students and personnel with disabilities. The TCCB supports this bill to plan appropriately for the protection of disabled persons during an emergency.

HB 205 Moody, Joe — This bill allows a court to grant a convicted person relief on an application for writ of habeas corpus if the court finds that, had newly discovered scientific evidence been available at the time of the trial, the person would have received a different punishment. The TCCB supports this bill to limit the use of the death penalty. 

HB 213 Moody, Joe — This bill provides additional considerations for youthful offenders in consideration for release on parole. Among factors to be considered, the parole panel must assess the diminished culpability of juveniles, the hallmark features of youth, and the greater capacity of juveniles for change. There would be an exception for inmates serving a sentence for capital murder, who would not be able to eligible to be released on parole until the actual calendar time served — without consideration of good conduct time — equals 40 calendar years. The TCCB supports this bill to promote the reintegration of youthful offenders in society. 

HB 225 Murr, Andrew — This bill increases the maximum reference base amount for certain consumer loans from $200 to $300. The TCCB opposes this bill because it would broaden the number of loans subject to the acquisition charge and installment account handling charge in cash advances.

HB 226 Bernal, Diego | SB 72 Johnson, Nathan | SB 671 West, Royce — This bill expands Medicaid to individuals who apply and for whom federal matching funds are available under the Affordable Care Act. It also requires the HHSC commissioner to submit an annual report to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house, and the standing committees having primary jurisdiction over Medicaid, on the effects of Medicaid expansion’s effect on the number of uninsured, state and local healthcare costs, and charity and uncompensated care costs for hospitals. The TCCB supports this bill to increase access to healthcare services and reduce the number of uninsured Texans. 

HB 229 Cortez, Philip — This bill creates specialty license plates for Central Catholic High School. The revenue from the fee for the license plates shall be deposited to an account created by the comptroller for use by the Texas Education Agency to make grants to a nonprofit organization providing education services. The TCCB supports this bill to allow motorists to support Catholic education. 

HB 236 Goodwin, Vikki | SB 370 Eckhardt, Sarah — This bill prohibits the private sale/or transfer of firearms unless the transferor is a licensed firearms dealer or the transferee is a licensed firearms dealer or the transferor/transferee are related within the first degree of consanguinity/affinity or the transferor requests that a licensed firearms dealer conducts a background check on the transferee. TCCB supports this bill to require gun owners conducting a private transfer of firearms to request criminal background checks before transferring a firearm to a non-relative.

HB 247 Thompson, Senfronia | SB 141 West, Royce — This bill allows courts to reconsider the merits, or grant relief, on a motion for habeas corpus on subsequent application if certain conditions are met, including when the attorney representing the state consents in writing. The TCCB supports this bill to promote re-entry of the incarcerated in our society by allowing review of sentences.  

HB 252  Johnson, Ann — This bill would allow someone who successfully completes a specialty court program to petition the court for an order of nondisclosure of criminal history record information. The TCCB supports this bill to improve rehabilitation and re-entry for offenders.

HB 270 Thompson, Senfronia — This bill strengthens the procedures for a postconviction motion for forensic DNA testing. It adds to the definition of "exculpatory results" DNA test results showing unidentified DNA and another individual's DNA profile in a DNA database. The TCCB supports this bill as a measure to ensure innocent persons have access to justice. 

HB 286 Thompson, Senfronia — This bill allows a court to grant a convicted person relief on an application for a writ of habeas corpus if they file an application based on certain new evidence that was previously unavailable. The TCCB supports this bill to ensure access to justice for potentially innocent persons. 

HB 297 Bernal, Diego — This bill adopts statewide the payday and auto-title lending regulations passed in more than 40 cities throughout the state, along with strong provisions to limit fees through their inclusion in borrowing limits. The TCCB supports this bill as a positive step forward in reforming predatory lending practices. 

HB 298  Goodwin, Vikki  — This bill mandates a required waiting period of 3 days for firearms sales. It would be a criminal offense if a person sells a firearm to any person and delivers it to the transferee before the third day that it was sold to the person. The TCCB supports this bill to create waiting periods for the purchase of firearms.

HB 300 Howard, Donna — This bill exempts, among other essential baby items, diapers, wipes, and feminine hygiene products from the state’s sales tax. The TCCB supports this bill to help to make items for mothers and families more affordable. 

HB 304 Goodwin, Vikki | SB 107 Menendez, Jose — This bill allows caregivers who do not become licensed as foster care providers to access foster care payments in lieu of other benefits. The TCCB supports this legislation because it assists a broader category of caregivers to support foster children in our state. 

HB 305 Johnson, Jarvis — This bill allows an inmate who is not under a death sentence, life without parole, a sex offender, or have a limitation on judge ordered community supervision, to be released on medically recommended intensive supervision on a date designated by a parole panel if they are 65 years of age or older (e.g., mentally ill, terminal illness, physical disability, person with a condition requiring long-term care) and the parole panel determines the inmate does not constitute a threat to public safety. The TCCB supports this bill to show compassion to medically fragile inmates. 

HB 314 Toth, Steve — This bill removes the use the of death penalty for defendants who are found guilty in a capital felony if the finding of guilt is based solely on the testimony of a single eyewitness without any corroborating evidence. The TCCB supports this bill to reduce the use of the death penalty in Texas. 

HB 319 Oliverson, Tom — This bill allows medical professionals to decline to participate in a healthcare service for reasons of conscience. The TCCB supports this bill to protect the religious liberty of healthcare providers. 

HB 327 Thompson, Senfronia | SB 968 Zaffirini, Judith — This bill adds a definition of "compulsion" to the affirmative defense of prosecution for a person acting under duress. In these cases, compulsion means only if force or threat of force render a reasonable person in the situation of the defendant incapable of resisting that pressure. The TCCB supports this bill to protect people acting under force. 

HB 334 Johnson, Jarvis — This bill requires the provision of residential housing to students in extended foster care enrolled at institutions of higher education, and for the institution to enter into a contract under which the institution agrees to serve as a child-care institution, for the purpose of providing housing in which those students are able to live independently in a supervised setting. The TCCB supports this bill to assist students aging out of foster care. 

HB 347 Johnson, Jarvis — This bill requires each law enforcement agency to adopt a written policy regarding the placement of a child who is in the care, custody, or control of a person at the time a person is arrested. The policy requires that the officer must attempt to locate a competent adult to whom the child may be released and collect information about the child's placement in order to provide to the person who is arrested upon their release. The TCCB supports this bill to protect family preservation.

HB 350 Thompson, Senfronia | SB 337 Zaffirini, Judi — This bill establishes a registry for certain unmanned teller machines and imposes a fee for application and civil penalty for violation of this chapter. The TCCB supports this bill to give law enforcement more tools to track potential trafficking buyers. 

HB 361Thompson, Senfronia — This bill allows a court placing a defendant on deferred adjudication community supervision to impose conditions (such as substance abuse counseling, domestic violence education and prevention) that emphasize parent-child unity and the defendant's rehabilitation in a community setting and that provide support to the parent-child relationship. The TCCB supports this bill to provide a balance between justice and family preservation.

HB 372 Johnson, Jarvis — This bill requires concrete plants and crushing facilities to meet requirements that include locating the central baghouse at least 880 yards from any building used as a single or multifamily residence, school, or place of worship at the time the application to use the permit is filed. Furthermore, it broadens the protected area and gives more people the right to request a hearing. The TCCB supports this bill to promote the health of vulnerable communities. 

HB 381 Thompson, Senfronia — This bill prohibits a defendant with an intellectual disability from being sentenced to death. "Intellectual disability" is defined to mean significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning that is concurrent with deficits in adaptive behavior and originates during the developmental period. The TCCB supports this bill to limit use of the death penalty. 

HB 400 Klick, Stephani — This bill creates a psychiatric specialty innovation grant program to award grants to medical schools for residents specializing in adult and pediatric psychiatric care. The TCCB supports this bill to increase the workforce in Texas for mental health care.

HB 406 Collier, Nicole | HB 407 Collier, Nicole — This bill adds a representative of a school, place of worship, licensed day-care center, hospital, or medical facility to the list of persons who may request a public hearing from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality related to the construction of a concrete plant. The TCCB supports this bill to improve transparency and community engagement in environmental planning and regulation. 

HB 478 Hull, Lacey | SB 163 Campbell, Donna | SB 391 Hall, Bob — This bill repeals the 2024 expiration date for parental "opt-in" to human sexuality instruction. The TCCB supports this bill recognizing parents as the primary educators of their children. 

HB 491 Wu, Gene | SB 1385 Miles, Borris — This bill changes the age at which a juvenile court may exercise jurisdiction over a child from 10 to 12. A child younger than 12 years of age must be released from custody unless the child poses an immediate threat to public safety or to the child's own safety. It provides for a jurisdictional hearing for a child younger than 12 years of age on the request of a party to determine whether or not to retain jurisdiction. The TCCB supports this bill to ensure minors are not punished under the adult justice system. 

HB 506 Wu, Gene — This bill prohibits the use of a mechanical or physical restraint on a child during judicial processing and requires any restraint to be removed before the child's appearance in court, unless the court finds that it is necessary, there is history of disruptive behavior or a substantial risk of flight, and it is the least restrictive restraint. The TCCB supports this bill to promote procedural fairness for youth in juvenile courts. 

HB 532 Patterson, Jared — This bill requires a man to pay retroactive child support upon establishing paternity, or in any suit to establish child support of a man whose paternity has been established. Retroactive child support includes an equitable portion of all prenatal and postnatal health care expenses of the mother and child. The court or support enforcement agency may only order genetic testing if the mother requests it, and she is not pregnant with multiple children. The TCCB supports this bill as it recognizes and promotes the responsibility of fathers to equally share the financial costs of a child before and after birth. 

HB 544 Johnson, Julie — This bill requires DPS to report certain protective orders and convictions for family violence misdemeanors to the FBI for use in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. The TCCB supports this bill to strengthen the background check system for the transfer of firearms.

HB 552 Troxclair, Ellen | HB 571 Leo-Wilson, Terri | HB 858 Slaton, Bryan | HB 869 Hefner, Cole — This bill repeals all affirmative defenses to prosecution for the criminal offense of sale, distribution, or display of harmful materials to a minor. The TCCB supports this bill to protect children from viewing harmful material.  

HB 581  Raymond, Richard  | SB 2398 Zaffirini, Judith — This bill allows a property tax exemption for property owned by a charitable organization of the purpose of providing support for children with disabilities in need of residential care, to persons with disabilities, or providing housing for low-income and moderate-income families for unmarried individuals 62 years of age or older, for individuals with disabilities, or that provide services in a HUD-approved housing counseling agency and rental housing to low-income and moderate-income households at below-market rates. The exemption would apply only to property used to provide rental housing and located in a municipality with a population of 200,000 or more in a county on the Texas-Mexico border with a population of less than 300,000. The TCCB supports this bill to assist charities in providing housing to those with disabilities and the elderly.

HB 585 Raymond, Richard — This bill requires the TCEQ to create a plan to protect water treatment facilities from electrical outages, catastrophic weather events, terrorist attacks, the projected effects of climate change, and other potential disruptions to water service. The TCCB supports this bill to promote disaster planning and mitigation and access to water in the event of a disaster. 

HB 604 Shaheen, Matt — This bill requires retroactive child support on adjudication or acknowledgement of paternity, including an equitable portion of all prenatal and postnatal care expenses of the mother and the child. The TCCB supports this bill to support mothers and children. 

HB 619 Shaheen, Matt — This bill creates a school choice corporate tax credit that enable insurance companies to contribute to a non-profit scholarship for low-income students to attend accredited private schools, or for public school students to participate in after-school care programs. The TCCB supports this bill to increase parental choice in education. 

HB 637 Bailes, Ernest — This bill requires a permanency care assistance agreement to provide for permanency care assistance payments until the last day of the month of the child's 18th birthday. However, permanency care payments may be continued after the child turns 18, provided they are regularly attending high school or are enrolled in a program leading toward a high school diploma or high school equivalency certificate. The TCCB supports this bill to support children aging out of foster care. 

HB 643 Patterson, Jare | HB 708 Shaheen, Matt | HB 1266 Schatzline, Nate (F) | SB 476 Hughes, Bryan — This bill would add to the definition of sexually oriented business a nightclub, bar, restaurant, or other similar commercial enterprise that provides a drag performance. "Drag performance" is defined to mean a performance in which a performer exhibits a gender identity that is different than the performer's gender assigned at birth using clothing, makeup, or other physical markers and sings, lip syncs, dances, or otherwise performs before an audience for entertainment. The TCCB supports this bill which opposes the advancement of gender ideology, especially in places where young children are involved.

HB 650 Allison, Steve — This bill increases the criminal penalty for the offense of criminal mischief involving the damage or destruction of a public monument or a place of worship to a felony of the third degree. "Public monument" is defined to mean a statue, structure, building, or site that is in a public place and that is of historical importance or interest, including a statue, structure, building, or site that is designed to recognize or commemorate a notable person or event. The TCCB supports this bill to protect religious liberty. 

HB 652 Johnson, Julie | SB 195 Johnson, Nathan — This bill expands Medicaid to those individuals for whom matching federal funds are available and establishes the "Live Well Texas" program whereby those individuals cease receiving Medicaid benefits and enroll in a program health benefit plan which includes basic and plus plans. A participant enrolled in the plus plan is required to make contributions to a POWER (personal wellness and responsibility) account based on a sliding scale to share the cost of the annual deductible which is capped at no more than 5% of the participant's annual household income. A participant may also earn money for their Power account as a reward for healthy behaviors. The Live Well program must also include a gateway to work program and health care financial assistance for one year for participants who transition to private insurance The TCCB supports this bill to increase access to healthcare and promote personal responsibility.  

HB 687 Cole, Sheryl — This bill extends the enrollment period for newborns under certain employer health benefit plans from 31 days to 60 days. The TCCB supports this bill to give families more time to assess health coverage options for their newborns. 

HB 727 Rose, Toni — This bill prohibits a sentence of death for a defendant who, at the time of the commission of a capital offense, was a person experiencing severe mental illness. The TCCB supports this bill to abolish the use of the death penalty in cases of severe mental illness. 

HB 741 Goodwin, Vikki — This bill exempts from property taxes property owned by a charitable organization used to provide-child care services, including to children with disabilities in need of residential care without regard to the beneficiary's ability to pay, if the provider meets the services of the Texas Rising Star Program certification criteria. The TCCB supports this bill to promote child-care provision by charitable entities. 

HB 776 Harrison, Brian — This bill would add performing sex reassignment surgeries or providing puberty blocking, hormone, and hormone antagonist therapies in minors to the list of prohibited practices by physicians. Minors being treated with such drugs before the effectiveness date of the act would be grandfathered in. The TCCB supports this bill to oppose the advancement of gender ideology, especially where young children are involved.

HB 787 Patterson, Jared — This bill amends the tax code to prohibit business entities from receiving tax incentives if they assist a woman in obtaining an abortion. The TCCB supports this bill to prevent rewarding businesses that facilitate abortion for their employees. 

HB 792 Meza, Terry — This bill requires the TDCJ to allow a condemned person to choose a spiritual leader of the religion that the person practices to be present at the execution, including in the room during the person's execution. The TCCB supports this bill which provides spiritual support to condemned persons. 

HB 793  Noble, Candy | Paxton, Angela   — This bill would allow a parent who is required to complete a service plan filed by DFPS to obtain services from a qualified or licensed provider selected by the parent. The services obtained must be designed to achieve the stated goals of the service plan and use an evidence-based program or promising program or practice and may be provided through an electronic communication platform. DFPS must reimburse a service provider in an amount equal to the average cost for the specific service from department contractors providing the service in the region where the parent provides. The TCCB supports this bill to allow parental choice in program services.

HB 798 Collier, Nicole — This bill removes the requirement that a victim be in the victim's place of residence in order to be entitled to one-time compensation for relocation and housing rental expenses (applicable to victims of stalking, family violence, trafficking, sexual assault, or a child who is a victim of a murder attempt). The TCCB supports this bill to protect crime victims. 

HB 812  Meza, Terry   — This bill prohibits the TDCJ from confining an inmate in administrative segregation for more than three consecutive days based on misconduct by the inmate. For conduct that resulted in serious bodily injury to another person, TDCJ may confine someone for up to 10 days. The TCCB supports this bill to reduce solitary confinement for the incarcerated.

HB 823 Allen, Alma — This bill authorizes TDCJ inmates to be eligible for certain occupational licenses, including information security and business continuity planning, electricians, and barbering and cosmetology. Furthermore, it allows inmates to perform air conditioning, refrigeration-related work, and electrical work if the work is part of a re-entry program or under supervision acceptable to the department. The TCCB supports this bill to promote the rehabilitation and re-entry of incarcerated persons. 

HB 828 Dutton, Harold — This bill raises the age of criminal responsibility in offenses where the age of 17 is an element from 17 to 18 years old. The change in law would apply to an offense or conduct that occurs "on or after September 1, 2025." Any offense before that would be governed by the current law in effect. The TCCB supports this bill to improve the likelihood of rehabilitating juvenile offenders. 

HB 842  Patterson, Jared  | SB 2034 Whitmire, John — This bill prohibits the extension of the period of a driver's license suspension for certain driving while license invalid convictions. The department would be prohibited from extending the period if the offense was committed before September 1, 2019 and the person was convicted of the offense after August 31, 2023. The TCCB supports this bill to assist those whose licenses have been suspended and have paid their debt to society.

HB 844 Patterson, Jared | SB 416 Paxton, Angela — This bill includes the role of the buyer in the definition of human trafficking by adding "solicit" and "patronize." The TCCB supports this bill to eliminate the requirement of a controlling third party and expand liability to include the role of buyers to identify and assist victims of trafficking. 

HB 852 Thierry, Shawn — This bill increases the number of members of the Texas Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee from 15 to 19 by adding an emergency room physician, a cardiologist, an anesthesiologist, and an oncologist. The TCCB supports this bill to reduce maternal mortality and improve maternal outcomes.

HB 890 Bell, Keith — This bill requires a school district’s board of trustees to include in the process through which personnel, students, parents, or the public may obtain a hearing: an initial administrative hearing; an opportunity to appeal the administrative decision following the initial hearing; and a resolution of the complaint not later than 120 calendar days after the date the complaint was filed. The TCCB supports this bill as it implements a stronger process for grievances to be heard and resolved. 

HB 900 Patterson, Jared | HB 1655 Patterson, Jared — This bill requires the TX State Library and Archives Commission, with approval of the State Board of Education, to adopt standards for school library collection development that prohibits the acquisition of harmful material. It also requires parental consent for a student to access certain material in a school library. The TCCB supports this bill to protect children from harmful, sexually explicit material.

HB 906 Moody, Joe | SB 633 Menendez, Jose — This bill requires an institution of higher education to provide each entering student information about available mental health and suicide prevention offered by the institution or by any associated organizations or programs and early warning signs that are often present in and appropriate intervention for a person who may be considering suicide. The TCCB supports this bill to increase awareness and prevention of suicide among young people. 

HB 909 Moody, Joe | HJR 59 Moody, Joe — This bill allows for the motion to adjust an inmate's sentence on motion of the attorney representing the state. The bill applies to inmates who are 50 years of age or older who have served at least 15 years of imprisonment for a felony, or who are 35 years or younger than 50 but have served at least 20 years for a felony. A court must grant the motion unless they find by "clear and convincing" evidence that the inmate's release would result in an unreasonable risk to the physical safety of the community. The TCCB supports this bill to address lengthy sentences and promote re-entry and rehabilitation.  

HB 918 Dutton, Harold — This bill repeals the use of the death penalty in Texas while still allowing life without parole. The TCCB supports this bill to end the use of the death penalty. 

HB 920 Klick, Stephanie — This bill requires the commissioner of state health services to establish an advisory council to examine and review the administration on the campus of a school district or a private school, or an institution of higher education medications for respiratory distress (e.g., albuterol, levalbuterol). The TCCB supports this bill to promote access to respiratory medications in schools.

HB 926 Dutton, Harold — This bill adds a representative of a school, place of worship, licensed day-care center, hospital, or medical facility located within 440 yards of a proposed concrete plant to the list of those who are able to request a hearing related to the construction of the plant. The TCCB supports this bill to encourage public input in environmental permitting processes that may affect Catholic schools, places of worship, and hospitals. 

HB 929 Dutton, Harold — This bill eliminates the law of parties for capital murder so that one individual in a group of offenders cannot be charged with murder committed by another member of the group. The TCCB supports this bill to ensure that individuals are held accountable and make restitution for their own actions. 

HB 932 Dutton, Harold — This bill expands Medicaid eligibility to all persons who are the working parent of a dependent child who apply for the assistance and for whom federal matching money is available. The TCCB supports this bill as it increases access to healthcare services, supports the health of families, and reduces the number of uninsured Texans. 

HB 959 Collier, Nicole — This bill increases the compensation under the Crime Victims' Compensation Act for lost wages from $1,000 to $5,000 for an immediate family member or household member of a deceased victim as a result of bereavement leave taken by the family or household member. The TCCB supports this bill to assist crime victims. 

HB 964 Jetton, Jacey — This bill includes improper relationship between educator and student in the "reportable conviction or adjudication" definition for sex offender registration requirements). The TCCB supports this bill as a child protection measure. 

HB 1004 Shaheen, Matt | SB 722 Springer, Drew — This bill adds a "person with disability." to the covered definition of relevant persons in the offenses of trafficking of persons and of compelling prostitution A person commits an offense if they cause by "any means" a person with a disability to commit prostitution or receives a benefit from participating in a venture involving sexual activity, regardless of whether they know the person is disabled or was trafficked. The TCCB supports this bill to protect persons with disability from human trafficking. 

HB 1019 Reynolds, Ron — This bill requires re-entry and reintegration programs to begin as soon as practicable after the offender is taken into custody. It also requires a comprehensive network of transition programs to address the needs of offenders released or discharged, including following the completion of a period of parole or mandatory supervision. The programs must provide offenders with the development of prosocial behavior and positive relationships and spiritual guidance, if requested by the offender. The TCCB supports this bill to support rehabilitation and reentry programs. 

HB 1021 Howard, Donna — This bill requires facilities to obtain enhanced background checks and criminal history record information of applicants for employment, or employees of a person or a business that contracts with the facility, or a student enrolled in an educational program or course of study who is at the facility for educational purposes. The TCCB supports this bill to improve access to background checks for entities serving vulnerable populations. 

HB 1062 Guerra, Bobby | HB 2903 Martinez Fischer, Trey | SB 125 Alvarado, Carol — This bill expands eligibility for Medicaid by requiring the provision of medical assistance to all individuals who apply and for whom federal matching money is available under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). The TCCB supports this bill as it increases access to healthcare and reduces the number of uninsured Texans. 

HB 1118 Thierry, Shawn — This bill provides a tax credit for establishing a grocery store or healthy corner store in a food desert. The TCCB supports this bill to alleviate food insecurity. 

HB 1142 Thierry, Shawn | SB 1073 West, Royce — This bill provides prioritization in admission, financial aid applications, on-campus or off- campus housing, food and meal programs and counseling programs for students who are homeless (identical to the benefits provided to those who were in foster care). The TCCB supports this bill to provide assistance to homeless youth. 

HB 1149 Swanson, Valoree | SB 400 Hall, Bob — This bill requires a school district employee to obtain a child’s parent’s written consent before the employee conducts a psychiatric examination, or psychological or psychiatric treatment. There is an exception for an examination, test, or treatment that is required under federal law with respect to special education. The TCCB supports this bill as it reinforces parental rights. 

HB 1157 Lozano, Jose | SB 1101 Paxton, Angela — This bill includes appointments with mental health professionals in the list of reasons for an excused absence from school. The TCCB supports this bill as it recognizes the importance of mental health and its inclusion in health care. 

HB 1167 Romero, Ramon | SB 47 Zaffirini, Judith — This bill expands the types of professionals who can provide mental health services under Medicaid and streamlines the processes to enable approval for out-of-state professionals. The TCCB supports this bill to increase access to mental health services for low-income families.

HB 1212 Jetton, Jacey — This bill allows a note from a parent verifying a student's absence from school to observe a religious holiday sufficient to excuse the absence. The TCCB supports this bill to allow student religious observance. 

HB 1227 Metcalf, Will — This bill makes possession or promotion of child pornography an offense that is ineligible for community supervision. The TCCB supports this bill to reduce the use of child pornography. 

HB 1287 Guillen, Ryan | HB 1099 Hernandez, Ana | SB 273 Blanco, Cesar — This bill adds an annual inflation adjustment to the value of a motor vehicle in determining a person's SNAP eligibility by excluding that vehicle from the resources of an applicant's household. The TCCB supports this bill to address food insecurity. 

HB 1355 Sherman, Carl — This bill requires air conditioners in TDCJ facilities. The TCCB supports this bill to provide humane conditions for the incarcerated. 

HB 1361 Morales Shaw, Penny | SB 597 Eckhardt, Sarah — This bill requires all public colleges and universities to create a liaison officer to provide resources to parenting students on accessing medical and behavioral health coverage, public benefit programs, childcare, and other assistance for parenting and student success. The TCCB supports this bill as it helps student parents advance their education and promotes healthy families. 

HB 1362 Wu, Gene — This bill raises the age from 18 to 21 (at the time the crime was committed) for prohibition on the death penalty. The TCCB supports this bill to limit death penalty cases and provide young offenders the opportunity for restorative justice. 

HB 1384 Ordaz, Claudia — This bill limits the total charges to 30% for extensions of consumer credit facilitated by credit access businesses and entered into by consumers in disaster areas. The TCCB supports fair lending practices and protecting victims of natural disasters. 

HB 1387 Walle, Armando — This bill adds a representative of a school, place of worship, licensed day-care center, hospital, or medical facility to the list of persons who may request a public hearing from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality related to the construction of a concrete plant. The TCCB supports this bill to improve transparency and community engagement in environmental planning and regulation. 

HB 1406 Lujan, John — This bill expands the outreach program to students in the conservatorship of DFPS or formerly in foster care or residential care regarding the availability of the exemption from the payment of tuition and fees at an institution of higher education in grades 7-12 (formerly 9-12) and requires informational materials be provided to every residential-care facility, foster parent or other caregiver of a student in grades 7-12 and school district, charter school, and private school offering grade 7 or above. The TCCB supports this bill to increase disadvantaged students’ awareness of their post-secondary educational options. 

HB 1433 Johnson, Ann | SB 483 Johnson, Nathan — This bill prohibits persons convicted of trafficking or sexual abuse from obtaining licenses as a massage establishment, school, therapist, or instructor. The TCCB supports this bill to protect people from trafficking and sexual abuse. 

HB 1452 Anchia, Rafael — This bill requires insurance coverage for the cost of disposition of embryonic and fetal tissue remains with a post-fertilization age of 20 weeks or more that includes interment, cremation, incineration followed by interment, and steam disinfection followed by interment. The TCCB supports this bill to provide insurance coverage of humane disposition for perinatal death.  

HB 1474 Guillen, Ryan | SB 412 Paxton, Angela — This bill requires public universities and colleges to provide pregnancy accommodations to pregnant students and ensures that pregnant and parenting college students are not discriminated against by university or college policy. The TCCB supports this bill to assist pregnant and parenting college students in continuing their post-secondary education. 

HB 1494 Cain, Briscoe — This bill clarifies that the religious freedom protections in the Civil Practices code do not affect the new religious service protections in the constitution. The TCCB supports this bill to clarify religious liberty protections. 

HB 1517 Frank, James | SB 593 Sparks, Kevin — This bill requires an audit of the rules, minimum standards and contract requirements that apply to licensed child placing agencies, residential child-care facilities, foster homes, kinship care homes, and adoptive homes. The report to the legislature and state leadership would include recommendations on statutes to be repealed, put into rule, or remain in code. The TCCB supports this bill to improve oversight of child welfare programs.

HB 1599 Bucy, John — This bill allows the commission to verify income using eligibility for assistance under a public assistance program (like SNAP) as part of the eligibility for Medicaid and CHIP. The TCCB supports this bill to provide health care to eligible families in Texas. 

HB 1600 Hefner, Cole — This bill adds a new offense to the penal code for "illegal entry." A person commits this offense by entering or attempting to enter the State of Texas by crossing the border with Mexico at any time or place other than at a port of entry. An offense under this section is a felony of the 3rd degree, unless it is not the first offense and then it is a 2nd degree felony. The TCCB opposes this bill because it fails to distinguish between persons crossing the border, many of whom are children, victims and asylum seekers, who may cross the border without lawful status but then they file for asylum or some other form of relief and are able to obtain it.

HB 1618 Moody, Joe | HB 1064 Sherman, Carl — This bill adds to criteria for which the Department of Criminal Justice may grant good conduct time to an inmate. These additional criteria include demonstrating good behavior by complying with all applicable department rules and diligently participating in such programs as industrial or work programs. The TCCB supports this bill to promote rehabilitation. 

HB 1658 Capriglione, Giovanni — This bill adds records relating to library materials checked out by a child to the list of written records a parent is entitled to access. It also requires a school district and charter schools to post on the home page of their websites a notice stating that a parent is entitled to review all teaching materials and may request that the materials be made available for review. The TCCB supports this bill as it reaffirms parental rights. 

HB 1705 Allen, Alma | SB 85 Johnson, Nathan — This bill gives defendants credit for time served for each day the defendant was diligently participating in an educational, vocational, treatment or work program. The TCCB supports this bill to promote rehabilitation of non-violent state jail felony offenders. 

HB 1708 Canales, Terry | HB 1213 Rosenthal, Jon | SB 1035 Menendez, Jose — This bill requires temperatures to remain between 65 and 85 in TDCJ facilities. The TCCB supports this bill to provide humane conditions for the incarcerated. 

HB 1734 Leach, Jeff — This bill requires fathers to pay retroactive child support for the child beginning on the earliest possible date of the child's conception, as determined by a physician. The TCCB supports this bill to assist women with the financial obligations of pregnancy.

HB 1736 Leach, Jeff — This bill amends the law of parties adding greater protections that require that the co-conspirator in a crime resulting in murder had a major role in the crime or acted with reckless abandon. It also requires that the board of pardons and paroles reviews current convictions under the law of parties to make recommendations to grant clemency if those convictions do not meet the new standards. The TCCB supports this improvement to the law of parties.

HB 1739 Leach, Jeff | SB 409 Hinojosa, Chuy — This bill provides victims of sexual assault with more rights for information about evidence, prosecutors’ decision processes and plea bargains. The TCCB supports this bill to provide victim survivors with more information on prosecution of their perpetrators.

HB 1743 Leach, Jeff | SB 727 West, Royce — This bill requires coordination between the Health and Human Services Commission and the Corrections Department to prepare incarcerated individuals to apply for SNAP benefits in advance of their release so that they may access their SNAP benefits immediately upon release. The TCCB supports this bill to promote restorative justice. 

HB 1747 Leach, Jeff | SB 734 Hinojosa, Chuy — This bill streamlines the licensing review process while allowing licensing boards to consider specific serious violent and sexual offenses (regardless of elapsed time). It also requires a preponderance of the evidence standard to deny a license. The TCCB supports this bill to support successful re-entry to the workforce for a person with a criminal record. 

HB 1834 Thompson, Senfronia | SB 353 Zaffirini, Judith — This bill requires reimbursement of childcare providers using Texas Rising Star program at the maximum rate of reimbursement, regardless of the published rate. The TCCB supports this bill to end penalties to providers using Texas Rising Star in low-income areas. 

HB 1853 Shaheen, Matt — This bill allows a parent to access public school library records and prohibit their children from accessing content that the parent finds objectionable. The TCCB supports this bill to protect parents’ role as the primary educator of their child. 

HB 1882 Bhojani, Salman — This bill adds All Saints Day, Diwali, Eid al-Adha, Eid al-Fitr, Passover, Vaisakhi and Vesak to the list of optional holidays. The TCCB supports this bill to increase options for people of faith to observe holy days. 

HB 1883 Bhojani, Salman — This bill ensures that assessment instruments are not administered on religious holy days including All Saints Day, Christmas, Diwali, Eid al-Adha, Eid al-Fitr, Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Vaisakhi, Vesak and Yom Kippur. The TCCB supports this bill to allow students of faith greater observance of religious holy days. 

HB 1898 Jetton, Jacey | SB 1365 Hinojosa, Chuy — This bill establishes a grant program to provide grants to children's hospitals for the purpose of increasing mental and behavioral health services. The TCCB supports this bill to address the mental health crisis among children.

HB 1926 Hull, Lacey — This bill repeals the expiration date of the supplemental special education services program. The TCCB supports this bill to provide parents of students with disabilities with more options for educational support.

HB 1927 Hull, Lacey — This bill requires a peace officer who takes a person into custody must use age-appropriate trauma-informed practices. It also gives parents the right to take custody of the child and voluntarily seek treatment for the child from a provider of the parent's choice. It prohibits a peace officer from placing the child under emergency detention without first making an attempt to contact the child's parent. Finally, it prohibits the use of handcuffs, electrical devices, chemical agents or any other similar devices on a child 10 years or younger. The TCCB supports this bill to ensure children are not needlessly restrained in schools. 

HB 1976 Johnson, Jarvis | SB 438 Menendez, Jose — This bill affects the program to ensure that students in the care of DFPS in grades 9-12 are aware of benefits available to them at public institutions of higher education. The TCCB supports this initiative to provide resources to foster care youth who are aging out of foster care. 

HB 1977 Morales Shaw, Penny — This bill establishes a youth pre-trial intervention program and allows for expunction of a juvenile's record for offenses punishable as a Class B misdemeanor or any higher category of offense (other than those ineligible for community supervision) if he/she successfully completes the youth pre-trial intervention program. The TCCB supports this legislation to provide rehabilitation to juvenile offenders and support reentry of the incarcerated into society.

HB 2016 Hernandez, Ana — This bill adds sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault to the offenses that make an individual ineligible for a license to operate a massage establishment, massage school, massage therapist, or massage therapy instructor. The TCCB supports this bill to protect people from sexual assault. 

HB 2066 Cook, David — This bill requires crisis training and states that foster children and those in residential treatment centers and emergency shelters shall be referred to community resource coordination groups, or community juvenile service providers with the goal of limiting law enforcement involvement. The TCCB supports this bill to promote restoration of foster care youth.

HB 2072 Jetton, Jacey — This bill broadens eligibility to receive grants to reduce recidivism, arrest, and incarceration of individuals with mental illness by replacing "county-based community collaborative" with "qualified entity," meaning a community-based collaborative or a nonprofit organization. The TCCB supports this bill to improve re-entry and rehabilitation for ex-offenders. 

HB 2076 Goodwin, Vikki | SB 1172 Alvarado, Carol — This bill prohibits a person who has been convicted of assault in a dating relationship from possessing a firearm for five years after release from confinement or community supervision. The TCCB supports this bill to protect more individuals from gun violence.

HB 2114 Toth, Steven — This bill establishes an empowerment scholarship to provide funding for certain education-related expenses of any child eligible to attend a public school. Participants receive $10,000 a year. The first year in which a child participates, the school district receives 50% of the difference between M&O and the amount the family receives. Private schools must be accredited by TEPSAC. No federal funds or money from the school fund may be used for financing the program. The TCCB supports this bill to increase access to parental choice in education.

HB 2134 Thimesch, Kronda | SB 1009 Parker, Tan — This bill allows a more restrictive regulation of sexually oriented businesses if it is in relation to the hours of operation of a massage establishment or therapist, or if the regulation relates to the ownership or operation of a massage establishment by a person who has three or more arrests or citations for public indecency, organized crime, trafficking, or money laundering. The TCCB supports this bill to limit the operation of sexually oriented businesses and prevent human trafficking. 

HB 2163 Rogers, Glenn — This bill requires fathers to pay retroactive child support beginning at conception to reimburse the mother for an equitable portion of medical expenses, costs of baby items, and lost wages for medication attention as a result of time spent receiving medical attention during gestation, delivery, and postpartum recovery. The TCCB supports this bill to engage fathers in assisting mothers with the costs associated with pregnancy, birth, and postpartum recovery. 

HB 2216 Cortez, Philip | SB 1692 Blanco, Cesar — This bill provides for one year of continuous eligibility for the Children's Health Insurance Program. The TCCB supports this bill to provide health insurance to children. 

HB 2229 Goodwin, Vikki | SB 1325 Alvarado, Carol — This bill requires HHSC to collaborate with victim advocates to create a brochure on family violence with a list of resource information for agencies that assist victims of family violence. The TCCB supports this bill to provide Texans with more resources when facing domestic violence.

HB 2256 Turner, Chris — This bill limits the annual percentage rate of an extension of consumer credit that a credit services organization obtains for a consumer or assists them in obtaining not to exceed 36%. The rate would be calculated inclusive of the total charges in connection with the extension of credit (e.g., interest, lender charges, any fees). The TCCB supports this bill to limit usurious practices of payday and auto-title lenders. 

HB 2337 Oliverson, Tom | SB 905 Perry, Charles — This bill broadens the definition of behavioral health services provided under Medicaid to include intensive outpatient services and partial hospitalization services. The TCCB supports this bill to expand access to mental health care for Medicaid recipients. 

HB 2375 Noble, Candy — This bill moves the review and resolution of complaints against the Department of Family and Protective Services to the office of inspector general in the Health and Human Resources Commission. The TCCB supports this bill to provide greater objectivity in the investigation of complaints against the DFPS system. 

HB 2413 Canales, Terry — This bill reforms the Omnibase program. It allows a person to renew a driver's license for up to 10 years, limits the length of time a driver's license may be denied and requires the department to develop an Indigency Program for those unable to pay court fees. The TCCB supports this bill to improve access to driver's licenses for the poor and to promote restorative justice. 

HB 2526 Campos, Liz — This bill increases the personal needs allowance for certain Medicaid recipients who are residents of long-term care facilities from $60 to $100. The TCCB supports this bill to allow nursing home residents to increase their personal needs allowance. 

HB 2572 Lujan, John — This bill adds the child abuse findings of the Health and Human Services Commission and the Texas Juvenile Justice Department to the Department of Family and Protective Services central registry of persons found guilty of child abuse and neglect. The TCCB supports this bill to improve the background check processes for child-serving agencies. 

HB 2602 Capriglione, Giovanni — This bill removes the affirmative defense for a criminal offense involving obscene material for educational purposes. The TCCB supports this bill to keep children from being exposed to harmful material. 

HB 2627 Moody, Joe — This bill provides considerations for the parole board including the diminished culpability of youth, the hallmark features of youth and the greater capacity for change in youth. The TCCB supports this bill to uphold justice and provide mercy to individuals who were minors at the time of their crime. 

HB 2645 Lujan, John — This bill establishes a pilot program to assist foster youth to achieve financial security and independence as they transition to independent living. The Department of Family Protective Services shall complete an evaluation of the program and submit a report to the State. The TCCB supports this bill to assist foster care children aging out of the system. 

HB 2698 Guillen, Ryan — This bill requires that each state agency prominently post on the agency's Internet website phone numbers and links for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and the Veterans Crisis Line. The TCCB supports this effort to improve access to suicide prevention resources.

HB 2700 Guillen, Ryan — This bill amends the penal code regarding the possession or promotion of child pornography to include in the definition of "visual material" any depiction of a child who is recognizable as an actual person by the person's face, likeness or other distinguishing characteristic and whose image was used to create computer-generated visual material using artificial intelligence or other computer software. The TCCB supports this bill to protect children from digital victimization.

HB 2756 Romero, Ramon — This bill requires the calculation of a SNAP applicant's available resources exclude each motor vehicle in which the applicant or recipient or member of the applicant or recipient's household has an ownership interest, for the purposes of determining benefit eligibility. The TCCB supports this bill to increase access to SNAP without reliable transportation options. 

HB 2744 This bill raises the age to purchase a assault style semi-automatic rifle from 18 to 21. The TCCB supports this bill to reduce gun violence.

HB 2780  Leach, Jeff  | SB 728 SB 1184 Eckhardt, Sarah — This bill requires reporting of youthful offenders with intellectual disability or mental health concerns by the juvenile courts to the FBI or DPS for use in the federal firearm background check. The TCCB supports this bill to promote public safety and improve background checks.

HB 2817 Jetton, Jacey  — This bill establishes an education savings account program to provide funding for approved education-related expenses for certain disadvantaged students, including students with a disability, covered by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, or who failed to perform satisfactorily on an assessment instrument. The TCCB supports this bill to increase access to educational options for educationally disadvantaged students.

HB 2846 Cain, Briscoe | SB 559 Hughes, Bryan — This bill prohibits the state bar from discriminating against an applicant's ability to obtain or renew a law license based on a sincerely held religious belief or burden an applicant's free exercise of religion or freedom of expression by a rule or policy unless there is a compelling government purpose, narrowly tailored to accomplish that purpose or restricts expressions of bias or prejudice in connection to an a judicatory proceeding. The TCCB supports this bill to protect religious freedom of attorneys. 

HB 2891  Talarico, James  | SB 2535 Menendez, Jose — This bill allows glucagon medication to be prescribed in the name of a school district or private school and allows a public or private school to adopt and implement a policy regarding the administration of glucagon medication for the treatment of extremely low blood sugar. TCCB supports this bill to allow schools to provide life-saving medication for students with extremely low blood sugar.

HB 2983  Oliverson, Tom  | SB 1675 Johnson, Nathan — This bill creates a pilot project to provide medical nutrition assistance to certain Medicaid recipients. The TCCB supports this bill to allow physicians to write prescriptions for healthy foods for patients with diet-related health conditions to improve health outcomes.

HB 2962 Thimesch, Kronda — This bill creates the criminal offense of trespass if a person enters or remains on a school or day care campus, poses a substantial risk of harm or behaves in a manner that is inappropriate and received a request to leave from an administrator. The TCCB supports this bill to improve safety of schools and day care centers.

HB 2963 Smithee, John | SB 1273 Hughes, Bryan — This bill allows a defendant to request a new trial if he has the consent of the district attorney and allows courts to grant a new trial in the interest of justice for a variety of reasons. The TCCB supports this bill which allows for new trials when there is agreement by prosecutors and defense that it is in the interest of justice.

HB 3082 Hayes, Richard — This bill prohibits the reduction, withholding, exclusion, termination, or denial of a registration, accreditation, grant, contract, or agreement with a pharmacy, pharmacist, or pharmacy technician for not dispending or selling a specific drug or product in accordance with the person's sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction. The attorney general may bring an action for injunctive or declaratory relief. The TCCB supports this bill to protect the religious liberty rights of medical professionals. 

HB 3158 Leach, Jeff — This bill allows a licensing authority to accept an application from an inmate imprisoned in the TX Dept of Criminal Justice. The TCCB supports this bill to assist offenders with re-entry and rehabilitation.

HB 3162 Klick, Stephanie | SB 1724 Springer, Drew | SB 1952 Hughes, Bryan — This bill reforms the Texas Advance Directives Act to improve the balance of the dispute resolution process when there is a dispute between surrogates and healthcare providers on the medical appropriateness of medical procedures and interventions. The TCCB supports this incremental reform bill that makes several substantial improvements to protect the balance of patient and healthcare provider autonomy. 

HB 3175  Bucy, John — This bill allows as proof of lawful presence in the US for the issuance of a driver's license immigration documentation including any pending applications; an employment authorization document; a valid immigrant visa presented within one year of endorsement and an unexpired passport; and the applicant's unexpired passport with both a current border crossing card and an I-94 number. The TCCB supports this bill to increase access to driver’s licenses for greater public safety.

HB 3198 Noble, Candy | SB 1473 Bettencourt, Paul — This bill provides childcare providers with access to the TEA Do Not Hire Registry, extends DFPS central registry to all child welfare service organizations, applies pre-employment affidavit to child welfare or services organizations, and provides equal access to TEA fingerprinted background checks. The TCCB supports this omnibus bill to close loopholes to ensure greater protection for children from predators. 

HB 3199 Noble, Candy | SB 1469 Bettencourt, Paul — This bill allows child serving organizations to use the pre-employment affidavit that is used for applicants for jobs in public and private schools, which requires applicants to discuss whether they ever been charged with, adjudicated for, or convicted of having an inappropriate relationship with a minor. The TCCB supports expanding access to this effective tool in deterring child predators from employment in child-serving organizations. 

HB 3201 Noble, Candy | SB 1470 Bettencourt, Paul — This bill provides childcare agencies access to the TEA Do Not Hire Registry, which includes teachers found guilty of grooming or inappropriate relationships and not of criminal abuse, which therefore does not appear in law enforcement background checks. The TCCB supports this bill to ensure greater access to background check information for childcare providers. 

HB 3202 Noble, Candy | SB 1471 Bettencourt, Paul — This bill allows accredited private schools to have equal access to all background check options that public schools have, including access to FBI and national crime databases through fingerprinting background checks. The TCCB supports this bill to ensure all schools have equal access to background check information. 

HB 3266 Frazier, Frederick — This bill prohibits the possession, manufacture, transport, repair, or sale of a device designed and intended to make a handgun capable of automatically shooting more than one shot without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. The TCCB supports this as a reasonable measure to reduce gun violence.

HB 3360 Shaheen, Matt — This bill defines sexual performance and prohibits children from being present at establishments that hold sexual performances. The TCCB supports this bill to protect children from viewing sexually explicit performances.

HB 3380 Cook, David — This bill prohibits unlicensed adoptions and related advertising for unlicensed adoptions. The TCCB supports this bill to improve adoption processes in conformity with federal law. 

HB 3481 Leach, Jeff | SB 775 Zaffirini, Judith — This bill would modernize our wage garnishment protections by protecting a basic amount of money in a bank account. The TCCB supports this bill to prevent low income Texans from falling into a renewed financial crisis while they address debt collection matters. 

HB 3534 Morales Shaw, Penny — This bill requires DPS to post on its website a printable brochure developed in cooperation with HHSC that includes info on firearm violence and suicide prevention and requires a licensed firearms dealer to provide a copy of the brochure to a person whom a firearm is being sold or transferred unless the transferee has a license to carry a handgun. The TCCB supports this bill to raise awareness of gun violence and suicide prevention.

HB 3570 Schatzline, Nate | HB 3585 Leo-Wilson, Terri | SB 2164 Hughes, Bryan — This bill provides a definition of sexual material harmful to minors, among other definitions. It requires that a commercial entity that publishes or distributes material on a website (including social media), more than a third of which is sexual material harmful to minors, shall use age verification methods to verify that an individual attempting to access such material is over 18. The TCCB supports this bill to protect children from viewing sexual material that is harmful to children.

HB 3691 Hefner, Cole | SB 1255 Hughes, Bryan — This bill changes the word "handicapped" to "persons with disabilities" and adds a definition of "charitable housing services" and requirements for such agencies. In order to be exempt from property tax, they must provide housing and one of the listed services (such as assisted living or health services) to persons 62 years of age or older in financial need. The TCCB supports this bill to assist agencies that serve low-income elderly members of our communities.

HB 3708 Buckley, Brad — This bill allows funding to public school districts for the non-enrolled students in play in the district's UIL activities. The TCCB supports this bill to fund more students to engage in extracurricular activities with school districts.

 

HB 3781 Jetton, Jacey — This bill establishes an education savings account program in the amount of $7,250 for students with disabilities to increase parental choice in learning opportunities and supports. It also establishes a grant program to reimburse school districts for the cost of required contributions to the Teacher Retirement System for the employment of a retiree to teach special education and it requires TEA to provide grants to increase the number of qualified special education staff. The TCCB supports this bill to increase access to parental choice in education for students with disabilities and to increase the number of special education teachers and staff in public schools.

HB 3827 Lambert, Stan | SB 2245 Johnson, Nathan — This bill creates a new category of lenders called Earned Wage Access Providers and exempts them from Texas usury statutes. It does not include any limitations on the amount or frequency of fees and does not include any minimum or maximum terms for the transaction. The TCCB opposes HB 3727 because without explicit consumer protections, this will just be another avenue for taking advantage of the poor in their time of need.

HB 3847 Toth, Steve | SB 395 Hall, Bob — This bill removes the affirmative defense for educational, medical psychological or legislative reasons in cases of obscenity. The TCCB supports this bill to protect children from viewing harmful material.

HB 3933 Oliverson, Tom  — This bill limits the liability of entities contracted with the Department of Family and Protective Services to provide family preservation, foster care, or adoption services for a claim of negligence in the supervision or treatment of a child in the entity's custody or control unless the claimant establishes the person failed to comply with laws or rules regarding the supervision or treatment of children. TCCB supports this bill to enable entities to provide care and services to children needing foster care or adoption.

HB 3938 Moody, Joe — This bill requires persons convicted of family violence, felonies, or subject to a protective or emergency protection orders, to dispose of all firearms in their ownership, possession, or control. The TCCB supports this bill as a reasonable measure to reduce gun violence.

HB 3962 Morales, Eddie — This bill expands Medicaid eligibility to all persons who are the working parent of a dependent child who apply for the assistance and for whom federal matching money is available. The TCCB supports this bill as it increases access to healthcare services, supports the health of families, and reduces the number of uninsured Texans.

HB 4020 Howard, Donna  — This bill requires the Health and Human Services Commission to coordinate with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to assist eligible inmates with applying for public benefits upon release. The TCCB supports this bill to assist the formerly incarcerated with successful reentry into their communities.

HB 4044 Bonnen, Greg — This bill allows an unborn child's parent to request a life certificate for the unborn child before birth. The life certificate must be filed with the local registrar by a physician or nurse practitioner accompanied by a signed affidavit attesting to the life of the unborn child based on a sonogram or other appropriate physical exam of the mother. The life certificate may be used for the same purposes as a birth certificate. The TCCB supports this bill to allow the state to acknowledge the life of unborn children.

HB 4049 Frank, James | SB 24 Kolkhorst, Lois — This bill transfers prevention and early intervention services from DFPS to HHSC and expands the Alternative to Abortion program in order assist families in choosing life or who need support services. The TCCB supports this bill which creates a continuum of care for families to promote safety and stability.

HB 4056 Murr, Andrew | SB 1007 Flores, Pete — This bill would repeal the affirmative defense for educational or governmental reasons to prosecution for the criminal offense of sale, distribution, or display of harmful materials to a minor. The TCCB supports this bill to protect children from viewing harmful material.

HB 4058 Cortez, Philip — This bill allows a public or private primary or secondary school and a private or independent institution of higher ed to adopt a policy regarding the administration of opioid antagonists to a person who is reasonably believed to be experiencing an opioid-related drug overdose on a school campus or at an off-campus event. The TCCB supports this bill to allow public and private schools the ability to administer life saving medication in cases of opioid related drug overdoses.

HB 4070 Schaefer, Matt — This bill removes private schools from the entities required to post multiple signs on campus about penalties for human trafficking. The TCCB supports this bill to remove expensive unfunded mandates from private schools.

HB 4236 Noble, Candy | SB 1849 Kolkhorst, Lois — This bill creates an interagency database that combines the do-not-hire databases from each state agency so that schools and service providers can access one database. The TCCB supports this bill to improve access to child protection resources.

HB 4339 Frank, James | SB 2354 Bettencourt, Paul  — This bill establishes an education savings account program to enable students with disabilities and low to moderate income families to pay for tuition and fees, uniforms, instructional materials, and other approved expenses outside the public school system. The TCCB supports this bill to increase access to educational options for the poor and vulnerable.

HB 4340 Frank, James  — This bill establishes an education savings account program to enable parents to pay for tuition and fees, uniforms, instructional materials, and other approved expenses outside the public school system. The bill prioritizes students with disabilities families of low and moderate income. The TCCB supports this bill to increase access to educational options, especially for the poor and vulnerable.

HB 4406 King, Ken — This bill allows the TEA commissioner to transfer excess funds appropriated for the Foundation School Program to be transferred to the State School Safety Fund to award grants to school districts to implement a school safety plan. The TCCB supports this bill to increase safety in Texas schools.

HB 4572 Oliverson, Tom — This bill creates a religious liberty commission with members appointed by the Governor to advance religious freedom rights and create a religious library. The TCCB supports this bill to promote and preserve religious freedom.

HB 4580 Leach, Jeff — This bill prohibits the state from denying a public benefit provided under Title 2 of the Education code that is made available to a student enrolled in a private school on the sole basis that the school is operated by a religious institution or provides religion-based instruction. The TCCB supports this bill to prevent discrimination in services provided to students in private schools.

HB 4809 Capriglione, Giovanni — This bill creates a tax credit for companies to donate to non-profit agencies providing family support programs. The TCCB supports this bill to encourage giving to family support programs.

HB 4921 Murr, Andrew | SB 2158 King, Phil — This bill is the first step to moving into the TDCJ operated facilities with the adult high school program. The TCCB supports this bill to offer adults access to high school completion and vocational training programs within the Windham School District.

HB 5249 Klick, Stephani | SB 2378 Campbell, Donna — This bill improves and expands prohibitions on taxpayer funded transactions for abortion related services including training on abortion. The TCCB supports this bill to strengthen prohibitions on taxpayer funded abortion related services.

HB 5251 Toth, Steve | SB 13 Paxton, Angela — This bill allows a parent to receive an email notice each time a child obtains material from a school library including the title, author, and genre; establishes a process to challenge a library material; requires library standards to include a collection development policy that prohibits harmful material and demonstrates a commitment to compliance with the Children's Internet Protection Act; establishes a local school library advisory council to recommend policies and procedures for the procurement of materials consistent with local community values. It also removes the affirmative defense to prosecution for the sale, distribution, or exhibition of harmful material for scientific, educational, governmental, or other similar justification. The TCCB supports this bill to protect children from harmful material in school libraries and other educational settings.

HB 5267 Frank, James  — This bill establishes an education savings account to provide funding for parents to choose private or homeschool for their children. If funding is limited it prioritizes children with disabilities and those with low to moderate incomes. The TCCB supports this bill to increase access to educational options, especially for the poor and vulnerable.

HJR 17 Bernal, Diego | HJR 7 Bucy, John | SJR 10 Johnson, Nathan — This bill requires HHSC to provide Medicaid eligibility to anyone who is qualified for federal matching funds under the Affordable Care Act. The TCCB supports this bill to provide Medicaid expansion and increased access to healthcare services. 

HJR 53 Collier, Nicole | HB 782 Collier, Nicole — This bill authorizes the legislature to provide for a district court to reduce or modify a sentence imposing a term of imprisonment for a person who has served not less than 10 years of the term. The TCCB supports this bill to address lengthy sentences and promote re-entry and rehabilitation. 

HJR 58 Frank, James | HJR 85 Burrows, Dustin | SJR 70 Hughes, Bryan — This constitutional amendment protects the liberty of parents to direct the upbringing of their child as a fundamental right, including the right to direct the care, custody, control, education, moral and religious training, and medical care of the child. It prohibits states or political subdivisions from interfering with those rights unless it is essential to furthering a compelling governmental interest and is narrowly tailored to accomplish that interest. The TCCB supports this bill to protect parent rights.  

HJR 135 Thompson, Senfronia — This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to establish the Mental Health and Brain Research Institute of Texas and Brain Institute Research Fund to fund grants for mental health and brain research and the prevention of mental and behavioral health issues. The TCCB supports this bill to improve the health of Texas residents, and enhance the potential for a medical or scientific breakthrough in mental health and brain-related sciences and biomedical research.

HJR 170 King, Ken — This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to create the State School Safety Fund in the state treasury outside the general revenue fund to be used exclusively to support projects to enhance the safety of schools. The TCCB supports this bill to increase safety in Texas schools.

SB 8 Creighton, Brandon | HB 5261 Frank, James  — This bill improves parental rights in public schools and creates an education savings account program which will allow $8,000 for current public school students to use toward private school tuition, tutoring, and educational expenses. The TCCB supports this bill and urges improvement by prioritizing those with the greatest academic and financial needs.

SB 14 Campbell, Donna | HB 1686 Oliverson, Tom | SB 625 Campbell, Donna — This bill prohibits the use of state funds for gender transitioning, reassignment or treatments for children and makes performance of gender transitioning or reassignment treatment or procedure on a child a prohibited act by a physician, subject to loss of license. The TCCB supports this legislation in which prevents the advancement of gender ideology among the youth.

SB 15 Middleton, Mayes — This bill prohibits college athletics teams from having students play in competitions designed for the biological sex that is opposite to their biological sex. The TCCB supports this bill to ensure fairness in college sports.

SB 49 Zaffirini, Judith | HB 250 Gonzalez, Mary — This bill allows for certain crime victims (e.g., victims of stalking, family violence, or stalking, dependents, a family member or household member of any victim) to receive certain crime victim assistance, including temporary and emergency lodging, expenses for transportation and meals, relocation expenses, and housing rental payments. The TCCB supports this bill to protect and rehabilitate victims of crime. 

SB 52 Zaffirini, Judith — This bill applies the in-person essential caregiver protections to patients in state hospitals. The TCCB supports this bill to ensure that patients in state hospitals can have in-person visits from a family member or essential caregivers.  

SB 75 Johnson, Nathan — This bill requires that a person who is eligible for SNAP benefits remain eligible for 12 months, with some exceptions. The TCCB supports this legislation to alleviate food insecurity. 

SB 105 Johnson, Nathan | HB 2895 Johnson, Ann — This bill allows for the cremation of human remains using alkaline hydrolysis. The TCCB opposes this bill because the dehydration of human remains in a vat of chemicals is disrespectful of the human body and does not allow for burial of the body. 

SB 129 Springer, Drew — This bill increases the criminal penalties for prosecution and punishment for the possession of child pornography. The penalties would vary in severity depending upon the amount of visual material that depicts child pornography. The highest penalty would be a felony of the first degree punishable by imprisonment in a TDCJ facility for life if a person was an employee at a child-care facility or a residential child-care facility, an employee of a residential treatment facility, an employee at a shelter or facility that serves youth and receives state funds, or receiving state funds for the care of a child depicted by the visual material. There would also be penalty enhancements if the children depicted are younger than 10 years of age. The TCCB supports this bill to increase penalties for possession of child pornography. 

SB 131 Campbell, Donna — This bill allows a representative of a school, place of worship, licensed day-care center, hospital, or medical facility located within 440 yards of a proposed concrete plant to request a public hearing from the TCEQ. The TCCB supports this bill to increase public input of religious entities and other persons in environmental permitting processes that may affect their communities. 

SB 133 West, Royce | HB 459 Hull, Lacey — This bill prohibits an officer performing law enforcement duties or school security personnel from restraining or using a chemical irritant spray on a student 10 years of age or younger unless the student poses a serious risk of harm to himself or another person. The TCCB supports this bill to ensure children are not needlessly restrained in schools. 

SB 134 West, Royce — This bill extends the medical assistance coverage of women receiving Medicaid from 60 days to at least one year following a delivery or miscarriage. The TCCB supports this bill as it promotes maternal health. 

SB 149 Springer, Drew — This bill prohibits a municipality from adopting and enforcing an ordinance, regulation, or other measure that imposes a restriction, condition, or regulation on commercial activity. "Commercial activity" is broadly defined to mean the purchase or sale of goods of services of "any kind or quantity" by a person who engages in that activity in more than one municipality in this state. The TCCB opposes this bill because the broad definition of "commercial activity" could affect the efficacy of payday and auto-title lending ordinances that protect poor and vulnerable Texans. 

SB 151 Springer, Drew — This bill requires the TDCJ to adopt a policy that prohibits an inmate confined to a facility operated by or under contract with the agency from possessing or otherwise obtaining a photograph or other image of a victim of the offense for which the inmate is serving a sentence. The TCCB supports this bill to ensure the respect of and privacy for crime victims. 

SB 161 Perry, Charles — This bill requires a licensing entity that receives a complaint concerning a health care practitioner who holds a license issued by a different licensing entity to promptly forward a copy of the complaint to that licensing entity. A licensing entity would be prohibited from taking disciplinary action based on a complaint against a health care practitioner who holds a license issued by a different licensing entity unless that licensing entity refers the complaint back to the initial agency that received the complaint for investigation and resolution. The TCCB supports this bill to integrate disciplinary complaints across governmental entities. 

SB 176  Middleton, Mayes | HB 4807 Harrison, Brian — This bill allows any student in the state to access parental choice subject to available funding and prioritizes students with disabilities if there is limited funding. The TCCB supports this bill and encourages improvements to accountability and to prioritize students with the greatest academic and financial need.

SB 182 Miles, Borris — This bill requires each DFPS (Department of Family and Protective Services) or TJJD (Texas Juvenile Justice Board and Texas Juvenile Justice Department) employee or department contractor who becomes aware of a criminal offense of another employee or a contractor against a person receiving services to report the offense to the DPS. The TCCB supports this bill to offer greater protection to vulnerable people. 

SB 188 Miles, Borris | HB 1219 Reynolds, Ron — This bill requires an owner or operator of a group home to obtain the criminal history record information maintained by DPS on each individual who is an applicant for employment with or an employee of the group home. An owner or operator may not hire or continue to employ an individual for certain serious convictions (e.g., kidnapping, trafficking, sexual offenses, assault). Failure to comply would be a Class A misdemeanor. The TCCB supports this bill to protect residents of group homes and prevent human trafficking. 

SB 223 Campbell, Donna — This bill requires the TCEQ to hold at least one public meeting on an application for an initial permit for a wastewater treatment facility in the county in which the facility is proposed to be located. The TCCB supports this bill to promote public input in environmental permitting processes. 

SB 294 Johnson, Nathan | HB 920 Klick, Stephanie — This bill requires the commissioner of state health services to establish an advisory council to examine and review the administration on the campus of a school district, open-enrollment charter school, a private school, or an institution of higher education medications for respiratory distress (e.g., albuterol, levalbuterol). It allows each school to adopt and implement a policy regarding the maintenance, administration, and disposal of medication for respiratory distress. Schools are required to make a report if they administer medication and train personnel. The TCCB supports this bill to promote access to respiratory medications in schools. 

SB 343 Johnson, Nathan — This bill expands eligibility for Medicaid to the maximum extent permitted by federal law to include all individuals for whom federal matching funds are available to reduce the number of uninsured Texas residents, promote personal responsibility, increase efficiency of healthcare delivery, increase accessibility, and reduce health care costs. The TCCB supports this bill as it increases access to healthcare and reduces the number of insured Texans. 

SB 394 Hall, Bob — This bill allows a parent access to electronic records in addition to written records of a school district concerning the parent's child. It also requires written consent from a child's parent before administering a student well-being questionnaire, health care screening form, or survey. The TCCB supports this bill as it reaffirms parental rights. 

SB 410 Paxton, Angela — This bill requires the SBOE to adopt rules requiring 7th and 8th grade students to receive instruction on fetal development as part of the health curriculum which must include a description of the growth and development of an unborn child during each trimester of pregnancy. The TCCB supports this bill to educate students on the development of life in utero. 

SB 411 Paxton, Angela — This bill requires public universities and colleges to provide pregnancy resources to all students through the student health center. The TCCB supports this bill to provide college students with pregnancy support resources and information. 

SB 413 Paxton, Angela | SB 412 Paxton, Angela — This bill requires public universities and colleges to provide pregnancy accommodations to pregnant students and ensures that pregnant and parenting college students are not discriminated against by university or college policy. The TCCB supports this bill to assist pregnant and parenting college students in continuing their post-secondary education.

SB 417 Paxton, Angela | HB 1936 Lozano, Jose — This bill requires manufacturers of electronic devices to have a filter for explicit material that is opt-in rather than opt-out and prohibits persons from disabling the filter on devices sold to minors with a civil penalty for enforcement. The TCCB supports this bill to reduce access to pornography. 

SB 418 Paxton, Angela — This bill allows public school students to transfer between any public school district regardless of whether the sending district approves. The TCCB supports this bill to provide greater access to parental choice in education within the public school system. 

SB 419 Paxton, Angela — This bill requires a school district to provide parents access to the library catalog in each school and allows parents to provide to the district a list of materials that the student may not check out or otherwise access for use outside the school library. The TCCB supports this bill to provide greater protection for the rights of parents as the primary educators of their children. 

SB 420 Paxton, Angela — This bill allows a parent to elect to receive a notice each time a student obtains school library material. The notice must include title, author, genre, and return date. The TCCB supports this bill as it helps parents to limit their children's exposure to inappropriate materials. 

SB 421 Paxton, Angela — This bill prohibits districts of innovation from limiting the applicability of provisions regarding parental rights described in Chapter 26 of the Education Code as well as public information and open meetings requirements in Chapters 551 and 552. The TCCB supports this bill as it affirms parental rights and transparency in districts of innovation. 

SB 455 Menendez, Jose | HB 1323 Talarico, James — This bill creates outreach programs to ensure that students in the care of DFPS in grades 9-12 are aware of benefits available to them at public institutions of higher education. The TCCB supports this initiative to provide resources to foster care youth who are aging out of foster care. 

SB 459 Paxton, Angela | HB 1574 Harris, Caroline — This bill allows for early registration for parenting students at public institutions of higher learning. The TCCB supports this bill to provide assistance to parenting students. 

SB 466 Bettencourt, Paul | HB 279 Jetton, Jacey — This bill adds "disabled individuals" to the child trafficking statute by making it a crime if a person traffics a disabled individual and by any means causes a disabled individual to engage in certain prohibited conduct (e.g., sexual abuse, indecency, sexual assault, prostitution, solicitation of prostitution). The TCCB supports this bill to penalize traffickers and protect vulnerable adults. 

SB 485 Johnson, Nathan — This bill designates the second Saturday in October as Hospice and Palliative Care Day. The TCCB supports this bill to raise awareness of the benefits of palliative care. 

SB 500 West, Royce | HB 1024 Thompson, Senfronia -- This bill would increase the amount of property (residential dwelling) that may be offered or awarded at a charitable raffle from the current $250,000 to $1,000,000. The TCCB supports this bill which attempts to protect children from harm online.

SB 511 Hall, Bob — This bill denies economic benefits/tax incentives to entities that assist, refer, or otherwise encourage a woman to obtain an abortion. The TCCB supports this bill to prevent rewarding businesses or entities that encourage abortion. 

SB 562 Sparks, Kevin | HB 473 Hull, Lacey — This bill requires a public school threat assessment team conducting a threat assessment of a student to notify the parent prior to the assessment, to provide the opportunity for the parent to participate in the assessment and to submit information to the team regarding the student and provide the findings and conclusions of the team to the parent. The TCCB supports this bill to allow greater engagement by parents in assessments of student safety. 

SB 581 Zaffirini, Judith | HB 671 Gonzalez, Mary — This bill directs the Texas Veterans Commission to conduct a suicide prevention campaign to provide veterans with information regarding suicide prevention. The TCCB supports this bill to reduce suicide among veterans. 

SB 587 Hughes, Bryan — This bill prohibits the state or a political subdivision of this state from requiring a religious institution or nonprofit organization to prepare in a commercial kitchen or in a facility that is equipped with commercial kitchen equipment food the institution or organization sells at an event held to raise money for the institution or organization. The It may not be construed to affect any other requirement for food preparation that is applicable to a religious institution or nonprofit organization. The TCCB supports this bill to remove obstacles to fundraisers for religious institutions and non-profit organizations.

SB 590 Hughes, Bryan — This bill requires a man pay retroactive child support upon any order establishing paternity or in a suit to establish the child support obligation of any man whose paternity has been established. Retroactive support includes reimbursement to the child's mother for 50% of reasonable and necessary medical expenses, the cost of materials purchased by the mother in preparation for child's birth, and for lost wages as a result of time spent receiving medical attention during gestation, delivery, and postpartum recovery. The TCCB supports this bill as it recognizes and promotes the responsibility of fathers to equally share the financial costs of a child before and after birth. 

SB 595 Kolkhorst, Lois — This bill requires a signed written consent by parents for students to participate in psychological or psychiatric examination or tests in a public school. The TCCB supports this bill to protect parental rights to consent to student testing. 

SB 629 Menendez, Jose | HB 2411 Talarico, James — This bill allows a public or private school to develop a policy to administer opioid antagonists to a person experiencing an apparent opioid-related drug overdose. The TCCB supports this bill to allow public and private schools the ability to administer lifesaving medication in cases of opioid related drug overdoses. 

SB 668 West, Royce | HB 1905 Talarico, James — This bill requires public school districts to make school safety training available at no cost to childcare facilities and other organizations providing out of school care. The TCCB supports this bill to increase access to school safety training. 

SB 673 Zaffirini, Judith — This bill removes the requirement for professionals to report pregnant women who voluntarily disclose use of controlled substances if the woman provides proof of enrollment or completion of a substance abuse treatment program and there is no immediate risk of harm to the child. The TCCB supports this bill as it promotes rehabilitation and family preservation. 

SB 694 Hughes, Bryan — This bill ensures that a religious organization or its security personnel is immune from civil liability for any act or omission resulting in death, damage, or injury if the security personnel was acting in the course of employment or volunteer duties or functions to provide security services to the organization, including an intentional act involving possession or use of a firearm. The TCCB supports this bill to improve religious organizations’ ability to protect themselves from security threats.

SB 739 Johnson, Nathan — This bill designates October 10 as Supportive Palliative Care Awareness Day to raise awareness about supportive palliative care optimizing the quality of life for seriously ill patients and their families. The TCCB supports this bill to improve awareness and education about supportive palliative care. 

SB 780 Hughes, Bryan | HB 2010 Hefner, Cole — This bill allows a child to be delivered to a designated emergency infant care provider by placing the child in a newborn safety device equipped with an alarm and located inside the provider's facilities. The TCCB supports this bill to provide an anonymous and safe process for mothers who voluntarily surrender custody of their newborns. 

SB 798 Middleton, Mayes | HB 5006 Buckley, Brad — This bill states that certificates as a school counselor may not require that a candidate have experience as a classroom teacher. The TCCB supports this bill to improve student access to counseling and mental health resources.

SB 806 Paxton, Angela — This bill requires peace officers to provide victims with written referral to the nearest sexual assault program, information about electronic tracking, offer to request a forensic medical exam, and offer to coordinate with the local response team for continuing care. The TCCB supports this bill to improve the care of sexual assault victims. 

SB 834 King, Phil | HB 456 Craddick, Tom — This bill allows an organization that qualifies as a charitable organization to be exempt from property taxes of the royalty interests they own. The TCCB supports this bill to assist charitable organizations.

SB 884 Zaffirini, Judith — This bill requires suicide awareness and prevention training to be provided for all Texas Military Preparedness Commission employees who have direct contact with veterans. The TCCB supports this bill to provide greater awareness and prevention for suicide among veterans. 

SB 908 West, Royce | HB 2613 Hull, Lacey — This bill removes eligibility criteria for receiving assistance and services in cases where a child is placed with a relative. Financial need is no longer considered and instead requires that the monetary assistance be provided at a rate equal to the State’s minimum daily foster care reimbursement rate. It also repeals the Caregiver Assistance Agreement. The TCCB supports this bill to provide financial and other support to families receiving placement of a relative who is in the foster care system. 

SB 923 Springer, Drew — This bill prohibits undocumented immigrants from enrolling in Texas public K-12 schools unless the school board has an agreement for the US government to pay the state for the cost of educating the students. The TCCB opposes this bill which removes access to education from children in Texas. 

SB 955 Springer, Drew — This bill changes the parole eligibility of youthful offenders. It changes the eligibility for parole from half their sentence or 30 years to one fourth their sentence or 20 years, but no less than two years. For capital offenses, it is a minimum of 20 years. It provides considerations for the parole board including the diminished culpability of youth, the hallmark features of youth and the greater capacity for change in youth. The TCCB supports this bill to allow for parole consideration for youthful offenders after decades of incarceration. 

SB 959 Campbell, Donna — This bill includes open-enrollment charter school in the definition of "governmental entity" regarding the prohibition of governmental entities entering into taxpayer resource transactions with an abortion provider or abortion provider affiliate. The TCCB supports this bill to prohibit contracts with charter schools and abortion providers or affiliates. 

SB 1072 Hughes, Bryan — This bill establishes a School Health Advisory Council (SHAC)for charter schools. It allows the board of trustees to adopt a policy allowing the SHAC to determine circumstances in which a school district employee may discuss matters of human sexuality with students and a campus may host an extracurricular event related to human sexuality. If the board adopts such a policy, the board must notify parents of said policy. The TCCB supports this bill to increase parental engagement and awareness of human sexuality instruction in charter schools. 

 

SB 1175 Eckhardt, Sarah — This bill allows a representative of a school, place of worship, licensed day-care center, hospital, nursing facility, or medical facility or a person residing within 880 yards of the proposed concrete plant to request a hearing. Previously, the limit was 440 yards. The TCCB supports this bill to promote the health of vulnerable communities and improve transparency and community engagement in environmental planning and regulation. 

SB 1192 Zaffirini, Judith — This bill adds applicants for employment, contract or volunteer positions in the regulatory services division of the Health and Services Commission to the list of those for whom a criminal history record may be obtained. The TCCB supports this bill to increase access to criminal background checks. 

SB 1273 Hughes, Bryan | HB 2963  Smithee, John — This bill allows a defendant to request a new trial if he has the consent of the district attorney and allows courts to grant a new trial in the interest of justice for a variety of reasons. The TCCB supports this bill which allows for new trials when there is agreement by prosecutors and defense that it is in the interest of justice.

SB 1281 Hughes, Bryan | HB 4074 Bernal, Diego | SB 2050 Miles, Borris — This bill repeals the OmniBase program to allow for renewal of licenses. The TCCB supports this bill that will allow more Texans to keep and find employment by having the ability to drive to work.

SB 1353 Miles, Borris — This bill prohibits the execution of a person with an intellectual disability. It requires a hearing and determination of intellectual disability. The TCCB supports this bill which reduces the use of the death penalty in Texas.

SB 1472 Bettencourt, Paul | HB 3204 Noble, Candy   — This bill makes the Department of Family Protective Services’ central registry available to all child service and education providers and makes it the central registry for all records of any state agency related to persons known by the state to have abused or neglected a child. The TCCB supports this bill to provide greater access to child protection background check information. 

SB 1601 Hughes, Bryan — This bill states that a municipal library may not receive state funds if they host an event where a man presents as a woman or a woman presents as a man to read a story to a minor or entertain and the person dressing as the opposite gender is the primary component of the entertainment. Should an event like this occur, funding for the library would be denied for the following year. The TCCB supports this bill to oppose the advancement of gender ideology, especially in places where young children are involved.

SB 1711 Perry, Charles  — This bill requires an institution of higher learning not take any action against a student organization or deny any benefit available to other student organizations at the institutions on the basis of political, religious, philosophical, ideological, or academic viewpoints expressed by the organization or any "requirement of the org that the org's leaders or members affirm and adhere to the org's sincerely held religious beliefs or further the org's mission or purpose." The TCCB supports this bill to ensure protection of religious liberty of student organizations.

SB 1871 Hughes, Bryan — This bill creates the Texas Empowerment Account Pilot Program to assist low income families in gaining permanent self-sufficiency and eliminating the need for financial assistance, SNAP, and other public benefits. The comptroller will administer the program providing up to 1,000 families with funding for eligible expenses through individual empowerment accounts. The TCCB supports this bill to support anti-poverty public assistance which incentivizes self-sufficiency.

SB 2021 Paxton, Angela — This bill defines several terms related to "sexual material harmful to minors" and provides that a commercial entity that knowingly and intentionally publishes or distributes material on a website, including social media, more than a third of which is sexual material harmful to minors, shall use reasonable age verification methods to verify that an individual attempting to access the information is 18 years or older. A commercial entity that violates this law will be liable to the parent of the minor for damages and to the individual if they retain identifying information after access has been granted. It also requires warnings to be posted on the website about the potential damages of watching pornography with resources for seeking help with an addiction. The TCCB supports this bill to protect children from viewing sexual material that is harmful to children.

SB 2069 Bettencourt, Paul — This bill removes private schools from the entities required to post multiple signs on campus about penalties for human trafficking. The TCCB supports this bill to remove expensive unfunded mandates from private schools.

SB 2424 Birdwell, Brian — This bill creates a new offense of improper entry from a foreign nation, including those seeking asylum or brought here as minors by their parents. The TCCB opposes this bill which fails to account for the years long asylum and DACA processes and makes state crimes of a person’s presence in the United States while pursuing legal federal processes.

SB 2483 Paxton, Angela — This bill establishes an education savings account to provide funding for parents to choose private or home school for their children. If funding is limited it prioritizes children on free and reduced lunch. The TCCB supports this bill to assist parents with choosing the best educational options for their children and urges improvements, including additional levels of prioritization.

SB 2560 Middleton, Mayes — This bill creates an adoption assistance fund that provides assistance to low and moderate income adoptive parents for between 10-30% of the costs of adoption on a sliding scale. The TCCB supports this bill to assist families with adoption expenses.

SJR 6 Zaffirini, Judith | HJR 7 Bucy, John — This bill expands Medicaid to all persons for whom federal matching funds are available under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The TCCB supports this because it increases access to healthcare coverage. 

SJR 29 Paxton, Angela — This joint resolution establishes a parent's right to direct a child's education including the right to: make reasonable choices within the public school system; choose an alternative to public education including private, parochial, or home school; access and view teaching materials, attend meetings of governing body of public school, access public school student records for the parent's child, and access and view academic assessment instruments provided the security of the test is protected prior to its administration.

SJR 72 King, Phil | HJR 37 Vasut, Cody — This bill proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting an agency of the state government, including the legislature, or of a political subdivision of this state, from regulating the educational program of a private school, including a home school, in this state. The TCCB supports this bill to protect the autonomy of private schools.  

SJR 76 Paxton, Angela — This resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that repeals Blaine amendment from the Texas Constitution. The TCCB supports this bill to remove an anti-Catholic constitutional amendment.