82nd Texas Legislature - Regular Session
Austin Newsletter No. 5
Senate Eminent Domain Bill Passes Unanimously
Since the last newsletter, SB 18 was voted out of the committee and passed unanimously in the Senate.
The bill, filed by Senator Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls), relates to comprehensive eminent domain reform. It states that a property can only be acquired for a public purpose, not for an entity’s private benefit. It requires entities to make a good faith offer for a property before beginning the condemnation process, and it gives owners a stronger voice in determining who decides what damages are owed if these proceedings do occur. SB 18 will require a property owner to be compensated for damages from a loss of direct access to their property and receive relocation assistance when forced from their property. Furthermore, it provides, under certain conditions, owners the right to repurchase their property at the original value after 10 years. (TFB Policy 140, pg 30, lines 18-21; Policy 148, pg 46, lines 1-4, 20-23, pg 48, lines 98-103; Policy 149, pg 49, lines 1-11, 16-29, pg 50, lines 41-52, 68-71, pg 51, lines 95-98.)
TFB supports
SB 18.
Providing Bison Owners More Protection
Senator Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls) has filed SB 478, which adds "stray bison" to the definition of "estray" in the Agriculture code. This strengthens bison owners’ legal rights and protection by stipulating that when bison estray, or wander off, the owner and local sheriff must be contacted as soon as possible so the bison can be returned. This also means that bison owners, like other owners of livestock, may have to pay a fee to those who care for and/or sustain damages when bison wander onto another’s property. (TFB Policy 118, pg 13, lines 154-156.)
TFB supports
SB 478.
Reducing Liability For Damages Caused by Farm Animal Activities
SB 479, filed by Senator Craig Estes (R-Wichita Falls), increases the liability protection for people who sponsor or are engaged in farm animal activities. Under the bill they would not be liable for the personal or property damage suffered by participants during animal shows, rodeos, fairs, and parades. Previously, this protection only applied to activities dealing with equine animals. However, citing the inherent risks one faces when dealing with all farm animals, SB 479 expands this liability protection to most other farm animals too, like bovines, sheep, goats, pigs, hogs, ratites, and fowl. (TFB Policy 148, pg 47, lines 73-75.)
TFB supports
SB 479.
Repealing the Establishment of the Trans-Texas Corridor
Representative Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) has filed HB 1201, which removes the authorizing statutes for the Trans-Texas Corridor. The bill removes funding mechanisms from the Tax Code and ends all plans for its construction in the Transportation Code. As originally planned, the corridor would be a statewide system of highways, turnpikes, railroads, and accompanying infrastructure. This massive undertaking is not possible without the Transportation Commission taking large swaths of private property via eminent domain. Senator Glenn Hegar (R-Katy) filed an identical bill, SB 565, in the Senate. (TFB Policy 158, pg 71, line 63-69.)
TFB Supports
HB 1201 and SB 565.
Texas House Committees
The following 11 committees are listed in full because they address the Texas Farm Bureau’s priority issues.
Agriculture and Livestock
Chair: Rick Hardcastle (R-Vernon)
Vice Chair: Charles "Doc" Anderson (R-Waco)
Seniority Appointments:
Rick Hardcastle (R-Vernon)
Tim Kleinschmidt (R-Lexington)
J.M. Lozano (D-Kingsville)
Speaker Appointments:
Charlie Howard (R-Sugarland)
Bryan Hughes (R-Marshall)
Jason Isaac (R-Dripping Springs)
Jim Landtroop (R-Plainview)
Borris L. Miles (D-Houston)
Appropriations
Chair: Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie)
Vice Chair: Sylvester Turner (D-Houston)
Seniority Appointments:
Warren Chisum (R-Pampa)
Myra Crownover (R-Denton)
Dawnna Dukes (D-Austin)
Craig Eiland (D-Galveston)
Helen Giddings (D-Dallas)
Scott Hochberg (D-Houston)
Ruth Jones McClendon (D-San Antonio)
Geanie Morrison (R-Victoria)
John Otto (R-Dayton)
Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie)
Debbie Riddle (R-Tomball)
Mike Villarreal (D-San Antonio)
Speaker Appointments:
Jimmie Don Aycock (R-Killeen)
Angie Chen Button (R-Garland)
Drew Darby (R-San Angelo)
Lance Gooden (R-Terrell)
Eric Johnson (D-Dallas)
Susan King (R-Abilene)
Dee Margo (R-El Paso)
Armando Martinez (D-Weslaco)
Doug Miller (R-New Braunfels)
Diane Patrick (R-Arlington)
Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown)
Mark Shelton (R-Fort Worth)
Raul Torres (R-Corpus Christi)
John Zerwas (R-Richmond)
Calendars
Chair: Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi)
Vice Chair: Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton)
Speaker Appointments:
Dan Branch (R-Dallas)
Garnet Coleman (D-Houston)
Byron Cook (R-Corsicana)
Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth)
Jim Keffer (R-Eastland)
Tracy King (D-Batesville)
Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham)
Eddie Lucio III (D-Brownsville)
Allan Ritter (R-Nederland)
Eddie Rodriguez (D-Austin)
Burt Solomons (R-Carrollton)
Vicki Truitt (R-Keller)
John Zerwas (R-Richmond)
Culture, Recreation &Tourism
Chair: Ryan Guillen (D-Rio Grande City)
Vice Chair: Gary Elkins (R-Houston)
Seniority Appointments:
John Kuempel (R-Seguin)
Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio)
Four Price (R-Amarillo)
Speaker Appointments:
Joe Deshotel (D-Beaumont)
Dawnna Dukes (D-Austin)
Tracy King (D-Batesville)
Todd Smith (R-Euless)
Environmental Regulation
Chair: Wayne Smith (R-Baytown)
Vice Chair: Jessica Farrar (D-Houston)
Seniority Appointments:
Lon Burnam (D-Fort Worth)
Jessica Farrar (D-Houston)
Ken Legler (R-Pasadena)
Speaker Appointments:
Jose Aliseda (R-Beeville)
Warren Chisum (R-Pampa)
Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills)
Lanham Lyne (R-Wichita Falls)
Ron Reynolds (D-Missouri City)
Land & Resource Management
Chair: Rene Oliveira (D-Brownsville)
Vice Chair: Tim Kleinschmidt (R-Lexington)
Seniority Appointments:
John Garza (R-San Antonio)
George Lavender (R-Texarkana)
Dee Margo (R-El Paso)
Speaker Appointments:
Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas)
Rodney Anderson (R-Grand Prairie)
Fred Brown (R-College Station)
Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham)
Local & Consent Calendars
Chair: Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston)
Vice Chair: Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills)
Speaker Appointments:
Dwayne Bohac (R-Houston)
Drew Darby (R-San Angelo)
Gary Elkins (R-Houston)
Joe Farias (D-San Antonio)
Linda Harper-Brown (R-Irving)
Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio)
Marisa Marquez (D-El Paso)
Rob Orr (R-Burleson)
Connie Scott (R-Corpus Christi)
Natural Resources
Chair: Allan Ritter (R-Nederland)
Vice Chair: Tracy King (D-Batesville)
Seniority Appointments:
Chuck Hopson (R-Jacksonville)
Jim Keffer (R-Eastland)
Tracy King (D-Batesville)
Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio)
Speaker Appointments:
Marva Beck (R-Centerville)
Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe)
Lyle Larson (R-San Antonio)
Eddie Lucio III (D-Brownsville)
Doug Miller (R-New Braunfels)
Four Price (R-Amarillo)
Redistricting
Chair: Burt Solomons (R-Carrollton)
Vice Chair: Mike Villarreal (D-San Antonio)
Speaker Appointments:
Roberto Alonzo (D-Dallas)
Carol Alvarado (D-Houston)
Jimmie Don Aycock (R-Killeen)
Dan Branch (R-Dallas)
Rob Eissler (R-The Woodlands)
Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth)
Patricia Harless (R-Spring)
Harvey Hilderbran (R-Kerrville)
Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi)
Jim Keffer (R-Eastland)
Jerry Madden (R-Richardson)
Aaron Pena (R-Edinburg)
Larry Phillips (R-Sherman)
Joe Pickett (D-El Paso)
Marc Veasey (D-Fort Worth)
Transportation
Chair: Larry Phillips (R-Sherman)
Vice Chair: Drew Darby (R-San Angelo)
Seniority Appointments:
Yvonne Davis (D-Dallas)
Linda Harper-Brown (R-Irving)
Joe Pickett (D-El Paso)
Eddie Rodriguez (D-Austin)
Speaker Appointments:
Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton)
Allen Fletcher (R-Tomball)
George Lavender (R-Texarkana)
Armando Martinez (D-Weslaco)
Ruth Jones McClendon (D-San Antonio)
Ways & Means
Chair: Harvey Hilderbran (R-Kerrville)
Vice Chair: John Otto (R-Dayton)
Seniority Appointments:
Wayne Christian (R-Center)
Gary Elkins (R-Houston)
Allan Ritter (R-Nederland)
Beverly Woolley (R-Houston)
Speaker Appointments:
Naomi Gonzalez (D-El Paso)
Lanham Lyne (R-Wichita Falls)
Trey Martinez Fischer (D-San Antonio)
Jim Murphy (R-Houston)
Mike Villarreal (D-San Antonio)
The following includes the chair and vice-chair of the rest of the committees selected in the House of Representatives.
House Select Committee on State Sovereignty
Brandon Creighton, Chair (R-Conroe)
Trey Martinez Fisher, Vice Chair (D-San Antonio)
Dan Branch (R-Dallas)
Sid Miller (R-Stephenville)
Drew Darby (R-San Angelo)
Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston)
Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie)
Border & Intergovernmental Affairs
Chair: Veronica Gonzales (D-McAllen)
Vice Chair: Randy Weber (R-Pearland)
Business & Industry
Chair: Joe Deshotel (D-Beaumont)
Vice Chair: Rob Orr (R-Burleson)
Corrections
Chair: Jerry Madden (R-Richardson)
Vice Chair: Alma Allen (D-Houston)
County Affairs
Chair: Garnet Coleman (D-Houston) |
Vice Char: Marisa Marquez (D-El Paso)
Criminal Jurisprudence
Chair: Pete Gallego (D-Alpine)
Vice Chair: Will Hartnett (R-Dallas)
Defense & Veterans’ Affairs
Chair: Joe Pickett (D-El Paso)
Vice Chair: Ralph Sheffield (R-Temple)
Economic & Small Business Development
Chair: John Davis (R-Houston)
Vice Chair: Hubert Vo (D-Houston)
General Investigating & Ethics
Chair: Chuck Hopson (R-Jacksonville)
Vice Chair: Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe)
Elections
Chair: Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood)
Vice Chair: Ana E. Hernandez Luna (D-Houston)
Energy Resources
Chair: Jim Keffer (R-Eastland)
Vice Chair: Myra Crownover (R-Denton)
Government Efficiency & Reform
Chair: William "Bill" Callegari (R-Katy)
Vice Chair: Eddie Lucio III (D-Brownsville)
Higher Education
Chair: Dan Branch (R-Dallas)
Vice Chair: Joaquin Castro (D-San Antonio)
Homeland Security & Public Safety
Chair: Sid Miller (R-Stephenville)
Vice Chair: Allen Fletcher (R-Tomball)
House Administration
Chair: Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth)
Vice Chair: Donna Howard (D-Austin)
Human Services
Chair: Richard Pena Raymond (D-Laredo)
Vice Chair: Geanie Morrison (R-Victoria)
Government Efficiency & Reform
Chair: William "Bill" Callegari (R-Katy)
Vice Chair: Eddie Lucio III (D-Brownsville)
Insurance
Chair: John Smithee (R-Amarillo)
Vice Chair: Craig Eiland (D-Galveston)
Joint Committee on Oversight and HHS Eligibility System
Chair: Fred Brown (R-College Station)
Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Chair: Jim Jackson (R-Carrollton)
Vice Chair: Tyron Lewis (R-Odessa)
Licensing & Administrative Procedures
Chair: Mike Hamilton (R-Mauriceville)
Vice Chair: Chente Quintanilla (D-Tornillo)
Public Health
Chair: Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham)
Vice Chair: Elliott Naishtat (D-Austin)
Pensions, Investments & Financial Services
Chair: Vicki Truitt (R-Keller)
Vice Chair: Rafael Anchia (D-Dallas)
Public Education
Chair: Rob Eissler (R-The Woodlands)
Vice Chair: Scott Hochberg (D-Houston)
Technology
Chair: Aaron Pena (R-Edinburg)
Vice Chair: Angie Chen Button (R-Garland)
Rules & Resolutions
Chair: Ruth Jones McClendon (D-San Antonio)
Vice Chair: Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound)
State Affairs
Chair: Byron Cook (R-Corsicana)
Vice Chair: Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio)
Urban Affairs
Chair: Harold Dutton Jr. (D-Houston)
Vice Chair: Carol Alvarado (D-Houston)
House Select Committee on Voter ID and Voter Fraud
Chair: Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton)
Vice Chair: Mark Veasey (D-Fort Worth)
Select Committee on Election Contest
Chair: Todd Hunter (R-Corpus Christi)
Vice Chair: Craig Eiland (D-Galveston)
Texas Farm Bureau State Legislative Team
Billy Howe, State Legislative Director
Issue areas: Eminent Domain; Natural Resources; and, Environmental Regulation.
E-mail: bhowe@txfb.org
Ken Hodges, Associate Legislative Director
Issue Areas: Agriculture Commodities; Livestock; Energy; Taxes; and, Labor.
E-mail: khodges@txfb.org
Norman Garza, Jr., Associate Legislative Director
Issue Areas: Transportation; Utility Regulation; Criminal Justice; Tort Reform; Ethics; and, Elections.
Email: ngarza@txfb.org
Seth Terry, Associate Legislative Director
Issue Areas: Property Rights; Rural Affairs; Wildlife; and, Local Government.
Email: sterry@txfb.org
The State Legislative staff may be reached by telephone in the Austin office at 512-472-8288. Inquiries may also be made to TFB Public Policy Director Jim Sartwelle at 254-751-2654 or TFB Legislative Director Steve Pringle at 254-751-2208.