(Monday, August 18, 2025)

The Senate met at 5:06 p.m. pursuant to adjournment and was called to order by the President.

The roll was called and the following Senators were present:  Alvarado, Bettencourt, Birdwell, Blanco, Campbell, Cook, Creighton, Eckhardt, Flores, Gutierrez, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, J. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, Johnson, King, Kolkhorst, Menéndez, Middleton, Miles, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks, West, Zaffirini.

The President announced that a quorum of the Senate was present.

Senator Parker offered the invocation as follows:

Dear heavenly Father, thank You for this blessing of being here in this Chamber. Thank You for the honor of serving Your people. We ask, Father God, that You bless the people of Texas, that You guide us each and every day in the decisions we make that impact their well-being. We pray for all the families that are suffering in Central Texas from the horrific tragedies and storms of last month. Please, Father God, be with them, comfort them, all those that lost their precious children and loved ones, be with them, Father God. Be with us as we craft legislation to address these needs and to make certain, Father God, in their memory, that horrible things like this don't happen again in this wonderful state that You've given us. We pray Your blessing on our families. We pray Your blessing on all that You do for us. Give us guidance in every action and every step each and every day. We ask these things in Your precious name, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Senator Zaffirini moved that the reading of the Journal of the proceedings of the previous day be dispensed with and the Journal be approved as printed.

The motion prevailed without objection.

On motion of Senator Zaffirini, the Senate at 5:11 p.m. recessed until 6:00 p.m. today.

The Senate met at 6:32 p.m. and was called to order by Senator Flores.

The following bill was introduced, read first time, and referred to the committee indicated:

SB 1 by Perry, Bettencourt, Blanco, Flores, Hagenbuch, A. Hinojosa, J. Hinojosa, Huffman, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Paxton, Schwertner

Relating to campground and youth camp safety.

To Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding.

Senator King offered the following Motion In Writing:

Mr. President,

Pursuant to Senate Rule 7.12(a), the Printing Rule, I move that the Senate order S.B. 4 not printed.

Thank you, Mr. President.

KING

The Motion In Writing was read and prevailed without objection.

The Presiding Officer at 6:33 p.m. announced the conclusion of morning call.

On motion of Senator Huffman and by unanimous consent, the regular order of business was suspended to take up for consideration SB 5 at this time on its second reading:

SB 5, Relating to making supplemental appropriations for disaster relief and giving direction and adjustment authority regarding those appropriations.

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment without objection.

All Members are deemed to have voted "Yea" on the passage to engrossment.

Senator Huffman moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 5 be placed on its third reading and final passage.

The motion prevailed by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.

Senators Cook, Alvarado, Blanco, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, and West, submitted the following reason for vote on SB 5:

Today, we voted in support of SB 5, legislation in response to the devasting July 4th Floods that will provide funding for FEMA matching funds, grants to affected localities, enhanced forecasting accuracy, and swift water training programs. But the fact remains that it has been forty-five days since this horrific tragedy, and the victims will have to wait even longer, as we wait for this slow-moving appropriations bill to pass the House and ultimately go to the Governor. Forty-five days of inaction from the Governor of Texas, although he could have moved funding to promptly provide relief to the victims, as we have seen him do with Operation Lone Star and his other priorities. Forty-five days of prioritizing Washington D.C. and donors over Texans, so that politicians can choose their voters. The Governor should have used his executive powers to respond swiftly to this disaster, but because he didn't, we voted in favor of this legislation today.

Senator Eckhardt submitted the following reason for vote on SB 5:

A 2-year investment of $294M is an appreciated dedication to flood response. The need is great and the effective, efficient and fair distribution of funds is paramount.

The Texas Flood Plan released December 2024 puts the current need for flood-related investments at $54 billion. Since 2019, the state has assisted 140 flood infrastructure projects with $669 million through the Water Development Board's Flood Infrastructure Fund (FIF). While the FIF investments and these additional trustee dollars placed in the Governor's Office are welcome, at that pace, it will take Texas more than 50 years to meet the current flood-related needs.

And the funds are placed in the Governor's Office rather than being distributed by agencies with the expertise to objectively evaluate competing projects (like the TWDB) and triage funding in emergencies (like TDEM). Adequate oversight and speedy distribution are less likely for funds lodged with the highest and least checked executive in the state. Consider the insufficiency of oversight in the Governor's distribution of $11B in Operation Lone Star funds or the $5M in assistance to small businesses affected by natural disasters dating back to Hurricane Harvey that the Governor already has but has not yet spent.

In answer to questions on the floor during the first special sesion, Author Huffman and Senator Perry stated an intention that at least the $24M allocation in Section 3 of the bill has statewide application. But all other allocations ($270M) are limited to just the counties affected by this one flood or just to one emergency service district in Harris/Fort Bend when extreme weather events can happen anywhere across Texas.

I look forward to passing proactive and deep investment to address the desperate need across our state, which has the highest number of weather-related deaths in the United States.

ECKHARDT

On motion of Senator Bettencourt and by unanimous consent, the regular order of business was suspended to take up for consideration SB 3 at this time on its second reading:

SB 3, Relating to outdoor warning sirens in flood-prone areas.

The bill was read second time.

Senator Bettencourt offered the following amendment to the bill:

Amend SB 3 (senate committee printing) in SECTION 2 of the bill as follows:

(1)  In added Section 16.501(1), Water Code (page 1, line 50), strike "Flood-prone" and substitute "Flash flood-prone".

(2)  In added Section 16.501(2), Water Code (page 1, line 57), between "ground" and the underlined period, insert "and includes sensors, gauges, and all other components essential to the function of the system".

(3)  In the heading to added Section 16.502, Water Code (page 1, line 58), between "IN" and "FLOOD-PRONE", insert "FLASH".

(4)  In added Section 16.502(a), Water Code (page 1, line 59), between "a" and "flood-prone", insert "flash".

(5)  In added Section 16.502(b)(2), Water Code (page 2, line 10), between "a" and "flood-prone", insert "flash".

(6)  In added Section 16.502(c), Water Code (page 2, line 14), strike "the board shall require".

(7)  In added Section 16.502(c), Water Code (page 2, line 15), strike "to" and substitute "shall".

(8)  In added Section 16.502(d), Water Code (page 2, line 23), strike "The board may not require an" and substitute "An".

(9)  In added Section 16.502(d), Water Code (page 2, line 23), between "siren" and "for", insert "is not required".

(10)  In added Section 16.502(d), Water Code (page 2, line 25), strike "minimum standards" and substitute "best management practices and guidance".

(11)  In added Section 16.502(f), Water Code (page 2, line 30), strike "The board shall require each" and substitute "Each".

(12)  In added Section 16.502(f), Water Code (page 2, line 32), between "a" and "flood-prone", insert "flash".

(13)  In added Section 16.502(f), Water Code (page 2, line 33), strike "to" and substitute "shall".

(14)  In added Section 16.502(g), Water Code (page 2, line 35), strike "determinations" and substitute "identification".

(15)  In added Section 16.502(g), Water Code (page 2, lines 35-36), strike "on whether an area requires an outdoor warning siren are" and substitute "of an area that warrants an outdoor warning siren is".

(16)  In added Section 16.502(h), Water Code (page 2, line 39), between "including" and the underlined colon, insert "facilitating development of best management practices and guidance".

(17)  In added Section 16.502(h)(1), Water Code (page 2, line 40), strike "procedures".

(18)  In added Section 16.502(h)(1), Water Code (page 2, line 41), between "a" and "flood-prone", insert "flash".

(19)  In added Section 16.502(h)(2), Water Code (page 2, line 42), strike "minimum standards".

(20)  In added Section 16.502(h)(2), Water Code (page 2, line 43), between "a" and "flood-prone", insert "flash".

(21)  In added Section 16.502(h)(2), Water Code (page 2, line 44), strike "standards requiring" and substitute "guidance".

(22)  In added Section 16.502(i), Water Code (page 2, line 47), between "may" and "consult", insert "contract or".

(23)  Immediately following added Section 16.502(i), Water Code (page 2, between lines 48 and 49), insert the following:

The amendment to SB 3 was read and was adopted without objection.

All Members are deemed to have voted "Yea" on the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 1.

SB 3 as amended was passed to engrossment without objection.

All Members are deemed to have voted "Yea" on the passage to engrossment.

Senator Bettencourt moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 3 be placed on its third reading and final passage.

The motion prevailed by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.

Senator Eckhardt submitted the following reason for vote on SB 3:

Texas needs comprehensive forecasting, monitoring, and modeling of storms, warning systems that are well-understood by the general public and integrated emergency response to guide the public out of harm's way. This bill requires only sirens and only in the counties that have experienced the last tragedy.

Texas leads the nation in flood-related property damage and fatalities. According to the Texas Flood Plan released December 2024, nearly 21% of Texas land is located in the 1% floodplain; approximately 2.4M Texans live or work within the 1% floodplain; and approximately 878,100 buildings (including children's camps and homes) are located within the 1% floodplain. Astoundingly, more than 6,000 hospitals, emergency medical services, fire stations, police stations and schools are located within flood prone areas. More than 9,000 low water crossings are within the 1% floodplain. Nearly half of all flood fatalities involve vehicles driving into floodwaters.

Sirens may be part of the solution in certain areas. But Texans' lives are depending on us to pass proactive and broadly effective policies that will work anywhere the next extreme weather disaster strikes. I look forward to receiving bills from the House such as HB 3, which was filed in the regular session and refiled in the first special and now this second special session, pursuing broader solutions for monitoring, modeling, and warning Texans of increasingly frequent and deadly weather in our state.

ECKHARDT

On motion of Senator Zaffirini and by unanimous consent, the regular order of business was suspended to take up for consideration SB 18 at this time on its second reading:

SB 18, Relating to an exemption from the requirement to obtain a permit from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for certain dams or reservoirs operated and maintained for the purposes of erosion, floodwater, and sediment control.

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment without objection.

All Members are deemed to have voted "Yea" on the passage to engrossment.

Senator Zaffirini moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 18 be placed on its third reading and final passage.

The motion prevailed by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.

Senator Eckhardt submitted the following reason for vote on SB 18:

I am enthusiastic about removing duplicative regulation. Usually, I would feel confident that federal standards would agree with or exceed TCEQ standards. But, I am no longer so confident in light of the erosion in federal standards under the Trump Administration. For instance, the Trump Administration has issued an Executive Order in January to remove the "freeboard" requirement for flood control infrastructure, such as dams, built with federal dollars. FEMA defines "Freeboard" as "an additional height requirement above the base flood elevation that provides a margin of safety against flood risks, compensating for unknown factors that may affect flood depths." I am now concerned that local, state and federal dollars could be wasted on infrastructure that is obsolete the day the ribbon is cut unless the state or local entity sponsoring the infrastructure sets higher standards for itself.

I look forward to working on achieving higher statewide standards for building in the floodplain.

ECKHARDT

Senator Bettencourt moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration SB 10 at this time on its second reading:

SB 10, Relating to the calculation of the voter-approval tax rate for certain taxing units.

The motion prevailed by the following vote:  Yeas 18, Nays 12.

Yeas:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Schwertner, Sparks.

Nays:  Alvarado, Blanco, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, J. Hinojosa, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, Perry, West, Zaffirini.

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment by the following vote:  Yeas 18, Nays 12. (Same as previous roll call)

Senator Middleton moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration SB 8 at this time on its second reading:

SB 8, Relating to the designation and use of certain spaces and facilities according to sex; authorizing a civil penalty and a private civil right of action.

The motion prevailed by the following vote:  Yeas 19, Nays 11.

Yeas:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks.

Nays:  Alvarado, Blanco, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, J. Hinojosa, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, West, Zaffirini.

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment by the following vote:  Yeas 19, Nays 11. (Same as previous roll call)

On motion of Senator West and by unanimous consent, the regular order of business was suspended to take up for consideration SB 16 at this time on its second reading:

SB 16, Relating to real property theft and real property fraud; establishing recording requirements for certain documents concerning real property; creating the criminal offenses of real property theft and real property fraud and establishing a statute of limitations, restitution, and certain procedures with respect to those offenses.

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment without objection.

All Members are deemed to have voted "Yea" on the passage to engrossment.

Senator West moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 16 be placed on its third reading and final passage.

The motion prevailed by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.

On motion of Senator Parker and by unanimous consent, the regular order of business was suspended to take up for consideration SB 11 at this time on its second reading:

SB 11, Relating to an affirmative defense to prosecution for certain victims of trafficking of persons or compelling prostitution.

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment without objection.

All Members are deemed to have voted "Yea" on the passage to engrossment.

Senator Parker moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 11 be placed on its third reading and final passage.

The motion prevailed by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.

Senator King moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration SB 15 at this time on its second reading:

SB 15, Relating to certain files maintained by a law enforcement agency regarding certain employees of the agency.

The motion prevailed by the following vote:  Yeas 18, Nays 12.

Yeas:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks.

Nays:  Alvarado, Blanco, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, Hall, J. Hinojosa, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, West, Zaffirini.

The bill was read second time.

Senator West offered the following amendment to the bill:

Amend SB 15 (senate committee report) in SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 1701.45351(f), Occupations Code (page 1, line 51), between "law" and the underlined period, by inserting ", including Chapter 2B and Article 39.14, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Section 511.021, Government Code"

The amendment to SB 15 was read and was adopted without objection.

All Members are deemed to have voted "Yea" on the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 1.

Senator Gutierrez offered the following amendment to the bill:

Amend SB 15 (senate committee report) in SECTION 1 of the bill as follows:

(1)  On page 1, line 51, amend Subsection (f) between "disclosure" and "as" by striking "only".

(2)  On page 1, line 51, following the period at the end of Subsection (f), insert the following:

The amendment to SB 15 was read and failed of adoption by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 19.

Yeas:  Alvarado, Blanco, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, J. Hinojosa, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, West, Zaffirini.

Nays:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks.

Senator Cook offered the following amendment to the bill:

Amend SB 15 (senate committee report) in SECTION 1 of the bill, following added Section 1701.45351(g), Occupations Code (page 1, between lines 59 and 60), by inserting the following:

The amendment to SB 15 was read and failed of adoption by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 19.

Yeas:  Alvarado, Blanco, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, J. Hinojosa, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, West, Zaffirini.

Nays:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks.

SB 15 as amended was passed to engrossment by the following vote:  Yeas 18, Nays 12.

Yeas:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks.

Nays:  Alvarado, Blanco, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, Hall, J. Hinojosa, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, West, Zaffirini.

On motion of Senator Eckhardt and by unanimous consent, her remarks with Senator King regarding SB 15 were ordered reduced to writing and printed in the Senate Journal.

The remarks will be printed in an addendum to this day's Journal.

On motion of Senator Cook and by unanimous consent, the remarks by Senators Gutierrez and King regarding SB 15 were ordered reduced to writing and printed in the Senate Journal.

The remarks will be printed in an addendum to this day's Journal.

On motion of Senator Perry and by unanimous consent, the regular order of business was suspended to take up for consideration SB 2 at this time on its second reading:

SB 2, Relating to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery; requiring a license; authorizing fees.

The bill was read second time.

Senator Perry offered the following amendment to the bill:

Amend SB 2 (senate committee printing) as follows:

(1)  In SECTION 3 of the bill, immediately following added Section 27.0055(c), Government Code (page 2, between lines 24 and 25), insert the following:

(2)  In SECTION 11 of the bill, in added Section 423.010(b), Government Code (page 8, line 17), strike "The" and substitute "Except as provided by Subsection (c), the".

(3)  In SECTION 11 of the bill, in added Section 423.010(b), Government Code (page 8, line 18), between "may" and "neutralize", insert ", as authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration or the United States Department of Homeland Security,".

(4)  In SECTION 11 of the bill, immediately following added Section 423.010(b), Government Code (page 8, between lines 25 and 26), insert the following:

(5)  Strike SECTION 22 of the bill, adding Section 141.0091, Health and Safety Code (page 10, lines 9 through 36).

(6)  Strike SECTION 24 of the bill, adding Chapter 762, Health and Safety Code (page 11, line 21, through page 12, line 10).

(7)  Strike SECTION 32 of the bill, adding transition language requiring the adoption of rules under added Section 141.0091, Health and Safety Code (page 13, lines 39 through 42).

(8)  Renumber the SECTIONS of the bill accordingly.

The amendment to SB 2 was read and was adopted without objection.

All Members are deemed to have voted "Yea" on the adoption of Floor Amendment No. 1.

SB 2 as amended was passed to engrossment without objection.

All Members are deemed to have voted "Yea" on the passage to engrossment.

Senator Perry moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 2 be placed on its third reading and final passage.

The motion prevailed by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.

Senator Eckhardt submitted the following reason for vote on SB 2:

FEMA's National Incident Management System teaches that emergency management is a continuous cycle of 1. Prevention, 2. Mitigation, 3. Preparation, 4. Response and 5. Recovery. SB 1 is a good start addressing the last 3 phases. It substantively incorporates portions of bills filed in the last special session - SB 35 (Zaffirini) and SB 60 (Kolkhorst) regarding flash flood PREPARATION at camps, SB 75 (Menéndez & Eckhardt) regarding chain of command for RESPONSE when a county judge is unavailable to order an evacuation, and SB 26 (Alvarado) regarding small business RECOVERY. And the bill raises the bar for Preparation, Response and Recovery by local officials.

Given that Texas leads the nation in flood deaths, I am concerned that the bill does not contain PREVENTION and MITIGATION. The bill addresses deficiencies specific to the location and facts of this tragedy, but avoids state legislative responsibility to address the far broader risk to Texas lives and livelihoods from more frequent and more deadly extreme weather that may strike anywhere in the state.

Timely recommendations for PREVENTION and MITIGATION were provided to the Legislature before the Regular Session in December of 2024 in Texas' first ever State Flood Plan (the Plan) but have so far been largely ignored in the regular and this first special session. 

According to the Plan, nearly 21% of Texas land is located in the 1% floodplain; approximately 2.4M Texans live or work within the 1% floodplain; and approximately 878,100 buildings (including children's camps and homes) are located within the 1% floodplain. Astoundingly, more than 6,000 hospitals, emergency medical services, fire stations, police stations and schools are located within the 1% or 2% floodplain. Due to climate change, the amount of property and lives at risk from flooding will increase and the next tragedy may strike a school or a hospital unless the Legislature moves decisively. 

After 5 years of robust analysis and collaboration among state and local officials and practitioners, the Plan made timely legislative recommendations including:

Full statewide participation in FEMA's Flood Insurance Program, including meeting or exceeding minimum Federal Flood Risk Management Standards and adoption of current FEMA flood maps;

Statewide prohibition on residents or businesses locating in the current floodplain unless they meet minimum FEMA building standards;

Statewide monitoring, modeling and warning systems and statewide radio interoperability for first responders; and

Statewide education and outreach to the general public on preparation for and response to floods 

The National Institute of Building Sciences estimates that for every $1 spent on PREVENTION and MITIGATION through policies such as those recommended by the State Flood Plan, $11 is saved down the line in avoided costs for RESPONSE and RECOVERY, which of course pales in comparison to the lives saved from implementing these recommendations. I look forward to working with my colleagues to bring bills that PREVENT and MITIGATE the massive loss of property and life that we risk in future more frequent and more devastating floods, fires, hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes, wherever they strike.

ECKHARDT

Senator Hughes moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration SB 12 at this time on its second reading:

SB 12, Relating to the duty of the attorney general to prosecute criminal offenses prescribed by the election laws of this state.

The motion prevailed by the following vote:  Yeas 18, Nays 12.

Yeas:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks.

Nays:  Alvarado, Blanco, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, J. Hinojosa, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, Nichols, West, Zaffirini.

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment by the following vote:  Yeas 18, Nays 12. (Same as previous roll call)

On motion of Senator Cook and by unanimous consent, her remarks with Senator King regarding SB 15 were ordered reduced to writing and printed in the Senate Journal.

The remarks will be printed in an addendum to this day's Journal.

Senator Perry moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration SB 6 at this time on its second reading:

SB 6, Relating to the regulation of certain products derived from hemp, including consumable hemp products and the hemp-derived cannabinoids contained in those products; requiring occupational licenses and registrations; imposing fees; creating criminal offenses; authorizing an administrative penalty.

The motion prevailed by the following vote:  Yeas 22, Nays 8.

Yeas:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Blanco, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, J. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks, West.

Nays:  Alvarado, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, Zaffirini.

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment by the following vote:  Yeas 22, Nays 8. (Same as previous roll call)

On motion of Senator Huffman and by unanimous consent, the regular order of business was suspended to take up for consideration SB 34 at this time on its second reading:

SB 34, Relating to testimony or the production of evidence before a house of the legislature or a legislative committee.

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment without objection.

All Members are deemed to have voted "Yea" on the passage to engrossment.

Senator Huffman moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 34 be placed on its third reading and final passage.

The motion prevailed by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.

On motion of Senator Perry and by unanimous consent, the regular order of business was suspended to take up for consideration SB 14 at this time on its second reading:

SB 14, Relating to the provision by a political subdivision of credits against impact fees to builders and developers for certain water conservation and reuse projects.

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment without objection.

All Members are deemed to have voted "Yea" on the passage to engrossment.

Senator Perry moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 14 be placed on its third reading and final passage.

The motion prevailed by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.

Senator Middleton moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration SB 13 at this time on its second reading:

SB 13, Relating to the use by a political subdivision of public funds for lobbying activities.

The motion prevailed by the following vote:  Yeas 18, Nays 11, Present-not voting 1.

Yeas:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks.

Nays:  Alvarado, Blanco, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, J. Hinojosa, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, West, Zaffirini.

Present-not voting:  Nichols.

The bill was read second time.

Senator Menéndez offered the following amendment to the bill:

Amend SB 13 (senate committee report) as follows:

(1)  In SECTION 1 of the bill, in the heading to added Section 556.0056, Government Code (page 1, line 27), between "SUBDIVISIONS" and "FOR", insert "OR OPEN-ENROLLMENT CHARTER SCHOOLS".

(2)  In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 556.0056(a), Government Code (page 1, line 28), between "subdivision" and "may", insert "or open-enrollment charter school".

(3)  In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 556.0056(a)(2)(A), Government Code (page 1, line 34), between "subdivisions" and the underlined semicolon, insert "or open-enrollment charter schools, as applicable".

(4)  In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 556.0056(c)(1), Government Code (page 1, line 42), immediately following "subdivision", insert "or open-enrollment charter school".

(5)  In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 556.0056(c)(3), Government Code (page 1, line 49), between "subdivision" and "from", insert "or open-enrollment charter school".

(6)  In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 556.0056(c)(4), Government Code (page 1, line 54), between "subdivision" and "from", insert "or open-enrollment charter school".

(7)  In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 556.0056(c)(4), Government Code (page 1, line 55), between "subdivision" and "for", insert "or school".

(8)  In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 556.0056(c)(5), Government Code (page 1, line 60), between "subdivisions" and "of", insert "or open-enrollment charter schools".

(9)  In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 556.0056(d), Government Code (page 2, line 8), between "subdivision" and "engages", insert "or open-enrollment charter school".

(10)  In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 556.0056(d), Government Code (page 2, line 10), between "subdivision" and "is", insert "or a resident of the geographical area served by the school".

(11)  In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 556.0056(e) (page 2, line 15), between "subdivision" and "the", insert "or open-enrollment charter school".

(12)  In SECTION 3 of the bill, providing transition language (page 2, line 50 and 52), between "subdivision" and "that", insert "or open-enrollment charter school".

The amendment to SB 13 was read and failed of adoption by the following vote:  Yeas 12, Nays 18.

Yeas:  Alvarado, Blanco, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, J. Hinojosa, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, Nichols, West, Zaffirini.

Nays:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks.

Senator Menéndez offered the following amendment to the bill:

Amend SB 13 (senate committee report) in SECTION 1 of the bill as follows:

(1)  In added Section 556.0056(a), Government Code (page 1, line 27), strike "A" and substitute "Except as otherwise provided by this section, a".

(2)  In added Section 556.0056, Government Code (page 1, between lines 37 and 38), add the following appropriately lettered subsection and reletter subsequent subsections accordingly:

The amendment to SB 13 was read and failed of adoption by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 19.

Yeas:  Alvarado, Blanco, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, J. Hinojosa, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, West, Zaffirini.

Nays:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks.

Senator Eckhardt offered the following amendment to the bill:

Amend SB 13 (senate committee report) in SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 556.0056(b), Government Code (page 1, line 38), between "to" and "an", by inserting the following:

The amendment to SB 13 was read and failed of adoption by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 19.

Yeas:  Alvarado, Blanco, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, J. Hinojosa, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, West, Zaffirini.

Nays:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks.

Senator Eckhardt offered the following amendment to the bill:

Amend SB 13 (senate committee report) in SECTION 1 of the bill as follows:

(1)  In added Section 556.0056(c)(3), Government Code (page 1, lines 52 and 53), strike "if those actions would not require a person to register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305".

(2)  In added Section 556.0056(c)(5), Government Code (page 1, line 59), strike "a full-time" and substitute "an".

(3)  In added Section 556.0056(c)(5)(B), Government Code (page 2, lines 4 and 5), strike "if the communication would not require a person to register as a lobbyist under Chapter 305" and substitute "on the impact of a pending matter related to the budget, operation, jurisdiction, or taxpayers of the political subdivision".

The amendment to SB 13 was read and failed of adoption by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 19.

Yeas:  Alvarado, Blanco, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, J. Hinojosa, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, West, Zaffirini.

Nays:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks.

Senator Menéndez offered the following amendment to the bill:

Amend SB 13 (senate committee report) in SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 556.0056, Government Code (page 2, between lines 16 and 17), by adding the following appropriately lettered subsection and relettering subsequent subsections accordingly:

The amendment to SB 13 was read and failed of adoption by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 19.

Yeas:  Alvarado, Blanco, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, J. Hinojosa, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, West, Zaffirini.

Nays:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks.

Senator Menéndez offered the following amendment to the bill:

Amend SB 13 (senate committee report) in SECTION 3 of the bill, providing transition language, on page 2, as follows:

(1)  On line 51, strike "including" and substitute "other than".

(2)  On line 53, strike ", on, or after".

(3)  On lines 53 through 56, strike "A contract term providing for an expenditure or payment prohibited by Section 556.0056, Government Code, as added by this Act, is void on the effective date of this Act.".

The amendment to SB 13 was read and failed of adoption by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 19.

Yeas:  Alvarado, Blanco, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, J. Hinojosa, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, West, Zaffirini.

Nays:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Nichols, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks.

SB 13 was passed to engrossment by the following vote:  Yeas 18, Nays 11, Present-not voting 1.

Yeas:  Bettencourt, Birdwell, Campbell, Creighton, Flores, Hagenbuch, Hall, A. Hinojosa, Huffman, Hughes, King, Kolkhorst, Middleton, Parker, Paxton, Perry, Schwertner, Sparks.

Nays:  Alvarado, Blanco, Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, J. Hinojosa, Johnson, Menéndez, Miles, West, Zaffirini.

Present-not voting:  Nichols.

On motion of Senator Perry, Senators Hughes, Johnson, Parker, Sparks, and Zaffirini will be shown as Co-authors of SB 1.

On motion of Senator King, Senator Hagenbuch will be shown as Co-author of SB 4.

On motion of Senator Huffman, Senators Alvarado, Birdwell, Hagenbuch, and A. Hinojosa will be shown as Co-authors of SB 5.

On motion of Senator Hughes, Senators Birdwell, Kolkhorst, and Sparks will be shown as Co-authors of SB 7.

On motion of Senator Middleton, Senator Parker will be shown as Co-author of SB 8.

On motion of Senator Hughes, Senator Kolkhorst will be shown as Co-author of SB 12.

On motion of Senator Middleton, Senator Huffman will be shown as Co-author of SB 13.

On motion of Senator King, Senators Huffman, Parker, and Sparks will be shown as Co-authors of SB 15.

On motion of Senator West, Senator Kolkhorst will be shown as Co-author of SB 16.

On motion of Senator Hughes, Senator J. Hinojosa will be shown as Co-author of SB 17.

On motion of Senator Zaffirini, the Senate at 9:56 p.m. adjourned until 11:00 a.m. tomorrow.

SB 2, SB 3, SB 5, SB 11, SB 14, SB 16, SB 18, SB 34