(Wednesday, February 12, 2025)

The Senate met at 11:15 a.m. pursuant to adjournment and was called to order by President Pro Tempore Creighton.

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

Absent-excused:  Campbell, Miles.

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

Pastor Adam Thornton, Dripping Springs Methodist Church, Dripping Springs, offered the invocation as follows:

Gracious and loving God, we come together today for the sacred work entrusted to us. You have ordained governments to pursue justice, mercy, and peace, to bring order to our world, and to build a society rooted in goodness and compassion. We give thanks for these Members of the Senate who have been chosen to serve in this calling. We ask that You grant them wisdom and guide their hearts to pursue what is right, not merely what is convenient or expedient. Help them to see with Your vision and to serve with Your love for the people they represent. Give them patience in their deliberations with one another and the perseverance to carry out the responsibilities they have been entrusted with. We lift this prayer to You in the name of Your son, Jesus Christ. 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, Senator Miles was granted leave of absence for today on account of important business in the district.

On motion of Senator Zaffirini, Senator Campbell was granted leave of absence for today on account of illness.

HOUSE CHAMBER

Austin, Texas

Wednesday, February 12, 2025 - 1

The Honorable President of the Senate

Senate Chamber

Austin, Texas

Mr. President:

I am directed by the house to inform the senate that the house has taken the following action:

THE HOUSE HAS PASSED THE FOLLOWING MEASURES:

Inviting the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas to address a joint session of the legislature on February 26, 2025.

Granting the legislature permission to adjourn for more than three days during the period beginning Thursday, February 13, 2025, and ending Tuesday, February 18, 2025.

Respectfully,

/s/Stephen Brown,

Chief Clerk

House of Representatives

Senator A. Hinojosa offered the following resolution:

SR 42, Recognizing February 12, 2025, as Coastal Bend Day.

A. HINOJOSA

J. HINOJOSA

The resolution was read and was adopted without objection.

Senator A. Hinojosa, joined by Senator J. Hinojosa, was recognized and introduced to the Senate a Coastal Bend Day delegation including Corpus Christi Mayor Paulette Guajardo; Nueces County Judge Connie Scott; City of Portland Mayor Cathy Skurow; Port of Corpus Christi CEO Kent Britton; Portland City Councilmembers John Green, Troy Bethel, and Bill T. Wilson II; and San Patricio County Commissioner Thomas Yardley.

The Senate welcomed its guests.

Senator Zaffirini was recognized and presented Dr. Diego Moreno of San Marcos as the Physician of the Day.

The Senate welcomed Dr. Moreno and thanked him for his participation in the Physician of the Day program sponsored by the Texas Academy of Family Physicians.

Senator Zaffirini was recognized and introduced to the Senate a Leukemia and Lymphoma Society delegation including Lillian Cubriel and Diego Martinez.

The Senate welcomed its guests.

Senator Sparks was recognized and introduced to the Senate a Panhandle Day delegation.

The Senate welcomed its guests.

Senator Creighton offered the following resolution:

SR 74, Recognizing February 12, 2025, as Chambers County Day.

The resolution was read and was adopted without objection.

Senator Creighton was recognized and introduced to the Senate a Chambers County Day delegation including Chambers County Judge Jimmy Sylvia; County Commissioners Jimmy Gore, Mark Tice, Tommy Hammond, and Ryan Dagely; along with citizens from Mont Belvieu, Anahuac, and Winnie.

The Senate welcomed its guests.

Senator Middleton was recognized and introduced to the Senate a Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and a City of Pasadena delegation.

The Senate welcomed its guests.

Senator Hughes offered the following resolution:

SR 76, Commemorating the centennial of NAIFA-Texas.

The resolution was read and was adopted without objection.

Senator Hughes, joined by Senators Blanco, Paxton, and Eckhardt, was recognized and introduced to the Senate a NAIFA-Texas delegation including Joseph Orr, Ian Escalante, Enrique Cisneros, Patrick Williams, Karen Easterling, Ron Mullen, Andrea Ames, Charles Archer, Mark Olson, Benjamin Gerald, Andra Grava, Randy Robertson, and Meghan Gray.

The Senate welcomed its guests.

Senator Eckhardt was recognized and, on behalf of the Senate, extended birthday greetings to Senator Johnson.

Senator Eckhardt submitted a Motion In Writing requesting that SB 710 be withdrawn from the Committee on Business and Commerce and rereferred to the Committee on Local Government.

The Motion In Writing was read and prevailed without objection.

The following resolutions were offered:

SR 52 by King, Commending retired Texas State Guard Major General Anthony Woods for his service to his country and the State of Texas.

SR 69 by A. Hinojosa, Congratulating Taek and Nancy Kim for their 29 years as the owners of the Pulga de Alamo.

SR 72 by Middleton, Honoring Texans for Vaccine Choice on the 10th anniversary of its founding.

SR 73 by West, In memory of Odel Crawford.

SR 75 by Blanco, Recognizing February 2025 as Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month.

SR 82 by Kolkhorst, Recognizing John D. Harris for his contributions to the Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church.

SR 83 by Kolkhorst, Recognizing Helen Harris for her service to the Mount Rose Missionary Baptist Church.

SR 84 by Sparks, Recognizing February 11 and 12, 2025, as Panhandle Days at the State Capitol.

The resolutions were read and were adopted by a viva voce vote.

Senators Cook, Eckhardt, Gutierrez, Johnson, Menéndez, and Zaffirini asked to be recorded as voting "Nay" on SR 72.

The Presiding Officer laid before the Senate the following resolution:

WHEREAS, State law provides that "[a]t a convenient time at the commencement of each regular session of the legislature, the chief justice of the supreme court shall deliver a written or oral state of the judiciary message evaluating the accessibility of the courts to the citizens of the state and the future directions and needs of the courts of the state"; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the 89th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, That the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Texas meet in Joint Session in the Hall of the House of Representatives for that purpose on Wednesday, February 26, 2025, at 11:30 a.m.; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That the Honorable Jimmy Blacklock, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, be, and is hereby, invited to address the Regular Session of the 89th Legislature in Joint Session at that time.

ZAFFIRINI

HCR 5 was read.

On motion of Senator Zaffirini and by unanimous consent, the resolution was considered immediately and was adopted by the following vote:  Yeas 29, Nays 0.

Absent-excused:  Campbell, Miles.

On motion of Senator West, Senators Eckhardt, Johnson, Nichols, and Perry will be shown as Co-authors of SB 229.

On motion of Senator Huffman, Senator Nichols will be shown as Co-author of SB 260.

On motion of Senator Eckhardt, Senator Perry will be shown as Co-author of SB 365.

On motion of Senator Kolkhorst, Senator Blanco will be shown as Co-author of SB 462.

On motion of Senator Sparks, Senator Blanco will be shown as Co-author of SB 494.

On motion of Senator Kolkhorst, Senators Eckhardt and Flores will be shown as Co-authors of SB 718.

On motion of Senator Nichols, Senator Flores will be shown as Co-author of SB 994.

On motion of Senator Sparks, Senator Flores will be shown as Co-author of SB 1035.

On motion of Senator Middleton, Senator Hagenbuch will be shown as Co-author of SB 1068.

On motion of Senator Nichols, Senator Flores will be shown as Co-author of SJR 46.

On motion of Senator Zaffirini, the Senate at 12:04 p.m. adjourned until 10:00 a.m. tomorrow.

SCR 14, SR 42, SR 52, SR 69, SR 72, SR 73, SR 74, SR 75, SR 76, SR 82, SR 83, SR 84