May 24, 2017 - We are down to just a handful of days left in the 85th Legislative Session. The House and Senate are both working feverishly to wrap up the many issues that are left to be resolved.
Last week, the House passed several sunset bills, including the Department of Transportation, the Board of Dental Examiners, the State Bar, and the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners. Each state agency is subject to the sunset review process every twelve years. A sunset review involves a top-to-bottom review of the functions of the agency, with the Sunset Committee and Commission staff working throughout the interim to make recommendations to the next legislature on if the agency should be continued, and, if so, what changes need to be made to ensure that the agency is operating as efficiently as possible to achieve its mission. This is a valuable process that helps to make certain that our agencies are being as responsive as possible and serving their intended purpose.
The House also passed SB 12, which will provide funds for law enforcement agencies to purchase bulletproof vests that will protect our officers from rifle rounds. Unfortunately, the urgent need for these vests was highlighted by murder of 5 Dallas Police officers last July. On that tragic evening, the gunman was using a high-powered rifle, for which the officers' body armor was not sufficient. I am proud to have voted for this legislation and hope that we can provide protection for our law enforcement officers.
While I usually discuss what the House accomplishes each week, I am proud to say that last week, the Senate passed HB 100, which is my bill that provides a statewide regulatory framework for transportation networking companies like Uber and Lyft. With sensible statewide regulation, instead of having different regulations each time you cross a city limit, we will be able to spur innovation and grow our transportation options across the state and not just in the metroplexes.
The House also passed SB 42, the Judge Julie Kocurek Judicial and Courthouse Security Act. Judge Kocurek is a judge in Austin who was ambushed in an assassination attempt last year. Thankfully, Judge Kocurek survived her attack and has returned to the bench. SB 42 will serve to strengthen security at our courthouses and for our judges as they encounter dangerous individuals on a constant basis. We must work to protect our public servants as they uphold our laws.
As we go through the final weeks of session, or if you have issues that I can assist you with at any time, please make sure to reach out to me at 512-463-0556 or district9.paddie@house.texas.gov
