SENATE FLOOR ACTION

Wednesday

April 9, 2025

The Senate suspended the necessary rules to consider and finally pass:

Proposing a constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the market value of tangible personal property a person owns that is held or used for the production of income.

Relating to an exemption from ad valorem taxation of a portion of the appraised value of tangible personal property that is held or used for the production of income and a franchise tax credit for the payment of certain related ad valorem taxes.

Relating to an appraisal process for disputed losses under personal automobile or residential property insurance policies.

Relating to qualifications, training, removal, and supervision of certain masters, magistrates, referees, associate judges, and hearing officers.

Relating to notaries public; creating a criminal offense.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the allocation of money appropriated to the rural volunteer fire department assistance program.

Relating to state and local authority to regulate the food service industry.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to certificates of number and certificates of title issued by and records kept by the Parks and Wildlife Department; creating a criminal offense.

Relating to a biennial health coverage reference guide developed by the Texas Department of Insurance.

Relating to compensation and leave for certain peace officers.

Relating to the marketing and sale of catfish and similar fish by food service establishments, food service suppliers, wholesalers, distributors, and wholesale distributors; providing administrative and civil penalties.

Relating to the prosecution of the offense of deadly conduct.

1 Floor Amendment

Relating to the creation of the offense of fraudulent use, possession, or tampering with a gift card, gift card packaging, or gift card data or redemption information.

Relating to the use of artificial intelligence-based algorithms in utilization review conducted for certain health benefit plans.

Relating to an exemption from certain taxes imposed on the transfer of a motor vehicle to a person from a decedent or the decedent's estate.

Relating to the punishment for certain criminal offenses related to cultivated oyster mariculture; increasing a criminal penalty.

Relating to increasing the criminal punishment for certain driving while intoxicated offenses.

Relating to the Sabine River Authority of Texas, following recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission; specifying grounds for the removal of a member of the board of directors.

Relating to the Lower Neches Valley Authority, following recommendations of the Sunset Advisory Commission; specifying grounds for the removal of a member of the board of directors.

The Senate suspended the regular order, read third time and finally passed:

Relating to requiring independent school districts, home-rule school districts, and open-enrollment charter schools to comply with legally required policies.

Relating to the installation of bollards or another safety barrier adjacent to certain hospital emergency rooms.

Relating to conducting an ex parte renewal of a recipient's Medicaid eligibility.

The Senate suspended the regular order, read second time and passed to engrossment:

Relating to common law public nuisance claims.

Relating to requiring the Department of Public Safety to share data for the purpose of maintaining the statewide voter registration list.

The Senate adopted the following resolutions:

Recognizing the Texas Association of Museums in honor of its 50th anniversary.

Committee referral on the following:

Relating to the resumption of employment by certain retirees under the Texas Municipal Retirement System.

Finance

Committee re-referral on the following:

Relating to audits of and reports by self-directed and semi-independent financial regulatory agencies.

Re-referred from Business & Commerce to Finance

Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for participating in a riot while wearing a mask or other face covering.

Re-referred from Criminal Justice to State Affairs