ATA’s 88th legislative priorities recap

This past legislative session, ATA identified bills in both the state House and Senate that would affect how Texans live, and how Texas businesses operate. These bills will influence civic participation, business management, and technology. Like legislation in previous sessions, some of these bills would make life in Texas easier, and some would make it harder.

Legislation we supported: 

Civic Participation

• HB 67/241/502 (D–Ortega, Bucy & Meza) & SB 120 (D–Menéndez & Johnson) makes every voting-age Texan eligible to vote by mail or personal appearance, including folks who are currently in jail for misdemeanors, without needing an excuse, such as being out of county, age, or disability.
  • Update: Referred to Elections on 2/23, did not progress 
• HB 1273 (D–Ortega) amends the Election Code to optionally extend the early voting period to one “continuing for any number of consecutive days up to and including the day before election. 
  • Update: Referred to Elections on 3/3, did not progress 

Business

• HB 567 (D–Bowers) would amend the Education and Labor Codes, respectively, to prohibit discrimination based on hair texture or hairstyles in educational settings and employment.

  • Update: Signed by the Governor on 5/27, goes into effect on 9/1/2023

• SB 110 (D–Menéndez & Eckhardt) & HB 1012 (González) prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or military veteran status.
  • Update: Referred to State Affairs on 3/2, did not progress 
• SB 111 (D–Menéndez), SB 82 (D–Johnson) & HB 970 (D–Zwiener) makes homosexual conduct no longer a criminal offense and removes language from statute that says that homosexuality “is not an acceptable lifestyle”.
  • Update: Referred to State Affairs on 2/15, did not progress

Technology

• HB 584 (R–Capriglione) amends the Government Code to establish a state information technology credential program to be offered at public community colleges to “address shortages in the state information resources workforce”.

  • Update: Sent to the Governor on 5/22 

• SB 31 (D–Zaffirini) would require that utilities connect the ERCOT grid to grids outside the ERCOT region and give them the ability to purchase power at wholesale prices from outside the ERCOT region.
  • Update: Referred to Business & Commerce 2/15, did not progress 

Legislation we opposed: 

• • HB 919 (R–Slaton) amends the Election Code to restrict early voting to an eight-day period instead of the current thirteen.
    • Update: Referred to Elections 3/2, did not progress 
  • SB 375 (R–Huffman): Texas Senate redistricting bill. 
    • Update: Sent to the Governor on 5/25
  • HB 678 (R–Bell): gives AG power to appoint CA or DA from adjacent county as a special prosecutor in an “election crime”. 
    • Update: Referred to Elections 2/23, did not progress
  • HB 125 (R–Slaton): allows the AG to seek a court-ordered injunction to stop a local prosecutor from “limiting election law enforcement”.
    • Update: Referred to State Affairs 2/23, did not progress
  • SB 147 (R–Kolkhorst): would prohibit citizens of or businesses from China, Iran, North Korea, or Russia from purchasing or acquiring titles to real property in Texas.
    • Update: Left pending in State Affairs committee 3/2, did not progress