Texas Register, Volume 4, Number 13, Pages 507-540, February 16, 1979 Page: 532
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532 EGISR
Legislative Report
The legislative coverage in the Register will include notices
on the introduction of each of the approximately 4,000 bills
expected during the 140-day session, along with committee
referrals. The legisiative report will focus on proposed bills
and resolutions which. if passed. will have a major impact on
issues of concern to citizens on a statewide basis Organized
according to content, the coverage includes legislation
regarding energy, environment, education, human services
health and welfare). Insurance. economic development.,
taxes, criniinal .Iustice, state and local governnlent, elections,
constitutional revision, and consumer affairs. Also to appear
in this section will be notices of committee meetings and a
bill status list which will indicate the latest action on bills
covered in the report.
Lists of bills introduced and meeting notices from both
houses appear in this issue. In addition, this section also in-
cludes gubernatorial appointees confirmed on February 8. In
the legislative report, please note that committees to which
bills were referred usually appear in parentheses following
the bill number.
Education
HB 905 )Public Education) would require proficiency tests in
basic reading and writing skills as a requirement for gradua-
tion from high school. Other bills introduced regarding profi-
ciency testing of students are 1113 764, 1-1B 526. and B1113 519,
all referred to the Public Education (Committee.
Insurance
H1-113 709, requiring conversion privileges for spouses under
group accident and sickness insurance policies, was referred
to subcommittee by the Insurance (Committee on February 7.
Taxes
Two bills regarding taxation of intangible property iliB 573
and HB 658) were considered in public hearing by the Ways
and Means Committee on February 7. i1 3, allowing voters
to hold elections to reduce increases in local property taxes,
was referred to subcommittee by the Intergovernmental
Affairs (uCommitte(e on February 6.
Another propl)osal prohibiting a state income tax (IJR 75)
has been referred to lthe (Constitutional Amendments C(om-n-
mittee. (Other resolutions concerning state income taxes are:
IH.JR 10 and 1141R 11 prohibiting personal income tax); HJR
7 <prohibiting personal and corporate income tax); and SJR 4
'requiring popular vote to approve either personal or corpor-
ate income tax).
Criminal Justice
A bill (SR 92) legalizing bingo for nonprofit organizations
was considered in public hearing by the State Affairs Com-
mittee on February 7. HB 590, allowing certain former con-
victs to obtain occupational licenses, was referred to subcom-
mittee by the State Affairs Committee on Febru y 7.HB 903 (Criminal Jurisprudence) and SB 500 (Jurispru-
dence) would reclassify rape as a crime of assault and elimi-
nate the "cohabitation defense" which prevents rape charges
against husbands and boyfriends. Statutory rape. in which
victims are .juveniles, would retain its present name.
Another bill (1B 1879) providing for compensation to certain
victims Of crime was introducedd and has been referred to the
Criminal JurisprudenL( iiCommittee. Three other hills have
proposed compensation to (crime victims: HB 203 (Criminal
Jurisprudence; SB 21 .JurisprudenceSubcommittee on Civil
Matters). and H1 3 6(i (subcommittee of State Affairs).
State and Local Government
Three more bills have been introduced regarding organiza-
tion of state agencies. 11iB 893 Government Organization)
calls for the consolidation of the State Board of Registration
for Public Surveyrs and the Board of Examiners for
Licensed State iLanid Surveyors SB 486 (Natural Resources),
similar to 113 781 (( governmentt Organization). amends rnem-
hership rquirenliernt- for the Structural Pest (Control Board
and calls for coordination between that agency and the Texas
1)epartmren t of Agriculture. SB 522 fluman Resources),
similar to 1113 797 tState Affairs), would create the Texas
Board of Examiners in S( ial Hork.
SB 50)8 (State Affairs). like 111 847 (Energy Resources).
would allow state agencies to use competitive bidding in
purchasing electricity for state buildings. SB 493 )State
Affairs), similar to 1-113 460 ) Employment Practices), sets out
provisions for collective bargaining for firemen and police.-
mnen.
Elections
HJR 74 C'onstitutional Amendments) and HB 888 (Elec-
tions) call for the selection of certain elective judges in non-
partisan elect ons held in odd-numbered years. HJR 15 ((.'on-
stitutional Amendments) anrid SJR 10 (State Affairs), requir-
ing similar arrangements, were introduced earlier in the ses-
sion.
Constitutional Revision
SJR 18, legalizing bingo for certain charitable or nonprofit
organizations, was reported favorably from the State Affairs
Committee on February 8. SJR 14, forbidding discrimination
in employment regarding menibership )r inonmembership in
a labor organization, was referred to subcommittee by the
State Affairs ('Commnittee On February 7.
Consumer Affairs
FIB 699, setting the penalty for making false statements to
obtain property or credit, was considered in public hearing on
February 6 by the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee. SB
318, establishing a program providing financial assistance
for utility expenses to certain consumers, was reported
favorably from the Human Resources Committee on Febru-
ary 8.ltime -l.Vunth-r 13. i'hruarv 16. 1979
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Texas. Secretary of State. Texas Register, Volume 4, Number 13, Pages 507-540, February 16, 1979, periodical, February 16, 1979; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth244580/m1/26/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.