2021 Legislative Session Results
 Updated on Monday, Nov 29, 2021

A lot of goodness came out of the Legislative session that some “citizen groups” have not mentioned in their publications. If you are in the mood for some good news about changes in Texas law, here’s a list of a few bills signed by the Governor that were passed by the Senate State Affairs Senate Committee and the House Public Health Committee in the past Texas legislative session. Our state Legislators, Rep. Stephanie Klick and Sen. Kelly Hancock voted yes for ALL of these bills. This list is just a highlight of the bills that went through Sen. Hughes (chair) State Affairs committee or Rep. Klick (chair) Public Health committee and were subsequently signed by the Governor into law. These are just a sampling of the bills that were passed in the Regular Legislative session that are supported by the Republican platform and conservative minded folks. A total of 947 bills were signed into law by Governor Abbot that were passed by the Regular Legislative session, 14 bills were signed by the Governor that were passed by the 2nd Legislative called session, and 10 bills were signed by the Governor that passed the 3rd Legislative session.

1st Amendment support

HB525: Relating to the protection of religious organizations, effective 6/18/2021. This bill prevents a government entity, including the Governor from ever issuing a lockdown order that applies to a church or religious organization in Texas. Additionally, If any religious organization is forced to close by a governmental entity, they may sue the entity for relief. HB 1239 is a companion bill effective on 6/16/2021 that prevents emergency orders from preventing churches from meeting during an emergency.

SB967: Relating to the expiration and extension of certain public health orders issued by a health authority, effective 9/1/2021. Requires local public health authorities to obtain approval to extend a public health order from local elected officials.

2nd Amendment support

HB781: Relating to the carrying and possession of a handgun by a public junior college school marshal, effective on 9/1/2021. This bill specifically authorizes a public junior college school marshall to carry a handgun while on duty. Before this bill, schools had required the school marshall to have their handgun locked in a safe while on duty. Good common sense law that I believe will help make our junior college campuses safer from bad actors that obey no laws.

HB1407: Relating to the carrying of a handgun by a license holder in a motor vehicle, effective on 9/1/2021. Changes the law that made it illegal to have a visible firearm in a car. Now the handgun can be visible so long as it is in a holster.

HB1500: Relating to authority of the governor and certain political subdivisions to regulate firearms, ammunition, knives, air guns, explosives, and combustibles and certain associated businesses during certain disasters and emergencies, effective on 9/1/2021. Keeps the Governor and any other governmental entity from being able to shutdown stores during a lockdown where guns are sold.

HB957: Relating to local, state, and federal regulation of firearm suppressors, effective on 9/1/2021. Firearm suppressors made in Texas can be sold to Texans without regard to any Federal standards. IN other words, suppressors are legal in Texas to purchase.

SB19: Relating to prohibited contracts with companies that discriminate against the firearm or ammunition industries, effective on 9/1/2021.

SB20: Relating to carrying and storing a handgun or handgun ammunition by a hotel guest, effective on 9/1/2021. Prohibits a hotel in Texas from adopting a policy prohibiting guests from storing a handgun or ammunition in a hotel room. Applies the Castle doctrine to the use of force by a guest in a hotel against aggressors.

SB162: Relating to a false statement made to illegally acquire a firearm; creating a criminal offense, effective on 9/1/2021. Allows state officials to assist federal officials in prosecuting crimes where a buyer has lied on the background check form.

Support of American Constitution heritage

HB3433: Relating to prohibited discrimination on the basis of an individual's political affiliation or expression by certain insurers, effective on 9/1/2021. Some insurers are starting to discriminate against conservatives by virtue of their social media posts. This bill puts legal teeth to prevent this by any insurance company selling policies in Texas.

HB3979: Relating to the social studies curriculum in public schools, effective on 9/1/2021. This bill prevents the mandatory teaching of critical race theory in Texas, and requires a civics curriculum that includes our Constitutional heritage as Americans.

SB797: Relating to the display of the national motto in public schools and institutions of higher education, effective on 6/16/2021.

SB4: Relating to provisions in agreements between governmental entities and professional sports teams requiring the United States national anthem to be played at team events, effective on 9/1/2021.

SB282: Relating to a prohibition against the appropriation of money to settle or pay a sexual harassment claim made against certain members of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of state government and to a prohibition against the use of other public money to settle such a claim, effective on 9/1/2021.

SCR12: Claiming sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution over all powers not otherwise enumerated and granted to the federal government by the U.S. Constitution, serving notice to the federal government to halt and reverse certain mandates, and providing that certain federal legislation be prohibited or repealed, effective on 6/16/2021.

Pro-Life advocacy

SB8: Relating to abortion, including abortions after detection of an unborn child's heartbeat; authorizing a private civil right of action, effective 9/1/2021.

HB1280: Relating to prohibition of abortion; providing a civil penalty; creating a criminal offense, effectivity dependent on Supreme Court action or Constitutional Amendment restoring states with the authority to prohibit abortion. This bill will effectively and immediately outlaw abortion in Texas if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade.

Election Code Updates
The following bills make it tougher to fraud elections in Texas by closing loopholes where known fraud was occurring based on Legislative testimony at Committee meetings. Check out the bills and analysis at Texas Legislature Online if you want to know the details.

HB1382: Relating to the availability of certain information regarding early voting, effective on 9/1/21.
HB3107: Relating to election practices and procedures, effective on 9/1/2021.
SB231: Relating to training for county election officers, effective on 9/1/2021.
SB331: Relating to eligibility to serve as an interpreter in an election, effective on 6/14/2021.
SB598: Relating to auditable voting systems, effective on 9/1/2021.
SB1111: Relating to the residence address of a voter for purposes of a response to a confirmation notice sent by the voter registrar, effective on 9/1/2021.
SB1113: Relating to a registrar's failure to approve, change, or cancel voter registrations under applicable law, effective on 9/1/2021.
SB1116: Relating to a county, city, or independent school district posting election notices and results on an Internet website, effective on 9/1/2021.
SB1387: Relating to a requirement that a voting system used in an election in this state be manufactured, stored, and held in the United States by a company headquartered in the United States, effective 6/16/2021
SB1761: Relating to the filing of certain reports of political contributions and expenditures, effective on 9/1/2021.