Representative Terri Leo Wilson Pre-Files Comprehensive Legislative Package for 89th Texas Legislative Session

Terri Leo-Wilson, State Representative, District 23

(Austin, TX) – Representative Terri Leo Wilson has pre-filed an extensive legislative agenda for the upcoming 89th Texas Legislative Session. This agenda is designed to address critical issues such as border security, education reform, government transparency, public safety, and local community initiatives. Below is an overview of the pre-filed bills, categorized by subject area: 

Border Security 

• HB 160: Proposes to end in-state tuition for individuals not authorized to be present in the United States, ensuring that taxpayer-funded education benefits are reserved for lawful residents. 
• HB 256: Requires the Department of Public Safety (DPS) perform rapid DNA testing on certain individuals crossing the Texas-Mexico border, aiming to identify and prevent human trafficking, particularly of vulnerable children. 
• HB 1645: Removes immunity from civil liability from local governments who violate immigration enforcement laws.  

Education Reform 

• HB 610: Limits the amount of severance pay a superintendent can receive upon termination by a school district, promoting fiscal responsibility within educational institutions. 
• HB 629: Allows the State Board of Education to review Advanced Placement (AP) courses and their instructional materials, ensuring content aligns with state educational standards. 
• HB 1137: Creates a handbook on parental rights in education and mandates training for school district board members, empowering parents and enhancing transparency in educational governance. • HB 1358: Prohibits Critical Race Theory in classroom instructional materials. 
• HB 1484: Creates protections for students as it relates to sexual grooming. 
• HB 1774: Repeals the affirmative defense to prosecution for teachers who display harmful materials to students. 

School Finance 

• HB 776: Redefines “eligible school district” for the purposes of property value studies conducted by the comptroller, ensuring fair assessment and funding allocation. 

Government Transparency and Accountability 

• HB 309: Prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars by political subdivisions for lobbying activities, aiming to eliminate conflicts of interest and ensure public funds are used appropriately. 
• HB 348: Creates the Texas Checkbook by creating more visibility into state agency expenditures, consolidating financial information on a single platform for public access.
• HB 436: Prohibits state agencies and local authorities from requiring prospective employees to be vocal proponents of diversity, equity, and inclusion. 
• HB 672: Prohibits the use of campaign funds to pay for certain campaign violations, promoting ethical conduct among public officials. 
• HB 706: Prohibits state agencies from automatically implementing rules from the World Health Organization, ensuring that international guidelines undergo proper state-level review before adoption. • HB 686: Requires Political Action Committees to include disclaimers on materials endorsing a slate of candidates, ensuring transparency in political advertising. 
• HB 1338: Allows counties to set uniform work hours for county employees. 
• HB 1588: Removes unnecessary and burdensome training requirements for certain office holders. • HJR 109: Proposes a constitutional amendment to allow the Legislature to convene early for organizational purposes in preparation for any upcoming legislative session. 

Public Safety and Property Rights 

• HB 414: Addresses the issue of squatters on private property by creating criminal offenses and authorizing fees, protecting property owners’ rights. 
• HB 518: Prohibits the purchase of agricultural land by foreign entities, safeguarding Texas’s agricultural resources and national security interests. 
• HB 1482: Heightens penalties for repeat offenders as it pertains to driving under the influence. • HB 1485: Repeals property taxes in favor of local value added taxes. 

Consumer Protection 

• HB 735: Requires clear labeling of meat, poultry, shrimp, and related food products, ensuring consumers are informed about the origin and content of their food. 
• HB 749: Mandates that food service establishments provide notice when serving shrimp imported from outside the United States, promoting transparency for consumers. 

Digital Integrity 

• HB 387: Addresses the unlawful production or distribution of sexually explicit images or videos using deep fake technology, increasing criminal penalties to deter such activities. 

Family Issues 

• HB 1354: Establishes the Texas Adoption Assistance Program. 

Election Integrity 

• HB 695: Regulates the use of certain facilities within buildings serving as polling places, ensuring the integrity and security of voting locations. 
• HB 1802: Criminalizes the act of illegally registering to vote in the state while also instructing the Secretary of State to verify that registered voters are lawful U.S. citizens.
• HJR 103: Proposes a constitutional amendment to clarify the Attorney General’s authority to prosecute  election crimes. 

Healthcare 

• HB 1468: Prohibits a healthcare facility from rejecting a vaccine exemption for a person based on  reasons of conscience for any reason.  

Community Initiatives 

• HB 721: Clarifies the applicability of laws requiring health care cost disclosures by health benefit plan issuers and administrators, in turn preserving the UTMB Health Multi-Share Plan (formerly the 3-Share Plan). 
• HB 787: Requires the Texas Department of Transportation to implement measures to allow for cars to be safely jump-started on the Galveston Ferry.  
• HB 802: Allows the General Land Office to partially approve a beach access plan submitted. • HCR 6: Designates Galveston as the Juneteenth Capital of Texas, honoring the city’s pivotal role in the  history of emancipation. 
• HCR 12: Designates September as Deaf Awareness Month in Texas. 

Recreation  

• HB 554: Allows for the sale of fireworks during the Juneteenth holiday in certain counties, recognizing  and celebrating this significant historical event.  
• HB 654: Provides for the dismissal of certain criminal charges related to the illegal hunting of deer, authorizing fees to support wildlife conservation efforts. 
• HB 761: Allows honorably discharged veterans to obtain fishing licenses at no cost, recognizing their service and providing recreational opportunities.  

Representative Leo Wilson remains committed to addressing the concerns of her constituents and all Texans. As the legislative session progresses, she plans to introduce additional bills to further these efforts. 

For more information on the bills and their progress, please visit the Texas Legislature Online website.