Legislative Blog

J.B. Williams, J.D.

5 bills that modify the Government Code

A Blog about 88th Legislature Laws

A Bit of Background

The following backgrounds help summarize the author's views on both the general topic: Texas and more specifically 88th Legislature Laws as it relates to that topic.

Brief Summary of Texas

Texas is truly a Republic. There are a multitude of items that to modify the state constitution must be modified. So there are times when Constitutional amendments are on the voting ballots. While I sometimes abhor the wording, the concept that all of those legally able to vote in Texas must vote on the change is a good one. And bills in Texas are generally short, making it easier for everyone to understand.

Summary of 88th Legislature Laws

The blogs here will discuss the laws passed by Congress and signed into law, as well as those, passed by Congress and approved by the voters to become law. There are a multitude of laws and each time I post blogs I will notate here the current effective date if it is different from prior blogs. I am currently posting bills that took effect immediately - those bills total 336. I am currently posting regarding larger bills, so each blog covers a single bill.

Blog Summary

HB 616 - Continuing education for district clerks regarding impaneling petit and grand juries

HB 671 - Veterans suicide prevention campaign

HB 679 - Limits on workers' compensation insurance modifiers in soliciting and awarding public construction contracts

HB 728 - Statewide interagency aging services coordinating council

HB 841 - Judicial statistics and information gathered by the Texas Judicial Council

5 bills that modify the Government Code

Published: 2025-06-25

HB 616

Continuing education for district clerks regarding impaneling petit and grand juries

Part of the district clerk's 20 hours of instruction must include 1 hour of instruction on impaneling petit and grand juries.

HB 671

Veterans suicide prevention campaign

Texas Veteran Commission must conduct a suicide prevention campaign to inform veterans regarding suicide prevention. There must be a dedicated Internet website. The Commission may solicit and accept gifts and grants to assist with the campaign.

HB 679

Limits on workers' compensation insurance modifiers in soliciting and awarding public construction contracts

A modifier here is a value assigned to an employer seeking to purchase workers' compensation in Texas, it affects the premium amount for the policy, and is based on the employer's past loss experience.

Request for bids may not require the modifier to be a specific modifier.

I would suspect that an employer with a past high claims would pay more for workers' compensation, and therefore, bid higher to cover this cost. However, if the bid is for the work and the state is covering the workers' compensation, then I would think that ensuring a better value would be in the taxpayers best interest.

HB 728

Statewide interagency aging services coordinating council

The interagency council has at least 1 representative from each of the following:

1. governor's office;
2. the commission;
3. the Department of Family and Protective Services;
4. the Department of State Health Services;
5. the Department of Agriculture's office in rural health;
6. the Texas Veterans Commission;
7. the Texas Workforce Commission;
8. office of the attorney general;
9. Barshop Institute for Longevity and Aging Studies at the University of Texas Health Science Center of San Antonio;
10. Texas Aging and Longevity Consortium at the University of Texas at Austin;
11. Center for Community Health and Aging at Texas A&M University

A council members serves at the pleasure of the appointing agency or entity.

The council shall meet at least once a quarter. They shall do the following:

1. develop a recurring 5 year statewide interagency aging services strategic plan;
2. submit the plan to the executive commissioner and administrative head of each agency;
3. develop, no later than November 1 of each even-numbered year, a biennial coordinated statewide interagency aging services expenditure proposal that is submitted to the legislature;
4. annually publish updated inventory of state-funded interagency aging programs and services, to include a description of how they further the propose of the strategic plan;

The council may do the following:

1. facilitate opportunities to increase collaboration for effective expenditure of available federal and state funding;
2. establish subcommittees to carry out the duties

I understand wanting to ensure the aging population is cared for, but creating a council that will create subcommittees, which will most likely be paid out of available state and federal funding doesn't sound like a great concept. There are so many agencies that assist elderly that are not government agencies. Perhaps creating a listing of existing agencies throughout the state andn providing that listing via a government Internet website would be a better alternative. And the government could do checks on the entities and, via the attorney general, could be informed with issues regarding them. Being listed would not mean they were perfect, but then neither are state agencies. Seems like a means of spending more money on the not helping. Perhaps if taxpayers were able to keep more of their own money, then they would be in a better position to help those family members as they aged. And if governments were less involved, perhaps more people would be more likely to look at for the elderly around them. I've always tried to check in with older neighbors to see if they need anything. And my city has a volunteer program that sends out people to help older individuals with them with things around their homes. Now it's overseen by the city in that the people needing something notify the city, and the city 'doles' out the jobs to the volunteers. Since it's city, it is more local and less of the government doing much. As programs get further removed, they end up wasting more money.

HB 841

Judicial statistics and information gathered by the Texas Judicial Council

The council must now gather case-level information on the amount and character of business transacted by courts.

 

J.B. Williams, J.D.

4,312 federal laws were passed from 1995 through December 2016.
Along with 88,819 federal rules and regulations.