May 20, 2019

As we reach the end of the Texas Legislature session, of all the bills we were following, only three bills (HB 35, HB 652, HB 2266) were given a hearing.  They were heard in House State Affairs on April 17, but were left pending.  

HB 35 (Romero, Jr.) would provide conditional driver’s permits, and Texas conditional instruction permits to residents who are ineligible to have a Social Security number.  The ability to be licensed to drive in the state would insure that drivers met the requirements of taking and passing driver tests and to be required to have insurance.  This would insure that our streets would be safer due to having licensed and insured drivers on our roadways. We supported this bill.

HB 652 (Neave). This bill would remove the requirement for law enforcement officials to cooperate with Federal immigration officers in the event of an incident occurring in a domestic violence shelter or church.  It would ensure those who are seeking help would not be threatened by the possibility of being deported. We supported this bill.

HB 2266 (Anchia) would essentially do away with SB 4.  SB 4 became law in 2017 after being hotly debated in the State Senate and was overwhelming opposed by law enforcement, local public officials and private citizens who feared that the new law would lead to police profiling, victims unwilling to call the police and public officials who did not want their law enforcement to become an arm of ICE.   LWV-Texas supported this bill.

It is disappointing to have these important bills, dealing with how the state will deal with children, domestic violence victims, sanctuary of churches, hospitals and domestic violence centers, left unaddressed.