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House clerk reads dozens of bills on first reading; measures referred to committees
Summary
At the opening of a House session, the clerk read a long list of bills and resolutions on first reading and announced committee referrals across topics including tax and local debt, abortion exceptions, oil field theft prevention, education, and health benefit coverage for obesity medications.
The Texas House opened with the clerk reading dozens of bills and resolutions on first reading and announcing committee referrals, a routine procedural step that sends measures to standing committees for consideration.
The clerk read the caption and committee referral for a wide range of proposals, including HB 19 by Meyer relating to repayment of local-government debt and the use of ad valorem tax revenue (referred to Ways and Means); HB 44 by Garen on an abortion exception tied to a physician’s reasonable medical judgment (referred to Public Health); and HB 48 by Darby to create an organized oil‑field theft prevention unit within the Department of Public Safety (referred to Energy Resources). The clerk also read bills addressing higher education scholarships, municipal finance, public‑health regulatory matters, and multiple proposals concerning public education, elections, and criminal jurisprudence.
Why it matters: first reading and referral is the formal first step that places a bill on the legislative track. Referral determines which committee will examine a bill’s text, hold hearings, and, if appropriate, advance it to further committee action or the floor.
Notable measures announced by the clerk included: - HB 19 (Meyer) — relating to issuance and repayment of local‑government debt and the use of ad valorem tax revenue; referred to the Committee on Ways and Means. - HB 44 (Garen) — relating to an exception to otherwise prohibited abortion based on a physician’s reasonable medical judgment; referred to the Committee on Public Health. - HB 48 (Darby) — to create an organized oil‑field theft prevention unit within the Department of Public Safety; referred to the Committee on Energy Resources. - HB 2403 (Lou Wilson) — relating to governmental contracts with certain Chinese information and communications technology companies and authorizing a penalty; referred to the Committee on State Affairs. - HB 2406 (Reynolds) — relating to regulation of group‑home facilities, including optional county and municipal permitting requirements and certain criminal offenses; referred to the Committee on Community Human Services. - HB 2412 (Bucy) — relating to health benefit plan coverage for certain obesity medications; referred to the Committee on Insurance. - HB 2402 (Cole Rose) — relating to the determination of fees, charges and rates under Medicaid; referred to the Committee on Human Services.
The clerk repeatedly announced similar referrals across topic areas including public education, higher education, elections, public health, transportation, environmental regulation, and insurance. The reading covered both statutory changes and proposed constitutional amendments (HJR measures) that were referred to the appropriate committees for study.
The session record shows no debate, no floor amendments, and no recorded roll‑call votes during this item; the clerk’s reading functioned to place the measures on the calendar and assign committees. The clerk concluded by announcing the House was adjourned until 10 a.m. Tuesday.
Selected next steps: each referred committee will schedule hearings or take other procedural steps; the transcript does not record any committee actions or scheduled hearing dates.
