Tuesday, September 2, 2025

ELEVENTH DAY --- TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2025

The house met at 5:11 p.m. and was called to order by the speaker.

The roll of the house was called and a quorum was announced present (Record 151).

Present — Mr. Speaker(C); Alders; Allen; Ashby; Barry; Bell, C.; Bell, K.; Bernal; Bhojani; Bonnen; Bowers; Bryant; Buckley; Bucy; Bumgarner; Button; Cain; Canales; Capriglione; Cole; Collier; Cook; Cortez; Craddick; Cunningham; Curry; Darby; Davis, A.; Davis, Y.; DeAyala; Dorazio; Dutton; Dyson; Fairly; Flores; Frank; Gámez; Garcia, L.; Garcia Hernandez; Gates; Gerdes; Geren; Gervin-Hawkins; González, M.; Goodwin; Guillen; Harless; Harris; Harris Davila; Harrison; Hayes; Hefner; Hernandez; Hickland; Hinojosa; Holt; Hopper; Howard; Hull; Hunter; Isaac; Johnson; Kerwin; King; Kitzman; LaHood; Lalani; Lambert; Landgraf; Leach; Leo Wilson; Little; Longoria; Lopez, J.; Lopez, R.; Louderback; Lowe; Lozano; Lujan; Luther; Martinez; Martinez Fischer; McLaughlin; McQueeney; Metcalf; Meyer; Meza; Money; Moody; Morgan; Muñoz; Noble; Olcott; Oliverson; Ordaz; Orr; Patterson; Paul; Perez, M.; Perez, V.; Phelan; Pierson; Raymond; Richardson; Romero; Rose; Rosenthal; Schatzline; Schofield; Schoolcraft; Shaheen; Shofner; Simmons; Slawson; Smithee; Spiller; Swanson; Talarico; Tepper; Thompson; Tinderholt; Toth; Troxclair; Turner; VanDeaver; Vasut; Villalobos; Virdell; Vo; Walle; Ward Johnson; Wharton; Wilson; Wu.

Absent, Excused — Anchía; Dean; González, J.; Guerra; Jones, J.; Manuel; Morales, E.; Morales Shaw; Plesa; Reynolds; Zwiener.

Absent — Campos; Garcia, J.; Jones, V.; Morales, C.; Rodríguez Ramos.

LEAVES OF ABSENCE GRANTED

On motion of Representative Shaheen and by unanimous consent, all members who were granted leaves of absence on the previous legislative day were granted leaves for this legislative day.

REGULAR ORDER OF BUSINESS SUSPENDED

On motion of Representative Shaheen and by unanimous consent, the reading and referral of bills was postponed until just prior to final recess.

GENERAL STATE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILLS
THIRD READING

The following bills were laid before the house and read third time:

HB 18 ON THIRD READING
(by Shaheen, Gerdes, et al.)

HB 18, A bill to be entitled An Act relating to the making to or acceptance of political contributions by, and the making of political expenditures by, a member of the legislature during certain absences from the state; authorizing a civil penalty.

HB 18 was passed by (Record 152): 86 Yeas, 46 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

Yeas — Alders; Ashby; Barry; Bell, C.; Bell, K.; Bonnen; Buckley; Bumgarner; Button; Cain; Capriglione; Cook; Craddick; Cunningham; Curry; Darby; DeAyala; Dorazio; Dyson; Fairly; Frank; Gates; Gerdes; Geren; Guillen; Harless; Harris; Harris Davila; Harrison; Hayes; Hefner; Hickland; Holt; Hopper; Hull; Hunter; Isaac; Kerwin; King; Kitzman; LaHood; Lambert; Landgraf; Leach; Leo Wilson; Little; Lopez, J.; Louderback; Lowe; Lozano; Lujan; Luther; McLaughlin; McQueeney; Metcalf; Meyer; Money; Morgan; Noble; Olcott; Oliverson; Orr; Patterson; Paul; Phelan; Pierson; Richardson; Schatzline; Schofield; Schoolcraft; Shaheen; Shofner; Slawson; Smithee; Spiller; Swanson; Tepper; Tinderholt; Toth; Troxclair; VanDeaver; Vasut; Villalobos; Virdell; Wharton; Wilson.

Nays — Allen; Bernal; Bhojani; Bowers; Bryant; Bucy; Canales; Cole; Collier; Cortez; Davis, A.; Davis, Y.; Dutton; Flores; Gámez; Garcia, L.; Garcia Hernandez; Gervin-Hawkins; González, M.; Goodwin; Hernandez; Hinojosa; Howard; Johnson; Lalani; Longoria; Lopez, R.; Martinez; Martinez Fischer; Meza; Moody; Muñoz; Ordaz; Perez, M.; Perez, V.; Raymond; Romero; Rose; Rosenthal; Talarico; Thompson; Turner; Vo; Walle; Ward Johnson; Wu.

Present, not voting — Mr. Speaker(C).

Absent, Excused — Anchía; Dean; González, J.; Guerra; Jones, J.; Manuel; Morales, E.; Morales Shaw; Plesa; Reynolds; Zwiener.

Absent — Campos; Garcia, J.; Jones, V.; Morales, C.; Rodríguez Ramos; Simmons.

STATEMENTS OF VOTE

When Record No. 152 was taken, I was away from my desk in protest of the special session. I would have voted no.

C. Morales

When Record No. 152 was taken, I was away from my desk in protest of the special session. I would have voted no.

Rodríguez Ramos

REASONS FOR VOTE

Representative C. Morales submitted the following reason for vote to be printed in the journal:

When the record vote on HB 18 was cast, I was away from my desk in protest of this special session's redistricting scheme and the harm the proposed map would impose. I would have voted no because HB 18 is a hyper-partisan retaliation bill designed to punish elected Democratic lawmakers for breaking quorum to prevent harmful legislation, as happened during the first special session of the 89th Legislature. Breaking quorum has been historically used by marginalized political minorities to draw public attention to attacks on voting rights, civil liberties, or other democratic norms. HB 18 also unconstitutionally stifles political speech by preventing contributions to legislators based solely on the political protest they are engaging in.

Representative Rodríguez Ramos submitted the following reason for vote to be printed in the journal:

When the record vote for HB 18 was taken, I was away from my desk in protest of the special session called to pass a racially gerrymandered redistricting scheme. I would have voted no because HB 18 is a hyper-partisan retaliation bill designed to punish elected Democratic lawmakers for breaking quorum to prevent harmful legislation, as happened during the first special session of the 89th Legislature. Breaking quorum has been historically used by marginalized political minorities to draw public attention to attacks on voting rights, civil liberties, or other democratic norms. HB 18 also unconstitutionally stifles political speech by preventing contributions to legislators based solely on the political protest they are engaging in.

GENERAL STATE CALENDAR
SENATE BILLS
THIRD READING

The following bills were laid before the house and read third time:

SB 54 ON THIRD READING
(Shaheen - House Sponsor)

SB 54, A bill to be entitled An Act relating to election procedures regarding accepting a voter with a residence address that is not current and the immediate effect of a voter's registration after the registrar's receipt of certain change of address notices.

SB 54 was passed by (Record 153): 86 Yeas, 46 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Nays — Allen; Bernal; Bhojani; Bowers; Bryant; Bucy; Canales; Cole; Collier; Cortez; Davis, A.; Davis, Y.; Dutton; Flores; Gámez; Garcia, L.; Garcia Hernandez; Gervin-Hawkins; González, M.; Goodwin; Hernandez; Hinojosa; Howard; Lalani; Longoria; Lopez, R.; Martinez; Martinez Fischer; Meza; Moody; Muñoz; Ordaz; Perez, M.; Perez, V.; Raymond; Romero; Rose; Rosenthal; Simmons; Talarico; Thompson; Turner; Vo; Walle; Ward Johnson; Wu.

Present, not voting — Mr. Speaker(C); Johnson.

Absent, Excused — Anchía; Dean; González, J.; Guerra; Jones, J.; Manuel; Morales, E.; Morales Shaw; Plesa; Reynolds; Zwiener.

Absent — Campos; Garcia, J.; Jones, V.; Morales, C.; Rodríguez Ramos.

STATEMENTS OF VOTE

When Record No. 153 was taken, I was away from my desk in protest of the special session. I would have voted no.

C. Morales

When Record No. 153 was taken, I was away from my desk in protest of the special session. I would have voted no.

Rodríguez Ramos

REASONS FOR VOTE

Representative C. Morales submitted the following reason for vote to be printed in the journal:

When the record vote on SB 54 was cast, I was away from my desk in protest of this special session's redistricting scheme and the harm the proposed map would impose. I would have voted no, as SB 54 rolls back progress from the 89th Legislature in making it easier for voters to cast ballots when they've moved within their county. It disenfranchises voters who are disproportionately working-class or young: groups more likely to have frequent address changes and less time or ability to navigate complex bureaucratic systems like the required detailed statement submission.

Representative Rodríguez Ramos submitted the following reason for vote to be printed in the journal:

When the record vote for SB 54 was taken, I was away from my desk in protest of the special session called to pass a racially gerrymandered redistricting scheme. I would have voted no, as SB 54 rolls back progress from the 89th Legislature in making it easier for voters to cast ballots when they've moved within their county. It disenfranchises voters who are disproportionately working-class or young: groups more likely to have frequent address changes and less time or ability to navigate complex bureaucratic systems like the required detailed statement submission.

REMARKS ORDERED PRINTED

Representative Moody moved to print remarks by Representatives Gervin-Hawkins, Allen, and Bowers.

The motion prevailed. [The text of the debate was not available at the time of printing.]

PROVIDING FOR RECESS

At 5:31 p.m., Representative Lozano moved that, at the conclusion of the reading of bills and resolutions on first reading and referral to committees, the receipt of messages, granting the request of the senate to appoint conferees, and administrative actions, the house recess until 6 p.m. tomorrow in memory of David Hall of Calhoun County.

The motion prevailed.

(Louderback in the chair)

RESOLUTIONS REFERRED TO COMMITTEES

Resolutions were at this time laid before the house and referred to committees. (See the addendum to the daily journal, Referred to Committees, List No. 1.)

HOUSE AT EASE

At 5:34 p.m., the chair announced that the house would stand at ease.

(Speaker in the chair)

The chair called the house to order at 7:02 p.m.

MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE

A message from the senate was received at this time (see the addendum to the daily journal, Messages from the Senate, Message No. 1).

HOUSE AT EASE

At 7:03 p.m., the chair announced that the house would stand at ease.

Wednesday, September 3

(Geren in the chair)

The chair called the house to order at 2:58 p.m. Wednesday, September 3.

RESOLUTIONS REFERRED TO COMMITTEES

Resolutions were at this time laid before the house and referred to committees. (See the addendum to the daily journal, Referred to Committees, List No. 2 - September 3.)

HOUSE AT EASE

At 2:59 p.m., the chair announced that the house would stand at ease.

The chair called the house to order at 5:44 p.m.

RECESS

In accordance with a previous motion, the house, at 5:44 p.m. Wednesday, September 3, recessed until 6 p.m. today.

ADDENDUM

REFERRED TO COMMITTEES

The following bills and joint resolutions were today laid before the house, read first time, and referred to committees, and the following resolutions were today laid before the house and referred to committees. If indicated, the chair today corrected the referral of the following measures:

List No. 1

HCR 20 (By Craddick), Commemorating the 75th anniversary of St. Ann's Catholic School in Midland.