One hundred eighty-nine years ago, on March 15, 1836, the founding fathers of Texas convened at Washington-on-the-Brazos. In the face of tyranny and an advancing army from Mexico City, these brave men gathered to discuss and debate the foundations for a new, representative republic. As we reflect on the courage of these men, many of whom fought and died for Texas’s independence, I am reminded of the responsibility I am bestowed with as your state representative. As long as I have the honor to serve the people of Deep East Texas, I will work every day to preserve the freedom and prosperity our founding fathers had in mind when they met so many years ago.
Additionally, this week and last, schools across Texas are enjoying Spring Break. As thousands of students and families look forward to a brief reprieve from the demands of school. If you and your loved ones are hitting the road for a little rest and relaxation, I want to encourage everyone to plan their trips accordingly and please use resources like drivetexas.org to check highway conditions as you embark on all Spring Break adventures. Don’t forget your sunscreen!
With that, here’s an update from your State Capitol…
Capitol Update
There has been a flurry of activity at the Capitol this week. Bills from House members continue to be referred to their respective committees, committees are holding meetings at a regular pace, and priority bills for the House are starting to materialize.
Two of those priority bills are House Bill 16 and House Joint Resolution 7. HB 16 adds different water supply proposals to projects allowed to access the Texas Water Fund, which was established during the 2023 Session. This bill also allows the Texas Water Development Board to purchase and hold out-of-state water rights to meet future water demands in Texas.
HJR 7 proposes a constitutional amendment that will permanently dedicate a revenue stream to the Texas Water Fund. HJR 7 will dedicate $1 billion per biennium from existing state and sales tax revenue for water infrastructure and water supply projects. Providing the necessary funding to meet the demands of a growing state is a priority this session, and I look forward to considering both of these bills in the coming weeks.
As the legislative process progresses, the workload for members increases. Just this week, myself and my colleagues on the House Public Education Committee conducted a committee hearing on House Bill 3, which would establish education savings accounts for school choice. The Committee received over 12,500 public comment submissions and heard from hundreds of witnesses during the committee hearing, which adjourned after almost 23 hours. My office has heard from hundreds of constituents on both sides of this issue who are passionate about their position.
It’s important to know that the bill is in the early stages, and the process of modifying the bill from its current version is just beginning. I’m confident that this bill will undergo quite a few changes over the coming weeks, and I look forward to working with Chairman Buckley and my colleagues on the committee to make improvements based on the thoughtful testimony we received in our recent hearing.
As I mentioned earlier, bills continue to be referred in the House. This week, a number of my bills were referred, including House Bill 1507. HB 1507 provides volunteer firefighters with a tuition exemption for fire science courses at our colleges and universities. This legislation will provide volunteer fire departments, especially those in rural communities that are experiencing a shortfall in manpower, a substantial tool for the recruitment and retention of firefighters to respond to local emergencies.
The mobile office is still on the road this month and our District Director looks forward to seeing you on March 19 at the Houston County Courthouse Annex in Crockett from 9:30-11:30 am or at the Trinity County Courthouse in Groveton from 1:30-3:30 pm.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if we can help you in any way. My district office may be reached at (936) 634-2762. Additionally, I welcome you to follow along on my Official Facebook Page, where I will post regular updates on what’s happening in your State Capitol and share information that could be useful to you and your family: https://www.facebook.com/RepTrentAshby/.
