Enacted 1,389 bills and adopted nine joint resolutions after considering more than 5,600 introduced measures.
Enacted two bills during the first called session and three bills during the second called session.
Passed a balanced budget for the 2006-2007 biennium that increases spending in areas most important to the state, while reducing wasteful spending.
Nearly $2.0 billion in general revenue was left un-appropriated in order to ensure that sufficient funds will be available to address future public school finance issues.
Appropriated $2.2 billion increase in spending for public schools, including more than $1.3 billion for enrollment growth and improved equity, $175 million for school facilities, and $140 million for the Student Success Initiative.
CHIP received increased funding to cover projected increases in clients caseloads; addresses cost growth; adjusts assumptions on client cost sharing; restores dental, vision, hospice and mental health benefits, and establishes perinatal benefits.
The Select Committee on Child Welfare and Foster Care worked to restructure and improve Department of Family and Protective Services and other agencies and institutions responsible for protecting and placing children in foster care who have been victims of abuse and neglect.
Abolished the Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission and transferred its functions to the Division on Workers’ Compensation at the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) to streamline government regulation. Produced a complete overhaul of the system to aid both employees and employers, get injured workers back on the job quicker, and reduce high health care costs.
Voted to keep frivolous asbestos and fast-food lawsuits out of Texas.
Creates a sentence of "life without parole" for capital murders and eliminates the current sentence of "life," along with the death penalty as the other option for a capital murder sentence.
Limited access to pseudoephedrine tablets, an essential ingredient for making methamphetamine, by requiring over-the-counter sales of the product and necessitated the tablets to be kept behind a pharmacy counter or locked in a case within 30 feet and in direct line sight of the clerk.
Increased the drivers’ license suspension for minors convicted of underage drinking from 30 days to 180 days on a first conviction and from 60 days to one year on second or subsequent convictions.
Passed legislation to hold adults over 21 liable for facilitating the intoxication of minors who are under 18.
Approved legislation that would allow holders of winery permits and out-of-state winery direct shipper’s permits issued by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) to ship wine directly to Texas consumers, including consumers in dry areas.
Required jurors to be paid a minimum of $40 per day, after the first day of service and allowed state reimbursement to counties for juror reimbursement, and approved funding of juror reimbursement through court costs.
Passed legislation that raises judicial salaries, institutes a new fee on criminal court convictions and civil court filings, and requires the collection of data about judicial turnover.
Enacted legislation to protect individuals whose identities have been stolen.
Approved requirements that a physician must obtain consent of a parent, guardian or acting conservator before performing an abortion on a minor girl.
Prohibited physicians from performing a third-trimester abortion of a viable unborn child unless the abortion would prevent the death or imminent, severe brain damage or paralysis of the woman.
Sent voters a constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union of one man and one woman in the Texas Constitution.
Restricted eminent domain use for economic development purposes.
Updated Texas’ outmoded regulatory framework for telecommunications and cable technologies, opening the Texas marketplace to true and extensive competition.
Created the Texas Emerging Technology program and fund that focuses on emerging technologies such as nanotech, biotech, aerospace, energy, petroleum, and computer technology. The fund will be used for innovation and commercialization of research, developing high quality jobs, and increasing state research capacity.
Created a bi-national alcohol and substance abuse task force led by legislators and including many citizens to address the problems of underage drinking and the illegal drug trade along the border.
Adopted restrictions prohibiting a person under age 18 from operating a motor vehicle while using a cell phone during the first six months after receiving a driver’s license.
