The 89th Legislative Session has come and gone, and I could not be happier to return home to see my family, friends, and constituents across House District 9. This legislative session was a grueling one, with hundreds of hours spent on the House floor, nearly 100 hours of total testimony in the Public Education Committee, and countless hours spent in meetings with constituents and stakeholders.
That said, I am proud of the achievements that were accomplished during this most recent session. This week, I will highlight some of my bills that passed through the legislature, as well as update you on some vital pieces of funding headed to Deep East Texas.
With that, here’s an update from your State Capitol …
Ashby bills passed (partial listing)
House Bill 2000, or “Audrii’s Law,” requires felons convicted of child grooming to register as sex offenders. I was proud to author this piece of legislation in memory of Audrii Cunningham to ensure that predators, like the monster who took Audrii’s life, cannot access legal loopholes to hide in the shadows and harm our children.
House Bill 3010 creates the Rural County Infrastructure Disaster Recovery program to help our rural communities under 100,000 in population access state assistance following a natural disaster to repair or replace critical infrastructure such as roads, water systems, hospitals and schools.
House Bill 4479/Senate Bill 2448 establishes the Rural Workforce Development Grant program to encourage non-profits in rural communities to improve workforce training and address skills gaps to help meet the rural workforce shortage.
House Bill 3370 extends the deadline for the inheritor, or their agent, of timberland to file a late application for timberland appraisal without being subject to the penalty for a late application.
House Bill 2563 establishes an insurance pool at the Texas A&M Forest Service to provide coverage to certified and insured prescribed burn managers while conducting prescribed burns.
House Bill 4945 requires the Teacher Retirement Service to study how wildland firefighters employed by the Texas A&M Forest Service can retire before the age of 65.
House Bill 3630/Senate Bill 1948 prohibits any governmental entity in Texas from requiring sprinklers in livestock or poultry barns, grain facilities, or farm buildings.
House Bill 1672 eliminates a redundancy of due process between the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Motor Vehicles to remove unsafe commercial vehicles from the road quickly and safely.
House Bill 1663/Senate Bill 771 reinstates a tax rebate on diesel used to fuel auxiliary power units and power take-off equipment.
House Bill 4646/Senate Bill 2476 gives control of the Woodlawn Water Supply Corporation to the Angelina Neches River Authority to improve water utility service to folks in Angelina County.
House Bill 3751 transfers the former Texas Department of Transportation office in Woodville to the Department of Public Safety for a regional commercial vehicle enforcement location.
House Concurrent Resolution 126 designates the City of Corrigan as the official Timber Products Capital of Texas.
New Funding for House District 9 (partial listing)
$20 billion to the Texas Water Fund for a generational investment in water supply and infrastructure, 50% of which will go to repair damaged and dilapidated water systems.
$4 million to fund security and capacity upgrades at the Burke Mental Health Emergency Center in Lufkin.
$60 million to fund repairs at the Lake Livingston Dam that came about as a result of the torrential rains we experienced in 2024.
As a final note, my column will return to its biweekly schedule during the interim. I look forward to continuing sharing updates with you about the 1,200+ bills passed this session.
The mobile office is still on the road this month and our district director looks forward to seeing you on the following dates, in the following locations: June 11 at the Polk County Commissioners Courtroom in Livingston from 9:30-11:30 a.m. or at the Tyler County Courthouse in Woodville from 1:30-3:30 p.m., June 18 at the Houston County Courthouse Annex in Crockett from 9:30-11:30 a.m. or at the Trinity County Courthouse in Groveton from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
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/.
