by Sen. Robert Nichols
This month the Legislature began our Second Called Special Session. We again have 30 days to
complete the items on the Governor’s call.
Here are five things happening around your state:
- Redistricting maps pass both chambers, head to Governor
This week, both the House and the Senate officially passed House Bill 4, which updates the US
Congressional maps in Texas. These new maps reflect Texans’ voting preferences. The new
maps rework districts in East Texas so that there are five members of congress representing the
region rather than the current seven. The bill now heads to the Governor’s desk for final
approval. If signed, the maps will go into effect on the 91 st day after the last day of the special
legislative session. To learn more about the new maps and see what they look like, including if
your representative has changed, visit https://redistricting.capitol.texas.gov. - Various flood recovery measures pass, Legislature honors victims
Last week, both the House and Senate passed legislation relating to flood mitigation, response,
and recovery while honoring the victims of the Fourth of July floods and their families. The
Senate Disaster Preparedness Committee held a hearing on legislation and invited the families of
victims to testify about their experiences. Families of the 27 victims at Camp Mystic recounted
the aftermath of their horrific ordeal and advocated for changes to state policy around summer
camp safety.
Senate Bill 1 by Senator Charles Perry would ensure that summer camps cannot build cabins or
house campers within a floodplain. It also requires camps establish emergency procedures for a
variety of events including a lost camper, fire, flood, severe injury, or death. Those procedures
must be part of a mandatory safety orientation before each camp session begins. Further, each
camp must be equipped with a radio capable of providing real-time weather alerts issued by the
National Weather Service and install an emergency warning system at the camp that is capable
of alerting campers and counselors to an emergency.
My five cents…
A weekly column from Sen. Robert Nichols
by Sen. Robert Nichols, Senate District 3
- Legal defense for human trafficking victims passes Legislature
Senate Bill 11, by Senator Tan Parker, passed both chambers this week and is headed to the
Governor’s desk. The bill would provide an affirmative defense for human and sex trafficking
victims who commit a crime under force, fraud, or coercion from their trafficker. Under current
law, young victims can be prosecuted for crimes they assisted in or committed with or for their
trafficker. Often traffickers will force their victims to commit these crimes. When a victim has a
criminal record, it can make it even harder for them to leave their trafficker. This will help
victims of human trafficking leave their abusers without a criminal record and ensure they can
take the next steps to a new life. - New laws go into effect September 1
September 1 is the day that most of the bills passed by the Legislature go into effect. While over
a thousand bills were passed, around 750 will go into effect over the weekend. Here are some of
the new laws to be aware of:
- Senate Bill 7 – This bill, by Senator Charles Perry, creates a framework for funding water
projects throughout the state through the Texas Water Development Board. It
accompanies a constitutional amendment voters will have the opportunity to vote on this
fall to allocate $1 billion each year for 20 years to the Texas Water Fund to combat the
state’s looming water crisis. - Senate Bill 17 – This bill, by Senator Lois Kolkhorst, will ban governments, companies,
and individuals who reside in China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran from owning land or
property in Texas. US citizens or permanent residents are not part of the ban. - Senate Bill 835 – This bill, by Senator Angela Paxton, bans the use of nondisclosure
agreements in sexual assault and human trafficking cases. It also voids existing
nondisclosure agreements in those cases. The bill, named “Trey’s Law,” is named for
Trey Carlock, who died by suicide in 2019 after signing an NDA related to abuse he
suffered as a child by a camp counselor.
- New World Screwworm protection facility announced
The US Department of Agriculture announced a $750 million investment to build a facility in
Edinburg, Texas to combat the spread of the New World screwworm. The facility will sterilize
New World screwworm flies and prevent their reproduction. There are no facilities in the US that
currently produce sterile screwworm flies, instead relying on facilities in Panama for the flies.
The new facility will be able to produce 300 million sterile flies per week.
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