THE TRUST REPORT

Texas Residents United for a Stronger Texas

February 5, 2015

Bills Filed to Date

I. Filed legislation that attempts to put local law enforcement or
state agencies in the role of regulating immigration, or that
addresses issues of federalism:
o HB 88 Requires state contractors to participate in the federal Everify program.
o HB 183 Requires state agencies to participate in the federal Everify program to verify information of all new employees.
o HB 306 Prohibits governmental entities from providing education,
medical or health benefits to undocumented individuals, unless
required by federal law; if required, directs comptroller to seek
annual reimbursement from Congress.
o HB 310 Directs the comptroller to annually determine the cost, to
the state and each county, of confining persons not lawfully present
in the United States and seeking reimbursement from Congress.
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o HB 592 Requires law enforcement to run a person through the

Securities Communities or a successor program or request his/her
immigration status from an immigration agent, a peace officer, or a
state law enforcement officer authorized to verify that status;
Requires enforcement of ICE detainers and notice to a judge in a
bond hearing that the person is subject to an ICE hold.
o HB 630 Authorizes the suspension of state licenses held by private
employers for the knowing employment of undocumented
individuals; Requires state contractors and subcontractors to
participate in the federal E-verify program.
o HB 739 Requires state agencies to participate in the federal Everify program to verify information of all new employees.
o HB 889 Requires state contractors and subcontractors to
participate in the federal E-verify program.
o HB 933 Establishes a Texas Department of Public Safety pilot
program to collaborate with remote car companies to test their
use for border security purposes.
o HCR 29 Declares that presidential executive orders are not state
mandates and will not be treated as such by state agencies.
o SB 62 Directs the comptroller to estimate financial costs incurred
each biennium from the presence of undocumented persons
disaggregated by education, health care and incarceration;
Requires comptroller to seek payment from the federal government.
Referred to Finance.
o SB 171 Makes it a state jail felony to knowingly transport or conceal
or harbor a person, in violation of the Immigration and Nationality
Act; Makes it a second degree felony if the person smuggled is a
child. Referred to Criminal Justice.
o SB 174 Defines illegal aliens and makes them ineligible for
probation. Referred to Criminal Justice
o SB 185 Prevents a city or county from prohibiting their officials
from: asking the immigration status of a person lawfully detained for
a criminal investigation and then sending/requesting that
information to/from USCIS or ICE, assisting a federal immigration
officer with enforcement, etc.; Denies state grant funds to any city
or county in violation of this legislation. Referred to Subcommittee
on Border Security.
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o SB 374 Requires state agencies to participate in the federal Everify program to verify information of all new employees. Referred
to Business & Commerce.
o SB 401 Requires state contractors and subcontractors to
participate in the federal E-verify program. Referred to Business &
Commerce.
o SCR 5 Urges Congress to reimburse the State of Texas $603.6
million for bearing the financial burden of the federal governments
responsibility to secure the Texas-Mexico international border from
2012 through 2015. Referred to Subcommittee on Border Security.

II. Filed legislation that attempts to remove an established

privilege or right from the immigrant community:
o HB 209 Denies in-state tuition rates to DREAMers.
o HB 360 Prohibits residents unable to provide proof of citizenship or
lawful residency, as verifiable by the Systemic Alien Verification
(SAVE) program, from obtaining in-state tuition rates.
o HB 586 Denies in-state tuition rates to DREAMers.
o HB 667 Allows the bilingual education allotment under the
Foundation School Program to be used for other than ESL and
bilingual programs.
o SB 117 Aligns eligibility for TEXAS Grants with eligibility for federal
financial aid, thereby disqualifying DREAMers, including DACA
beneficiaries, from receiving such state financial aid. Referred to
Higher Education.
o SB 351 Determination of resident status of students changed to
remove undocumented youth from in-state tuition eligibility.
Referred to State Affairs.
o SB 447 Designates English as the official language of Texas and
prohibits, except otherwise provided by law including by the Voting
Rights Act, a state agency from providing documents, published
material or website content in a language other than English.

III.

The following bills have been filed that assure due process rights for
all Texas residents or that will assist in helping immigrants come
out of the shadows and/or better engage their communities:
o HB 68 Creates a drivers permit for certain Texas residents
currently unable to provide to the Texas Department of Public
Safety proof of lawful presence.
o HB 94 Requires the Texas Workforce Commission to make publicly
available an online database of employers penalized for failure to
pay wages or convicted of certain offenses involving wage theft.
o HB 154 Protects witnesses to and victims of crimes from being
asked about their immigration status.
o HB 162 Requires assessment of administrative penalties by the
Texas Workforce Commission against employers for wage theft.
o HB 188 Directs the states Human Trafficking Task Force to
address the demand for force labor/services or sexual conduct
involving victims, including by increasing penalties.
o HB 217 Expands the services provided to colonia residents to
include assistance with securing employment, establishing or
expanding small businesses, and managing personal finances.
o HB 231 Extends the courts jurisdiction, in a suit affecting the
parent-child relationship, over youth who are seeking special
juvenile status from age 18 to 21 to conform to immigration law.
o HB 418 Allows judges to place a child victim of human trafficking in
foster care if in the best interest of that child.
o HB 511 Includes ICE detention facilities within the definition of a
correctional facility for the purposes of holding accountable those
who violate civil rights of persons in custody by improper sexual
activity.
o HB 559 Directs magistrates to inform immigrants of consequences
of a no contest or guilty plea to misdemeanor charges.
o HB 672 Requires a state licensing authority that obliges a license
applicant to submit his/her social security number to accept as a
substitute the applicants individual taxpayer identification number.

o HB 693 Creates a drivers permit for certain Texas residents

currently unable to provide to the Texas Department of Public
Safety proof of lawful presence.
o HB 860 Prohibits employer retaliation against employees who seek
recovery of unpaid wages.
o HB 968 Holds a shareholder or member of a business, which is
liable for human trafficking, jointly and severally liable if that
shareholder or member caused the business to be used for human
trafficking or knew it was being used for that purpose.
o SB 32 Expands the services provided to colonia residents to
include assistance with securing employment, establishing or
expanding small businesses, and managing personal finances.
Referred to Intergovernmental Relations.
o SB 132 Creates a drivers permit for certain Texas residents
currently unable to provide to the Texas Department of Public
Safety proof of lawful presence. Referred to Transportation.
o SB 151 Prohibits employer retaliation against employees who seek
recovery of unpaid wages. Referred to Natural Resources &
Economic Development.
o SB 152 Requires assessment of administrative penalties by the
Texas Workforce Commission against employers for wage theft.
Referred to Natural Resources & Economic Development.
o SB 153 Extends the deadline for filing wage claims from 180 days
to 2 years. Referred to Natural Resources & Economic
Development.
o SB 154 Requires contractors doing construction work for a
governmental entity to ensure worker rest breaks. Referred to
Business and Commerce.
o SB 155 Requires contractors doing construction work for a
governmental entity to have workers compensation insurance for
all workers. Referred to Business and Commerce.
o SB 160 Protects witnesses to and victims of crimes from being
asked about their immigration status. Referred to Subcommittee on
Border Security.

o SB 268 Requires magistrates to inform immigrants about potential

consequences of a no contest or guilty plea to misdemeanor
charges. Referred to Subcommittee on Border Security.
o HCR 40 Expresses support for the Texas DREAM Act and urges
other states to enact similar legislation
In the News

Bills Require Warnings for Immigrants About Pleas:

http://www.texastribune.org/2015/02/04/bill-seeks-inform-immigrants-legalconsequences
Democrats Set To Play Defense on Immigration:
http://www.texastribune.org/2015/01/27/democrats-hopeful-limitedimmigration-measures/
New Texas House Higher Ed Chair "Zerwas supports the DREAM Act"
http://www.texasmonthly.com/burka-blog/house-committee-assignments

Upcoming Events & Important Dates

Feb. 11: Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance (RITA) Immigration Day of Action at the
Texas Capitol (see https://www.facebook.com/events/1532348407014643)
Feb. 21: Protect the DREAM Planning Meeting. Join the authors of the Texas DREAM Act
on a conference call at 1pm to discuss planning for next steps in legislative advocacy
efforts. TRUST will send out call-in info before that date.
March 12: Texas Association for College Admission Counseling (TACAC) Capitol Rally on
the South Steps of the Capitol from 10 a.m. to noon, along with scheduled advocacy
meetings from 1:30-4pm. See the TACAC-created action alert for wide distribution:
http://capwiz.com/nacac/issues/alert/?alertid=64030201.

Founded in 1968, MALDEF is the nations leading Latino legal organization and
promotes and protects the rights of Latinos through advocacy, litigation, community
education and outreach, leadership development, and higher education scholarships.