Texas Border Business
By DAVID A. DÍAZ
The first round of legislative measures by Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, that will be considered by the Texas Legislature were introduced on Monday, November 12, 2018 at the Capitol, including proposals to promote government transparency, establish a University of Texas School of Law distance learning program at UT-Rio Grande Valley, reduce fraudulent telephone calls, and require secretly-made 3D handguns to be registered with the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Monday, November 12, 2018, was the first day a state lawmaker can introduce any measure into the legislative process and be given a number. State representatives submit legislation, known as a House bill, with the Chief Clerk of the Texas House of Representatives; state senators submit legislation, known as a Senate bill, with the Secretary of the Texas Senate.
The Texas Legislature officially convenes (returns to work) for its 140-day regular session on Tuesday, January 8, 2019. But state lawmakers can begin submitting their legislative proposals, known as bills, weeks ahead of time, for many different reasons, including letting the public know about the lawmakers’ ideas so Texas citizens can participate in the fate of those measures.
“The Texas Capitol, where the Texas Legislature meets and works, is the ‘People’s House’,” Canales said. “Whether a citizen supports, opposes, or can improve any legislation, or has their own ideas for state laws and policies, I strongly encourage anyone and everyone to be part of the Texas state legislative process.”
The House District 40 state lawmaker, who was unopposed in 2018 for his upcoming fourth two-year term in the House of Representatives, said constituents can contact him through his Edinburg District Office at 956/383-0860 or at his Capitol office at 512/463-0426, communicate with him on his Facebook page, and/or email him at terry.Canales@house.state.tx.gov.
Canales, who in late September 2018, received the Transparency Champion Award from the Texas Press Association, has reintroduced a bill to increase the public’s access to government documents.
In 2015, the Texas Supreme Court delivered a court ruling known as the Boeing ruling (Boeing v. Paxton), which resulted in shielding public access to many government contracts with private businesses. In some cases, it has become impossible to see how taxpayer money is spent on items such as contracted school services or even how much total money is spent on a contract.
On Thursday, September 20, 2018, Canales’ dedication to protecting the people’s right to know about their government activities earned him the Transparency Champion award from the Texas Press Association.
TPA Executive Vice President Donnis Baggett traveled to Edinburg to present Canales with the organization’s recognition. Baggett commended Canales’ transparency-related efforts during the 2017 regular session of the Texas Legislature, calling him a “warrior.”
HOUSE BILL 144 – Canales has also refiled legislation from previous years calling for the Board of Regents of the University of Texas System to create the UT School of Law Distance learning program at the UTRGV campus in Edinburg.
