79th 1st Called Session
June 21, 2005 - July 20, 2005

Leadership

Governor: Rick Perry
Lieutenant Governor: David Dewhurst
Speaker(s) of the House: Tom Craddick 

Special Session Topics

• Address educator compensation, benefits and certification. [Sat Jun 18, 2005]
• Charter school funding and reform. [Sat Jun 18, 2005]
• Establish indicators of college readiness and higher levels of student achievement in the public school accountability system. [Sat Jun 18, 2005]
• Fund textbooks and create the instructional materials allotment for public schools. [Sat Jun 18, 2005]
• Funding for the public school finance system and the continuation of the Texas Education Agency. [Sat Jun 18, 2005]
• Increased accountability and intervention for schools failing to meet state standards. [Sat Jun 18, 2005]
• Local property tax rate compression and voter approval of local property tax rates. [Sat Jun 18, 2005]
• Modifications to the recapture provisions of the public school finance system. [Sat Jun 18, 2005]
• Performance-based incentives to educators and schools that attain higher levels of student achievement. [Sat Jun 18, 2005]
• Provide for November elections for public school boards of trustees. [Sat Jun 18, 2005]
• Provide for public school financial accountability and increase transparency in school district financial reporting. [Sat Jun 18, 2005]
• Providing for end-of-course examinations to be used in public schools. [Sat Jun 18, 2005]
• Limitation of ad valorem tax rates of certain taxing units. [Tue Jun 21, 2005]
• Legislation and a constitutional amendment to increase the homestead ad valorem tax exemption. [Mon Jun 27, 2005]
• Legislation to provide ad valorem tax relief and protect taxpayers. [Mon Jun 27, 2005]
• Limiting the use of eminent domain to take private property for private parties or economic development purposes. [Fri Jul 8, 2005]
• Authorization, issuance, and funding of tuition revenue bonds. [Mon Jul 11, 2005]
• Increase the compensation of judges, including salary and retirement benefits. [Mon Jul 11, 2005]
• Competition in the telecommunications market. [Tue Jul 12, 2005]
• Issuance of state-issued certificate of franchise authority for cable and video services. [Tue Jul 12, 2005]
• Provision of broadband over powerlines. [Tue Jul 12, 2005]
• State of Texas' goal for renewable energy. [Tue Jul 12, 2005]

Bill statistics for the 79th Legislature, 1st Called Session

Status	HB	HCR	HJR	HR	SB	SCR	SJR	SR	Total HB & SB	Total
Filed	118	22	16	437	84	1	11	144	202	833
Passed	1	20	0	428	1	0	0	141	2	591
Vetoed	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0