AUSTIN, TX – State Representative John Raney (Bryan/College Station) has filed three noteworthy pieces of legislation during the early filing period prior to the 85th Legislative Session, which opens January 10, 2017.
In Representative Raney’s time in the Texas Legislature, his goal has been to address the important issues affecting Texas families, businesses, and the specific needs of House District 14. His legislative agenda has focused around increasing employment and education opportunities, supporting Texas veterans and law enforcement, and being a strong voice for Brazos County values within the Texas Legislature.
House Bill 354 allows charter schools to request school zones around their campuses. Representative Raney believes all children attending school deserve a reduced speed zone around their campus to help protect them as they enter and leave school. The bill also standardizes the application process for all schools applying for a school zone, requires the approving entity to explain a rejected application in writing, and establishes an appeal process for schools that have their application rejected.
House Bill 355 is a common-sense bill that was filed in an effort to protect college students from sexual predators living on college campuses. Currently, sexual predators are not allowed to live within certain distances of schools, day care centers, playgrounds, youth centers, public swimming pools, or arcades. This bill will correct the oversight of including college dormitories and on-campus apartments.
House Bill 543 was filed in response to the issue of ‘faithless electors’ in the Electoral College. To preserve the voice of Texas voters, HB 543 will penalize ‘faithless electors’ for failing to vote in accordance with the statewide popular vote in a presidential election. The electors who fail to follow the popular vote would be fined $5,000.00, and be prevented from serving as an elector in future Electoral Colleges. ‘Faithless electors’ drew the attention of Governor Greg Abbott when Elector Chris Suprun voted for Ohio Governor John Kasich instead of President-Elect Donald Trump, the party’s nominee. Governor Abbott later commented on Twitter, “This charade is over. A bill is already filed to make these commitments binding. I look forward to signing it & ending this circus.”
“My job as a State Representative is not to ‘reinvent the wheel’ every legislative session, or pass bills into law just to say that I did something. I see it as my responsibility to House District 14, and all of Texas to listen to constituents, research the law, and find ways that limited government can work better for my fellow Texans,” Representative Raney said. “Community safety, economic growth, preservation of our constitutional rights, and keeping Brazos County Values strong in the Legislature has and will always be my priority and duty.”
Representative Raney was recently elected to his third, full term in the Texas House of Representatives. He serves on the House Committee on Appropriations where he also serves on the Subcommittee on Education, the House Committee on Higher Education, and House Administration. He is the acting Secretary of the House Republican Caucus and is a life-long community member of Bryan-College Station where he has been a small business owner for forty-eight years.