89th SESSION ACCOMPLISHMENTS
REPRESENTATIVE LOUDERBACK’S LEGISLATION
Representative Louderback authored and sponsored 11 bills that were signed into law. This legislation focused on investing in the Golden Crescent, addressing safety of school officials, reforming bail procedures, streamlining crime labs, and supporting our coastal shrimping industry:
- SB 2361 – transfers the University of Houston–Victoria into the Texas A&M System, creating A&M–Victoria, which will bring new, in-demand degrees for the entire Golden Crescent region.
- SB 2929 – allows school officials and referees to remove hostile and abusive spectators from youth sporting events without fear of legal retaliation.
- HB 2820 – allows charitable bingo halls to keep more of their money in operating expenses to help pay the bills – their first increase since 2009.
- HCR 76 – urges the federal government to curb the mass influx of subsidized, toxic, low-quality foreign shrimp that is forcing our shrimpers out of business.
- SB 1020 – enhances reporting requirements for suspects out on bond to ensure that repeat offenders do not evade punishment because of activist judges.
- SB 1372 and SB 1936 – a package of bills to protect the integrity of the DPS crime lab portal and ensure a more consistent measurement standard for measuring illegal drugs like LSD.
BORDER SECURITY AND PUBLIC SAFETY
As a five-term sheriff, border security expert, member of the Homeland Security Committee, and Chairman of the subcommittee overseeing the creation of new offenses and changing pre-existing penalties, Representative Louderback steered critical legislation to make Texas safer.
–287(g) expansion – SB 8 Requires every sheriff in Texas to enter the 287(g) program, a critical federal program giving local sheriffs dual authority to enforce immigration law. Representative Louderback was appointed to the conference committee that strengthened SB 8 to require universal participation and enhance funding for local law enforcement.
-Bail reform – As a member of Criminal Jurisprudence, Sheriff Louderback was tasked with bringing his law enforcement experience to craft SB 9 and SJR 5. This bail reform package allows judges to deny bail for violent, repeat felons and stop the revolving door of crime that plagues our major cities.
EDUCATION
-School funding – Representative Louderback coauthored HB 2, a critical bill investing a historic $8.5 billion in new funding to public schools. HB 2 provides record-breaking support for teacher pay increases, basic costs for schools, special education, small/mid-sized schools, and coastal schools suffering from high insurance costs.
-Parental rights in education – Louderback voted for SB 12, the “Parental Bill of Rights,” which increases parent involvement in curriculum and school board meetings, prohibits DEI and gender identity instruction, bans sexuality-based clubs, and requires parental consent for psychiatric evaluations in public schools.
–Protecting classroom teachers – Louderback coauthored HB 6, the “Teachers’ Bill of Rights,” which gives teachers more control over their classroom and provides additional education options to avoid classroom disruption and diffuse unsafe student interactions.
–School safety – As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, Louderback coauthored and advanced the “Uvalde Strong Act,” HB 33, to increase law enforcement training and coordination in response to school shootings. Additionally, he supported legislation expanding school safety funds.
–Protecting children from predators – Louderback voted in favor of HB 4623, holding school districts accountable for negligent behavior that leads to the abuse of children. Additionally, he helped pass SB 571 to ensure that predators do not fall through the cracks and end up being hired in the classroom.
–Homeschool protections – Louderback voted in favor of HB 2674, which prohibits the regulation of homeschool programs.
TAX RELIEF
Property tax relief is a major priority for Texas, which means it is a priority for Representative Louderback. The State Budget appropriates over $24 billion to the Property Tax Relief Fund, which will help buy down local school district maintenance and operations (M&O) property taxes. In addition to paying down school district taxes, the Legislature passed numerous tax relief proposals covering a wide array of taxation, some of which will appear on your ballot November 4th.
–Homestead exemptions – Louderback cosponsored SB 4 and SJR 2, which increased the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000. He also cosponsored SB 23 and SJR 85, measures that will raise the homestead exemptions for Texans over 65 or with a disability from $110,00 to $200,000. He voted in favor of HB 2508, which provides a full property tax exemption to surviving spouses of veterans who die from service-related conditions.
–Helping our ranching industry – Louderback voted in favor of HB 1399, exempting animal feed from being taxed as inventory, lowering overhead for feed suppliers.
SOCIAL ISSUES
Louderback voted in favor of SB 1257, requiring health benefit coverage for adverse effects of gender transitions and gender reversals.
ELECTION INTEGRITY
Representative Louderback voted for SJR 37, which proposed a constitutional amendment clarifying that voters must be US citizens.
MEDICAL FREEDOM
Louderback voted in favor of HB 1586, simplifying the process for Texans to opt out of vaccines. In the Special Session, he backed HB 25, allowing Texans to purchase Ivermectin over-the-counter.
FOREIGN NATIONS
As a member of the Homeland Security Committee, Louderback cosponsored SB 17, which prohibits companies, governments, and agents from foreign nations such as China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia from owning or controlling property in Texas.
PRO-LIFE/PRO-FAMILY
Representative Louderback cosponsored SB 33, which prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for out-of-state abortions or related travel and logistical expenses. In the Special Session, he coauthored HB 7 to crack down on mail-in abortion pills flowing into Texas.