Rep. John Smithee introduced HB 5554, a bill on State Finances, to the Texas House on Friday, March 14 during the 89(R) legislative session, according to the Texas Legislature website.
More specifically, the official text was summarized by the state legislature as ’’relating to the operation and management of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum by the Texas Historical Commission’’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
This bill relates to the operation and management of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum by the Texas Historical Commission. It allows the commission to contract with the Panhandle-Plains Historical Society and West Texas A&M University or The Texas A&M University System for managing and maintaining museum facilities. The contract mandates provisions for expanding, renovating, and maintaining the museum, preserving its collection, and hiring a museum director and necessary staff. It also allows for donations and the acquisition of property and relics. The bill establishes the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum fund outside the state treasury, comprising admissions, sales revenue, and donations. The fund can be used for the museum’s administration and upkeep without legislative appropriation. An employee of West Texas A&M University dedicated to the museum becomes a commission employee on Sept. 1, 2025, unless the bill receives immediate effect from a two-thirds legislative vote.
John Smithee, the chair of the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence, proposed another 22 bills during the 89(R) legislative session. He is also a member of the House Committee on State Affairs.
Smithee graduated from West Texas A&M with a BBA and again from Texas Tech University Law School with a JD.
John Smithee is currently serving in the Texas State House, representing the state’s 86th House district. He replaced previous state representative Bob Simpson in 1985.
Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
| Legislative Session | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89(R) | HB 5191 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to providing a one-time supplemental payment and a cost-of-living adjustment applicable to certain benefits paid by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas |
| 89(R) | HB 5020 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to requirements for the exercise of the power of impeachment by the House of Representatives and providing that officers against whom articles of impeachment are preferred receive pay during the pendency of impeachment proceedings |
| 89(R) | HB 4774 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the administration of perpetual care trust funds for capital improvements at perpetual care cemeteries |
| 89(R) | HB 4511 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to wind energy agreements |
| 89(R) | HB 4508 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to the administration of and procedures relating to early voting by personal appearance |
| 89(R) | HB 4502 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to the development and implementation of an all-hazards court security plan, composition and recommendations of court security committees, and increasing the penalty for certain criminal offenses committed against an employee of a court or the office |
| 89(R) | HB 4490 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to an exemption from required disclosure of information related to the next of kin of deceased persons |
| 89(R) | HB 4449 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to the sale of alcoholic beverages in areas annexed by certain municipalities |
| 89(R) | HB 76 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to the use by a political subdivision of public funds to pay bail bonds |
| 89(R) | HB 75 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to the release of defendants on bail, the duties of a magistrate in certain criminal proceedings, and the regulation of charitable bail organizations |
| 89(R) | HB 3782 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to the type of newspaper required for publication of public notices |
| 89(R) | HB 3688 | 03/04/2025 | Relating to the issuance of certain anticipation notes and certificates of obligation |
| 89(R) | HB 3664 | 03/04/2025 | Relating to the training of prospective grand jurors and to grand jury proceedings |
| 89(R) | HB 3574 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to the maximum number of nonresident scholarship students permitted to pay resident tuition and fees at certain public institutions of higher education |
| 89(R) | HB 3135 | 02/21/2025 | Relating to the issuance of specialty license plates for retired firefighters |
| 89(R) | HB 3022 | 02/19/2025 | Relating to the assertion of legislative privilege by the attorney general in certain legal challenges to the constitutionality of state statutes |
| 89(R) | HB 3021 | 02/19/2025 | Relating to the use of a consumer’s credit score in the underwriting or rating of certain personal lines property and casualty insurance policies |
| 89(R) | HB 2841 | 02/14/2025 | Relating to Texas Windstorm Insurance Association underwriting standards for structures that meet certain construction standards |
| 89(R) | HB 2248 | 01/30/2025 | Relating to the public information law |
| 89(R) | HB 1957 | 01/17/2025 | Relating to an exemption from jury service for a person who is over the age of 65 |
| 89(R) | HB 1945 | 01/17/2025 | Relating to the confidentiality of a public or private school employee’s home address information in property tax appraisal records |
| 89(R) | HB 1942 | 01/17/2025 | Relating to the participation of an advanced practice registered nurse as a participating or preferred provider for health maintenance organizations and preferred provider benefit plans |
| 88(R) | HB 5107 | 03/10/2023 | Relating to local school health advisory councils and health education provided by public schools |
| 88(R) | HB 4270 | 03/09/2023 | Relating to the classification of and regulation of the taking of aoudad sheep as game animals |
| 88(R) | HB 4510 | 03/09/2023 | Relating to reporting of certain information by state agencies and counties, including information related to appropriated money, activities of certain consultants, and tax revenue |
| 88(R) | HB 4204 | 03/08/2023 | Relating to wind energy rights and wind energy development agreements |
| 88(R) | HB 3562 | 03/06/2023 | Relating to durable powers of attorney and the construction of certain powers conferred in those durable powers of attorney |
| 88(R) | HB 3116 | 03/01/2023 | Relating to the conduct of efficiency audits of state agencies |
| 88(R) | HB 3119 | 03/01/2023 | Relating to requirements applicable to certain third-party health insurers in relation to Medicaid |
| 88(R) | HB 2963 | 02/28/2023 | Relating to the authority of a court to grant a motion for a new trial in certain criminal cases |
| 88(R) | HB 2874 | 02/27/2023 | Relating to the assessment of litigation costs and attorney fees in certain lawsuits under the public information law |
| 88(R) | HB 2821 | 02/24/2023 | Relating to decedents’ estates and the delivery of certain notices or other communications in connection with those estates or multiple-party accounts |
| 88(R) | HB 2839 | 02/24/2023 | Relating to a liquidity stress test for certain insurance companies |
| 88(R) | HB 2711 | 02/23/2023 | Relating to the authority of certain counties to impose a hotel occupancy tax and the applicability and rates of that tax in certain counties |
| 88(R) | HB 2753 | 02/23/2023 | Relating to certain agreements with collective bargaining organizations related to certain publicly funded public work contracts |
| 88(R) | HB 2771 | 02/23/2023 | Relating to disbursements from the universal service fund for certain small and rural companies |
| 88(R) | HB 2474 | 02/17/2023 | Relating to wind energy rights and wind energy development agreements |
| 88(R) | HB 2196 | 02/13/2023 | Relating to trusts |
| 88(R) | HB 2246 | 02/13/2023 | Relating to suits affecting the parent-child relationship, including the payment and enforcement of support ordered in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship |
| 88(R) | HB 2247 | 02/13/2023 | Relating to certain Title IV-D cases and other cases with respect to child support or Title IV-D agency services and to practices and procedures for the operation of the Title IV-D agency |
| 88(R) | HB 1900 | 02/03/2023 | Relating to notice of cancellation or nonrenewal of a property and casualty insurance policy |
| 88(R) | HB 1901 | 02/03/2023 | Relating to the filing of an annual audit report by a title insurance company, title insurance agent, or direct operation |
| 88(R) | HB 1902 | 02/03/2023 | Relating to disclosure requirements for health care provider directories maintained by certain health benefit plan issuers |
| 88(R) | HB 1903 | 02/03/2023 | Relating to capital stock requirements for certain insurance companies |
| 88(R) | HB 1754 | 01/26/2023 | Relating to the disclosure of certain prescription drug information by a health benefit plan |
| 88(R) | HB 1561 | 01/24/2023 | Relating to the decision of a court of appeals not to accept certain interlocutory appeals |
| 88(R) | HB 1255 | 01/10/2023 | Relating to limitations periods in arbitration proceedings |
