Observers got their first taste of what the 2013 legislative session might bring when lawmakers started pre-filing bills on Monday. More than 250 bills were submitted on the first day of pre-filing, with the majority focusing on education, civil and criminal law, and health and human services related matters. Only one bill related to immigration was filed, surprising session watchers, who’ve in the past seen legislators tripping over themselves to file multiple bills on the matter. Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, won the distinction of filing the most bills, with a total of 30.

The University of Texas System Board of Regents met to consider a new plan to build a $100 million office building in downtown Austin. The details were released as a proposal for the regents’ consideration, and would consolidate the system’s five existing buildings into one 16-story building that would house more than 700 employees. Officials defended the plan, reminding critics that their current buildings are aging and will incur maintenance costs over the years that would outpace spending on the proposed building. 

The road with the fastest speed limit in the nation saw its first fatality after being open less than a month. Texas 130, the new toll road connecting south Austin to Interstate 10 in Seguin, has a speed limit of 85 mph. Officials have not yet determined whether speed was a factor in the crash that killed the driver, who was from Lockhart. 

The Lance Armstrong Foundation filed paperwork with the secretary of state’s office to officially change its name to the Livestrong Foundation, as it’s been known informally for years. Since the latest action against Armstrong resulted in the stripping of his Tour de France titles, the foundation has been working to distance itself from the doping charges that sparked the charges against Armstrong. Armstrong resigned as chairman in October but remained on the board. But this week, Livestrong chairman Jeff Garvey announced that Armstrong had resigned from the foundation.

Texas’ online petition to secede from the union failed to draw support from Gov. Rick Perry. When questioned about the new petition filed on the WeThePeople website and signed by more than 64,000 people, Perry only commented that people were free to do what they wanted to do. The Obama administration has promised to review all petitions on the website that gather more than 25,000 signatures. Of the 30 secession petitions filed recently, only Texas and Louisiana have met that threshold.

As the number of students with limited English proficiency has skyrocketed in Texas the last several years, state funding for English language programs has been slashed. In just one decade, the number of students needing additional help with English increased by 38.4 percent compared with an overall growth rate of 17.4 percent in the general population. The state is being sued for its funding of schools, and bilingual education programs have suffered cuts to funding just when the need for them is outpacing other programs. English-learning students have substandard results on standardized testing and a disproportionate level of dropouts. So far, the state has said in response that school districts are not spending their money wisely.

It seems that no one is happy with the bill passed last year regarding breeding of cats and dogs. One group has come forward to sue the state, claiming the law violates their Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The Responsible Pet Breeders Association filed suit in Austin, claiming the law subjects them to unreasonable search and seizure and to violations of due process. The group claims unfairness in many aspects of the law, including the exemption passed for dogs bred for hunting and herding. Meanwhile, the Texas Humane Legislation Network claims the law didn’t go far enough, and should have included more protections for animals, including bigger and unstacked cages and flooring included in those cages. 

A bill passed last year regulating the breeding of cats and dogs has found few fans. One group has come forward to sue the state, claiming the law violates their Fifth and 14th Amendment rights. The Responsible Pet Breeders Association filed suit in Austin, claiming the law subjects people to unreasonable search and seizure and to violations of due process. The group claims unfairness in many aspects of the law, including the exemption passed for dogs bred for hunting and herding. Meanwhile, the Texas Humane Legislation Network claims the law didn’t go far enough, and should have included more protections for animals, including bigger and unstacked cages and flooring included in those cages. 

Most universities opposed the Legislature’s attempt during the last session to require them to allow holders of concealed handgun licenses to carry guns on campus. But Texas A&M has been debating the issue, and its student government has endorsed the idea, voting on a resolution after debating it for an extended period. President John Claybrook has five days to sign or veto the resolution, but announced he is still undecided. The Aggie student population is not entirely on board with the idea; in a poll conducted in the spring, 57 percent of students and faculty were against the idea. The idea failed to result in a passage of a law in the last session, but is widely expected to be introduced again.