State legislators pushing basic reforms

State legislators pushing basic reforms

By Patrick Brendel Friday, 15 May 2009

Budget, health care, education still major priorities

As the Texas Legislature enters the final month of its regular session, the headlines have been dominated by partisan clashing over voter photo identification, stimulus funds and state sovereignty. However, area lawmakers are making progress on issues they identified before the session as essential to the functioning of the state.

State Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, has crafted a budget that does not reduce state spending and, with the aid of federal stimulus funds, does not dip into Texas’ emergency reserves.

State Rep. Dan Gattis, R-Georgetown, has proposed an innovative approach to insuring Texas families. Meanwhile, state Rep. Donna Howard, D-Austin, is seeking to make State Board of Education proceedings more transparent.

State Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, is championing giving transportation funding options to local authorities and is seeking funding to bring high-speed commuter rail to Central Texas.

Budget

Steve Ogden R-Bryan,463-0105, www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist5/dist5.htm

The chair of Senate Finance, Ogden filed Senate Bill 1, the general appropriations bill for the 2010-2011 biennium. Faced with extra spending requirements necessitated by hurricane damage, coupled with lower than expected tax revenues due to the recession, Ogden used $10 billion in federal stimulus funds to draft a $182.2 billion budget.

The Senate’s version of the budget does not drastically cut spending by state agencies, nor does it draw money from the state’s $9 billion in emergency reserves, called the Rainy Day Fund.

Legislators are now attempting to reconcile the Senate budget with the House’s version, which differs by about $4 billion.

Health Care

Dan Gattis R-Georgetown, 463-0309, www.house.state.tx.us/members/dist20/gattis.php

Gattis is seeking to create the Texas Mutual Health Benefit Company through his HB 2470. The independent company would potentially offer health insurance coverage for the state’s Employment Retirement System and Teachers Employment Retirement System, plus small businesses and individuals wishing to participate.

The company’s board of directors would include the executive directors of ERS and TRS, plus seven members appointed by the Governor. The company would be fully operational by 2012.

The estimated cost to the state to create the company is $190 million, plus about $15 million per year thereafter.

Education

Donna Howard D-Austin, 463-0631, www.house.state.tx.us/ members/dist48/howard.php

Howard has written several bills to reform the State Board of Education: HB 772 requires the SBOE to broadcast its meetings over the Internet and to archive the video; HB 420 would remove party affiliation from SBOE elections, much like in municipal elections; HB 2037 takes control of the permanent school fund away from the state school board and gives it to a newly created Permanent School Fund Management Council.

Transportation

Kirk Watson D-Austin, 463-0114, www.senate.state.tx.us/75r/Senate/members/dist14/dist14.htm

Watson, the vice-chair of the Senate Transportation & Homeland Security committee, has given his support to SB 855 by committee chair state Sen. John Carona, R-Dallas, that would allow local authorities to explore different funding options for area transportation projects. Potential sources of new revenue include localized increases in the motor fuel tax, bonds, tolls and fees.

In 2005, Texas voters approved the creation of the Rail Relocation and Improvement Fund to take freight trains out of congested cities and enable the creation of commuter rail. Watson’s SB 1923 would provide funding for the program. Watson’s goal is to assist the construction of commuter rail connecting the Austin area to San Antonio.

House members have proposed similar funding mechanisms to the program through an amendment to the general appropriations bill.