Next Steps for Key Budget Issues
Now that the House and Senate have both passed budget bills, conferees from both chambers will work together to create a single "conference committee" budget that incorporates content from both versions. Both chambers will vote on final passage of the conference committee's report near the end of the legisative session June 1st.
So advocates with budget-related priorities have two projects:
1. Work to pass any necessary "contingent" bills that create statutory authority for specific budget measures, and
2. Make sure positive budget measures stay in the final conference committee report.
Following is a list of ten priority items that Texas Impact strongly supports including in the conference committee report. All of the items were added to the House version of the budget. Some have contingent bills while others are merely budget measures.
With each priority item, we've included the lawmaker or lawmakers who we believe are the key contacts at this time and their phone numbers. To see that information, click on the descriptions below.
Ten Priority Issues for State Budget
2. CHIP Buy-In up to 300 percent of the poverty level
3. Stimulus-funded consumer energy loans
4. Green jobs
8. Renewable Energy Development
9. ARRA performance measures and accountability
1. Healthy Texas
Legislation: SB 6: Relating to the creation of the Healthy Texas Program
By: Senator Robert Duncan
Status: Passed through the Senate; was scheduled for a House vote, but it got stuck behind the backlog and was not voted on by the House.
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2. CHIP Buy-In
Budget Measure: House Budget, Article II - Rider 59
Legislation: SB 841 & HB 2962: Expanding CHIP eligibility to children whose family income is up to 300 percent of the poverty level. (Read SB 841 / Read HB 2962)
By: Senator Kip Averitt (SB 841); Representative Coleman (HB 2962)
Status: SB 841 was amended on HB 4409 and passed through the Senate. The House did not concur with the amendment and sent the bill back to the House.
Action: Call your Representative and ask them to concur with the amendment.
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3. Stimulus-funded consumer energy loans
This measure will be offered as an amendment to SB 598.
By: Senator Van de Putte and Representative Solomons
Status: Schedlued for a vote on the House floor, though it is caught behind the current backlog.
Action: Call your Representative and ask them to support HB 598 AND the Rodriguez no-interest loan amendment.
4. Green jobs
Budget Measure: House Budget, Article XII - Amendment
Status: This measure was included in the budget as recommended by the Conference Committee.
Legislation: SB 108: Establishing and funding a green jobs program
By: Senator Rodney Ellis
Status: Passed by the Senate; was scheduled for a vote on the House floor, but it got stuck behind the backlog. The budget amendment made the bill unnecessary.
5. System Benefits Fund
Legislation: HB 1182 : Would insure that funds collected from Texas utilities customers to assist low-income households with electricity bills are dedicated for that purpose.
By: Rep. Sylvester Turner
Status: Passed the House, but was not brought up for a vote on the Senate floor.
6. Children's Health
Legislation: SB 7: Improves health care provided by health care facilities, the children's health program, and medical assistance programs.
By: Senator Jane Nelson
Status: A considerable portion of SB 7, including the provisions aimed at preventing childhood obesity, was amended onto another bill.
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7. Housing Trust Fund
Budget Measure: House Budget, Article VII - Amendment
Status: This measure was not adopted as written, though a small amount of money for certain programs under the housing trust fund were included elsewhere in the budget.
Legislation: SB 679 by Senator Lucio was passed by both chambers.
8. Renewable Energy Development
Legislation: SB 541 and SB 545: relating to incentives for Texas renewable energy job and manufacturing
By: Senator Kirk Watson and Senator Troy Fraser
Status: SB 545 by Watson was amended onto HB 1243. The House must oncur with the amendment.
Action: Call your Represenative and ask them to concur with the amendment.
9. ARRA performance measures and accountability
Budget Measure: House Budget, Article VII - Amendment
Status: Unfortunately, this measure will not be in the final budget.
Legislation: HB 2942: Creating ARRA performance measures and accountability
By: Representatives Jim Dunnam, Sylevester Turner, Myra Crownover, Jim Gattis, and Garnet Coleman
Status: This bill passed the House but was not brought up for a vote on the Senate floor.
These bills are either no longer viable or have passed through both chambers
Children's Medicaid Full-Year Eligibility
Budget Measure: House Budget, Article II - Amendment 45
Legislation: HB 1541: Authorizing full-year continuous eligibility for Children's Medicaid as well as improvements to the social services eligibility and outreach systems. (Read the bill here.)
By: Representative Sylvester Turner
Status: Unfortunately, HB 1541 is no longer viable.
Community mental health crisis services
Budget Measure: House Budget, Article I - Amendment
Status: This particular measure was left out of the budget by the Conference Committee, but community mental health crisis services were granted significant funds elsewhere in the budget.
Legislation: No contingent legislation
Diversion initiatives
Budget Measure: House Budget, Article II - Amendment
[This measure is included in the final budget that will be recommended by the Conference Committee.]
Legislation: No contingent legislation
