UPDATE: Senate Begins Dissecting the Budget

On January 31, 2011 the Senate Finance Committee began the long process of analyzing the state budget (SB 1). Throughout the 82nd Legislative Session, the committee will hear testimony from the Legislative Budget Board, the Comptroller's Office, the heads of state agencies, and-- most importantly-- from the public at large. 

Public testimony on Article III of the budget-- relating to public and higher education-- begins today, Feb. 7th and continues until Tuesday, Feb. 15th. The committee will hear public and invited testimony on everything from the School for the Deaf to the University of Texas and everything in between. 

If you are not able to make it to Austin to testify, you can call the members of the Senate Finance Committee to tell them how important health services are to you and to ask them to take a balanced approach when balancing the budget.

• Chairman Steve Ogden (512) 463-0105
• Vice-Chairman Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa (512) 463-0120
• Senator Bob Deuell (512) 463-0102
• Senator Robert Duncan (512) 463-0128
• Senator Kevin Eltife (512) 463-0101
• Senator Craig Estes (512) 463-0130
• Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr. (512) 463-0127
• Senator Jane Nelson (512) 463-0112
• Senator Dan Patrick (512) 463-0107
• Senator Kel Seliger (512) 463-0131
• Senator Florence Shapiro (512) 463-0108
• Senator Royce West (512) 463-0123
• Senator John Whitmire (512) 463-0115
• Senator Tommy Williams (512) 463-0104
• Senator Judith Zaffirini (512) 463-0121

Vice-Chair Hinojosa kicked off testimony on January 31st by reminding the committee that the state faces a monumental task in writing the 2012-2013 budget. The state must find a way to write the budget in the face of a $27 billion revenue shortfall. Sen. Hinojosa urged Senators to take a balanced approach to balancing the budget, which could include using the Rainy Day Fund and finding ways to increase revenue. The video can be found here.

The theme of the day on the first two days of the hearing was "cuts," with the agencies laying out exactly which programs they would have to cut and how many people would be affected with the limited funding in the budget bill. Cuts will be drastic and wide-ranging-- from cutting home-and-community based services to disabled children to reducing Medicaid reimbursement rates for doctors and hospitals that treat those patients. You can read about the cuts in detail below:

• Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services: Presentation to Senate Finance
• Department of State Health Services: Presentation to Senate Finance
• Department of Family and Protective Services: Presentation to Senate Finance
• Department of Aging and Disability Services: Presentation to Senate Finance
• Health and Human Services Commission: Presentation to Senate 

Throughout the week, the senators were obviously concerned with making sure they heard everything that was brought forth in testimony. They remained attentive and asked lots of questions, most notably about how they should raise revenue to pay for programs and how many people would be affected by the cuts. Senator Whitmire was particularly vocal in this regard. Over and over, he demanded that the agency heads put a face on the budget cuts and asked why they weren't more adamant about needing more money. Senator Zaffirini also expressed her concerns, going so far as to say that if she had to take a vote today, she would vote 'no' on the budget.

On Wednesday, Feb 2nd and Thursday, Feb 3rd the Senate Finance Committee began hearing public testimony on the part of the budget related to health and human services, including the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and mental health services. More than 200 people including parents of children with disabilities, providers, advocacy organizations and the faith community came to the hearing to speak about their concerns. Texas Impact members Rev. John Elford, Bobbie Sanders and Mary Beth Maher also testified. A video clip of their testimony is below. 

Below are some highlights from the first week of testimony:

January 31, 2011
Sen. Whitmire and Chief Estimator John Heleman talking about the structural deficit in the budget.
Sen. Nelson inquiring about how Texas can get more Medicaid funds back from the federal government.
Sen. Patrick asking Commissioner Tom Suehs about whether the cuts are being made efficiently.
Sen. Whitmire telling the agency that he wants to know the 'human impact' of the cuts. 
Sen. Eltife talking about the unintended effects of cutting mental health services. 

February 1, 2011
DFPS Commissioner Anne Heiligenstein testifies on cutting preventative services.
Senator Zaffirini on how "excpetional items" are no longer exceptional.

February 2, 2011
Texans Testify: "If it means raising taxes, raise mine first!"
Laura LaVigne (The ARC of Fort Bend County): "Your budget got our attention."
Sens. Lucio and Ogden: "Should we raise fees? Taxes? What is it that we should do?"
Sen. West: "We can't balance the budget... and fund the increases in services!"
Sen. Whitmire: "It can't be just those on this panel that hear your words and your position."

February 3, 2011
Pastor John Elford (University United Methodist Church): "Is slicing and dicing the budget really the best we can do?"
Bobbie Sanders: "One way to honor God is to look after his children."
Mary Beth Maher: "It takes the coordinated efforts of state programs and the nonprofit community working to get a family... back on their feet."

See them all at Texas Impact's Lege TV!

Texas Impact will be updating this story as the hearing continues. Please check back for more information!