Budget
The members on the conference committee for HB 1, the general appropriations bill, met late yesterday to announce and adopt certain funding decisions for Articles I- General Government, II- Health & Human Services, III- Education, IV- Judiciary, V- Public Safety and Criminal Justice, VI- Natural Resources, VII- Business and Economic Development, VIII- Regulatory. Those final decisions have been posted on the Legislative Budget Board website. The committee will meet again and will likely conclude adopting funding decisions by Thursday.
Items Eligible
HB 163 (Larson) – Relating to interstate cooperation to address regional water issues was passed out of the Senate as substituted on May 20 and is now on the House Items Eligible Calendar for the House to either concur or move for a conference committee to work out the differences.
HB 5 (Otto) – Relating to strategic fiscal reviews of state agencies was passed out of the Senate as substituted on May 20 and is now on the House Items Eligible Calendar for the House to either concur or move for a conference committee to work out the differences.
HB 655 (Larson) – Relating to the storage and recovery of water in aquifers was passed out of the Senate as amended on May 18 and is now on the House Items Eligible Calendar for the House to either concur or move for a conference committee to work out the differences.
In Committee
HB 2349 (Aycock) – Relating to public school assessment, performance standards, and course requirements was voted out favorably as substituted from the Senate Committee on Education on May 20.
SB 310 (Campbell) – Relating to procedures and requirements for the issuance of certificates of obligation was heard in House Investments and Financial Services on May 20. Language from HB 1399 was also largely incorporated into SB 310. The bill was left pending.
SB 1638 (Zaffirini) – Relating to training for state employees, including procurement and contract management training was voted out favorably as substituted on May 18 from the House Government Transparency and Operation Committee.
Going to Conference
SB 20 (Nelson) – On May 20 the Senate voted not to concur on amendments made to SB 20 – relating to state agency contracting. The following conferees were announced Sens.: Jane Nelson, Juan Hinojosa, Robert Nichols, Joan Huffman and Charles Schwertner.
HB 3123 (Price/Neslon) – relating to governmental entities subject to the sunset review process, also referred to as the sunset safety net bill. Conferees Reps.: Four Price-chair, Cindy Burkett, Larry Gonzales, Richard Raymond, and Harold Dutton. Sens.: Jane Nelson- chair, Brian Birdwell, Donna Campbell, Juan Hinojosa, and Charles Schwertner.
SJR 5 (Nichols/Pickett) – proposing a constitutional amendment dedicating certain revenue derived from the tax imposed on the sale of motor vehicles to the state highway fund. Conferees Reps.: Joe Pickett-chair, John Otto, Sarah Davis, Ron Simmons, and Patricia Harless. Sens.: Robert Nichols –chair, Kevin Eltife, Bob Hall, Jane Nelson, and John Whitmire.
On Calendar
HB 2612 (Pickett) – Relating to a report to the legislature regarding the elimination of toll roads is on the Senate Local and Uncontested Calendar for 05/22.
SB 760 (Schwertner) – Relating to provider access requirements for a Medicaid managed care organization is set on the House Calendar for 5/21.
Chamber/Hearings
The House has adjourned until Thur., May 21, 10 a.m. House Calendar
The Senate has recessed until Thur., May 21, 11 a.m. Senate Calendar
Video Broadcasts: House | Senate
For a list of House and Senate Committee hearings that have been posted: Legislative News from Texas.