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Committee Spotlight:
House Appropriations – Began meetings this week with an overview from the LBB and Comptroller before moving into discussions on public education and Medicaid funding, among others. They concluded the week hearing testimony on several other budget items including state contracting procedures and transportation funding. HillCo client hearing reports are available on some of these key discussions. 

Senate Finance – Continued budget discussions this week by hearing testimony on Article III (Public and Higher Education.  

Senate Transportation – On Feb. 11, Senators heard from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) on issues with the state’s TxTag. A HillCo Client hearing report is available on this hearing.

Senate State Affairs –  On Feb. 12, After almost eight hours of a Senate State Affairs Committee hearing, 2 bills were passed out of the committee in a 7-2 vote.

  • Senate Bill 11 – would lift a ban on concealed handguns at university campuses
  • Senate Bill 17 – would allow license holders to carry holstered handguns openly

The bills will now proceed to the full Senate.

Senate Nominations – Met on Feb. 12 to nominate Carlos H. Cascos for Secretary of State and Stuart W. Bowen for Office of the Inspector General of the Health and Human Services Commission both were confirmed but the Senate chamber will need to approve for final confirmation.

House Human Services – Met on Feb. 9 to hear testimony from acting Deputy Inspector General Quinton Arnold, with the Office of the Inspector General (OIG). Testimony focused on steps being taken to improve processes for preventing, detecting and eliminating fraud, waste and abuse in Health and Human Services Commission programs including Medicaid.  According to Arnold, filling vacant positions such as Director of the Medicaid Provider Integrity Unit as well as increased employee training are crucial to improving agency operations. Lawmakers agreed on the importance of OIG focusing their efforts on eliminating bad actors rather than providers making clerical errors.
 
Senate Health and Human Services – Met on Feb. 12 and laid out three bills:

  • SB 97 – Would regulate the sale, distribution, possession, use, and advertising of vapor products
  • SB 133 – Would require additional school district employees to complete mental health first aid training
  • SB 197 – Would require CPRIT to study ways to become financially self sufficient
  • SB 424 – Would change the licensing and regulation requirements for hospitals

The committee intends to leave bills pending for one week after they are heard in committee before votes are taken on them.

Approaching Deadlines:
Friday, March 13, 2015 (60th day of the 84th Session) – Deadline for filing bills and joint resolutions other than local bills, emergency appropriations, and bills that have been declared an emergency by the governor.

Spotlight on February Committee Hearings: 
Monday, February 16, 2015
 
House Appropriations, Subcommittee: Article II
Time: 7:30 AM, Location: JHR 120

  • Subcommittee will hear testimony on House budget recommendations regarding Article II

 
House Appropriations, Subcommittee: Articles VI, VII, VIII
Time: 7:30 AM, Location E1.026

  • Subcommittee will hear testimony on House budget recommendations regarding Articles VI, VII, VIII

 
House Appropriations, Subcommittee: Article III
Time: 7:30a AM, Location E1.030

  • Subcommittee will hear testimony on House budget recommendations regarding Article III

 
House Appropriations, Subcommittee: Articles I, IV, V
Time: 10:00 AM, Location E2.036

  • Subcommittee will hear testimony on House budget recommendations regarding Articles I, IV, and V

 
House Human Services
Time: 2:00p PM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E2.030

  • HB 77 – Relating to a study of the Dallas Men Against Abuse program and the committee will hear agency overview presentations from the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) and the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS).

 
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
 
House Appropriations, Subcommittee: Article III
Time: 7:30 AM, Location E1.030

  • Subcommittee will hear testimony on House budget recommendations regarding Article III

 
House Appropriations, Subcommittee: Article II
Time: 7:30 AM, Location JHR 120

  • Subcommittee will hear testimony on House budget recommendations regarding Article II

 
House Appropriations, Subcommittee: Articles VI, VII, VIII
Time: 7:30 AM, Location E1.026

  • Subcommittee will hear testimony on House budget recommendations regarding Articles VI, VII, VIII

 
House Appropriations, Subcommittee: Articles I, IV, V
Time: 8:00 AM, Location E2.030

  • Subcommittee will hear testimony on House budget recommendations regarding Articles I, IV, V

 
House Homeland Security & Public Safety
Time: 8:00 AM, Location E2.014

  • Committee will meet for organizational purposes and to hear invited testimony from entities under the committee’s purview

 
House Public Health
Time: 8:00 AM, Location E2.012

  • Committee will hold an organizational meeting and have invited testimony on issues related to public health

 
House Ways & Means
Time: 8:30 AM, Location E2.010

  • Committee will hold an organizational meeting with invited testimony only to consider issues related to the Committee's purview. Invited testimony includes: Legislative Budget Board, Comptroller of Public Accounts, Texas Public Policy Foundation, Center for Public Policy Priorities, Texas Taxpayers and Research Association

 
Senate Finance
Time: 9:00 AM, Location: E1.036 (Finance Room)

  • Committee will hear invited and public testimony regarding SB 2, Article III – Education

 
House Culture, Recreation & Tourism
Time 10:30 AM or upon adjournment, Location E1.010

  • Committee will meet for organizational purposes and to hear testimony from agencies under the committee's jurisdiction

 
House Urban Affairs
Time: 10:30 AM, or upon final adjourn./recess, Location E2.028

  • Committee will conduct an organizational meeting with invited testimony

 
Senate Intergovernmental Relations
Time 1:20 PM or upon adjournment, Location: E1.016 (Hearing Room)

  • Committee will hold organizational hearing with invited testimony

 
House Government Transparency & Operation
Time: 2:00 PM, Location: E1.014

  • Committee will meet to discuss state contracting and procurement with invited testimony

 
House Public Education
Time: 2:00 PM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E2.036

  • Committee will hold an organizational meeting with invited testimony only to consider issues related to public education

 
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
 
House Appropriations, Subcommittee: Article II
Time: 7:30 AM, Location: JHR 120
·        Subcommittee will hear testimony on House budget recommendations regarding Article II
 
House Appropriations, Subcommittee: Article III
Time: 7:30 AM, Location: E1.030

  • Subcommittee will hear testimony on House budget recommendations regarding Article III

 
House Appropriations, Subcommittee: Article VI, VII, and VIII
Time: 7:30 AM, Location: E1.026

  • Subcommittee will hear testimony on House budget recommendations regarding Articles VI, VII, and VIII

 
House Appropriations, Subcommittee: Articles I, IV, and V
Time: 8:00 AM, Location: E2.030

  • Subcommittee will hear testimony on House budget recommendations regarding Articles I, IV, and V

 
House Higher Education
Time: 8:00 AM, Location E2.014

  • Committee will hold an organizational meeting with invited testimony only to consider issues related to higher education

 
Senate Transportation
Time: 8:00 AM, Location E1.016

  • Committee will hear updates from TxDOT, DMV, and DPS

 
Senate Finance
Time: 9:00 AM, Location E1.036

  • Committee will hear invited and public testimony on SB 2, Article II – Health and Human Services

 
House Investments & Financial Services
Time: 2:00 PM or upon final adjourn./recess, Location: E2.028

  • Committee will meet for organizational purposes and to hear invited testimony

 
Thursday, February 19, 2015
 
House Economic & Small Business Development
Time: 8:00 AM, Location E2.010

  • Committee will meet for organizational purposes and to hear invited testimony

 
Friday, February 20, 2015
 
Senate Finance
Time: 9:00 AM, Location E1.036

  • Committee will hear invited and public testimony on SB 2, Article VI – Natural Resources

 
Monday, February 23, 2015
 
Senate Finance
Time: 11:00 AM, Location E1.036

  • Committee will hear invited and public testimony on SB 2, Article V – Public Safety and Criminal Justice

 
Tuesday February 24, 2015
 
Senate Finance
Time: 9:00 AM, Location E1.036

  • Committee will hear invited and public testimony on SB 2, Article VII – Business and Economic Development

 
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
 
Senate Finance
Time: 9:00 AM, Location E1.036

  • Committee will hear invited and public testimony on SB 2, Article VIII Regulatory

 
Thursday, February 26, 2015
 
Senate Finance
Time: 9:00 AM, Location E1.036

  • Committee will hear invited and public testimony on SB 2, Article I – General Government, Article VII –Business and Economic Development, and Article IX – Special Provisions

Hearing dates and times are subject to change as well as hearings may be added, the latest information can be found by visiting: www.hillcopartners.com. On the home page, click on “HillCo in the News” and scroll down to “Legislative News from Texas.” Please note that additional hearings dates may also be added at any time.
 
The standing committee hearings, live and archived, can be listened to at the following links:  House | Senate. Please note that formal hearings may not be broadcasted.