This morning House Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts laid out HB 1 stating this is only the start of the debate, the debate will continue into conference committee. He vowed to address Texas Grants, Medicaid, public education and nursing homes before work is completed in conference committee.
Pitts also stated that HB 1 makes the assumption that school finance will be addressed in additional legislation this session.
Before discussion began on amendments this morning, members questioned possible taxes or fee increases that are in HB 1. Certain tax increases or fee increases are accounted for in contingency riders, meaning the tax or fee increase is “contingent” on the passage of separate legislation.
Rep. Sylvester Turner stated there are $150 million in fees in the budget that are not contingency riders. It was also pointed out that stakeholders in other areas of the budget that are taking major cuts were not given the opportunity to deal with their reductions by fee increases.
To further follow members’ discussions and points raised visit Thanh Tan’s live blog on the Texas Tribune site: http://www.texastribune.org/texas-legislature/82nd-legislative-session/liveblog-house-debates-hb-1/
To watch the floor debate on HB 1 which is being streamed live: http://www.house.state.tx.us/video-audio/