The Senate Committee on Finance met on April 5, 2019, to take up a number of bills. This report covers only discussions on the budget bill recently voted out of the House, HB 1 (Zerwas).
This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics the committee took up. It is not a verbatim transcript of the hearing but is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.
Nelson opening comments
- Last time the Committee met, West raised a POO against a rider from Birdwell concerning high-speed rail projects. Will address this POO before taking up HB 1.
- According to Parliamentarian, the legislature may restrict use of funds in a general appropriations act without violating the Constitution.
- A general appropriations bill can only make expenditures for a 2 year period, general law has a more permanent effect.
- Chair finds the Birdwell rider does not have any permanent effect on the Dept. of Transportation.
- Rider does not change substantive law and does not direct TxDOT to take any actions in conflict with current law.
- West – Disagree with the ruling but will respect it.
- West – Move to sever rider 2 in Article VII.
- Nelson – Do you move to replace it with the introduced version of the rider?
- West – Yes.
- John McGeady, LBB – Clarify this is rider 44 on page VII-30 in the Senate CS for HB 1.
- West – Effect of severance is to take this up separately, correct?
- Nelson – Yes you can move to sever and then vote on the rider separately.
- West – If the body votes for my motion to strike this, it would revert back to current law. To LBB, what is the current law?
- McGeady – This version of the rider is not adopted. There is a version of the rider that is in the introduced version of the bill. It is a longer rider with a few different provisions.
- Nelson – Want to know which version were the work group recommendations?
- McGeady – Workgroup recommended to adopt the rider that is seen in the Senate CS to HB 1.
- Nelson – To Birdwell, is that your preference?
- Birdwell – If the motion to sever the rider then compels the Chair to call a question to strike the rider, then if the rider is stricken it will revert to the introduced version laid out by McGeady? Want to make sure parliamentary procedures are clear.
- Nelson – To west, would you prefer making a motion to strike with an up or down vote rather than making a motion to sever? Would cause less confusion.
- West – Withdraw motion to sever and make motion to strike rider 44 on page VII-30.
- Watson – As I understand it if the Committee votes to strike the rider 44 there would not be a reversion since the rider was a replacement.
- McGeady – Originally I heard the motion to not adopt the original version. If the motion is to strike the rider altogether it is different.
- Watson – Want to be clear this does not create a reversion by striking it.
- West – Would like to clarify, I move to strike the rider 44 on page VII-30 for the Senate CS of HB 1 and replace it with rider number 41 in the introduced version of SB 1.
- Nichols – Will that be two votes? Since if you vote no to strike then do you also vote no replace?
- Nelson – We should do one at a time.
- West – Move to strike the rider.
- Whitmire – And if that doesn’t pass then the other one doesn’t matter, so let’s have the vote and see where we are.
- Hinojosa – If West’s motion prevails then we can have another vote.
- West – That is the plan.
- Motion to strike fails 7-8.
HB 1 (Zerwas) (Senate Committee Sub) – General appropriations bill.
Nelson opening comments
- This represents Senate’s version of the budget.
- Prioritizes property tax relief and education with an investment of $9b.
- $4b for $5,000 raise to every teacher and librarian.
- $2.7b for property tax relief and reduction of reliance on recapture.
- $2.3b in additional state aid to districts.
- Continue to negotiate the issue with the House, but both chambers have reached $9b set aside for whatever agreement is eventually reached.
- $4b to fund enrollment growth in public education.
- $230m to maintain health insurance premiums and benefits for retired teachers.
- Increase of $259.9m for higher education. Includes 19% increase to community college success points.
- Approval of all agency requests to combat human trafficking totaling $90m.
- Funding for 9 new child protection courts.
- More than $1b across agencies for cybersecurity and other technology needs.
- $31b for transportation.
- CSHB 1 passes 15-0.