The Texas Tribune is holding a week-long event entitled “A Preview of the 2021 Legislative Session.” This report covers “Writing the Budget” and “Drawing the Maps.” The first discussion is with Rep. Giovanni Capriglione and Sen. Chuy Hinojosa regarding how legislators will decide what and what does not get funded in the state budget in the midst of an economic downturn. The second conversation is with Sen. Joan Huffman and Rep. Phil King regarding the process of redistricting and the possible challenges that will be encountered this session. A video of the conversations can be found here.

This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics taken up. It is not a verbatim transcript of the discussions 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.

Writing the Budget

  • Ramsey – Will focus on budget priorities and related issues that may arise in the upcoming session due to the economic downturn resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Ramsey – Comptroller noted that the budget will be about/possibly less than a $4.6 billion deficit; what do you expect for the budget?
  • Capriglione – Given the pandemic and its effect on the economy, both the interim and for the upcoming session, have seen a drop in revenue and seen economic uncertainty
  • Capriglione – Will be extremely difficult thing to maneuver

 

  • Ramsey – After the recession in 2008, and economic issues in 2011; are we going into a similar situation?
  • Hinojosa – Last session, we came out of it economically prosperous
  • Hinojosa – Have been economically crushed by low oil and gas prices and economic activity
  • Hinojosa – 2011 deficit was about $30 billion dollars, was painful, but we worked through it
  • Hinojosa – There will be some pain, but this will be nothing like 2011

 

  • Ramsey – Last session was highly successful, especially in terms of public education spending; pre-pandemic, some noted higher education would be a focus this session, will that be true?
  • Capriglione – HB 3 was monumental for public education finance reform and was a priority
  • Capriglione – Have an obligation to continue funding public schools at the rate we promised last session
  • Capriglione –Colorado is cutting their public education funding by about 58%, we would never do that

 

  • Ramsey – Are there parts of the budget you are already considering cutting?
  • Capriglione – In January, will get updated information by the Comptroller; Governor and Lt. Governor have already asked for a 5% reduction for all agencies
  • Capriglione – All members will look line by line to see what is a priority and what is not

 

  • Ramsey – Hinojosa do you expect next session’s budget to be smaller than the current one?
  • Hinojosa – Will be smaller and a starting point
  • Hinojosa – As a legislature, we have an obligation to fund public education; only funded it for one budget cycle, so will have to grapple with that
  • Hinojosa – Every session, we underfund Medicaid; need to cobble things together to ensure commitments from last session are kept
  • Hinojosa – $4.6 deficit does not end until August 2022, is important because it gives us time to extend funding for key programs
  • Capriglione – Will have some time until session is over, but there are positive things out there like the vaccine, that could change things for the better

 

  • Ramsey – There is already conversation about where you would go for new money; Texas has not expanded Medicaid as leadership has been reluctant to do so
  • Ramsey – Do you see the legislature looking for other sources of revenue such as legalizing marijuana, looking at casinos, or raising taxes?
  • Hinojosa – Do not see any tax increase; Medicaid is an entitlement program, but if we can come up with an expansion with a way that fits Texas that would be a good solution
    • Have many Republican senators and representatives that also believe that would be a good solution
    • Need to be careful about parameters because Texas could lose control of costs
  • Capriglione – Tax increases are completely off the table; for the legalization of marijuana and casinos, the legislature will see if those are good options
    • They should not be considered an option to solve the budget crisis
    • To get revenues up, need to get the economy re-started by having a skilled workforce
  • Hinojosa – Congress is considering another piece of legislation regarding compensating states for the revenue they have lost
  • Ramsey – Federal stimulus in 2009 was helpful, so similar legislation would be a positive

 

  • Ramsey – Issue of access to broadband and high-speed internet; to what extent is that a budget consideration?
  • Capriglione – Is one of the most important things we need to work out since there are students and working professionals who are reliant on the internet
  • Capriglione – Access issues include affordability and some rural areas do not have the capability; everyone should have this access on an equal playing field

 

  • Ramsey – Is it a budget item or policy consideration?
  • Capriglione – Is a budget item, reality is that access has many positive effects on the economy
  • Hinojosa – Pandemic has made broadband access a priority; will see a statewide plan which is necessary in order for federal funding to kick in
  • Hinojosa – Provided $600 million in CARES funds to schools; issue is infrastructure inequalities
  • Hinojosa – Is not a one-session issue, have existing infrastructure in place that can be use; will need federal, private sector, state and local investment
  • Capriglione – Need to ensure the state upgrades its own systems due to legislators working online more and in order to extend data access to Texans

 

  • Ramsey – Pandemic has increased pressure on HHS; where will you be looking to spend less/more?
  • Hinojosa – Pandemic showed a lot of gaps in our healthcare system; do not see us granting more funding to HHS, can take other actions rather than more funding for HHS
  • Hinojosa – A considerable amount of CARES Act funds have been used to cover the expenses that the state has spent on healthcare services
  • Hinojosa – Need to maximize access to health care providers through telemedicine; should examine telemedicine appointments getting reimbursed the same amount as in-person visits
  • Hinojosa – Need to expand some of the responsibilities of nurse practitioners to expand healthcare capabilities
  • Capriglione – At the beginning of pandemic, talked about capacity, beds and ventilators
  • Capriglione – Realized you need medical professionals, nurses, and doctors; need that pipeline of nurses, doctors, and others
  • Capriglione – Getting rid of certain elective surgeries hurt many of these hospitals’ bottom lines; some of them will need assistance to make it through

 

Drawing the Maps

  • Ramsey – How do you think redistricting will roll out?
  • Huffman – Will start with a lot of unknowns because Census timelines have been pushed back and therefore their delivery to the President, and then to the state is pushed back
  • Huffman – However, the Senate will work/perform as if the numbers will come in on time

 

  • Ramsey – Lt. Governor previously said there would be a possibility of a special session due to the probable late arrival of Census numbers, what do you think about that?
  • Huffman – If numbers do not come in by mid-April, April 15, it will be difficult to complete the task during a regular session
  • Huffman – No matter what, unlikely that congressional and SBOE maps are drawn before regular session ends; looking at a special session for the drawing of these maps

 

  • Reader Question – How does the redistricting process work?
  • King – Intent is to rebalance all the voting districts after new Census information comes out
  • King – Complications include the layers of politics, public interest, and statute
  • King – There is a balancing act between incongruencies in law; litigation will always occur

 

  • Ramsey – Most of the growth in Texas comes from the major metropolitan areas; what do you say to fellow rural senators who appear will lose ground?
  • Huffman – Respects the rights of rural voters, population growth is centered in metropolitan areas; reality is every district has grown at different rates

 

  • Ramsey – Census conversations is whether the counts will be full, and Texas is one of the states who possibly has an undercount; King are you worried about the count?
  • King – Six federal lawsuits are currently in progress; everything is backed up due to COVID-19
  • King – Texas’ response rate was so low during the summer, were on track to lose 2 seats; state spent $2 million of COVID funds to ensure a full count was held
  • King – Is not entirely confident everyone was counted; Census not talking about individuals counted, but households; wonders if they are sure they got a full count

 

  • Ramsey – Huffman, what is your confidence level in the Census getting a complete count?
  • Huffman – Last we heard it was 99% complete, but have heard there are delays in the results being delivered to the President; wonders about the accuracy of the count
  • Huffman – Will know more by mid-to-late January; expect numbers to come in any time between April 1 through July

 

  • Ramsey – What are maps going to look like, have about the same makeup in the house and senate; will we have republican maps?
  • Huffman – Data will drive what the maps look like, and is based upon population growth; have a republican legislature that will be drawing the maps, but are bound by law

 

  • Ramsey – We cannot take politics out of this though
  • Huffman – Data will draw the maps

 

  • Ramsey – Will we have Democratic maps?
  • King – Will work to follow the law, have a transparent process, and fair; data drives fairness
  • King – Have political considerations, which the Supreme Court knows; will give attention to keeping communities together

 

  • Ramsey – Has been discussion on splitting Austin up, are they a community of interest?
  • King – Travis County is represented by three Congressional members, some like this and some do not

 

  • Ramsey – COVID-19 has caused the Redistricting Committee to cancel numerous field hearings; what does that mean for drawing the maps, is there a way to fill in the holes?
  • Huffman – Plans to present a redistricting resolution that allows for holding virtual redistricting hearings January – March; maybe this will work better in-person hearings
  • King – Drafting a change in House rules to allow for digital or hybrid hearings; we want to finish our hearings

 

  • Reader Question – How do you weigh in as a regular member of the public?
  • Huffman – Have a public portal where they can offer public testimony, all members of the senate have access to that information; numbers coming in will drive when things pick up
  • Huffman – Will be making many efforts to reach out to the public, and will be looking at their input before, during, and after drawing the maps

 

  • Reader Question – Other states have adopted boards to make this process less political; King, do you see that happening?
  • King – No, this is a representative government; all the other states who have boards, ends up being just as litigious and politics
  • Huffman – I agree with Rep. King; our constituents want accountability for the most important task legislators are responsible for