Gavel to Gavel 87th Legislative Session: April 16, 2021

The Senate’s Committee Substitute to SB 1 was passed out of the House Appropriations Committee on Monday and the House has since released its substitute. While more compromises will be made moving forward, HAC Chair Rep. Greg Bonnen indicated that the bill will likely be taken up by the full House on April 22nd. An important spending item to watch will be Medicaid, as in a surprise development, the Biden administration on Friday rescinded approval for the roughly $100B 1115 Medicaid Waiver. Texas budget-writers will have to consider the implications to health and human services programs under the waiver for the 2022-23 biennium.
 
CSSB 10 was received in the House on Thursday after the Senate voted it out 17-13. The bill prohibits cities and counties from using taxpayer dollars to hire lobbyists. They would still be able to send city council members or full-time staff to advocate with the Legislature, but could no longer retain registered lobbyists. Pursuant to an amendment by Sen. Roland Gutierrez, an exception will be made for military issues.
 
CSSJR 45 passed the Senate 29-2, and has since been received in the House and referred to State Affairs. The legislation sets certain thresholds to trigger a special session in the event that a disaster or emergency lasts more than 30 days (or in a nuclear or radiological event, 90 days). If the crisis affects half of the state’s population in a disaster area, two-fifths of Texas counties, or two-thirds of the counties in Texas’ trauma service regions, the Legislature will be automatically convened to weigh in.
 
In other news, Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest appointment to the Public Utility Commission (PUC) of Texas is Peter Lake, currently serving on the Texas Water Development Board. Pending Senate confirmation, the Governor will designate him as Chairman of the PUC. The Senate Committee on Nominations recommended Monday that the full Senate confirm Will McAdams, Gov. Abbott’s previous appointment to the PUC.
 
The Department of State Health Services announced this week that Texas will receive nearly two million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for Week 19 of vaccine distribution. The federal government is expected to distribute an estimated 500,000 first and second doses to pharmacy locations, federally qualified health centers, and dialysis centers.

- Lillian Gerrity