Gavel to Gavel 87th Legislative Session: April 23, 2021
The highlight of this week was the full House marking up the biennial budget - House Committee Substitute to SB 1. There were 240 amendments filed ahead of the hearing. Those withdrawn or rejected included an attempt to expand the state’s Medicaid program, and an amendment to prohibit the Attorney General from using taxpayer dollars to contest election results in other states. Those adopted included an amendment requiring the Legislature to meet in a special session to appropriate incoming federal funds, an amendment prohibiting the use of state dollars on school vouchers, and an amendment liquidating the Texas Enterprise Fund and moving those dollars to the property tax relief fund. At this point, both chambers’ substitutes will go to a Conference Committee to work out the differences between the bills.
Other key House bills that moved this week included HB 2021 and HB 1525. HB 2021 would create a Board of Administration of Federal Funds, comprising the presiding officers of the House and Senate and the chairs and vice chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees. The Committee Substitute to HB 1525 is a $330M clean-up bill to HB 3, the sweeping school finance legislation passed in 2019. The bill would resolve outstanding issues related to local taxation and revenue, charter school funding, the fast growth allotment, and the teacher incentive allotment, among others. CSHB 1525 was received in the Senate on Friday.
On the Senate side, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick this week created a Special Committee on Constitutional Issues. The Committee is chaired by Republican Sens. Charles Schwertner and Brian Birdwell, and only one bill has been referred—HB 1927, the permitless carry bill passed out of the House on April 19th. The bill has not yet been set for a hearing. Additionally, Lt. Gov. Patrick issued a release commending the Senate on passing legislation for 25 of the 30 issues enumerated in his list of priorities for the 87th Session. Bills passed include the state budget, the power grid omnibus bill, and the Star Spangled Banner Protection Act, among others.
The Department of State Health Services announced this week that Texas will receive more than 1.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine for Week 20 of vaccine distribution. The federal government is expected to distribute an estimated 470,000 first and second doses to pharmacy locations, federally qualified health centers, and dialysis centers.
- Lillian Gerrity