“#SB1 motion to instruct @genefortexas and @poncho_nevarez and @repwalle to keep twitter use to a minimum.#txlege” We are about transparency
— Armando Walle (@RepWalle) April 22, 2013
Wow! Can you believe those Texas Republicans? Kudos to those Texas State Representatives for keeping us apprised of the latest goings on in the Texas Lege.
Color me surprised that, apparently, the Texas Senate voted unanimously to piss test poor people who receive TANF benefits. A quick look at my Inbox finds no celebratory press releases from my own Senator or other Democratic Texas Senators. Perhaps they’ll hide it in their “weekly” reports; perhaps not.
The Chron had an article a couple of days ago analyzing Senate Bill 11 and its effects. The Texas Tribune did a slightly better job in their report, though.
The protective payee provision that was included in SB 11 drew praise among some members in the upper chamber. It provides for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to designate another person to receive TANF benefits on a child’s behalf if the child’s parent tests positive for drugs.
So, I guess the self-righteous, judgmental idiots types who support piss testing the poor aren’t necessarily stopping everyone (or maybe anyone!) from receiving benefits. And, I guess, this is the reason the bill passed without much debate or nays.
Another blow to the self-righteous, judgmental types who suspect most TANF beneficiaries are lazy dope addicts was this.
Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, expressed concern that the bill creates a “three strikes, you’re out” model. The first time a person tests positive for drugs, he or she is ineligible for financial assistance for six months; the second positive test triggers a 12-month penalty; the third positive result deems the applicant permanently ineligible for TANF benefits.
Nelson reassured Lucio and Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, that applicants get “plenty of opportunities” to get help. SB 11 allows for applicants who test positive for drugs the second time to reapply for benefits after six months if they have enrolled in or completed a drug treatment program. She highlights that the base bill includes $300 million to increase the availability of such programs for low income Texans.
So, on top of the millions being wasted on piss tests for the poor (think Florida where more has been wasted on piss tests than actual benefits of those who were caught), they don’t necessarily lose benefits (and their kids definitely do not lose benefits), and it looks like another $300 million will go to making drug treatment available? Well, isn’t that nice?
Republicans seem to have begun with some self-righteous indignation for what will probably be a few that get caught and have turned it into some sort of non-prison drug treatment program for the few that might get caught. Did the private prison industry agree with this? They’ve benefited most from addicts. And I guess the next step is to check which drug testing companies donated to legislator PACs.
Anyway, I’ll keep looking for celebratory press releases from Democrats. The bill goes over to the House, which will probably support it, thus killing some of the more punitive, less bipartisan piss test bills.
We’ll see what the end-product looks like after the Texas House adds or subtracts from it, but, like it has been said about other Republican ideas, it’s a solution in search of a problem just to appease those who just want to belittle those with the least. It’s wrong.
Posted in 2013 Categories, Texas Lege
Tagged drug testing, piss test the poor, TANF, Texas, texas lege
Local Republican legislator had her bill to slash the length of early voting considered only to be met with heavy opposition. It looks like she will pull the bill.
House Bill 2093, by state Rep. Patricia Harless, R-Spring, would limit the early-voting period in Texas to seven days before general and primary elections. Current law mandates 12 days.
Harless initially said the measure was necessary to help elections administrators hire workers and volunteers, saying that a 12-day early-voting period as a possible deterrent.
But after testimony at Monday’s House Elections Committee hearing, where critics slammed its intent as little more than an effort to make casting a ballot harder for everyone, Harless said she would not ask the committee for a vote.
A recent study done by a scholar at MIT found that minorities were already waiting the longest in lines to vote. Obviously, we have much more to worry about than county elections folks complaining about not being able to work the 12-day early vote session. And the study gives some suggestions:
1. The number of in-person voters is reduced, through absentee voting. (As a corollary, Election Day lines should be reduced as early voting options are expanded.)
2. The number of poll books and the utilization are of electronic poll books are increased.
3. The number of voters per polling place is decreased.
4. The number of physical polling sites is increased.
5. The number of poll workers is increased.
6. The number of voting machines is increased.
7. The length of ballots is decreased.
8. The amount of information provided to voters ahead of the election is increased (so as to reduce the amount of time spent reading the ballot in the voting booth).
Obviously, early voting plays an important role in this, considering that it is fast becoming the way for most people to vote. So, what gives with Harless’ bill?
Most of these suggestions take money, but I would think that the government’s most important task is to ensure that our democracy works–and that means ensuring the people’s ability to choose their representatives. Too lofty a notion? Or do elected officials really want to stop people from voting?
That said, the President’s bipartisan commission will hopefully come up with some solutions; however, and I repeat, it all takes money. Instead of tax giveaways to the wealthy, those in power need to start investing in a whole bunch of things, and protecting the franchise is one of them.
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Posted in 2013 Categories, Elections, Texas Lege, U.S. Capitol
Tagged elections, president obama, texas lege, voting lines
Our good friend, attorney Nile Copeland, has done some research on the latest in gun legislation at the Texas Capitol. Check it out.
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Posted in 2013 Categories, Texas Lege
Tagged 83rd legislature, gun legislation, texas lege
It’s hard to believe that the Mexican American Legislative Caucus is turning 40 this year, and the folks at MALC have decided to celebrate in grand (or grande) fashion at the Texas Capitol on May 15th with the legendary Ramon Ayala y Los Bravos Del Norte.
Ramon Ayala, himself, is celebrating half-a-century as a musical artist having taken his music beyond borders for much of that time. The former founder of Los Relampagos Del Norte, along with the late Cornelio Reyna, has recorded over 100 albums, won four Grammy awards among other awards, and millions of records sold. Ayala has also been vocal in various causes, including his participation in an homage to Civil Rights Champion Cesar Chavez (video below).
Known for playing before thousands of fans at a time, I’m quite impressed that MALC is willing to take on such a feat as a free concert featuring Ayala. More than likely, it will put to shame any march or protest ever put on at the Capitol, so, I’d suggest taking advantage of the situation, too.
Congrats to MALC on 40 great years. Make sure you RSVP for this event here.
Posted in 2013 Categories, Texas Lege
Tagged malc, mexican american legislative caucus, ramon ayala, texas lege
The House Appropriations Committee approved a budget that gives an extra $2.5 billion to K-12 education, but is $1.7 billion smaller than the Senate’s budget. So, where does that leave everything else?
Like the Senate budget, the House budget includes increases in mental health funding and graduate medical education.
BUT, according to the Trib:
Full details of the budget the Appropriations Committee voted on were not available on Thursday afternoon. Pitts and House Appropriations staff could not say when they would be publicly released.
So, forgive me for not dancing for joy at the extra K-12 money. I worry more about higher education since colleges and universities are going to try to salvage those students who came out of K-12 underprepared for college with a billion dollars less in the last session.
Can’t wait for the details! For now…
Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, said he hopes to bring the bill to the House floor on April 4 and expressed optimism that the bill will get strong support.
Posted in 2013 Categories, Education - K12, Higher Education, Texas Lege
Tagged 2013, budget, Texas house, texas lege
With only two Democrats voting against the Texas Senate’s budget, the budget conversation continues, with the Texas House deciding on their budget in the near future. A conference committee will even out things between both budgets after all is said is done.
There’s been mixed reaction on the Dem side of things. Earlier in the day, I read a teacher’s union letter asking folks to call their respective senators to tell them to vote no. Although there is a slight increase in the budget for K-12 and higher education, it doesn’t come close to replacing what was cut two years ago. And, apparently, Annie’s List supports the Senators who voted no, Fort Worth’s Wendy Davis and Houston’s Sylvia R. Garcia.
Among other things, the proposed budget:
Under-funds public education by $3.9 billion
Funds public education at the lowest levels per student in two legislative sessions
Fails to include $310 million that would guarantee $7.7 billion in federal funds for Medicaid
Leaves money sitting untouched in Rick Perry’s pet project, the Rainy Day Fund
Other Democrats have released statements to back up their support of the SB 1, including one of my favorites, El Paso’s Jose Rodriguez:
Senate Bill 1 is an improvement from the last budget cycle. It contains items that are important for Senate District 29, such as tuition revenue bonds for UTEP and Texas Tech, as well as items that positively impact the state as a whole. This budget increases Medicaid reimbursement rates to pre-2011 levels, and overall spending on mental health services and graduate medical education. These funding increases will help increase access to care in a state with highest uninsured rate in the nation.
Nonetheless, this budget neither fully restores the cuts from 2011 nor adequately funds for population growth and inflation. For example, El Paso schools will only gain about a quarter back from what they lost in 2011. It also doesn’t expand Medicaid, which is fiscally irresponsible.
The good news is that we are still in the beginning stages of the budget process, and there will be several opportunities to fund these priorities as the session continues. I will continue to work to advance the ball on education and to find a solution to the Medicaid expansion stalemate.
Rodriguez pointed to alternative ways to fill those other voids, as did State Senator Leticia Van de Putte.
Senate Bill 1 is not a perfect budget, but I voted in favor of it because it at least moves our state in the right direction. As the legislative session progresses, I will be looking for other opportunities to restore funding that was cut in the previous session.
So, there you have it. As far as I’m concerned, I’m caught in between both sides of the “moving forward” and “just plain no” sides of this as I like that higher education has gotten a lot more than I would have expected after losing a billion dollars two years ago.
Let’s see where the less cooperative Texas House lands on this.
UPDATE: ProgressTexas joins in on supporting 2 Senators who voted NO on budget.
Thankfully, two of our strongest Senators listened to your calls, stood up for what is right, and demanded we fight for the best possible future for Texas.
Help us thank Senators Wendy Davis and Sylvia Garcia for voting against this draft of the budget and showing they believe we should invest in the future of our state. We hope you will show your support for Senators Davis and Garcia today by calling them in their office or going to social media to show your support:
Wendy Davis - call her office to say thanks at (512) 463-0110
Sylvia Garcia - call her office to say thanks at (512) 463-0106
Kuff has a whole bunch more, including Senator Wendy Davis’ statement.
Posted in 2013 Categories, Education - K12, Texas Lege
Tagged budget, education, higher education, K-12, texas lege
A Medicaid IOU bill (HB10) which will fund the program for the rest of the fiscal year gained approval from the Texas Senate today. But they also added an amendment to it that the House must now consider and hopefully approve.
Senators also added an amendment to HB 10 to fix another budget maneuver that lawmakers used to address the shortfall. That tactic slightly pushed back a $1.75 billion Foundation School Program payment so it would fall into the next fiscal year. The Senate version of the bill puts the payment back on its regular schedule.
HB 10 totals $6.6 billion in state general revenue, including the Medicaid money, some funds for the Children’s Health Insurance Program, the fix in the Foundation School Program, and some additional money needed for schools to get through the fiscal year.
This is basically a no-brainer bill, but it needs the Governor’s signature sooner than later. Democrats have tried to use the bill to restore much needed education funds; however, Republicans have stated they would delay passage 0f a bill with education funds added. Let’s hope the amendments made do not delay passage of the bill.
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Posted in 2013 Categories, Education - K12, Health Care, Texas Lege
Tagged hb10, medicaid iou, texas lege
Looks like it’s State Senator-Elect Sylvia R. Garcia who will be headed to Austin to represent Senate District 6. After starting the evening with comfy lead after the Early and Absentee votes were tallied, Garcia kept the lead en route to a 1000+ vote victory at the end of the evening.
Now, the bad news, as Kuff and the Trib reminds us.
Harris County has 10 days to canvass the results after Saturday’s contest, and Gov. Rick Perry‘s office of has an additional four days. The winner cannot take her oath until the governor’s canvass, which means the victor will not be able to file any bills after taking office.
Well played, Rick Perry. Which is why many of us were calling for Perry to call the election from the get-go, and which goes to show where Perry’s priorities are during the session.
Yeah, sounds like it sucks, right? But the new Senator had the perfect response to the Trib.
“What we’ll do is just work with some of the legislation that’s already been filed, not only on the senate side but with some of the house members that I have been working with during this campaign,” she told the Tribune. “We’ll just have to work with what we got.”
There’s no doubt that things got a bit serious in this race; even I enjoyed a few insults from some more overzealous supporters of Alvarado. (I drink coffee with the wealthy people of Memorial and that should bar me from having an opinion, apparently.) But Garcia hit the nail on the head.
Garcia said she will make health care and public education her priorities and said she anticipated that the delegation, which was split in its support between the two candidates, will heal and come together. Both she and Alvarado will be in Austin now as members of the same delegation.
“It’s all about moving forward and moving the ball forward and making sure we get things done, not only for this district but for the state of Texas,” she said.
State Rep. Armando Walle, D-Houston, was one of Garcia’s earliest supporters and said Saturday’s election means the delegation has added a strong and motivated Latina to fight for Houston.
“The election is over. District 145 gets to have a strong leader and advocate,” he said. “And it has a strong senator to advocate for our community in tandem.”
All that’s left to be said is: How dare Garcia and Alvarado make friends pick between them!
Seriously, though, this is something that will keep occurring, but I hope this just means we’re another step closer to creating a Latina/o break-out candidate who can run competitively city-/county-wide and statewide. We’re overdue!
Posted in 2013 Categories, Elections, Texas Lege
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Posted in 2013 Categories, Health Care, Texas Lege
Tagged jessica farrar, medicaid expansion, rick perry, texas lege
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