The Mignon Memo

There are 40 days left in the 83^rd Regular Legislative Session.  Things are progressing but there is a lot left to be done.  Bills to address the state’s water resources and public education curriculum have moved through the House and are headed to the Senate floor soon.  A conference committee for the state’s budget for the next biennium will be appointed in the next week.

Speaker Joe Straus has appointed Pete Geren, president of the Fort Worth-based Sid W. Richardson Foundation, to the oversight committee of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. Geren succeeds Barbara Canales of Corpus Christi.

On this day in 1871, the Texas Legislature approved a bill providing for the organization of the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College, now known as Texas A&M University.

The Texas House passed its version of the budget for the next biennium last week.  The version of Senate Bill 1 passed by the House totaled $193.8 billion for the biennium which passed by a vote of 135-12. Eleven Democrats and one Republican voted in opposition.

Speaker’s Reunion Day is coming up this Friday, April 12^th. This event honors former members of the Texas House of Representatives by dedicating a day at the Texas Capitol for them to gather and be honored for their service to the State of Texas.  Prior to 1993, Speaker’s Reunion Day was known as Speaker’s Day, a long-standing tradition of honoring the Speaker of the House for his service.

If you happened to visit the Texas Capitol today, you might have noticed more bow ties than usual.  That’s because it is Texas Bow Tie Day, sponsored by Sen. Eddie Lucio (D-Brownsville), Commissioner Michael Williams of the Texas Education Agency, and Commissioner Rolando Pablos of the Public Utility Commission of Texas.  After being complimented on his bow tie several years ago, Sen. Lucio has worn a bow tie each Wednesday during legislative sessions. The tradition has evolved into an annual charitable event.

The Texas House will debate its version of the budget for the next biennium tomorrow. After hours of debate and numerous amendments, Senate Bill 1 will then move to a conference committee made up of five senators and five representatives.  The conference committee usually includes the chairs of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance committees and four other members of each committee. The committee’s job is to reach a consensus between the Senate and House versions.  The rules allow the committee to reconcile only points on which the House and Senate bills differ. They may not change figures that are identical in both bills. If both bills include a spending item but differ on the amount, the committee may not set the amount lower than the smaller of the two amounts nor increase it above the larger amount. If an item appears in only one bill, the conferees may include or delete it. If they include it, they may reduce but not increase the amount originally included in the bill.

The legislative session is moving at a brisk pace at this point.  There are roughly four more weeks for House bills to move out of a House committee and towards floor debate.  Add a week more for Senate bills in Senate committees.  Once the bills move to the opposite side of the Capitol, they either pick up speed or come to rest in committee, often permanently.  For more information on the end-of-session deadlines, take a look at this handy calendar: http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/DeadlineActionCalendar.pdf

Former U.S. President George W. Bush’s presidential library will be dedicated at Southern Methodist University on April 25th. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama are scheduled to attend.  The library opens to the general public on May 1.

Yesterday, the Texas House gave preliminary approval to House Bill 5, a bill designed to address concerns regarding high school graduation requirements and standardized testing.   The legislation reduces the number of end-of-course exams needed for graduation from high school from 15 to 5.  The required tests would be algebra, biology, U.S. history and 10th-grade reading and writing.  The bill also replaces the current “4×4” graduation plan — four years of English, math, science and social studies — with several different plans to achieve a diploma.  After a vote on third reading today, House Bill 5 moves to the Texas Senate.

Governor Rick Perry announced two new hires for the Office of the Governor.  MacGregor Stephenson was named deputy chief of staff and Rich Parsons was named deputy director of communications.  Stephenson previously served as assistant commissioner for workforce, academic affairs and research for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.   Parsons previously served as communications director for the Texas Secretary of State as well as press secretary to Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst.  He was also a
reporter for KXAN-TV in Austin, Texas.

Gov. Rick Perry has appointed Victor Vandergriff of Arlington and reappointed Jeff Austin III of Tyler to the Texas Transportation Commission for terms to expire Feb. 1, 2019. The commission oversees the Texas Department of Transportation.  Vandergriff  is currently the chairman of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Board, a position he has held since his appointment in November 2009.  Austin is vice chairman of Austin Bank Texas N.A. in Jacksonville.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has approved the creation of a $91 million influenza-vaccines manufacturing
facility in a joint venture between the Texas A&M University System and GlaxoSmithKline.  The facility will anchor the Texas A&M Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing.

The Texas House approved its first non-appropriations bill of the session. House Bill 1000 by Rep. Rene Oliveira will set up a new university in South Texas under the governance, management, and control of the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System.  The new university, which will be supported by the Permanent University Fund, will replace UT-Brownsville and UT-Pan American.  House Bill 1000 now moves to the Texas Senate for further action.

The Texas Senate passed its version of the state budget for the next biennium. Senate Bill One, the $195.5 billion budget for 2014-2015 passed on a vote of 29-2 with Senators Wendy Davis (D-Ft. Worth) and Sylvia Garcia (D-Houston) voting No.

Gov. Rick Perry has appointed three members to the Texas A&M University Board of Regents for terms to expire Feb. 1, 2019.  The two new regents are Tony Buzbee, an attorney from Friendswood; and Charles Schwartz of Houston, a partner and office leader of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom LLP.  Perry reappointed Morris Foster of Austin, who has served as a member of the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents since his appointment in 2007, and was chairman of the board from 2009 to 2011.

We are feeling March Madness here in Austin. Not only are we halfway through the 83^rd Legislative Session, but for the first time since 1977, there is not a single team from Texas in the 68 team field for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.  Maybe catching some of the 2^nd and 3^rd round regional games here at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin will ease our pain.

The preliminary bill filing totals are in.  Last Friday was the bill filing deadline although local measures may still be introduced and the Senate often suspends the rules to allow the late filing of certain bills.  On the last filing day, 964 bills, joint resolutions and concurrent resolutions were introduced.  That led to a grand total of 5853 bills and joint resolutions, a total slightly under last session’s bill filing total. Now legislators are focused on getting those bills passed by the last day of the 83^rd legislative session, May 27, 2013.

Both the House and the Senate have been hard at work on their respective versions of the 2014-2015 state budget.  The Senate Finance Committee approved SB 1 this morning and expects a floor debate on the bill next week. The House Appropriations Committee is expected to finish HB 1 by Monday and will substitute its language into SB 1 when it reaches the House.  The bill then goes to a Conference Committee made up of five senators and five representatives to resolve differences between the two versions.

Gov. Rick Perry has appointed Esperanza “Hope” Andrade of San Antonio to the Texas Workforce Commission for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2015. She will serve as commissioner representing employers, replacing Commissioner Tom Pauken who resigned from that position. Andrade previously served as Texas’ Secretary of State.

The election season for 2014 has already begun.  George P. Bush has announced through his website that he will be a candidate for Texas Land Commissioner.  Current Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson has said he will run for Lt. Governor in 2014.

Former Harris County Commissioner Sylvia Garcia won the runoff election last Saturday against Rep. Carol Alvarado (D-Houston) for the Senate District 6 seat previously held by late state Sen. Mario Gallegos.  Garcia earned 53 percent of the vote, compared to Alvarado’s 47 percent.  Alvarado will maintain her Texas House seat as she did not have to resign to run in the special election.

Have you been to a committee hearing at the Capitol and wondered what exactly was going on? Are you confused by the status of a bill listed on Texas Legislature Online? This report by the House Research Organization on House Committee Procedures will help answer these questions: http://www.hro.house.state.tx.us/pdf/focus/compro83.pdf

Governor Rick Perry has appointed two new regents to the University Of Texas System Board Of Regents and reappointed a current member of the Board.  The new members are Ernest Aliseda of McAllen and Jeff Hildebrand of Houston.  They replace Vice Chairman James D. Dannenbaum and Regent Printice L. Gary, whose terms expired earlier this month.  Current regent Vice Chairman Paul Foster of El Paso was reappointed.  All will serve terms to expire Feb. 1, 2019. All must be confirmed by the Texas Senate.

Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and Speaker Joe Straus have created the Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence and Transparency. The committee will be co-chaired by Rep. Dan Branch (R-Dallas) and Sen. Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo), the chairs of the higher education committees in the Texas House and Senate.

Governor Rick Perry’s Chief of Staff Ann Bishop is returning to the Employees Retirement System. Bishop will be replaced by Brandy Marty, who is currently Perry’s deputy chief of staff. Marty was formerly Perry’s director of budget, planning and policy. Mike Morrisey will serve as deputy chief of staff and senior advisor.

Bill filing continues at a steady pace in the Texas Capitol but the numbers are still well below last session.  By the end of the day, over 2800 bills will have been filed.  With 7 more filing days left, it will be a stretch to reach the 5796 bills filed last session.

We take our pie seriously here in Texas.  Senate Concurrent Resolution 12 and House Concurrent Resolution 53 would designate the pecan pie as the official State Pie of Texas.  If House Concurrent Resolution 36 passes, you will be able to celebrate your favorite type of pie next year on February 16, Texas Homemade Pie Day.

The Senate Education Committee passed Senate Bill 3, relating to curriculum requirements for public high school graduation.  The version passed by the committee would eliminate the minimum high school diploma in Texas and require all students to choose from four new graduation plans – including a business and industry concentration.  All students would be required to obtain at least 26 credits to graduate and most students would be able to take more elective courses. The current minimum plan requires only 22 credits.  SB 3 now moves to the full Senate for debate.

State Board of Education Chair Barbara Cargill was confirmed Wednesday by the Texas Senate. Cargill’s confirmation comes after the past two SBOE Chairs failed to receive sufficient votes for confirmation.

The Texas House will debate the HB 10, the first supplemental appropriations bill today on the House floor.

Rep. Mark Strama (D-Austin) announced that he will not seek another term in the Texas House. He is considering other options, including a run for local office.  Strama has served in the Texas House since 2005.

Gov. Rick Perry has set Saturday, March 2, 2013 as the special runoff election date in Texas Senate District 6, to fill the unexpired seat previously held by former Sen. Mario Gallegos, Jr., of Houston.  Democrats Sylvia Garcia and Rep. Carol Alvarado will compete to fill the seat in the Texas Senate.

The first supplemental appropriations bill has passed out of committee. House Bill 10 appropriates close to $4.5 billion for acute care, long term care and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. In addition, the bill would give an additional $630 million to the Foundation School Program. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Pitts told House members that the bill needs to be on Governor Perry’s desk by the first week of March so he anticipates a floor debate in the House next Thursday, February 21.

There is a lot of activity around the Texas Capitol.  Committees are meeting and in the case of several Senate Committees, passing bills.  House Appropriations and Senate Finance have divided up into workgroups and have provided the public notice of when and where those workgroups will be meeting. It is always the “Day at the Capitol” for one group or another.  Buses fill the side streets and lines form at the various entrances. The bill filing deadline is a little over three weeks away and then the session begins to hit its stride.