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Each session, the Texas Legislature is required to pass just a single bill: a general appropriations act to fund the state government for the next two years. Last week, lawmakers took an important step toward doing so as the Texas Senate approved its version of the state’s biennium budget for fiscal years 2022-23.
That legislation, Senate Bill (SB) 1, would spend a total of nearly $251 billion over the next two years. The money would come from state general revenue, federal funds, and other revenue. As passed, the bill represents a decrease of about $14 billion in spending compared to the current budget. However, as discussed in this Texas Tribune article, SB 1 does not account for over $38 billion in federal stimulus money as lawmakers continue to determine whether they will accept the dollars and how they might use them. The bill also does not take money from the state’s Economic Stabilization Fund, or “Rainy Day Fund,” which is expected to have a balance of nearly $12 billion by the end of the next biennium.
Among the bill’s many spending items, SB 1 includes funding for 1,023 additional slots to reduce the interest lists for various Medicaid waiver programs. The bill also includes $3.4 million for technology enhancements for local intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) authorities, IDD providers, and service coordinators. SB 1 does not appear to include an increase in wages for personal care attendants. A detailed summary of SB 1, prepared by the Legislative Budget Board, can be found here.
SB 1 has now moved to the Texas House and was set to receive a hearing before the House Appropriations Committee on Monday morning, April 12. The committee is expected to swap out the current text with its own version, and then pass the bill along for consideration by the full House within the next two weeks.
Unlike in the Texas Senate, which saw the bill pass quickly and without a single floor amendment, the House consideration will likely last for hours as members work their way through hundreds of amendments. Once the bill gets House approval, both chambers will create a conference committee to work out the differences between the two versions. The bill will then come back for a final vote just days before the session ends.
Hearings To Watch
The following section includes a sample of the hearings that we are monitoring this week. During these hearings, legislative committees may consider important disability-related bills. To receive notifications about new hearings that are scheduled with short notice, follow us on Twitter. You can find live and archived broadcasts of committee hearings on the House and Senate websites.
The House Human Services Committee will hold a hearing on Tuesday morning, April 13, on the following notable bills:
- House Bill (HB) 1681 by Rep. Sam Harless, relating to the construction of an assisted-living facility within a 500-year floodplain
- HB 3287 by Rep. Mary González, relating to co-navigation services to people who are deaf-blind
The Senate Education Committee will hold a hearing on Tuesday morning, April 13, on SB 2105 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, which relates to the appointment of an educational representative for students with disabilities.
The House Public Education Committee will hold a hearing on Tuesday morning, April 13, on the following notable bills:
- HB 24 by Rep. Alex Dominguez, which would distribute funds for school districts to provide inclusive and accessible playgrounds (HB 24 was previously highlighted as a TCDD Bill of the Week.)
- HB 742 by Rep. DeWayne Burns, relating to alternative assessments of public school students who receive special education services and alternative accountability plans for schools that serve those students
- HB 1252 by Rep. Joe Moody, relating to the limitation period for filing a complaint and requesting a hearing on special education services
- HB 2193 by Rep. Alex Dominguez, relating to the creation of an adaptive sports program by the University Interscholastic League to provide students with disabilities access to team sports (The bill’s Senate companion, SB 776, was featured as a TCDD Bill of the Week.)
- HB 3880 by Rep. Harold V. Dutton, Jr., relating to a student’s eligibility for special education services provided by a school district
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee will hold a hearing on Tuesday morning, April 13, on the following notable bills:
- SB 50 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, relating to a competitive and integrated employment initiative for Medicaid recipients (SB 50 was previously highlighted as a TCDD Bill of the Week.)
- SB 452 by Sen. Royce West, relating to prevention and early intervention programs and practices
- SB 1829 by Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, relating to the electronic Medicaid recipient directories maintained by Medicaid managed-care organizations
- SB 1911 by Sen. César Blanco, relating to the content of an application for Medicaid
The House Insurance Committee will hold a hearing on Tuesday morning, April 13, on the following notable bills:
- HB 980 by Rep. Art Fierro, relating to the reimbursement and payment of claims by health benefit plan issuers for telemedicine and telehealth services
- HB 2545 by Rep. Shawn Thierry, relating to health benefit plan coverage of hearing aids and cochlear implants
The House Transportation Committee will hold a hearing on Tuesday afternoon, April 13, on HB 4080 by Rep. Jacey Jetton. The bill relates to the issuance of autism awareness specialty license plates.
The House Public Health Committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday morning, April 14, on the following notable bills:
- HB 1824 by Rep. Four Price, relating to the continuity of services at state hospitals and state-supported living centers
- HB 2566 by Rep. Drew Darby, relating to hearing screenings for infants
- HB 4015 by Rep. Ryan Guillen, relating to the Rita Littlefield Chronic Kidney Disease Centralized Resource Center established within the Texas Department of State Health Services
The Senate Health and Human Service Committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday morning, April 14, on the following notable bills:
- HB 797 by Sen. Donna Howard, relating to the administering of vaccines by home and community support service agencies (HB 797 was recently featured as a TCDD Bill of the Week.)
- SB 171 by Sen. César Blanco, relating to a report regarding Medicaid reimbursement rates and access to care
- SB 1648 by Sen. Charles Perry, relating to the provision Medicaid benefits, including the coordination of private health benefits and reimbursement for some of those benefits
- SB 1808 by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, relating to licensing requirements for home and community support services
- SB 1917 by Sen. Eddie Lucio, relating to a public outreach campaign for older adults with visual impairments
- SB 2028 by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, relating to the Medicaid program, including the administration and operation of the Medicaid managed-care program
The House Elections Committee will hold a hearing on Thursday morning, April 15, on HB 3920 by Rep. Jay Dean. The bill relates to signature verification on an early voting mail-in ballot.
The House County Affairs Committee will also hold a hearing on Thursday morning, April 15, on HB 2831 by Rep. James White. The bill relates to the confinement in county jails of people with IDD.
Stay Informed
To stay up to date regarding how disability-related issues are being addressed by the Legislature, subscribe to TCDD eNews. On our website, you can find legislative resources and video updates from TCDD Policy Director Scott Daigle on what’s happening at the Capitol. To receive additional notifications, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
