Westlake Picayune 614 words
June 2009
Legislative Session Addressed More Than Met the Eye
By Donna Howard
The regular session of the Texas Legislature that ended on June 1 will go down in the books as one in which not much was at stake. But, in fact, 7,419 bills were filed in the House and Senate combined, an increase of 1,229 from two years ago, addressing issues ranging from reforming our state schools to improving our windstorm insurance system.
Of all those bills, just 1,459 — or 19.7 percent — were passed and sent to the Governor, where they await his approval, his veto, or his silent acquiescence (letting the bill become law without his signature) by June 21.
My legislative agenda grew in size from the 22 bills I filed in 2007 to a total of 40 bills and one constitutional amendment. I succeeded in maneuvering eight bills through the process as stand alone measures, while another four were attached to legislation carried by my colleagues.
Last month, I told you about HB 772, which requires the Texas Education Agency to provide a live web cast of all State Board of Education meetings. Other successfully implemented components of my legislative package include the following:
SB 476 is designed to help retain bedside nurses by giving them more say in how their work environment is structured. The bill requires hospitals to adopt and enforce a nurse staffing policy while allowing each facility the flexibility to set its own nurse-to-patient ratios, as determined by nurses, with the goal of guaranteeing high-quality patient care.
HB 1218 began as a simple measure directing the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to create a pilot program to examine the costs and benefits associated with exchanging medically secure health information for Medicaid and other clients with local or regional health information exchanges. At the last minute, however, a major component of SB 7 — an omnibus bill aimed at improving the quality and efficiency of Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program — was tacked on. Now, the bill also requires HHSC to develop its own electronic health information exchange system that is compatible with existing information technology systems used by health care providers.
HB 1739 designates the third full week in October as Native Plant week to celebrate the native plants of Texas.
HB 2927 clarifies laws prescribing how known and unknown burials are treated statewide and creates a more efficient reporting process for the discovery of such burials. Other provisions will encourage cities to improve their maintenance of municipal cemeteries like the Austin Memorial Cemetery. This proposal came from an interim study conducted by a subcommittee of the House Committee on Culture, Recreation and Tourism, which I chaired.
HB 3756 updates state law affecting the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC). Key provisions include new authority for TSLAC to recover appropriate pre-statehood (Republic of Texas) government records and more flexible rules for numerous libraries throughout the state so they may access TSLAC programs and other regional library systems.
The Governor is expected to call lawmakers back for a brief special session next month to take care of some unfinished business regarding the Texas Department of Insurance, and the Texas Department of Transportation. Later this year, the House Speaker will release his interim charges, giving legislative committees the list of issues he wants them to prepare for the next regular session, scheduled for January 2011.
So even if it seems like less than expected was accomplished during the 140 days of session, the process continues year-round. And as always, I look forward to hearing from you as I continue to work on the issues that matter to House District 48 families.