Tag Archives: Jane Nelson

Voodoo economics

Also known as Dan Patrick’s budgetary contortions. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, joined by the Texas Senate’s lead budget writers, announced “a new bold proposal” Wednesday morning to allow lawmakers to cut property taxes and pay down the state’s debt without … Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Voodoo economics

We can always pay for tax cuts later

Item One: Texas House leaders said Monday they can cut taxes by more than the $4 billion initially proposed by their Senate counterparts, upping the ante for the high-profile issue despite other looming big-ticket state needs. “We really believe that … Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tax cuts >>> public education

Well, what did you expect? Senate budget writers have enjoyed praise from conservatives for their focus on tax cuts, but they’re about to get an earful from educators who think their promises could cost Texas public school students. The starting … Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tax cuts >>> public education

Drug testing for being poor

It’s back, and it’s as bad an idea as it ever was. For years, GOP lawmakers have tried to make drug testing mandatory for some Texans who receive state welfare benefits, with little success. But after making some headway in … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Drug testing for being poor

The Senate’s opening budget

Could be worse, I guess. Senate Finance Chairwoman Jane Nelson presented a $205.1 billion two-year base budget Tuesday morning, vowing to provide property tax cuts that Texans “actually feel” while keeping the state’s economy humming along. The Senate budget is … Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Senate’s opening budget

What’s the Lege going to do with the revenue?

Not as much as it should, of course, because the Lege never comes close to doing as much as it should. It’s a question of whether they’ll try to address some real problems, or just engage in an orgy of … Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on What’s the Lege going to do with the revenue?

What next for school finance?

That depends on the Attorney General and the Supreme Court, but one way or the other it’s up to the Legislature. State lawmakers from both parties agreed the responsibility for funding public schools falls on them. But history suggests the … Continue reading

Posted in Legal matters, That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on What next for school finance?

The Public Integrity Unit probably won’t have to worry about a veto next year

They’ll have bigger things to worry about. With Republican partisans campaigning loudly to strip Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg of her control of the unit, chances of getting the funding restored under her by the GOP-dominated Legislature that convenes … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Public Integrity Unit probably won’t have to worry about a veto next year

Senate begins omnibus abortion bill hearings

Remember, it’s all about women’s health. Senate Bill 1, and its companion, House Bill 2, would ban abortion at 20 weeks post-fertilization and recognize that the state has a compelling interest to protect fetuses from pain; require doctors performing abortions … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Double secret illegal Medicaid amendment amended

Yes, I know, it’s all so confusing. The House on Sunday night accepted Sen. Jane Nelson’s and other lawmakers’ clean up of an amendment by a freshman state representative from Collin County that would require a rubber stamp from the … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Double secret illegal Medicaid amendment amended

Senate to consider expanded gambling

I didn’t really take it seriously when I heard that Sen. John Carona had filed his own gambling expansion legislation, but it seems it’s got some traction. A proposal from Dallas Republican Sen. John Carona would establish a commission that … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

You can’t undo the damage to women’s health

At the very end of this story, in which Rep. John Zerwas and Sen. Charles Schwertner, both of whom are physicians in real life, say that they (mostly) stand with Rick Perry on not expanding Medicaid, they also say this: … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Is there a way forward on expanding Medicaid in Texas?

It’s a little hard to know what to make of this. The Affordable Care Act is the federal law that Texas Republicans love to hate, but one top lawmaker says expanding health care for the working poor could happen if … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Dewhurst and Nelson push Medicaid reform

I’m reserving judgment on this for now. Lt. Gov David Dewhurst and Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, on Wednesday touted Senate proposals they say would bring down spending on Medicaid, the state’s health program for the poor, by instituting quality-based … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Dewhurst and Nelson push Medicaid reform

Fix what’s broken first

What Texas Watch says. Imagine this scenario. Texans are facing a physician shortage. Under-served rural and poor communities struggle to attract doctors to serve their needs. Politicians scramble to find a solution to the crisis. That is where we were 10 … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Fix what’s broken first

On peeing in a cup

Another solution in search of a problem from the Republican leadership. Out of the more than 250 bills filed Monday, the first possible day to file legislation for the 83rd session, one measure — concerning drug testing for welfare applicants … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Is there still a chance gambling legislation can pass the Senate?

All signs still point to “no” if you ask me, but gambling legislation never goes quietly so it might look otherwise on the surface. The quiet formation of a special Texas Senate subcommittee to consider a controversial casino gambling resolution … Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Senate map is out, controversy precedes it

Before we had a State Senate map, we had a brawl brewing over one proposed district on it. Accusing the state Senate’s Republican leaders of a “shameful partisan attack,” Sen. Wendy Davis said Tuesday that a new redistricting map for … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Senate pushes back on House efforts to redirect family planning funds

A little sanity is always nice to see. State budget cuts taking aim at Planned Parenthood may limit the availability of family planning services for many poor Texans and have the unintended consequence of increasing unwanted pregnancies, two key lawmakers … Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Senate pushes back on House efforts to redirect family planning funds

Senate restores some funds to Health and Human Services

Still not clear how they’re paying for any of it yet. The Senate Finance Committee voted Thursday to restore a less-than-expected $4.3 billion in health spending in 2012-13 but promised to try to find more money in the coming weeks. … Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Senate restores some funds to Health and Human Services

Smaller cuts from the Senate

Trail Blazers: The Senate Finance Committee on Thursday adopted a school funding plan for the next two years that would cut basic funding for school districts by nearly 6 percent – or $2 billion a year – to handle a … Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Still going through the couch cushions

The Senate is looking for funds wherever it can find them. Hoping to cushion the impact of proposed state budget cuts to public education and health care, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said Wednesday that a special subcommittee will be named … Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Just call it “DewhurstCare”

I’m not sure what to make of this yet. Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Grapevine, introduced two bills Wednesday they believe could save the state a significant amount of money and produce “healthy patient outcomes.” The duo … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Business leaders urged to oppose “cuts only” approach to the budget

Good luck with that. Former Lt. Gov. Bill Hobby is helping lead an effort to rally Texas business leaders against what he calls a “catastrophic” cuts-only approach to balancing the state’s budget in the face of a massive shortfall, estimated … Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Diabetes

I’m sure you’ve seen some variation of this story by now. The number of Texans with diabetes will nearly quadruple from 2.2 million to 8 million in the next 30 years, threatening the solvency of the state’s medical system, according … Continue reading

Posted in The great state of Texas | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Who needs Medicaid?

Here’s an early peek at what we have to look forward to next year. Some Republican lawmakers — still reveling in Tuesday’s statewide election sweep — are proposing an unprecedented solution to the state’s estimated $25 billion budget shortfall: dropping … Continue reading

Posted in Budget ballyhoo | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Tuesday Lege roundup

Some more notes about what has been happening in the Lege… – It looks like the program to test high school athletes for steroids will be scaled back. Texas lawmakers have reached a deal to slash steroid testing of public … Continue reading Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Monday Lege roundup

Lots of legislative action today beyond the voter ID vaudeville act. Here’s a quick roundup of some other bills of interest. – HB1736, also known as the Tim Cole Act for the man who was posthumously exonerated this February, has … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Monday Lege roundup

Statewide smoking ban still stuck

It’s stuck in the Senate, which is a bit odd. The woman standing in the way of a Senate vote is Sen. Jane Nelson, a Flower Mound Republican who joined [Lance] Armstrong on the Capitol steps in February in a … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Statewide smoking ban still stuck

Wendy Davis

I’ve been a fan of freshman State Sen. Wendy Davis since I interviewed her last year at the state Democratic convention. You could tell she was smart and ambitious, and if given the chance could really go places. I’ve been … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Revisiting the FLDS saga

Grits sat in on the House Human Services Committee hearing that looked at how the state handled last year’s child-welfare operation at the FLDS ranch, and he’s got a detailed report on what transpired as well as an analysis of … Continue reading

Posted in That's our Lege | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Revisiting the FLDS saga