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Senator Joan Huffman <senatorjoanhuffman@gmail.com> jwhillery <jwhillery@aol.com> Legislative Update From Senator Joan Huffman Thu, Dec 12, 2013 3:56 pm
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1/18/2014
More than $2.5 billion for the Texas Department of Public Safety, which will improve administration of driver's licenses, keep our highways safe, and help to secure our border. A budget rider that ensures the Health and Human Services Commission would have to seek legislative approval before reforming our Medicaid program--and ensures any proposed changes are consistent with our conservative principles and lowering taxes. A final version of the state budget will be crafted from Senate and House proposals in a joint conference committee before the current legislative session adjourns on May 27. As you know, infrastructure needs are one of Texas' highest priorities to meet the water and transportation demands of our growing population. Two state constitutional amendments are proposed that would authorize withdrawals from the state's rainy day fund to finance local water and transportation projects. Each amendment would likely propose a withdrawal of over $1 billion from the rainy day fund, which is expected to grow to nearly $12 billion by the end of 2015. Loan repayments would enable our state to maintain a revolving account to make additional loans in the future. A constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds vote of the Legislature andvoter approval on a statewide ballot. Thank you for continuing to honor me with the privilege to serve as your state Senator. As always, please contact my office if you need any assistance. Sincerely,
Key Legislation
Friday, March 8, was the deadline for filing all legislation this session. Many of the 49 billsI've filed reflect my background and experience as a former prosecutor and judge, and my long-standing commitment to public safety. They include: SB 12: Aids prosecution of child sex assault cases by allowing evidence of prior similar offenses to be admitted in cases of sexual assault and sexual abuse of children. Under current Texas law, a defendant's criminal sexual record is admissible as evidence only in cases where a child was previously victimized by the same person. SB 263 & 264: Provide law enforcement with additional tools in the ongoing battle to protect public health and safety against the production and sale of dangerous synthetic drugs known as K2 and 25I. Texas poison centers received 470 exposure calls on K2 last year. 25I has been blamed for the recent deaths of two young Houston residents. SB 263 makes illegal several new chemical compounds of synthetic cannabinoids created since K2 was banned in 2011. It will allow law enforcement to keep up with street chemists who alter the chemical compounds to skirt existing drug laws. SB 264 bans 25I and makes it a felony to possess, manufacture or sell. 25I acts as a psychedelic, similar to
LSD. The Houston Police Department supports both bills. SB 462: Addresses the need for accountability in the operation and performance of the state's growing number of specialty courts. These courts have increased from nine to about 140 over the last ten years. I want to make sure that specialty courts continue to do what they were designed to do: keep nonviolent offenders from going deeper into the criminal justice system. A state registry will help ensure that the courts are held accountable for the outcomes of participants. Click here for a complete list of the bills I've filed this session.
One of my top legislative priorities this session is to find effective and efficient ways of increasing accessibility and delivery of mental health care services. Hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars are going to the treatment of the mentally ill in emergency rooms and the criminal justice system due to inadequate community-based services. I have been working with Judge Ed Emmett and others on the development of a pilot program to reduce recidivism of mentally troubled inmates in the Harris County jail. In the last two years, hundreds of them have cycled in and out of the jail five or more times. The program would take advantage of existing county best practices to Rally for mental health at the Capitol. implement a service model that can be replicated statewide at a substantial cost saving to Texas counties, cities and taxpayers. It stands to become a mental health care program that will make the entire nation take notice! You can read details about my legislation, Senate Bill 1185, here. Read my op-ed about SB 1185 in the Houston Chronicle here.
Contact Senator Huffman with your issues, perspectives, or concerns joan.huffman@senate.state.tx.us Houston Office
6217 Edloe St. Houston, Texas 77005 Phone: 713-662-3821 Fax: 713-682-3842
Capitol Office
PO Box 12068 Austin, Texas 78711 Phone: 512-463-0117 Fax: 512-463-0639
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