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Never Too Early
Interim Legislative Charges Start The Clock
 The next Texas Legislative session will begin January 12, 2021. You may believe it is too early to think about what we want to accomplish next session. However, it is the perfect time to make your voice heard with your State legislative representatives. They are starting to formulate their plans and are relatively more accessible now.
Ten Texas State Senate committees will begin studying and hearing testimony on issues important to business and the decisions made will impact the Hurst Euless Bedford business community.
- BUSINESS AND COMMERCE - Senator Kelly Hancock is chair of the Business and Commerce Committee, which will be considering the regulation of unmanned aerial vehicles. This committee will also be looking at potential technology changes in the supply of electricity, including energy storage. They will also study how to increase access to affordable, quality healthcare in Texas. Chairman Hancock also serves on the Finance, Transportation, Property Tax and Natural Resources and Economic Development Committees.
- ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - Senator Brian Birdwell chairs the Natural Resources and Economic Development Committee, which will be considering reauthorizing the ability of school districts to offer property tax abatements to companies making major capital investments in their districts. They have also been assigned to examine changes needed to current eminent domain statutes. Both are important to Economic Development in Texas. Senators Hancock and Powell also are members of this committee.
- EDUCATION & HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - Senator Beverly Powell is a member of the Higher Education Committee, the Education Committee and the Health and Human Services Committee (HHS), all of which will be considering issues relevant to the business community. Education will be evaluating the implementation of HB3, which is the sweeping education finance reform bill passed this year. HHS will be looking at the delivery of healthcare in rural Texas, which is an impending crisis if nothing is done. They will also consider healthcare costs. Higher Ed will be looking at facility needs and formula funding, both critical issues to UT Arlington.
Lt. Governor Dan Patrick released the Senate Interim Legislative Charges for 2019 at the end of October. He issued charges for 13 committees, three of which are not looking at business community issues. No Interim Charges have been issued yet by Speaker Dennis Bonnen for the Texas House.
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Turmoil in the Departure
Lame duck speaker, again
For the second straight Texas Legislature the Speaker of the House of Representatives is a lame duck. Last session it was Joe Strauss who decided not to run for the House again after the session ended. This session Speaker Dennis Bonnen got caught up in some ugly politics and decided not to run again.
But he did not resign. He is camped out in the Speaker's office and no one seems to know his game plan.
As of November 8th, a call to his office revealed he had not issued Interim Legislative Charges to House committees and there was no schedule as to when he would. Or perhaps that's if he would. Interim Legislative Charges are the Speaker's way to communicate to committees what issues he thinks are important. Problem is, once the 87th Texas Legislature gavels in, Bonnen will be gone. We have no way to know who will be the next Speaker. We don't know if it will even be a Republican next session. (Most likely will be a Republican, but the Dems are talking confidently about flipping the House.) The new Speaker could ignore all the committee work and move in new directions.
The Speaker is usually the source of campaign funds to support candidates of his party who need help in close districts. No one seemingly wants Bonnen's money. For next year's elections, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick has said he will fill that gap.
Ross Ramsey wrote a column on the subject for the Texas Tribune. CLICK HERE to read
his take.
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Distinguishing North Texas
Honoring State Senator Kelly Hancock
The 2019 Texas Health Resources Excellence in Public Service award was presented to Senator Kelly Hancock. Hancock represents Texas Senate District 9 which includes most of HEB. The award was presented by THR's CEO, Barclay Berdan, at THR's Harris Methodist Hospital, Alliance.
Berdan praised Senator Hancock for his work during the last four legislative sessions to dramatically reduce the practice of surprise billing. Surprise billing occurs when a patient in the hospital is treated by a medical practitioner who is not on the patient's insurance company's list of approved providers. The patient usually thought, because the hospital was on the list, he was being treated by approved physicians. The unauthorized provider did not bill the insurance company, but directly billed the patient. Largely through Senator Hancock's work, this practice is now illegal in Texas insurance plans. These cases now have to go to arbitration if they are not settled first. In his acceptance speech, Senator Hancock pointed out that 95% of potential surprise billing cases now are handled between the insurance company and the provider without the need for arbitration.
Senator Hancock was also commended for his work in passing two bills in the 86th Texas Legislature that resulted in hospitals acquiring additional federal funds for uncompensated emergency room care.
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Time to Reconsider
Onerous licensing requirements stymie workforce development
Governor Abbott has started the process of licensing reform by asking every department in Texas government to give him ideas on how they plan to limit regulations, reduce fees and, "where appropriate," remove licensing barriers for people with criminal records. It is a good start, but the Governor can't undo legislation.
Those released from prison in Texas who have completed all of their sentencing requirements are often unable to become employed because of licensing requirements that ban felons from obtaining a license to work. If they held an occupational license before their conviction, they can't get it back once released. Employers willing to hire returning inmates are libel to be sued if something goes wrong. These "get tough on crime" measures probably create a path back to jail for many.
The number of hours of training required to get a license in many fields is inconsistent with the need for training. The requirements are often set by professional trade organizations who look at them as a barrier to entry that keeps wages high for license holders.
Some professions need some additional licensing requirements, like roofers who have become notorious for storm chasing scams. Some that have licensing requirements probably don't need them.
Licensing reform needs to be addressed by the 87
th Texas Legislature. It should be a
non-partisan opportunity to get something good done in a session that promises to be dominated by partisan redistricting. Business will be interested because it is a workforce supply issue.
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The Chamber's Board has five goal teams. One of these teams is Business Advocacy, and it is chaired by
Howard Shotwell. The team's responsibilities include government relations, issues identification, identifying collaboration opportunities and ensuring Chamber members always have a "seat at the table."
We welcome your support! If you would like to get involved in the Chamber's business advocacy work, contact Mary Frazior, 817-283-1521,
[email protected].
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| We thank our business advocacy sponsors:
Sponsorship does not necessarily imply endorsement of the Chamber's policy positions. |
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The Chamber is 4-Star accredited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. |
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