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AAUW Texas Spring Legislative Update
After the filing period for bills ended on March 10, legislative actions noticeably increased, allowing interested persons to follow the progress of specific bills. Our Legislative Advisory Committee consists of Mary Smith, Pat Sanford, Georgia Kimmel, Gloria Long, and Pat Rehm. Our Lobbyist, Kate Kuhlmann has given them a selected list of recommended bills related to our AAUW priorities, from which to work. At the same time, her staff at the HillCo Partners Firm has continued to provide timely information about legislative schedules and procedures. They intend to proceed in a non-partisan manner as they propose the support or opposition to specific bills.
AAUW Texas currently has five priority issues, which were selected in a statewide member survey early last fall. They include Women's Health and Reproductive Choice, Gun safety and Reduction in Gun Violence, Voting Rights and Election Law, Public Education, and Equal Pay.
Last month the Legislative Advisory Committee shared legislative alerts and updates with state AAUW members through periodic CONSTANT CONTACT emails from the Legislative Advisory Committee. The following topics were featured: Working with the LWV & Spring School Board Elections (March 3); International Women's Day (March 8); Equal Pay Day, the 2-Minute Activist & Paycheck Fairness Act (March 10); Opposition to the Governor's AntiVoucher/Educational Savings Account (March 23); and Cost-Of-Living Adjustment (COLA) & supplemental $$ to Retired Teachers (March 26).
As bills continue to progress through committees and hearings, AAUW members will be notified of the status of noteworthy bills to either support or oppose. Lawmakers have until May 29 to pass any bills during the regular legislative session and send them to Gov. Greg Abbott to sign into law. Specific bills can be tracked on the Texas Legislature Online website (TLO).
The League of Women Voters of Texas shares the first four of our priorities, and its members has been promoting HB 12 by Toni Rose, which extends post-partum Medicaid coverage from the current two months to 12 months, and has passed favorably out of committee. Pending in committee, but favored, is HB 2351, which would allow volunteer deputy registrars to renew their certificates by mail or email.
Also viewed favorably is HB 300 by Donna Howard, which promotes a sales and use tax exemption for certain family care items, along with her HB 70, which supports a sales and use tax exemption for certain feminine hygiene products. As of April 1, HB 300 was heading to the Senate, according to the Texas Tribune's 'The Brief on Texas Politics and Policy' for April 4. This is a bill that AAUW Texas also supports.
Both the LWV and we are opposing SB 8, the Governor's bill creating educational savings accounts, and HB 636, which would permit election judges with a license to carry their firearm in a polling location.
Lt. Governor Ken Patrick supports SB 10 by Joan Huffman to provide supplemental funding for retired teachers. All Senators signed this bill as co-authors! According to Kate Kuhlmann of HillCo Partners, “Huffman’s bill is one of the top priorities of this Senate. It provides $7.5k stipend for those eligible, 75 and older, a 2% COLA to eligible retirees between those who retired between September 2013 and January 1, 2022, and a 4% COLA for those who retired before September 2013. CS does not impact pension funds/unfunded liability; legislature will invest $4.7b to pay for these benefit enhancements to keep the actuarial soundness of the pension plan. The bill does not preclude legislators from giving additional funds in the future.”
House Speaker Dale Phelan is currently favoring three bills: HB15, to create the Mental Health & Brain Research Institute of Texas; HB 16, to improve services for children in the juvenile justice system; and HB 900, regarding regulation of books sold to or included in public school libraries. He also says that recent House Rules changes now allow services for Autism to be implemented (since March 8).
Tim Lee, Executive Director of the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA), announced on March 29 that in addition to the passage of SB 10, “the House Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services (PIFS) Committee passed its own TRS retiree benefit enhancement bill, HB 600. The bill will move to the House floor in the coming days. It includes a tiered COLA based on the number of years a TRS retiree has been retired, ranging from 6% down to 2%. The bill also includes an ongoing gain share COLA which would range between 1 and 2%, plus a $5,000 supplemental payment for TRS retirees aged 70 or older. It also proposes increases in active member and state contributions to the fund, raising them to 9%. The constitutional maximum is 10%."
At the Public Policy Zoom on March 28, several attendees named resources for legislative information that have been helpful to them in addition to the LWV, such as the Texas PTA, Every Texan, Texas Impact, Texas Freedom Network, and Texas Retired Teachers. Attendees agreed that including personal experiences is most effective in letters and other contacts with legislators. AAUW members are encouraged to get involved.
Submitted by Pat Rehm, AAUW Texas Public Policy Chair (New email address: rooster.rock11@gmail.com)
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