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AUSTIN—The Texas Senate approved a $117.7 billion
budget for the next two years that would take away prescription drug
coverage from more than 200,000 Texans and cut other health care benefits
for the poor.
The House, which already has approved its own budget proposal, was
expected to reject the Senate version. That would result in Lt. Gov.
David Dewhurst and House Speaker Tom Craddick naming a conference
committee to reconcile the differences.
In a 25-5 vote on April 29, the Senate approved a budget that cuts
spending for health and human services instead of raising taxes, a move
that drew a stern word of rebuke from the former lieutenant governor.
“I wish I could say I was proud of this product. I can’t say it.
I don’t think it’s worthy of the great state of Texas,” said Sen. Bill
Ratliff, R-Mt. Pleasant, who served as chairman of the Senate Finance
Committee from 1997 to 2000.
Ratliff, who reluctantly voted for the budget, told his Senate
colleagues they should have stood “shoulder to shoulder” and forced the
House of Representatives to send them a tax increase rather than a plan
slashing services. The Texas Constitution requires all revenue measures to
originate in the House.
The Senate budget would result in about 17,000 elderly and disabled
people losing home health care service, compared to the 56,000 who would
lose services in the House version of the budget.
About 13,500 women on Medicaid would lose prenatal, labor and delivery
coverage in the Senate budget, compared to 17,000 in the House
proposal.
While the Senate budget did not cut as deep into some social programs
as the House version, it still denies temporary Medicaid coverage to about
10,000 parents and creates a shortfall of 412,000 vaccine doses for child
immunization programs.
“In a state that is better at vaccinating cattle than immunizing
children against deadly diseases, something is very wrong,” said Phil
Strickland, director of the Baptist General Convention of Texas Christian
Life Commission.
“The Texas deficit has become the defining moment for Texas
legislators. It is defining those legislators who will stay on the
side of political safety by chanting ‘no new taxes,’ no matter what. And
it is defining those few legislators who are emerging as true statesmen
because they care deeply about the needs of children.”
Strickland urged Texas Baptists and other concerned citizens to contact
their elected representatives, particularly those who are named to the
budget conference committee, and register their concerns about cutting
programs benefiting children and the poor.
“Do we want the reputation of being the state with the least
compassion? Do we believe that we can ignore the needs of children now
without paying for that in the future?” Strickland asked. “We
desperately need statesmen who will deal with the deficit with wisdom and
a view to the future. May they emerge quickly.”
Also in the Senate, gambling opponents won a key victory in committee
hearings on the Lottery Commission Sunset Bill. But a floor fight is
still expected, according to Suzii Paynter, director of citizenship and
public policy for the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission.
Mike Jackson, R-Pasadena, succeeded in quashing any efforts to attach
gambling expansion amendments to a bill reauthorizing the Texas Lottery
Commission. However, lawmakers introduced 11 amendments before withdrawing
them at the request of the bill’s author.
“The unique thing about Sunset bills is that no amendments can be added
on the floor that were not brought up in committee. This indicates
to me that 11 types of gambling expansion are likely to be brought up on
the floor of the Senate,” Paynter said.
“This is a time for citizen response, letting lawmaker know we oppose
any expansion of gambling in Texas.”
In other legislative developments:
--A committee substitute version of a voucher bill was reported
favorably out of the House Public Education Committee and has been sent to
the Calendars Committee. The committee substitute version of HB 2465 would
establish the “Education Freedom Program,” providing tax dollars to
eligible students so they can attend private parochial schools.
--A bill allowing life without parole as a sentencing option in capital
murder cases remains pending in the Senate, following public hearings in
the Criminal Justice Committee.
--The House approved to a bill requiring women who seek abortions to
wait 24 hours and be exposed to information about fetal development and
abortion alternatives before their pregnancy can be terminated.
--A bill that would have prohibited homosexuals from serving as foster
parents stalled in a House committee. The House State Affairs
Committee heard lengthy testimony opposing the bill, and Committee
Chairman Ken Marchant, R-Carrollton, chose not to bring it up for a vote
because it lacked support from committee members.
--The Senate approved a bill mandating a moment of silence in public
schools for reflection or prayer and requiring the Pledge of Allegiance to
be recited. The bill is pending in the House.
--The Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits same-sex marriages or
recognized civil unions, passed the Senate and is pending in the
House.
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