On January 9th the Texas Legislature will convene for the 80th Regular Session. The 140 days that comprise the regular session will certainly be busy ones. Because the legislature meets in regular session only once every two years, all of the public's legislative business has to be completed during this narrow window. This includes writing a new state budget to fund our citizen's top priorities.

Passing a biennial state budget is the one task that must be completed prior to adjournment. Careful management of current state spending levels and ongoing growth in the Texas economy have provided legislators a somewhat brighter revenue forecast for the next session.

My two top priorities for the new budget both revolve around public education. First, I am committed to restoring the actuarial soundness of Texas' Teacher Retirement System (TRS). The current estimate is that this may take additional funding of around $550 million over the State of Texas' current contribution to the fund. Future increases in teacher retirement benefits hinge upon the TRS fund being restored.


Next, in 2006 the Texas legislature adopted a new school finance system that mandates lowered school property tax rates. I am steadfast in ensuring that the state funding pledged to further reductions in local school property taxes remains in place.


Another priority of mine is to ensure the local school property tax reductions which became law in 2006 are also extended those Texans who have an elderly and disabled homestead exemption on their residence. This will require a change in both current state homestead exemption laws and the Texas Constitution, and I am a coauthor of legislation to do both. My hope is that this legislation is approved early enough in the session to have the constitutional amendment election on the ballot this spring. This would enable the tax relief for these elderly and disabled homeowners to go into effect prior to the next school year.


Assisting the dedicated men and women of our United States Armed Forces remains a principal legislative concern. Military personnel and their families give us more than we can ever hope to give back. My first piece of legislation filed for the upcoming session expands the college benefits now offered to Texas military veterans under the Hazlewood Act (Chapter 54 of the Texas Education Code). The Hazlewood Act contains a provision that offers assistance with college for the children of Texas veterans who die of an injury or illness directly related to their military service. My proposed legislation makes the same benefit available to children whose military parent survived their service-related injury or illness, but was left permanently disabled.


Improving border security is also of importance to me. I have filed two pieces of legislation on this topic already. One would establish a commonsensical requirement that state agencies prepare an accurate estimate of the costs incurred in providing services to those within our nation illegally. The other targets illegal document mills by making the crime of tampering with a governmental record subject to a penalty enhancement under Texas' organized crime laws.


I am also working on comprehensive legislation to promote the greater use of electronic medical records in our state. A seamless system of portable electronic medical records has great potential to both improve medical care and save health care costs. Such a system would also serve the state well in our hurricane preparation efforts.


I look forward to hearing from the people of Bell County during the next session. My job is to serve as your voice in Austin on the important issues facing Texas' future. Your thoughts and ideas are always welcome – because you are the reason I am here.

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