With the 80th Legislature concluded, it's a good time to reflect on its achievements.  I've overseen a broad legislative agenda and am pleased that Bell County residents will see a number of benefits.


The Texas Legislature fully funded the local school property tax cuts. School property taxes were mandated to be reduced by one-third under our new school finance plan and local school funding replaced with state funding. We funded more than $14 billion in local school property tax reductions in the current state budget, which is an historic accomplishment.


I supported a constitutional amendment election to enable our elderly and disabled to see additional property tax reductions by fixing a problem in their current constitutional homestead exemption. The voters of Texas supported this change overwhelmingly on May 12 and it will go into effect this fall.


House Bill 125, which I've called "Dee's Bill," was the first bill I filed last Fall, and it has gone to the governor for his signature.  This legislation came about after visiting Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio with Dee Thurman, the wife of LTG James D. Thurman (former commanding general of the 4th Infantry Division at Fort Hood).


This legislation will ensure the availability of a college education for the children of catastrophically wounded soldiers.  As these heroes return, providing this benefit for their children is the least we can do to say "thank you", and take away one worry they may have as they work toward recovery.


Working with members of the First Baptist Church in Belton and the Gold Star Family Support Center at Fort Hood, I filed House Bill 2398 to establish a Gold Star Spouse and Family license plate.  This license plate should bring about greater awareness to the sacrifice that these families have made.


I also followed through on a pledge to address border security issues by tackling the growing problem of illegal "document mills". House Bill 126 empowers district and county attorneys to prosecute large scale government document fraud as an organized criminal activity and seek an enhanced penalty.


Senator Troy Fraser and I passed Senate Bill 1536, which will enable the City of Temple to move forward with the expansion of the northwest loop.  This is an important project and this legislation will provide the tools to finally get the job done.


I also supported Senate Bill 792, which created a two-year moratorium on comprehensive development agreements with private entities on highway toll projects and other important reforms on transportation projects.


Another priority that I helped see through was funding to make our Teacher Retirement System actuarially sound. Once the fund is restored to soundness, other legislation I supported will provide for the issuance of a 13th check to retirees.


I also authored House Bill 2399 to create grant-funded demonstration projects to develop model public teacher retention programs. My goal is to reestablish teaching as a profession one chooses for a lifetime.


I've made no secret of two of my top priorities going into the session: establishing a four-year medical school in Temple, and approving the conversion of the Tarleton State campus in Killeen to a stand-alone Texas A&M University - Central Texas.


The approved appropriations bill includes the $4 million for construction/leasing of a building, and $10 million for the program development that will lead to 100 new graduate medical education slots at the Temple campus within the Texas A&M University Health Science Center.


Texas A&M University - Central Texas will become a reality soon.  I worked with Representative Jimmie Don Aycock and Senator Troy Fraser to see this happen.  House Bill 589 will lower the student attendance threshold needed to achieve stand-alone status, and recognizes our diverse campus community by including Summer attendance within the calculation.


I must also point to the passage of the omnibus Medicaid reform waiver bill, Senate Bill 10, which I sponsored.  Central Texas is a leading player in the state's medical industry and Senate Bill 10 contains many important reforms that will benefit both health care and the taxpayers who pay for it.


This has been a productive and positive session for Bell County, and I appreciate working with and for you to achieve these results.

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