Alvarado Star (Alvarado, Tex.), Vol. 15, No. 36, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 19, 2011 Page: 5 of 14
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Thursday, May 19, 2011
www.alvaradostar.net
Alvarado Star ★ 5
News
■ STATE LEGISLATURE
Orr says: We can get it done without special sessions
By BRIAN PORTER
alvaradostar@thestargroup.com
The tales of multiple spe-
cial sessions being necessary
to complete the work of the
state legislature are greatly
exaggerated, according to
state Rep. Rob Orr, R-Burle-
son.
He has more faith in his fel-
low lawmakers than that.
“If we will pass Senate Bill
1811, I think we can pass a
budget that will fit within the
revenues we have,” he said.
“I don’t think we will have to
call a special session.”
The final day of the 82nd
state legislative session is
May 30. The House has
passed more than 1,000 bills
in a session that has includ-
ed budget deliberations at a
time when the state has faced
on of its most challenging fi-
nancial shortfalls and the is-
sue of redistricting.
Lawmakers should be able
to pass out the biennial bud-
get by the close of the regular
session, Orr said. If they can,
lawmakers should not be
called back for a special ses-
sion by Gov. Rick Perry, he
said, considering lawmakers
have passed through each of
his emergency items.
“I am optimistic we can get
the budget done,” Orr said.
Education funding
plan moves ahead
A joint resolution by Orr
could end up on election bal-
lots in the fall. HJR109 would
allow the General Land Office
to distribute revenue directly
to the Available School Fund
for education funding. It has
passed the House by a 147-0
vote.
The resolution next moves
to the Senate and would
then advance to voters in the
Nov. 8 election. It could pro-
vide several hundred million
dollars to the state’s public
schools without raising taxes,
according to Orr.
If the constitutional
amendment is approved
by voters, the School Land
Board will be able to trans-
fer funds directly from Per-
manent School Fund (PSF)
land or other properties the
board manages to the Avail-
able School Fund (ASF), an
endowment that puts money
directly into Texas public
schools.
“I am very pleased that my
colleagues recognized the
positive impact this will pro-
vide for our public schools,”
Orr said. “In a time when we
are searching for additional
funds for public education
without placing an additional
tax burden on our citizens, I
am proud to bring this pro-
posal forward.”
Session to remember
There is reason for resi-
dents in House District 58 to
celebrate.
Each bill filed this session
by Orr has made progress,
and he’s not a lawmaker with
the reputation for filing an
overabundance of unneces-
sary legislation. His bills, he
says, are meaningful.
“This has been one of the
most successful sessions I
have had,” Orr said. “Every
bill I was trying to pass has
had a hearing and has a Sen-
ate sponsor.”
It is the result of more ex-
perience working within the
Rep. Rob Orr
framework of the state legis-
lature, he said.
“I have built a relation-
ship with members that they
know if I am carrying a bill it
is good for Texas,” Orr said.
Gas bill would protect
residents
Natural gas drilling is big
business in Johnson County
and other areas of the Bar-
nett Shale.
A bill filed by Rep. Bill Kef-
fer, R-Eastland, would offer
protections to residents in
gas drilling regions by assur-
ing tap water is safe to drink.
HB 3328 would make Tex-
as the first state to require
gas drilling companies to
publicly disclose the contents
of fluids used in hydraulic
fracturing. There is concern
some toxic chemicals used in
the “fracing” process could
contaminate groundwater.
“I think its time,” Orr said.
“The oil and gas industry has
been very good for John-
son County and the Barnett
Shale. Oil and gas is impor-
tant, water is also important.”
It is important to consider
both products - oil and gas
and groundwater - are natu-
ral resources worth preserv-
ing, Orr said.
House passes sanctu-
ary city ban
There’s not a city placing
policies on law enforcement
officers in Johnson County
restricting them from enforc-
ing state and national immi-
gration law, Orr said.
State lawmakers want to be
sure that’s the case through-
out the state.
HB 12, prohibiting local en-
tities from explicitly barring
the enforcement of federal or
state immigration laws, has
passed the House. This bill
allows police officers to re-
quest the immigration status
of individuals who have been
lawfully taken into custody.
“Our officers are commit-
ted to upholding the law,
including immigration laws,
and being forced to comply
with local ordinances that
contradict state and federal
law is a grave disservice to
their profession and the citi-
zens of Texas,” said bill co-
author Rep. Stefani Carter,
R-Dallas.
If the bill were to become
law, officers would be given
strict guidelines in determin-
ing the immigration status of
detainees. In addition, any
entity that adopts a rule, or-
der, ordinance, or policy that
prohibits the enforcement of
state or federal law relating to
immigrants or immigration
is subsequently ineligible to
receive state grant funds.
“This helps standardize
procedures throughout the
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state of Texas,” Orr said.
But, some opponents of
the bill suggest immigration
laws are being enforced, cit-
ing the state leads the nation
deportations through the
federal Secure Communities
partnership. They say the
bill unfairly targets minori-
ties. Proponents suggest the
bill rectifies a growing con-
cern with the federal govern-
ment’s inability to secure the
southern border with Mexi-
co, and the bill demonstrates
the state’s commitment to
immigration laws already on
the books.
Comptroller: Economy
is improving
Texas Comptroller Susan
Combs has increased her bi-
ennial state revenue estimate
based on a strengthening
economy.
“I am raising the general
revenue estimate for the next
biennium by $1.2 billion,”
Combs said.
She maintains the estimate
is cautious, but considers im-
proving sales tax, oil and gas
production and motor vehi-
cle sales tax that will produce
more revenue than originally
anticipated.
The biennial revenue pro-
jections include an extra
$100 million for motor ve-
hicle sales tax and oil pro-
duction revenue is expected
to increase by $400 million.
The state continues to add
jobs, while the housing mar-
ket continues to be sluggish,
Combs said. The estimate
could change if the oil price
continues to rise, she said.
The report is good news
for Texas, Perry said, but not
reason to change course in
budget decisions.
“Just as Texas families
and employers have had to
tighten their belts during the
national recession, so must
state government,” he said.
“Because of our nation’s eco-
nomic uncertainty, looming
federal mandates and pos-
sible natural disasters, we
must protect the remaining
balance of the state’s Rainy
Day Fund. A budget that
drains the Rainy Day Fund,
depends on accounting gim-
micks or spends more than
available revenues is harmful
and unsustainable for tax-
payers, employers and state
lawmakers alike.”
He has pledged not to sign
a “partial state budget” or al-
low it to become law.
Tension running high
in House
With less than two weeks
left in the 82nd State Legis-
lature’s regular session and
with memories of 2009 lin-
gering, House Speaker Joe
Straus, R-San Antonio, has
asked lawmakers to stay the
course.
“We’ve already done a great
deal of work, yet in many
ways the most important
work is still ahead as confer-
ence committees meet, and
the House and Senate try to
reach consensus on a budget,
Sunset legislation, and many
other important measures
that we have passed already
this session,” he said. “Every
day of the legislative calendar
is precious.”
But, there has been some
concern recently with civility
in discourse.
“No matter how difficult
the issue, or how passionate
the views, I want us to con-
tinue to find ways to work to-
gether - as we have done in
meetings between members
of both parties in my office
and here on the House floor,”
he said.
Amendment would as-
sist veterans’ spouses
An infrequent unanimous
consent of all House and
Senate lawmakers may have
sent a message last week. A
joint resolution was passed
through both state cham-
bers to extend property tax
exemptions to the surviving
spouses of disabled veterans.
Currently, upon the death
of a 100 percent disabled
veteran, the spouse loses the
property tax exemption.
“The spouse has lived with
and been the caretaker of the
veteran in some cases for 30
or 40 years,” Orr said. “When
the veteran died they lost the
exemption. I think this was a
mistake in law.”
The item will be decided by
voters in the Nov. 8 election.
Hospital bill would help
Bosque County
A bill that has been signed
into law would provide assis-
tance to Bosque County and
other small, rural areas of the
state.
SB 894 will allow critical
access hospitals, sole com-
munity hospitals, and hospi-
tals located in counties with
a population of 50,000 or
less to directly employ physi-
cians.
Texas is one of the few
states that prohibits the em-
ployment of doctors by non-
physician entities. This policy
results in a shortage of phy-
sicians in many parts of the
state, the bill’s author stated.
“We’ve had a very difficult
time getting physicians in
rural areas,” Orr said. “Now
hospitals in these areas can
bring in doctors.”
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Parker, Kristi. Alvarado Star (Alvarado, Tex.), Vol. 15, No. 36, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 19, 2011, newspaper, May 19, 2011; Burleson, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth851526/m1/5/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Burleson Public Library.