TLA TEXLINE NO. 148
Posted: March 11, 2003
LEGISLATIVE ISSUES NETWORK
|
|
Budget and Bill Update
Agency budget hearings • Library- related bills
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission received the budget recommendations made by the House Appropriations General Government Subcommittee last Friday. The Subcommittee recommended funding levels as set out by the agency's Legislative Appropriations Request. Essentially, the recommendations called for $12 million in dedicated general revenue (direct Telecommunications Infrastructure Funding), assuming sufficient funds are available, for TexShare over the biennium. That funding, along with other funding sources included in the agency's budget, would fund TexShare at a level of approximately $7.5 million a year. Additionally, the Library Systems would be funded at $7.5 million a year, and Loan Star Libraries would be funded at $2.7 million a year. (For additional information on the agency's Legislative Appropriations Request, see Texline 144 at http://www.txla.org/pubs/texline/030302A.html.) The full Appropriations Committee then voted to accept the subcommittee's recommendations and include them in the bill pattern. The House Appropriations Committee must still develop a draft appropriations bill which must pass the House and then be reconciled with the Senate version.
The Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board received the budget recommendations made by the House Appropriations Education Subcommittee yesterday. The Subcommittee recommended the following budget allocations for FY04-FY05:
$204M for grants ($102M for K-12, $98M for "eligible entities", $1.2M for administration, and $3M for other); $240M in a direct appropriation to TEA; and $14M in direct appropriations to other agencies (presumably including TSLAC). The full Appropriations Committee then voted to accept the subcommittee's recommendations and include them in the bill pattern. The House Appropriations Committee must still develop a draft appropriations bill which must pass the House and then be reconciled with the Senate version.
The Texas Education Agency is scheduled for its hearing on Thursday.
At this time, no emergency measures have been filed to deal with the 2003 budget shortfall.
CALL TO ACTION:
On the Senate side, members of the Finance Committee have organized into working groups to deal with respective articles in the appropriations bill. Article I includes general government matters (Texas State Library and Archives Commission). Its members are Senators Kim Brimer (Chair), Todd Staples, and John Whitmire. Article III covers education (Texas Education Agency and Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund Board), and its members include Senators Florence Shapiro (Chair), Todd Staples, Royce West, Tommy Williams, and Eliot Shapleigh.
These working groups will begin to make budget recommendations for the agencies they cover. It is critical that you contact your legislators if they serve on any of these working groups and advocate for our agencies' budgets. If your senator is Teel Bivens, please contact his office about these budget matters as well. See Texline 145 and 146 for budget recommendations.
Contact Information. Please be sure to include your mailing address when you send letters.
Bills TLA Supports:
TLA is neutral on:
HB 854 (West). Relating to the eligibility of public schools and libraries for certain funds. The bill requires the creation and implementation of an Internet use policies in school and libraries in order for those institutions to be eligible for TIF grants. Referred to Regulated Industries.
TLA opposes:
HB 1635 (King) Relating to eliminating libraries from eligibility for TIF funding. Referred to Regulated Industries.
HB 1842 (West) Relating to requiring a separate area in a public library for adult and computer use. Referred to State Cultural and Recreational Resources.
Other bills TLA is monitoring:
Referred to County Affairs. Public hearing on 2/26. No action taken by the committee.HB 526 (Smith). Relating to the creation of reports on the vulnerability of local government computer systems and electronic data to harm allow unauthorized access.
HB 548 (Wohlgemuth). Relating to an exemption from the sales and use tax for certain assessments and fees related to telecommunications. Referred to Ways and Means.
HB 605 (Mowery). Relating to the number of administrators employed by a school district and the salaries paid to those person. Referred to Public Education.
HB 909 (Gallego)/SB 265. Relating to the continuation and functions of the State Board for Educator Certification. The bill includes provisions on how the Board should handle complaint, certification renewals, and public input. HB referred to Public Education. SB referred to Government Organization.
HB 1107 (Eissler). Relating to the minimum salary schedule for certain professional public school employees. Referred to Public Education.
HB 1228 (Pena). Relating to the salary paid to certain professional employees of public schools. Referred to Public Education.
HB 1253 (Crownover). Relating to the employment status and salary entitlement of public school educators.
HB 1367 (McReynolds) Relating to the minimum salary schedule for certain professional public school employees. Referred to Public Education.
HB 1576 (Gallego)/SB 555 (Shapleigh). Relating to the telecommunications planning and oversight council. HB referred to State Affairs. SB referred to State Affairs.
HB 1999 (Gutierrez). Relating to the compensation for public school classroom teachers and other educators. The bill would include career ladder salary supplement to the "gross monthly salary."
HB 2110 (Rangel). Relating to abolishing the State Board for Educator Certification and transferring its powers and duties to the commissioner of education at TEA.
SB 682 (Janek). Relating to a state allotment to school districts for teacher salaries. Referred to Education.
Bills related to TIF-funded projects
HB 1038 (Grusendorf)/SB 396 (Shapleigh) Relating to a technology immersion pilot project in public schools, wherein students would be provided with laptop computers. HB referred to Public Education. Hearing on 3/11. SB referred to Education.
SB 413 (Madla). Relating to the study of educational opportunities for emergency services personnel.
SB 699 (Shapleigh). Relating to the establishment of a public education Internet portal. Referred to Education.
TLA-Texline is an irregular publication of the Texas Library Association mailed directly to members interested in legislative and governmental issues affecting libraries. To subscribe--or to offer comments or suggestions-- contact Gloria Meraz, Director of Communications, Texas Library Association. Previous issues of Texline are archived on the TLA website.