REPRESENTATIVE SCHUBERT RELEASES FIRST STATEMENT ON SESSION

  

The 85th Texas Legislature formally dismissed on Memorial Day this past Monday after spending 140 days in the capital working on policy for the State.

In a press release from the office of Representative Leighton Schubert, the Texas House gave their overwhelming final approval to the state’s budget, Senate Bill 1, which “keeps state spending flat while making significant investments in critical priorities for our state.” There will be $217 billion spent in the budget over the next 2 years, “including $49.1 million to the state parks’ weather-related construction and repairs, $160 million for deferred maintenance at state schools and hospitals, $350 million towards TRS-Care, and an additional $22.9 million for community colleges.”

Schubert was quoted as stating that “crafting and passing the state budget was the most important thing we do as legislators, and I am satisfied this budget accomplishes as much as we could.” He added they had come in to the session facing a “considerable” budget shortfall, and that they had “balanced the budget while also addressing the critical needs” of the state.

Schubert served on the House Committee of County Affairs, which held multiple hearings over the “ongoing crisis at Child Protective Services (CPS),” and the new budget will provide an addition $508 million for CPS to address the shortfall of case workers. It is also to address assisting family who take in abused children, known as kinship care.

Schubert authored House Bill 848, which will allow smaller municipalities to have the ability to protect schools and youth-oriented areas from registered sex offenders. The bill, attached to another bill that successfully made it to Gov. Greg Abbot’s desk, awaits his signature.

Schubert had disappointments as well, suggesting one of his biggest was the failure of House Bill 21, which would have increased the “public education funding by $1.6 billion over the next two years and made necessary structural changes to the state school’s finance system.”

KWHI will have a full interview with Schubert next Monday regarding his take on the session.