Capital Highlights
Lawmakers hear about abuses at commission facilities
Ed Sterling Texas Press Association

A USTIN - Reports of sex abuse, beatings and allegations of official

cover-ups in the Texas

Youth Commission surfaced in late February, dominated the news in early March, and are expected to continue.

Seventy law enforcement officers and other officials under the direction of special master Jay Kimbrough fanned out to the 23 TYC facilities across the state. Their mission is to gather information about the goings-on at those facilities and to gather reports alleging abuse of inmates.

The Joint Committee on Operation and Management of the Texas Youth Commission summoned TYC board members to the Capitol to testify in a March 8 public hearing.

This special committee of seven state representatives and seven state senators heard testimony and asked questions to pinpoint wrongdoing, to identify and remove wrongdoers, to correct problems and to prevent future wrongdoing.

One widely reported finding aired at the four-hour hearing was that the TYC hired a convicted sex offender as a guard, and that agency policy allows the hiring of a convicted felon if a top TYC official approves. Another finding regarded a former TYC official living with a 16-year-old inmate.

The committee also heard about a TYC official who, against a recent order by Kimbrough, shredded official documents.

Committee members took a vote expressing "no confidence" in the TYC board of directors.

Kimbrough, appointed in early March by Gov. Rick Perry to oversee the TYC and manage the investigation, told the panel of lawmakers that he is building a file of complaints from former TYC employees and inmates.

The TYC activated 866-477-8354, a 24-hour, toll-free hotline for people to report allegations of mistreatment of youth in TYC. The number is available to youth in TYC using dormitory phones.

More than 750 complaints have already been filed. Bill filing deadline arrives

Day 60 of the 140-day regular session of the 80th Texas Legislature, the bill-filing deadline, was March 9. The totals of legislation filed this session are in: 3,977 House bills and 1,944 Senate bills, for a combined total of 5,921 bills. This is a 13 percent increase over the 2005 bill count.

The session ends May 28. CHIP bill may alter re-qual rules

CHIP bill may alter

re-qual rules

Families that get insurance for their children under the state Children's Health Insurance Program would have to re-qualify once a year instead of every six months under pending legislation.

And, the present 90-day waiting period to receive benefits would be done away with.

Houston Reps. Sylvester Turner, a Democrat, and John Davis, a Republican, and House Human Services committee chairman Patrick Rose, D-Dripping Springs, pooled their skills in a compromise bill that was voted favorably from the committee and soon may be scheduled for House floor debate.

Points of contention may arise over level of family income and other factors. Senators file casino legislation

The Lone Star State someday might be home to as many as a dozen gambling casinos under a proposed constitutional amendment and enabling legislation filed by Sens. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, and John Carona, R-Dallas.

The voters of Texas ultimately would decide. The constitutional amendment, if passed by the Legislature, would be on the ballot next fall.

Casino opponents have said gambling establishments attract crime. Proponents say Texas casinos would lure back home Texan residents who patronize casinos in Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Louisiana and other states. Ellis and Carona estimate the casinos could bring as much as $45 billion a year in new economic activity.

The legislation has an education "carrot." Casinos would contribute $1 billion a year to hold tuition costs down at Texas public colleges and universities.

And, the legislation would allow currently illegal video lottery terminals at horse and dog racing tracks.

Senator files tuition freeze bill

Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Dallas, filed Senate Bill 100, legislation that would freeze tuition for an incoming freshman enrolled in a fouryear degree program at a public university.

Ed Sterling is director of member services for the Texas Press Association in Austin.