Capital Highlights
Governor completes task of signing, vetoing bills
Ed Sterling Texas Press Association

A USTIN - By June 15, two days before the veto deadline, Gov.

Rick Perry had signed

HB 1, the state's twoyear budget for 2008-2009, vetoed 53 bills and signed thousands of others.

Perry used the line-item veto to remove what he considers "pork" from the budget, but HB 1 still totals out at more than $150 billion.

Among aspects of HB 1 Perry praised are an increase in border security funding by more than $100 million, an additional $146 million in college financial aid, funding for a new motion picture incentive program, and more money for the Children's Health Insurance Program.

One of the bills Perry signed, HB 14, creates the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and dedicates $300 million in general obligation bonds to annually fund scientific research to find a cure for cancer.

But funding for HB 14 will depend on registered voters who participate in the constitutional amendment election Nov. 6. The ballot will include a proposition for authorization of $3 billion in general obligation bonds for use during a span of 10 years. Medicaid coverage to reach more

SB 10, authored by Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Lewisville, and Rep. Dianne

White Delisi, R-Temple, also got Perry's signature.

This law, which takes effect Sept. 1, expands the reach of Medicaid, giving health benefits to 200,000 more Texans than are presently uncovered.

Perry said SB 10 will:

t Help qualified people enroll in private insurance and employersponsored plans;

t Create tailored benefit packages for children with special health care needs;

t Promote consumer choice through health savings accounts and consumer directed services;

t Reward healthy lifestyle behaviors with health care incentives; and

t Set a cost-sharing base for non-emergency use of emergency rooms. Perry signs religious view act

The governor signed HB 3678 by Rep. Charlie Howard, RSugar Land, the

Religious Viewpoint Anti- Discrimination Act.

This act, which takes effect Sept. 1, requires school districts to adopt and implement a policy establishing a limited public forum for student speakers at school events.

Included in the bill is a model policy that districts may directly adopt or use for reference.

HB 3678 protects a student from being punished for expressing a religious viewpoint verbally or in a class assignment.

It also allows students to form prayer groups, religious clubs and "see-you-at-the-pole" gatherings before, during and after school to the same extent that students are permitted to organize other noncurricular student activities and groups.

Secretary of state resigns

Roger Williams on June 11 announced his resignation as secretary of state, effective July 1. Gov. Perry named his own deputy chief of staff Phil Wilson to succeed Williams.

Wilson earlier worked as the governor's communications director and previously was state director for then-U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas.

Williams served more than two years as Texas' 105th secretary of state. In that capacity he served as the state's chief election officer. He also worked to create jobs and develop the state's economy, leading business recruitment missions around the U.S. and trade promotion missions in Mexico, Canada and Japan.

TCEQ approves coal plants

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on June 13 overruled two State Office of Administrative Hearings judges in approving a permit allowing TXU to build two lignite coal-fired power plants in Robertson County.

Environmental groups and a number of state lawmakers and other public officials, mainly from the Austin area and Dallas-Fort Worth, have come out in opposition.

Objections to the plant have been lodged, citing the release of unhealthy levels of particulate matter, ozone, greenhouse gases and mercury.

TXU Power, a subsidiary of TXU Corp., released a statement lauding the decision to allow construction of the plants, saying, "The TCEQ has determined that the Oak Grove air permit will be protective of human health and the environment. This permit contains some of the cleanest emission standards ever set for a lignite power plant, and the plant will help meet Texas' near-term need for power."

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