AUSTIN — Last week, the Senate Finance Committee began groundwork for its budget-writing duties with public hearings on four consecutive days. Led by Chairwoman Jane Nelson, R-Grapevine, the 15-member panel heard testimony from the offices of the governor, comptroller and attorney general. Input also was received on state pension funds, courts and payments on state debt. Currently, the budget is an estimated $4.5 billion for all of those “general government” functions and an increase of $200 million has been proposed for 2016-2017. The panel also received testimony on the state government’s fraud and corruption investigation body that for three decades has been a division of the Travis County District Attorney’s Office. Then-Gov. Rick Perry’s veto of the Public Integrity Unit’s funding in 2013 is the subject of ongoing court action. Nelson said no funding for the unit had yet been placed in the budget. Meanwhile, in the Senate Transportation Committee, Chairman Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, said voters could decide via constitutional amendment whether to set aside revenue from the state motor vehicle sales tax as a longterm way to fund road and bridge maintenance and construction overseen by the Texas Department of Transportation. Such revenue could amount to more than $2 billion a year, he said. Chris Kyle day proclaimed Gov. Greg Abbott proclaimed Feb. 2 as Chris Kyle Day in honor of the former U.S. Navy SEAL credited as the U.S. military’s most prolific sniper. Kyle, who retired in 2009 and was living with his family in Midlothian, was shot and killed along with fellow Texan Chad Littlefield at a shooting range in Erath County on Feb. 2, 2013. Ten days later, Kyle was buried with full honors in the Texas State Cemetery. Abbott called Kyle “the face of a larger force for freedom that has made this country the bravest, strongest and freest in the history of the world,” and added, “Today, we commemorate his passing, and we honor his service and the service of his comrades in arms who have joined him to defend our great nation.” Patrick moves on gun bills Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who earlier suggested he was not aware of enough support to bring up concealed handgun legislation, on Feb. 2 referred two such bills to the body’s State Affairs Committee: SB 342, relating to providing for the open and concealed carrying of handguns without a license and to related offenses and penalties; and SB 346, relating to the authority of a person who is licensed to carry a handgun to openly carry a holstered handgun. Also, Patrick asked the committee’s chair, Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, to schedule a hearing as soon as possible on SB 11, the “campus carry” bill. Speaker announces chairs Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, on Feb. 4 named 38 standing committees of the Texas House of Representatives. Straus named as chairs the following House members: Tracy O. King, D-Batesville, Agriculture & Livestock; John Otto, R-Dayton, Appropriations; Rene Oliveira, D-Brownsville, Business & Industry; Todd Hunter, R-Corpus Christi, Calendars; Jim Murphy, R-Houston, Corrections; Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, County Affairs; Abel Herrero, D-Robstown, Criminal Jurisprudence; Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City, Culture, Recreation & Tourism; Susan King, R-Abilene, Defense & Veterans’ Affairs; Angie Chen Button, R-Richardson, Economic & Small Business Development; Jodie Laubenberg, R-Parker, Elections; and Drew Darby, R-San Angelo, Energy Resources; Also, Geanie Morrison, R-Victoria, Environmental Regulation; John Kuempel, R-Seguin, General Investigating & Ethics; Gary Elkins, R-Houston, Government Transparency & Operation; John Zerwas, R-Richmond, Higher Education; Larry Phillips, R-Sherman, Homeland Security & Public Safety; Charlie Geren, R-River Oaks, House Administration; Richard Raymond, D-Laredo, Human Services; John Frullo, R-Lubbock, Insurance; Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, International Trade & Intergovernmental Relations; Tan Parker, R-Flower Mound, Investments & Financial Services; John Smithee, R-Amarillo, Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence; and Harold Dutton Jr., D-Houston, Juvenile Justice & Family Issues; And, Joe Deshotel, D-Beaumont, Land & Resource Management; Wayne Smith, R-Baytown, Licensing & Administrative Procedures; Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, Local & Consent Calendars; Jim Keffer, R-Eastland, Natural Resources; Dan Flynn, R-Van, Pensions; Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, Public Education; Myra Crownover, R-Denton, Public Health; J.M. Lozano, R-Kingsville, Redistricting; Ruth Jones McClendon, D-San Antonio, Rules & Resolutions; Doug Miller, R-New Braunfels, Special Purpose Districts; Byron Cook, R-Corsicana, State Affairs; Joe Pickett, D-El Paso, Transportation; Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, Urban Affairs; and Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, Ways & Means. In addition, Straus named two select committees and chairs: Rep. Allen Fletcher, R-Tomball, chair, House Select Committee on Emerging Issues in Texas Law Enforcement; and Rep. Phil King, R-Weatherford, chair, House Select Committee on State and Federal Power and Responsibility.
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