Tuesday I attended the Texas Public Policy Foundation‘s Legislative Update following the close of the regular 85th Texas Legislative Session. I meant to live-blog it, but I neglected to get the WiFi password before it started, so I ended up live-tweeting it from my iPhone instead.
So here’s a recap in tweet form of what was discussed.
The panel was introduced by TPPF Executive Vice President Dr. Kevin Roberts.
Most bills filed this session didn't pass. #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
.@TPPF's Kevin Roberts on the #txlege regular session that ended last week: "As conservatives, we're happy the government went home."
— Cassi Pollock (@cassi_pollock) June 6, 2017
Next was Dr. Vance Ginn, economist at the center for Public Policy.
.@VanceGinn at #TPPFLegUpdate: Purpose of government is to preserve Liberty.
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
.@VanceGinn: 1 of our priorities was passing a conservative spending limit. #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
.@VanceGinn Only 45% of state spending is covered by constitutional spending limit. #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
SB9 would have expanded limit to 55% of budget. Didn't pass. @VanceGinn #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
Government spending is at 11% above inflation plus population growth. @VanceGinn #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
#Texas model works best. @VanceGinn #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
#Texas unemployment rate has been at or below 5% for 34 straight months. #TPPFLegUpdate #txlege https://t.co/BnK6SRWeaQ
— Vance Ginn (@VanceGinn) June 6, 2017
Overspending amounts to $22 billion this biennium or $1,600 per avg family of four. #TPPFLegUpdate #txlege https://t.co/x2TbUc1yhj
— Vance Ginn (@VanceGinn) June 6, 2017
Next was James Quintero, who you may remember from this interview on the Texas municipal debt crisis.
New byword at the Texas Capitol is Liberty. #Ridesharing #uber #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
HB100 pushed for a low regulatory environment. Good first step. -JQ #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
Tried to get through reduction in local debt. Didn't pass. #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
Got close on local debt reform. Next session: Pushing for teeth, transparency. Add tax increase to ballot language #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
Defined benefit pensions are a big issue.need defined contribution. #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
Defined contribution stalled, but got modest reform in #Houston. #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
Forced annexation reform is in the unfinished bucket. #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
Annexation reform filibustered in the Senate. #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
Property tax reform disn't make it. @GovAbbott has press conference scheduled today. #specialsession #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
That was Gov. Abbott’s call for a special session, and one of the items on his agenda was indeed property tax reform.
Next was Stephanie Matthews, Senior Policy Advisor of the Center for Education Freedom.
.@TXEdFreedom supporting #ESA #vouchers #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
ESA mentioned here stands for Education Savings Accounts.
Special needs parents big behind #vouchers. @TXEdFreedom #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
.@DanPatrick big behind #vouchers and education reform. @TXEdFreedom #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
Once again, Joe Straus House killed #SchoolChoice. @TXEdFreedom #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
House threatened to kill bill over pilot funding for #SchoolChoice for 6000 special need kids. #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
Next was Dr. Derek Cohen, Deputy Director of the Center for Effective Justice.
.@CohenAtTPPF Let's lock up the violent offenders and look at the rest. #CriminalJusticeReform #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
Now talking about #CivilForfiture reform. @CohenAtTPPF #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
Passed: Probation reform. @CohenAtTPPF #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
.@MADDOnline supported 1 time DUI reform. @CohenAtTPPF #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
#CriminalJusticeReform meant money saved in extra prison capacity. @CohenAtTPPF #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
The final panelist was Brandon Logan, Director of the Center for Families and Children.
State has a one size fits all approach to child neglect and abuse. @TPPF #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
Actual child abusers amounts to 15% of #Texas #childwelfare cases. Most are neglect cases. #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
#Texas has tripled CPS funding, doubled case workers, only 10% more children seen. #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
CPS needs reform, not a check. #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
CPS is a broken system. Reform was a priority for @GovAbbott this session. Small victories. #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
Gov should remove child only if they were in danger of immediate abuse. #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
"Predictive analytics": Government Predicting which parents will abuse their children. #FutureCrime #TPPFLegUpdate
— BattleSwarm (@BattleSwarmBlog) June 6, 2017
In case it’s unclear from the tweet, Logan was not enthused at the prospect of CPS using predictive analytics.
I hope these tweets give you at least the gist of what was discussed.
If you want to attend yourself, the Legislative Update has other dates around the state open to the public, so sign up for free tickets in advance if you’re interested.