State of Texas: House blocks plan to allow public money for private schools

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The Texas House of Representatives on Thursday voted to limit state money from investment private college vouchers or training financial savings accounts.

The transfer is a setback to one of Gov. Greg Abbott’s most sensible priorities to supply “school choice” with state-funded private college tuition subsidies.

The House authorized State Rep. Abel Herrero’s modification to the state funds on a bipartisan 86-52 vote. The modification prohibits the funds from investment “a school voucher, including an education savings account, tax credit scholarship program, or a grant or other similar program through which a child may use state money for non-public primary or secondary education.”

“These are public funds for public schools as is outlined and stated specifically in the Texas Constitution,” Herrero mentioned. “And for that, members, please stick with our public school teachers, our neighborhood schools, and our public charter schools and vote for this amendment.”

Freshman Republican Rep. Nate Schatzline attempted to make the case that permitting state money to pass to private schools would in fact assist public schools.

“The reality is that I believe that we have never seen any type of competition, harm an industry, our public schools are no different,” mentioned Schatzline in reaction to the modification.

Just sooner than the chamber voted at the modification, House Public Education Committee Chair Brad Buckley, R-Killeen, moved to desk the modification, arguing the problem can be absolute best debated in committee. The House voted towards his movement to desk.

“I feel like this process with this amendment turns things really in the wrong direction. It is the proverbial cart before the horse,” Buckley mentioned. “So with that I will respectfully oppose and speak against this amendment.”

But hours later, a vote within the Texas Senate introduced a far other consequence. In a birthday celebration line vote, senators handed Senate Bill 8, which most sensible Republicans name the “Parental Bill of Rights.” The invoice would create “education savings accounts” (ESAs), a most sensible precedence for Abbott.

Through the ones accounts, the state would spend part a thousand million greenbacks over the following two years to subsidize some households’ tutorial prices. Parents who want to switch their kids from public college to private college can be eligible to obtain $8,000 from the state to accomplish that.

Abbott has traveled across the state advocating for the “school choice” initiative, expending important non-public capital and making a bet the consultation at the factor.

A committee listening to scheduled for Tuesday may give any other indication of the outlook for ESAs this consultation. The House Public Education committee is anticipated to pay attention public testimony on legislation to create ESAs. The committee will make a decision whether or not that invoice advances to a vote within the complete House.

Gov. Abbott proclaims new tasks to combat fentanyl disaster

Abbott additionally made addressing the state’s “growing fentanyl crisis” as one of his key legislative priorities this consultation. On Thursday, he introduced further steps the state is taking to curb deaths from a drug that took the lives of 2,012 Texas final 12 months.

Speaking at a summit with state leaders, stakeholders and households of Texans who died from fentanyl poisoning, Abbott introduced the state can be shelling out tens of millions of greenbacks to take rapid motion whilst the legislature works on passing expenses aiming to curb the disaster.

The Republican governor directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to start distributing Narcan, an opioid reversal device, to each county in Texas. Additionally, he introduced the state unveiled a $10 million multimedia PSA-style marketing campaign to train Texans at the risks of the drug and the way to save you and opposite fentanyl deaths.

“We are eager to distribute life-saving medication to counteract the impacts of the fentanyl crisis,” TDEM Chief Kidd mentioned. “As we work together to help Texas communities combat these deadly drugs, I look forward to working with local officials and first responders to provide medication that reverses the deadly effects of opioids.”

The “One Pill Kills” marketing campaign can be made up of tv, radio and on-line public provider bulletins and is being led through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Proceeds from Texas’ settlements with pharmaceutical corporations and opioid producers are investment the $10 million effort.

During his State of the State cope with, Abbott expressed he desires prosecutors to give you the option to price those that make, distribute or promote fentanyl with homicide. Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, wrote SB 645 to accomplish that, which the Senate has already handed.

So a ways this consultation, dozens of expenses aiming to building up consciousness and save you deaths from fentanyl had been filed through groups of Republicans and Democrats operating in combination.

One bipartisan invoice written through Sen. Nathan Johnson, D-Dallas, and Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood would decriminalize fentanyl trying out strips and different equipment used to discover fentanyl in different medicine. It’s a measure the governor up to now antagonistic however now helps.

And because the utilization of the unlawful opioid rises among younger other people, there also are expenses aiming to take on the issue in schools.

SB 629 through Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, would retailer Narcan on Texas campuses, requiring college workforce to be skilled on how to use it.

Overdose deaths involving fentanyl higher through 89% in Texas from 2020 to 2021. And 99% of those deaths are unintended, in accordance to information supplied on the summit from the governor’s place of work, which cited the CDC and DEA on its knowledge.

“Each branch of our administration is informing Texans about this crisis and how they can avoid falling victim to deadly fentanyl,” mentioned Abbott all the way through the summit.

Ban on transgender formative years remedies passes Texas Senate

The Texas Senate authorized law Tuesday banning remedy choices for transgender younger other people, and it is going to in the long run observe to the ones already receiving that sort of well being care within the state after a reversal amongst Republican lawmakers.

Senate Bill 14, spearheaded through Republican State Sen. Donna Campbell of New Braunfels, handed through a vote of 19-12 alongside birthday celebration strains. The law now strikes to the Texas House of Representatives for debate, the place it has to transparent sooner than the governor can probably signal the invoice into legislation.

“Children who are on puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones need more counseling and love. They don’t need blades and drugs,” mentioned Campbell forward of the vote Tuesday.

The law features a quantity of provisions affecting the state’s medical doctors and the transgender minors they may deal with. It prohibits any person below 18 from receiving puberty-blocking medicine, hormone remedy or surgical procedures for “the purpose of transitioning a child’s biological sex.” Doctors may additionally lose their clinical license in Texas if they supply those choices, in accordance to the invoice. State medical insurance plans would additionally now not be ready to duvet this sort of care.

Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, delivered nearly quarter-hour of remarks explaining his opposition to the law sooner than the general vote took place. The conclusion of his speech drew loud cheers and applause from other people sitting within the Senate gallery Tuesday, which led to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick sounding his gavel a number of occasions attempting to quiet the chamber.

“Who are we protecting? It seems like it’s a moving target with this legislation, but what is clear to me is who we are targeting,” Menéndez mentioned. “This session, over 100 bills have been filed in the House and Senate that address the needs of the LGBTQ community, yet we choose to give the stage to the bills that exclude them.”

Menéndez additionally directed a message to transgender youngsters in Texas.

“I see you. Please know you have a lot of life to live. There are many people who love you, and you have much growth ahead of you,” he mentioned. “Please don’t let this or anything we do in this building discourage you from flourishing.”

Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, spoke towards the invoice, too, and directed phase of her feedback on the GOP lawmakers.

“I know you believe you’re acting heroically to protect children, and I know most of you have had little contact with transgender people and they scare you,” she mentioned. “But we have heard overwhelming evidence that the protection you imagine this bill would provide comes at the cruel expense of a small and already bullied class of Texas children.”

The senators voted alongside birthday celebration strains (19-11) Monday afternoon to take away an modification presented through Campbell, which particularly handed final week without a opposition. It would have created a “grandfather clause” to allow transgender minors who’re receiving this care 90 days sooner than the efficient date of the proposed legislation to proceed to accomplish that. However, the vote Monday ended in an about-face that stripped that exemption for some Texans to end their gender-affirming remedies.

Campbell known as the trade she presented final week a “surprise amendment” that ended up growing confusion amongst “communities,” which she cited as causes for taking flight it.

“The amendment was not discussed in committee, and there were so many questions that have been brought up since the amendment was put on that,” she mentioned Monday. “Out of respect for the body, we’re going to just take it down.”

Menéndez rose Monday to additionally discuss towards Campbell’s resolution to return and take away the “grandfather clause” modification. Last week she mentioned he labored along with her to craft that exemption. He known as the reversal “medically unwise” and “not a thoughtful or a kind thing to do” to the Texas kids recently receiving remedies and their households.

“I’m concerned that under the guise of protecting children, that we’re actually going to hurt many children and their families. Possibly some who will leave the state, and maybe that’s the overarching goal,” Menéndez mentioned.

If the law turns into legislation, it is going to pass into impact on Sept. 1 of this 12 months.

The invoice’s passage within the Texas Senate comes a couple of days after the popularity of International Transgender Day of Visibility, which is devoted to celebrating transgender other people and elevating consciousness of discrimination they face. President Joe Biden issued a proclamation for the day, bringing up the wave of transgender restrictions handed in numerous state legislatures around the nation.

“Transgender Americans shape our Nation’s soul — proudly serving in the military, curing deadly diseases, holding elected office, running thriving businesses, fighting for justice, raising families, and much more,” Biden wrote in his proclamation. “As kids, they deserve what every child deserves: the chance to learn in safe and supportive schools, to develop meaningful friendships, and to live openly and honestly. As adults, they deserve the same rights enjoyed by every American, including equal access to health care, housing, and jobs and the chance to age with grace as senior citizens. But today, too many transgender Americans are still denied those rights and freedoms.”

On Tuesday final week, a Texas House committee started its discussions on a spouse invoice to what handed within the Senate. Advocates for transgender Texans collected throughout the Texas Capitol in a single day after the top of that listening to, the place loads signed up to testify. House Bill 1686 through State Rep. Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, would limit physicians from offering gender transition surgical operation or “puberty blockers” to Texans below 18.

“This whole cottage industry operates without self regulation to the detriment of vulnerable children,” Oliverson tweeted Monday.

The House Committee on Public Health left that invoice pending as of March 28.

In a commentary despatched out Tuesday afternoon, Campbell mentioned, “I look forward to continuing to work with Rep. Tom Oliverson, a fellow physician and author of the House companion bill, as well as all relevant stakeholders as this legislation works its way through the Texas House so we can get a bill to Governor Abbott’s desk as quickly as possible.”

Senators on Wednesday handed a couple of expenses that may enact new penalties for drag-related occasions held within the state.

Lawmakers first authorized an expanded model of Senate Bill 12, which might make it a criminal offense to hang a drag display or every other performances regarded as openly sexual in the event that they’re in entrance of or may be able to be observed through minors. The invoice handed through a last vote of 20-11. It gained preliminary approval Tuesday after a aggravating trade all the way through a debate.

The law would levy a penalty of up to $10,000 towards any trade proprietor internet hosting a “sexually oriented performance” with any person who’s more youthful than 18 provide. A town or county would additionally now not be ready to host those types of performances on public belongings, in accordance to the proposal. The invoice defines “sexually oriented performance” as a “male performer exhibiting as a female, or a female performer exhibiting as a male” who “appeals to the prurient interest in sex.”

Drag performers may additionally face a prison misdemeanor price in the event that they carry out in entrance of kids or on public belongings, in accordance to the language in SB 12.

Following that vote Wednesday, the lawmakers additionally authorized Senate Bill 1601 through a vote of 19-10, with two senators balloting provide. This law would bring to an end state investment to any public library that hosts a kids’s studying match led through a drag performer.

Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, presented each expenses this consultation. He and different Republican lawmakers mentioned those restrictions are wanted to give protection to kids from irrelevant behavior and fabrics. However, Democrats and different advocates argue those measures are executive overreach focused on the LGBTQ+ neighborhood.

The House will now have to imagine and approve each items of law sooner than the governor can probably signal them into legislation.

Legislation to itemize clinical expenses meets opposition

State lawmakers and a consultant of the Texas Hospital Association expressed worry Monday about law that will require well being care suppliers to ship sufferers an itemized invoice when billing for clinical services and products, in accordance to testimony at a House Public Health Committee assembly.

House Bill 1973, through State Rep. Caroline Harris, R-Round Rock, mentioned a doctor would now not be allowed to pursue debt assortment towards a affected person with out offering an itemized invoice.

Currently sufferers can request an itemized invoice, however they don’t get it robotically, Harris mentioned.

“The lack of an itemized bill continues to hide actual prices from patients – even after they’re being told what they owe – and doesn’t allow patients a chance to check and make sure that the correct services were billed for,” Harris testified Monday on the Capitol. “I think we can all agree that transparency in health care is critical, especially when it comes to costs. Research shows that six out of 10 Americans have medical debt, and that 80% of hospital bills have errors.”

Harris, a freshman, mentioned she block-walked and knocked on 11,000 doorways, and the vast majority of her constituents need this law.

The itemized invoice would have to come with the volume the supplier would settle for as complete cost for every provider or provide, a simple language description of the price, and the billing codes and prices supplied to 3rd events interested by repayment, in accordance to the law.

A affected person may request the itemized invoice once more after it’s to begin with supplied, and the itemized invoice may well be despatched electronically or via a affected person portal, in accordance to the law.

Michelle Lindsley – who spoke on behalf of the Texas Hospital Association and Memorial Hermann Health System the place she is vice chairman of controlled care – registered and testified in opposition to the invoice.

Lindsley mentioned law would provide demanding situations to enforce, purpose confusion amongst sufferers and create further medical institution bills.  Memorial Hermann has greater than 1.6 million affected person encounters in line with 12 months, and no more than 2% of its sufferers request itemized expenses, she mentioned. An itemized invoice may well be two pages for outpatient services and products, or it may well be loads of pages for in-patient care, she mentioned.

The price charges famous in an itemized invoice additionally won’t mirror without equal value a affected person would want to pay as a result of of their medical insurance advantages or an up-front cost for services and products, which might lead to confusion, she mentioned.

“Under the proposed requirement, we estimated the cost to be upwards of $3 to $5 million annually,” Lindsley mentioned.

Lindsley mentioned the ones prices would duvet bettering the medical institution’s processes to ship itemized expenses, extra workforce to maintain extra affected person calls, making affected person portal area higher and sending probably huge and delicate paperwork during the U.S. qualified mail.

“Hospitals continue to be well intended and committed to transparency specific to a patient’s health care costs,” Lindsley mentioned. “We absolutely have opportunity to communicate better with our patients and Memorial Hermann continually reviews how we best maximize the many vehicles we have to share information.”

Rep. Tom Oliverson, R-Cypress, was once additionally bothered through the higher prices of offering voluminous itemization. Oliverson is an authorized clinical physician and anesthesiologist.

“If that becomes the law, and that increases their costs, then we all know how this game works, right?” Oliverson mentioned. “That just ends up getting passed along down the food chain, and ultimately everyone’s premiums go up as a result.”

Rep. Ann Johnson, D-Houston, additionally voiced worry concerning the have an effect on of the invoice on hospitals. Johnson, an lawyer, mentioned clinical expenses aren’t essentially related to expenses in different industries, corresponding to eating places. As an instance, Johnson mentioned an individual would now not be ready to perceive each price they incurred whilst below sedation in an running room.

“I don’t want to create a burden on hospitals to do something that, as we said, currently under law you can opt in and say, ‘I want it,’” Johnson mentioned all the way through the listening to.

Harris mentioned she was once open to recrafting language within the invoice to cope with problems raised through the medical institution trade and lawmakers.

Harris’ law follows a KXAN investigation right into a Williamson County medical institution that filed loads of complaints towards sufferers for unpaid clinical expenses. KXAN spoke with defendants in the ones small-claims circumstances who mentioned they struggled to get itemized invoices even after a number of makes an attempt.

Harris spoke in particular on the listening to about medical institution complaints originating in her district in Williamson County and one lady couldn’t get an itemized invoice sooner than getting sued.

“Instead of going to court, she decided to reach into her savings and pay that bill. She couldn’t get an itemized receipt, and she’s a single mom with three daughters,” Harris mentioned.

In 2021, Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, filed law equivalent to Harris’, however it didn’t go.

The present House invoice has an an identical counterpart within the senate – SB 490 through Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola – and Bettencourt is a co-author.

Harris’ invoice was once left pending in committee Monday. Her place of work will provide a committee change that may be voted on.