|
ASSIST
and the Security Profession in Texas “Providing the Leadership and Vision for Today and Tomorrow” By
Bob Burt, ASSIST State President
Greetings ASSIST members.
As we go into 2011 and the 82nd legislature, our 31 state senators and 150 state representatives will spend 140 days tackling the key issues facing our great state of Texas. The process is much more difficult with the enormous number of bills being filed. Last session, a record 7,419 legislative bills were filed. By contrast, 100 years ago, that legislature filed just 981 bills and 50 years ago, only 1,616 bills were filed. With so many bills to consider, legislators are challenged to handle the tremendous volume.
Redistricting will be a major issue and one, I expect, that will consume a lot of time leaving little time for other business. Texas will gain four additional congressional seats. The question is how to fairly and responsibly adjust the boundaries of the existing 32 congressional districts to make room for the four new districts. In addition, our state legislative districts must be reapportioned to reflect the population changes that have occurred. The legislature will have to complete redistricting of the Texas House and Senate by the end of the regular session. If they fail to accomplish that, then the task will fall to the Legislative Redistricting Board, comprised of the house speaker, lieutenant governor, attorney general, comptroller and land commissioner. This is not an easy task as has been demonstrated in previous sessions.
The budget is always a major issue and it is no different this time. With a projected budget shortfall of a multi-billion dollar gap between expected state revenue and spending demands, funding priorities will have to be set. State agency budgets will probably be cut, funding for state projects and services most likely will go under the knife and even drastic measures may be implemented. State agencies have already made cuts of about $1.8 billion following a request to reduce their 2010-2011 budgets by 5 percent early last year. A request of an additional 2 to 3 percent is expected. Cost will now be the framework of many new proposals and legislation with a price tag will be in trouble before is starts. Hopefully, taxes will not be raised in this recovering economy. However, many tax proposals will be considered. Sales tax exemptions may be eliminated for goods and services not currently subject to tax.
The 81st legislature temporarily raised the revenue ceiling for a business to qualify for a total exemption from the business margins tax. That ceiling went from $300,000 to $1 million. On Jan. 1, 2012 that ceiling will fall to $600,000 unless this legislature extends the $1 million dollar exemption or makes it permanent.
Twenty-seven state agencies are up for Sunset review this session. The Texas Department of Insurance and the Office of Public Insurance Counsel and the Texas Department of Transportation will undergo a limited Sunset review because they were under review in the 81st legislative session and their bills were not heard. Agencies that oversee the environment and others are also up for review.
The Texas Department of Public Safety and the Private Security Board successfully underwent review last session.
Sunset review originated with the convention of 1974 and was adopted in 1977. The Texas Sunset Act required a periodic review of state agencies by the Sunset Advisory Review Commission. The agencies were to be abolished unless renewed by law. For these 27 agencies, this time will be much more difficult. Jonathon Bazan, intergovernmental affairs assistant for the city of Irving, likened the agency reviews, coupled with legislative redistricting and the budget gap to a �class five hurricane.�
Many other areas will also be visited. Criminal justice and public safety are always in the spotlight. Healthcare has always been a big topic and it�s even bigger now. Immigration and border security will be there. Public education will require attention. Don�t forget energy and the environment. They will be there too. That�s a lot to cover in 140 days.
So, as we have all of this to look forward to, ASSIST will be there as we always are. In previous sessions ASSIST supported a lot of good legislation. Some of it passed. Some of it didn�t. Most notably, during the 81st legislative session, HB3147 was one of the bills ASSIST supported. That legislation passed and made it a felony to take or attempt to take a weapon from a commissioned security officer. Other legislation passed in previous sessions provided for penalties for impersonating a security officer, allowing trained security officers to carry enhanced chemical dispensing devices and clarified situations whereby commissioned security officers could carry weapons. All of these good bills and many more became law because of the hard work done by ASSIST in initiating the process that ended with favorable results.
The ride along with the 82nd legislature will be exciting but, like the 81st before, it will make its own mark.
Bob Burt
ASSIST State President
(713) 944-6210 � [email protected]
|
