Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

_____________________ A PPROPRIATIONS
Health and Human Services Appropriation items vetoed by Governor Perry
PPROPRIATIONS ACT
77 th Texas Legislature
• Health and Human Services Commission: Reduced by $269,840,001 in All Funds, including
$107,747,112 in General Revenue Match for Medicaid. Authorizes the Health and Human Services
Commission to defer its August 2003 premium payment to the National Heritage Insurance Company
until September 2003 and provides that the August 2003 payment will be paid from fiscal year 2004
appropriations.
• Department of Human Services - for Payment of August 2003 Nursing Home Payment: Reduced by
$134,760,919 in All Funds, including $53,634,846 in General Revenue Match for Medicaid. Authorizes
the Texas Department of Human Services to defer its August 2003 nursing home payment until
September 2003, and provided that the August 2003 payment will be paid from fiscal year 2004
appropriations.
These veto actions delete appropriations contingent on the certification of additional revenue by the
comptroller. Deleting the above appropriations may allow the Contingency Reserve authorized by Article
IX, Section 10.06 to be funded instead. The reserve could be used to pay for the 25 th month of Medicaid or
be used for other unforeseen circumstances.
Education
S.B. 1 appropriated $48,680.9 million of All Funds for the 2002-2003 biennium for education agencies,
which is an increase of $3,441.6 million, or 7.6 percent, from the previous biennium. General Revenue and
General Revenue-Dedicated Funds appropriations total $38,222.5 million, an increase of $1,739.1 million,
or 4.8 percent, when compared to the 2000–2001 biennium.
The significant recommendations for public schools and retired teachers:
Provides sufficient General Revenue funding in the Foundation School Program to fund current legal
obligations incurred in the Instructional Facilities Allotment, increase formula funding to school districts to
address equity within the system, and provide funding for a school district health insurance program.
Provides an increase of $102 million General Revenue Funds for public school new textbook adoptions;.
Provides an increase of $900 million in Federal Funds for the Texas Education Agency for the School
Breakfast and School Lunch Programs, Special Education Grants, and programs for needy children.
Recommends a $376 million General Revenue Funds increase over fiscal years 2000-2001 to cover a
projected deficit in the Teacher Retirement System-Care retiree health insurance fund and a $232.5 million
General Revenue Funds increase for contributions to the Teacher Retirement System to help fund payroll
growth in public and higher education.
The significant recommendations for public higher education:
Senate Research Center 12