March 15, 2019 - How time flies! We are almost half way through the 86th Legislative Session. Last Friday was the bill filing deadline and once that deadline had come and gone, there were 7,281 bills and constitutional amendments filed in the House and Senate. While a number of them are duplicates or companions, that is still a lot of legislation to work through.
This week, the House announced HB 9, which will provide a long term solution for the Teacher Retirement System. It will increase the state's contribution from the current 6.8% to 8.8%, which will allow the fund to reach actuarial soundness within by 2021. It also authorizes a 13th check beginning in 2021. These are important measures to make good on the promises that we have made to so many retired educators. I am proud to support this legislation and am proud of the legacy that the House has of fighting for our retired teachers.
This week, I continued presenting bills to committees. I laid out bills relating to the Sunset review of the Historical Commission, Medical Board and Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner. My fellow Sunset Commission members laid out several other bills relating to accountants, plumbers, land surveyors, geoscientists, mental health professionals, and real estate professionals. I am pleased with the progress that we are making to ensure that these agencies are operating in the most efficient manner possible and look forward to hearing more important bills in the coming weeks.
Even though next week is spring break for many, the House will begin debating legislation. I look forward to this point in session because it is when we are able to make sure that good legislation is advancing while also working to make certain the bad ideas are staying put. You can always find the schedule of debate for the House at house.texas.gov/schedules.
If you have any questions or concerns about legislation scheduled for a hearing in a committee or debate on the floor, please reach out to me at 512-463-0556 or district.paddie@house.texas.gov.
