Suspending limitations on conference committee
jurisdiction, H.B. No. 7
By: Bivins S.R. No. 1039
SENATE RESOLUTION
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Texas, 78th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, That Senate Rules 12.03 and
12.04 be suspended in part as provided by Senate Rule 12.08 to
enable the conference committee appointed to resolve the
differences on House Bill No. 7, relating to making supplemental
appropriations and making reductions in current appropriations,
to consider and take action on the following matters:
(1) Senate Rules 12.03(1) and 12.04(2) are suspended to
permit the committee to decrease the amount of the appropriation
in SECTION 1 of the bill so that SECTION 1 reads as follows:
SECTION 1. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION:
MEDICAID ACUTE CARE COSTS. Out of the Economic Stabilization
Fund 0599, the amount of $406,748,606 is appropriated to the
Health and Human Services Commission for use during the remainder
of the state fiscal year ending August 31, 2003, for the purpose
of providing services under the state Medicaid acute care
program.
Explanation: It is necessary to decrease the amount of
the appropriation to take into account the unexpectedly more
favorable federal match rate for Medicaid.
(2) Senate Rule 12.03(2) is suspended to permit the
committee to omit SECTION 1(b) of the bill which reads as
follows:
(b) The money described by Subsection (a) of this section
may be expended only for the purpose described by Subsection (a)
of this section and only if:
(1) Medicaid expenditures exceed otherwise
available revenue because of changes in caseloads or costs or
because of a lower federal match rate; and
(2) the Health and Human Services Commission has
used all revenue available and appropriated to the Medicaid
program, including but not limited to premium credits and vendor
drug rebates.
Explanation: It is necessary to omit the text to ensure
that the appropriations made by the bill in relation to the state
Medicaid program have the effect of increasing the availability
of undedicated general revenue.
(3) Senate Rules 12.03(3) and (4) are suspended to permit
the committee to add a new SECTION 3 of the bill to read as
follows:
SECTION 3. LAPSE TO UNDEDICATED GENERAL REVENUE. This
section is for informational purposes only. It is the intent of
the legislature that the implementation of Sections 1 and 2 of
this Act increase the availability of undedicated general
revenue by approximately $127,448,606 by the end of the state
fiscal year ending August 31, 2003.
Explanation: It is necessary to add the text to ensure
that the appropriations made by the bill in relation to the state
Medicaid program have the effect of increasing the availability
of undedicated general revenue.
(4) Senate Rule 12.04(4) is suspended to permit the
committee to increase the amount of the appropriation in SECTION
8(a) of the bill so that SECTION 8(a) reads as follows:
(a) Out of the Economic Stabilization Fund 0599, and in
addition to other amounts appropriated for this purpose, the
amount of $516,000,000 is appropriated to the Teacher Retirement
System for use during the state fiscal biennium beginning
September 1, 2003, for the purpose of funding the TRS-Care
retiree health insurance program.
Explanation: It is necessary to increase the amount of
the appropriation to ensure the solvency of the TRS-Care retiree
health insurance program.
(5) Senate Rules 12.03(3) and (4) and 12.04(5) are
suspended to permit the committee to make a new appropriation by
adding a new SECTION 12 of the bill to read as follows:
SECTION 12. STATE COMMISSION ON JUDICIAL CONDUCT:
MISCONDUCT PROCEEDINGS. Out of the Economic Stabilization Fund
0599, the amount of $44,000 is appropriated to the State
Commission on Judicial Conduct for use during the remainder of
the state fiscal year ending August 31, 2003, for purposes
related to conducting misconduct proceedings.
Explanation: It is necessary to make the new
appropriation to allow the State Commission on Judicial Conduct
to pay costs associated with certain misconduct proceedings.
_______________________________
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on June 1, 2003, by the
following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate