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Local state representatives return home
By Chris Roark and Dan Eakin, Staff Writers
After weeks of participating in the 81st Texas Legislature, lawmakers returned to their respective districts last week, including State Reps. Tan Parker (R-Flower Mound), Burt Solomons (R-Carrollton) and Myra Crownover (R-Lake Dallas).
Each of them offered an overview of accomplishments of the session, both of the entire legislature and their personal accomplishments.
Parker entered the session focused on addressing economic development and job creation, and he said he is pleased with the bill package he was able to pass.
Parker said he was happy to have a well-rounded bill package that addressed many social issues as well.
HB 2225 establishes an appointed commission to conduct a full review of the adoption process in Texas and to identify problem areas.
“I’ve been concerned about the number of children in the state’s custody,” Parker said. “We need to get those children in permanent, loving homes. We have more than 6,100 kids in state custody, and some will never have the opportunity to be in a loving home unless we do something about it. I’ve always wanted to make the adoption process easier and quicker, and I’m pleased that this bill got through.”
HB 1041 aims to prevent child sexual abuse through education. The bill directs school districts to place in their handbook information about child sexual abuse, as well as what the signs are and what to do if someone is suspected of being a victim.
HB 3108 establishes an appointed commission to review the state and lake recreational safety in the state, as well as make recommendations on how to improve boater safety. The number of boating deaths in Texas per capita is double the national average, Parker said.
And HB 2228 is designed to save taxpayer money spent on local elections by taking the scattered election dates currently used to create and re-up specially created municipal districts on fire control, emergency services, and crime prevention and creates a uniform election date for all three. This bill was part of the Flower Mound legislative priority list.
Parker, too, was honored for his work as he received a pro-taxpayer rating of 95.83 percent, according to the biennial ranking of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility.
Parker said the legislature was a positive one in terms of staying fiscally responsible, citing several steps that were taken. The general revenue fund spending was reduced by 1.9 percent, the rainy day fund was protected and the small business exemption was raised from $300,000 to $1 million, which means about 22,000 additional small businesses will no longer have to pay a franchise tax.
Parker also hailed legislation that provided $113 million for border security, increased teacher pay across the board and funded a tier one university.
Crownover was able to pass two pieces of legislation in mid-May that will positively affect the environment and ensure that Texas continues to lead the nation and the world in pioneering new energy production technology.
HB 2259, by Crownover provides for the first time a comprehensive solution to the ongoing problem of inactive and abandoned oil and gas wells. There are more than 100,000 "inactive" oil and gas wells in Texas and more than 6,000 "abandoned" wells.
These inactive and abandoned wells are not only an eyesore for landowners but are also potential sources of pollution and environmental degradation, Crownover said. HB 2259 directly addresses the problem of the more than 100,000 inactive wells by requiring the owners of those wells to either plug the well, prove that the well is safe and viable, or provide upfront the financial coverage necessary to plug the well at a later date. Furthermore, well owners are required to clean up and maintain the surface land where a well has been drilled.
"HB 2259 represents over two years of hard work between landowners, government, and industry and I am extremely proud to have been a part of this effort. I am glad to see landowners finally get some protection for their property and I am extremely pleased that the oil and gas industry has chosen to work with us on this legislation," Crownover said.
Senate Bill 1387, by Senator Kel Seliger, and carried by Crownover in the Texas House of Representatives, positions Texas to be the world leader in low carbon energy production. SB 1387 sets up a regulatory framework to allow for the underground storage of man-made carbon dioxide. This will allow electric power plants or other industry to reduce their carbon footprint by capturing the carbon dioxide they produce and storing it underground. Texas is uniquely positioned to take advantage of this technology. In the Permian Basin, Texas producers have been safely and effectively injecting carbon dioxide underground to increase oil production for more than 30 years. SB 1387 allows Texas to use its extensive experience with this technology to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide put into the atmosphere.
“Texas has always led the nation and the world in energy production. In that tradition, Senate Bill 1387 represents the model regulatory framework for the underground injection of carbon dioxide, and I am very proud of the hard work Senator Seliger and I put forth to pass this legislation,” said Crownover.
Crownover has represented District 64 in the Texas House of Representatives since 2000. House District 64 includes portions of Denton County, Denton, Lewisville, Lake Dallas, Corinth, Shady Shores, Hickory Creek, Lakewood Village, Little Elm, Oak Point, and The Colony.
Solomons said, “Although not every important issue was addressed this session, the
Legislature did pass some very good legislation that will make life better in general for the citizens of Texas. Just a few of these include:
* Increased funding again for Texas Border Security. During the past two
sessions, hundreds of millions of dollars have been dedicated to increasing
our border security to battle illegal immigration, drug traffic and other
border crimes.
* Passed a balanced state budget with no tax increases and expanded state
services. Texas is only one of a handful of states to achieve this goal.
* Reduced taxes for parents of school children by expanding school supplies
and backpacks to the state's School Sales Tax Holiday.
* Reduced state business taxes by increasing the exemptions for small
businesses.
* Reduced taxes on disabled veterans, and expanded tuition exemptions for
Texas military veterans.
* New safety protections for children from the cancer dangers of tanning salons.
* Without increasing taxes, increased Public School Funding by $1.9 billion,
including a teacher pay raise.
While the legislators were successful in reaching several goals, there was disappointment that others weren’t achieved. Among those was the failure for voter ID legislation to pass, which local lawmakers blame on a five-day filibuster by House Democrats.
Others had bills of their own they wanted to pass but weren’t able to because time ran out. Among those from Parker were various bills to create jobs and one that would remove an interest penalty assessed when someone chooses to develop land that has otherwise been designated for an agricultural purpose.
Asked what he was disappointed in about the last session, Solomons said, “First and foremost, it was heartbreaking that the "chubbing" of bills for 5 days at the end of session by a number of Democrats in order not to let the members of the Texas House vote on a Voter ID bill disrupted the normal order of business so much so that a number of other good solid pieces of legislation that would have helped Texans failed to pass. I was frustrated as well that we did not have an opportunity to pass needed TxDOT reforms, deal with certain illegal immigration issues in a responsible manner, and address the workings of the Texas Department of Insurance for the benefit of patients.”
Solomons added, “Also, I was very disappointed that Lt. Governor (David) Dewhurst did not allow the Senate to vote on balanced homeowner association reforms or a statutory "fix" to the funding of community and junior colleges. Once again, his action or lack of action during the session was a real and tangible disappointment to many of us in the Texas House.”
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