Texas Senate Moves Quickly on Sunset Bills

The Texas Senate is expected to vote Wednesday on sunset review legislation to keep the Texas Medical Board and Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists in operation beyond September.

A committee Tuesday unanimously approved the bills on the first day of the 30-day special session which is costing taxpayers roughly $1 million. However, Friendswood Republican Larry Taylor questioned whether the House version of sunset was too watered down.

“It's my understanding we are just moving this to 2019 so we get to attempt to do this all again and we just wasted the sunset commission staff's time, now we're just going to have them do some of the same stuff again, I'd like to see the real bill,” Taylor told colleagues on the Business and Commerce Committee.

Houston Democrat John Whitmire echoed those same sentiments.

“I was sitting here believing that when it comes back from the House it will be more detailed and a more pure sunset process,” he said.

Governor Greg Abbott has told lawmakers the sunset legislation had to be approved before any other items could come up.  Since the legislation failed during regular session, lawmakers also must find funding to keep the boards going.

“In the event the Legislature does authorize the medical board and psychology board during special session, this change enables the two agencies to receive appropriations in the 2018-2019 fiscal biennium,” said Plano Republican Van Taylor.


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