Senator Eliot Shapleigh - El Paso, Texas

On the Senator’s desk.... SJR 38 by Ogden, the constitutional amendment that would create a state property tax, is likely to be voted on in the next day or two by the Senate Finance Committee. A state property tax could provide an equitable and growing source of funding for public education. However, the proposed committee substitute contains several dangerous provisions that would cap revenue growth and require a supermajority vote to expand school enrichment taxes. With these provisions, a state property tax would no longer offer an acceptable source of funding for public education. To view an analysis of the bill go to the website.

Chamber echoes... During a press conference on Tuesday aimed at getting more Texans insured, Senator Eliot Shapleigh cited a new study that says 30.7 percent of Texas adults are uninsured, an increase from 2003 when it was 27 percent. This makes Texas the highest uninsured state in the nation. “It is time for Texas lawmakers to address this crisis and invest in our people,” Shapleigh said. To view the video archive of the CHIP press conference go to the Senate Media video archive page and scroll down to the May 3 Press Conference with Senators Hinojosa & Shapleigh on "CHIP."

Among those who visited Austin this week ...
Students from Morehead Middle School and Terrace Middle School were in Austin on Thursday and were introduced in the Senate gallery by Senator Eliot Shapleigh. The students were there to compete in the statewide National History Day Competition.

In Committee this week... Senator Eliot Shapleigh put three amendments onto SB 1706 this week. SB 1706 is the state’s transportation bill. The first Shapleigh amendment requires TXDOT to consider aesthetics, and get local input when designing a new highway. The second amendment states that an MPO cannot penalize an MPO member and count a member of the Legislature absent if that member is in legislative session. The third requires TxDOT, or the applicable authority (RMA, RTA) shall approve the methodology for setting all tolls or fees in the state, whether it relates to a comprehensive development agreement with a private entity, a contract regarding the Trans-Texas Corridor, an agreement on Turnpikes, or any other agreement the Department has entered into. Agreements on tolls or any other contracts regarding fees may not be longer than 50 years.

Upcoming News...
Governor Rick Perry said this week that he is not going to call a special session for school finance and that the expects the Legislature to solve the issue before this session ends on May 30. The Senate Finance committee is still debating House Bill 2 and 3, the school finance and property tax bills.