Step Forward for Children

Call Now to Help Texas Children Get Health Care They Need

Until today, both Senator Averitt and Rep. Coleman were optimistic that SB 841 would get a floor vote before the Tuesday midnight House deadline. Today, that confidence is no longer there.

The House and Senate each passed strong (and very similar) CHIP bills (SB 841 and HB 2962). Each is close to final passage, but the battles around other issues threaten to kill this bill to cover an estimated 80,000 uninsured children.

What You Can Do
Call Lt. Governor Dewhurst’s and Speaker Straus’ offices now and tell them:
"We are counting on your leadership to make sure one of these bills passes both houses and becomes law. This legislation has bipartisan authors and support, and we call on the leaders of each body to do what it takes to save this important legislation to help Texas kids."

Lt. Governor Dewhurst’s office: (512) 463-0001
Speaker Straus’ office: (512) 463-1000

Background
The House is involved in a slow-down to try to prevent consideration of a controversial voter ID bill. Some of the House Democrats are using rules to slow the process, and some of the House Republicans are refusing to let any bills – no matter how important – be voted on “out of order” before the voter ID bill.

There are a number of ways the bill could be saved. The CHIP bills have bipartisan authors and sponsors and received strong bipartisan support. Both versions of the bill are good and any compromise bill will be even better. Here are several options:
The House could vote to allow the Senate CHIP bill (SB 841) to be heard “out of order.”
Senator Ogden could allow HB 2962 to be voted out of Senate Finance committee and on to the Senate floor. The House and Senate could each suspend their usual rules to continue to consider this bill (and other major bills) after the current deadlines, if needed.
No matter what the approach, the leadership of the Lieutenant Governor and the Speaker of the House is needed. Please call today.


Anne Dunkelberg Center for Public Policy Priorities
900 Lydia Street Austin, TX 78702 512 320-0222 X102

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