Solomon Ortiz, Jr.

June 5, 2009

~Ortiz, Jr. Lists Results for the Coastal Bend.~

AUSTIN-The Texas Legislature adjourned sine die on Monday for the 81st session. State Representative Solomon Ortiz, Jr. noted positive accomplishments for the Coastal Bend, including windstorm insurance reform and passage of a series of bills to boost economic development in Corpus Christi.

"With the downturn in the national economy, and many Corpus Christi families struggling, I knew my focus had to be on economic development," Ortiz said. "I'm proud of the success I had working with members of both parties to pass an agenda that benefits Corpus Christi and my constituents."

Rep. Ortiz's major accomplishments:

* Worked with Sen. Hinojosa to successfully secure funding for the mechanical engineering program at Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi.
* Passed legislation that will help the Port of Corpus Christi partner with the Texas A&M University System to re-develop Naval Station Ingleside.
* Passed legislation increasing the number of enterprise zone slots for Corpus Christi, expanding an economic development tool the city has used to attract and retain jobs at major employers like Stripes, Flint Hills, Valero, and Citgo.
* Passed legislation allowing Corpus Christi to access the state's special event trust funds, which will help the city attract major sporting and entertainment events and the economic development they bring, like the Texas International Boat Show.
* Passed legislation streamlining the alcoholic beverage permitting process for the American Bank Center, which will save taxpayers money and help the city attract more events to enhance Corpus Christi's reputation as a tourist destination.
* Passed legislation that will help direct money to the state's Fund for Veterans Assistance, to provide much-needed services to veterans. The bill allows people to make a donation to the FVA on their motor vehicle registration and allows the FVA to be an eligible charity for Texas' State Employee's Charitable Campaign.
* Passed legislation allowing records relating to child abuse or neglect to be released to a parent not suspected of causing the abuse or neglect.
* Amended legislation to help crack down on repeat graffiti offenders

"While Corpus Christi had one of its best legislative sessions in recent history, much more needs to be done to move Texas forward," Ortiz said. "I'm disappointed the political will was not there to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for middle-class families, address our state's transportation needs, and promote alternative energy. These are priorities I will keep fighting for."

Some notable measures passed by the 81st Legislature include:

* Windstorm Reform - The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) was strengthened to insure that coastal residents have access to the insurance that they need. Most importantly, this was done without resorting to punitive rate increases or limiting coverage for coastal residents.
* Education - For the first time in recent memory, the Legislature increased funding for public schools without being ordered to do so by the Texas Supreme Court. Additionally, the Legislature expanded existing half-day pre-kindergarten programs to full-day programs and made reforms to school accountability requirements, moving further away from the high-stakes testing that so many have been critical of. Hopefully, this signals a commitment to our public schools that will continue in future legislative sessions. The Legislature also passed a new school accountability measure that focuses on individual achievement, and ensures that a child's progress does not hinge on a standardized test score alone.
* Teacher Pay Raise - $800 across-the-board teacher pay raise
* State Schools - Security and oversight at the state schools have been increased, as have funds for the care of some of our most vulnerable Texans. Funds for community-based care were also increased, which should help those state school residents who want to be in a community-based setting move into that type of housing. To reduce confusion and more accurately reflect their mission, the state schools will now be called "State Supported Living Centers."
* Franchise Tax Cut - Increased the franchise tax exemption from $300,000 to $1 million, providing tax relief to over 40,000 small businesses.
* Top Ten Percent Change - The University of Texas at Austin will be allowed to limit the number of freshmen who are automatically admitted because they graduated in the top 10% of their class. UT-Austin will be allowed to cap the number of students it accepts under the top 10 percent rule at 75 percent of entering freshmen from Texas. This change will give UT-Austin more flexibility in their admission process.
* Energy Incentives - Financial incentives were created to promote the use of carbon sequestration technology, which is designed to capture the carbon dioxide emissions from Texas' coal-fired electrical plants and inject the gas underground. In many cases, the captured carbon dioxide can be injected into older oil fields to stimulate the production of oil.
* Balanced Budget - 2010-2011 biennial budget reduces general revenue spending by 1.9 percent
* Wise Spending - $9.1 billion in Rainy Day Fund left intact
* Child Safety - Legislation requiring children under age 8 or under 4 feet 9 inches to ride in booster seats, reducing the incidence of severe internal and traumatic injuries.
* Financial Aid - Added $250 million in financial aid to make college affordable for more students
* Tuition Relief - Measure temporarily limits increases in tuition and fees at Texas universities.
* New Law School -Created a new public law school, University of North Texas Law School-Dallas.
* New Medical School - The legislature authorized the creation of a new UT system medical school in South Texas.
* Electronic Textbooks - A measure that allows schools to purchase electronic textbooks, saving the schools money.
* Teacher Investment Protection - Cracked down on questionable practices of third party administrators of teacher investment products.
* Nursing Shortage- Passed legislation addressing the state's nursing shortage by offering incentives to nursing schools to graduate more nurses. Also enhanced financial aid grants for nursing students.
* Medicaid Buy-In ­- Created a Medicaid buy-in program for children with disabilities whose family income is below 300 percent of the federal poverty level.
* Homeowner Protection- Passed legislation protecting homeowners by requiring the registration and licensing of mortgage lenders and allows the state to investigate violations.
* Veterans - Passed a property tax exemption for disabled veterans. 100 % disabled veterans will receive 100 % exemption on their local property taxes.
* School Sales Tax Holiday - Expanded the current sales tax holiday to include school supplies, including backpacks.
* Wrongful Convictions - Increased compensation for those wrongfully convicted of crimes.
* Border Security - HB 4185 provides for better law enforcement information sharing regarding criminal street gangs from Mexico.
* Protecting Children Online - The Legislature passed HB 2003 and SB 689, which crack down on online harassment and require stricter monitoring of sex offenders online.
* Shield Law- Passed legislation that protects journalists from having to reveal confidential sources in court, encourages whistleblowers to come forward to reveal corruption.

For more information on these and other legislative topics, visit www.capitol.state.tx.us or contact Rep. Ortiz's office at (512) 463-0484. Stay tuned for a schedule of Rep. Ortiz's upcoming town hall meetings in District 33.

Ortiz represents District 33, which includes part of Nueces County and the City of Corpus Christi. Ortiz encourages constituents to contact his office on this or any issue of interest at (512) 463-0484, email him at district33.ortizjr@house.state.tx.us or visit the Texas House of Representatives web site at www.house.state.tx.us.