81st Texas Legislature swings into action

With a new Speaker of the House and a knock-down, drag-out battle in the Senate, the 81st Texas Legislature got underway last week. The attitude was uncharacteristically sublime in the House, as newly elected Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, pledged to “empower members so that they can do what is right for their constituents and for the people of Texas.” On the other side of the Capitol, senators invoked mid-session vitriol as they argued over a rule change that would affect debate on a controversial voter identification bill.

More than 1,000 bills have been filed already and although some predict more than 4,000 may be filed by the deadline, the Legislature is constitutionally obligated to pass only one, the state budget. Days before the session began, State Comptroller Susan Combs declared that the national recession had come to Texas, meaning the state would have about $9.1 billion less to spend in the current biennium than in the last. Since then, the Legislative Budget Board filed its proposed budget for 2010-2011, which shows that the state would need approximately $3.7 billion more than Combs’ projected revenues to maintain state services at the current level.

In advance of the legislative session, TAFP and its partners in the Primary Care Coalition published an analysis of the state of primary care in Texas and a set of recommendations to lawmakers. You can download a copy of “The Primary Solution” at www.tafp.org.

Like last session, your TAFP News Staff will update you weekly on what’s going on in the Legislature through the Capitol Update section of QuickInfo, and we’ll be webcasting our video Capitol Report news program occasionally throughout the session to keep you up to date. Keep an eye out for QuickInfo in your in-box and visit your Academy online at www.tafp.org to stay informed.

First Tuesdays with TMA

The Texas Medical Association is launching its highly successful “First Tuesdays at the Capitol” campaign, where doctors from across the state don their white coats and spend a day lobbying lawmakers at the State Capitol. Make plans to take part Feb. 3, March 3, April 7 and May 5. For information and to register, go to TMA’s Web site.

Physician of the Day

Don’t miss your chance to volunteer as a Physician of the Day during the 81st Texas Legislative Session. Two Thursdays remain in February and need to be filled as soon as possible: Feb. 12 and 19.

As a Physician of the Day, you’ll care for lawmakers and the staff and anyone else on the Capitol grounds in the Capitol First Aide station, and you’ll have the honor of being announced in both the Senate and the House. TAFP has been providing this service in the Capitol for legislative sessions since 1971. For more information including an online calendar of available dates, and to sign up, click here.

Thanks to these family physicians who’ve already served this session: Robert Youens, M.D., of Weimar, Henry Boehm, M.D., of Brenham, and David Greer, M.D., of Henrietta.