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June 30, 2009

SETX legislators return to Austin to finish state business



By Sherry Koonce

The News staff writer

State lawmakers from Southeast Texas will take up unfinished business Wednesday during a special session called by Gov. Rick Perry.

Both District 21 Representative Allan Ritter and District 22 Representative Joe Deshotel said they expect the session to conclude within a matter of days, and that none of the issues would have a direct impact on Southeast Texas.

The Legislature adjourned June 1 without extending a deadline for operations of state agencies such as the Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Department of Insurance, Texas Racing Commission, Office of Public Insurance Counsel and the Texas State Affordable Housing Corporation.

The agencies were subject to sunset review, with some set to close in 2010 if legislators did not give legal authority to continue.

Deshotel said state legislators had to come to a consensus on the agencies’ future, or industries such as the insurance companies would not be regulated.

“Right now, if we don’t act, the Texas Department of Insurance will go away. That means no regulation,” Deshotel said.

Lawmakers also failed to approve legislation allow for the issuance of $2 billion in general obligation road-building bonds that many lawmakers wanted. The bonds have been approved by voters for highway projects, but the ones to be funded have yet to be decided by state legislators.

Ritter said until the bill passes, and the statute and rules are in place on where the funds will be distributed, it won’t be known which highway projects will be funded.

There is a possibility local projects such as widening the Easttex Freeway in Beaumont and completing the Interstate 10 expansion between Orange and the Louisiana border could the funded, Deshotel said.

“The Senate and House have been working together to come to a speedy resolution on the issues the Governor laid out when he called us back for a Special Session,” Ritter said. “The Speaker proposed scheduled would have us completing our business by the end of the week. I hope we are able to finish within that timeframe.”

skoonce@panews.com





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