TAKS, toll-road bills done, but budget isn't

Amid chaos, lawmakers get some work done as session winds down

May 26, 2007

By PEGGY FIKAC and GARY SCHARRER / Houston Chronicle Austin Bureau

AUSTIN — Working against the clock and the distraction of efforts to unseat the House speaker, lawmakers Saturday finished bills to phase out the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills in high school and put a moratorium on most new private toll roads.

As those measures and others were sent to Gov. Rick Perry, however, a vote on the state budget was delayed until today as leaders hustled to address a threatened filibuster that could doom it.

The $152.5 billion, two-year state spending plan is the only measure lawmakers must pass. Leaving its consideration until shortly before Monday's adjournment leaves it vulnerable to being killed if an opponent talks long enough to stall a vote until the deadline passes.

Sen. Kyle Janek, R-Houston, threatened a filibuster. He contends the budget doesn't properly fund indigent health care at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston's hospital and others similarly situated.

"I don't want to be the spoiler at the picnic. . ... I'm left with no other options," Janek said.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and Senate Finance Chairman Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, said they were working on Janek's concerns. Dewhurst said he thought it would be resolved.

Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, also said he was thinking about a filibuster because budget-writers took out a provision to require more state review of an improvement plan for Texas Southern University before the school can get certain state funds.

Lawmakers did finish work in other areas, despite an effort to unseat House Speaker Tom Craddick, R-Midland, that continued sporadically throughout the day.

• In public education, they gave a final OK to Senate Bill 1031 to replace the TAKS test with end-of-course exams, starting with ninth-graders in the 2011-2012 school year. The end-of-course tests will cover English, math, science and social studies.

"This is a good deal because it allows the teachers to concentrate on their subjects, and it allows students to learn in greater depth and be tested on it while it's fresh in their minds," House Public Education Chair Rob Eissler, R-The Woodlands, said.

• Lawmakers gave final approval to a compromise transportation bill that includes a two-year moratorium on most private-company toll roads in Texas. Senate Bill 792 was designed to satisfy Perry, who had vetoed an earlier transportation bill.

The compromise legislation does not affect six road construction projects for the Harris County Toll Road Authority, and it also allows the Dallas-Fort Worth region to proceed with projects already in the pipeline. The moratorium prohibits private toll roads on projects to improve Loop 1604 and U.S. 281 in San Antonio.

Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, author of the bill, called it important for the Houston area because it gives a green light for major road projects.

Anti-toll road groups wanted more brakes on the Texas Department of Transportation.

But Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, who pushed for the moratorium, told colleagues that she got assurances from the governor's office that no work would go forward on the Trans-Texas Corridor except on Loop 9 in the Dallas area.

• Looking at taxes, lawmakers gave final approval to a revamp of the state's new business tax that would give an extra break to small businesses.

• On crime and its victims, lawmakers a day earlier approved House Bill 1751 that would raise $25 million for sexual assault programs by charging customers of strip clubs a $5 fee. Rep. Ellen Cohen, D-Houston, and Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, championed it.

• Lawmakers also resurrected a bill by Rep. Charlie Howard, R-Sugar Land, to allow students to express religious viewpoints in public schools and to protect school districts from lawsuits against granting students religious freedom.

• Regarding the Children's Health Insurance Program, negotiators agreed to extend coverage to nearly 130,000 more children from families that don't qualify for Medicaid and cannot afford private insurance.

Janet Elliott and Kristen Mack contributed to this report.