Texas Senate

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Texas House of Representatives

Subject: Giving the State More of a Role in Mental Health, House Bill 15 (HB 15)

• Author: State Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston)
• TFR Position: Oppose
• Background: HB 15 is the enabling legislation for HJR 135. HB 15 seeks to establish the Mental Health and Brain Research Institute of Texas (MHBRIT). Once established the MHBRIT would have the ability to issue grants to educational institutions for the purpose of studying mental health or brain-related diseases and disorders to aid in increasing research, prevention, initiatives, treatment, rehabilitation, and cures among other issues. Similar legislation passed the Texas House of Representatives in the 87th Legislative Session but was never considered by the overall Texas Senate before the session’s conclusion. These efforts are best left to private organizations that have the incentive to provide for efficient use of the money they receive for the efforts of mental health and research. These efforts are all too reminiscent of the corruption found within CPRIT (Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas) and it is taxpayers left on the hook for shortcomings. Putting mental health in the hands of the state could prove to be dangerous. For these reasons, TFR opposes HB 15.

Subject: Giving the State More of a Role in Mental Health, House Joint Resolution 135 (HJR 135)

• Author: State Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston)
• TFR Position: Oppose
• Background: HJR 135 serves as the funding mechanism for HB 15 and proposes a constitutional amendment to provide for the establishment of the Mental Health and Brain Research Institute of Texas (MHBRIT) and the Mental Health and Brain Institute Research Fund (MHBRIF). It would initially dedicate slightly over $3 billion from general revenue for the effort. Similar legislation passed the Texas House of Representatives in the 87th Legislative Session but was never considered by the overall Texas Senate before the session’s conclusion. These efforts are best left to private organizations that have the incentive to provide for efficient use of the money they receive for the efforts of mental health and research. These efforts are all too reminiscent of the corruption found within CPRIT (Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas) and it is taxpayers left on the hook for shortcomings. Putting mental health in the hands of the state could prove to be dangerous. For these reasons, TFR opposes HJR 135.

Subject: Authorizing an Increase in Fees, House Bill 1699 (HB 1699)

• Author: State Rep. Tracy King (D-Uvalde)
• TFR Position: Oppose
• Background: HB 1699 authorizes a ten-fold increase from 2.5 cents per 1,000 gallons on the cap and export fee as a part of the Evergreen Underground Water Conservation District. In an economic environment by which Texans are reeling from near-record inflation and higher costs of goods and services, adding an additional burden to some Texans is not warranted. For this reason, TFR opposes HB 1699.

Subject: Farming Freedom, House Bill 1750 (HB 1750)

• Author: State Rep. DeWayne Burns (R-Cleburne)
• TFR Position: Support
• Background: HB 1750 seeks to limit certain municipal government requirements on all agricultural operations within city limits. Known as an update to the Right to Farm Act from 1981, HB 1750 seeks to put an end to the extreme overreach on a part of some cities with overburdensome regulation of such activities. For these reasons, TFR supports HB 1750.

Subject: Farming Freedom, House Bill 2308 (HB 2308)

• Author: State Rep. Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin)
• TFR Position: Support
• Background: HB 2308 seeks to close a statutory loophole by adding protections to certain types of agricultural operations and services to conform with the Texas Right to Farm law to end the exploitation of nuisance actions on behalf of local government jurisdictions to shut down or restrain ongoing agricultural operations. For these reasons, TFR supports HB 2308.

Reminder: Vote Notices are provided to both Texas state lawmakers and the general public in advance of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility’s position on issues to be rated as part of the Fiscal Responsibility Index prior to votes being taken in each legislative chamber.

Disclaimer: We reserve the right to consider amendments to legislation that may be introduced without notice as a part of issues to be rated as part of the Fiscal Responsibility Index. We will make every effort to provide notice on amendments that are pre-filed