Legislative Update - February 2011

State Representative Eric Johnson

District 100

Texas House of Representatives

Session Report

February 2011

Dear District 100 Supporter:

Since being sworn in as a member of the 82nd Texas Legislature on January 11, 2011, I have been hard at work in Austin and wanted to take a moment to update you on my work here at the Capitol.

I have been appointed by the Speaker of the Texas House to the House Committee on Appropriations, which is responsible for writing the state's budget. As you may know, Texas faces a $27 billion budget shortfall, the largest in our state's history, and deep cuts have been proposed to many programs that provide essential services to many Texans. Making sure the budget is not balanced on the backs of working class Texas families is my highest priority this session.

In this inaugural issue of the District 100 "Session Report", you will find information about the committees on which I will be serving, the bills I have filed, and other topics that may be of interest to you. If you have any questions about these topics or any issue related to state government, please feel free to contact my office. As always, my staff and I stand ready to assist you!

Sincerely,

Eric Johnson

State Representative

Texas House of Representatives

District 100

"Where the Constituent Comes First"

My Committee Assignments

On February 9th, Texas House Speaker Joe Straus announced the membership of the standing committees of the Texas House of Representatives for the 82nd Texas Legislature.

Representative Johnson was named to two standing committees, the powerful House Committee on Appropriations and the House Committee on Higher Education.

The House Committee on Appropriations writes the biennial budget that funds all of the state agencies and programs in Texas. An extremely rare opportunity for a freshman legislator, serving on the House Committee on Appropriations puts Representative Johnson in a position to fight for the agencies and programs that play a vital role in the lives of many Texans and which are currently at risk of severe reduction or elimination in the proposed state budget. This committee will consider funding for public schools, prison diversion and re-entry programs, college financial aid, and health care for seniors and children, to name just a few. Representative Johnson's service on this committee ensures that North Texas' residents and institutions will have a strong advocate in the Legislature this session.

The House Committee on Higher Education handles all matters pertaining to the public colleges and universities in Texas. Representative Johnson has made protecting and expanding access to a college education a top priority.

Both of these committees give Representative Johnson the opportunity to fight for programs that are important to District 100 and all of North Texas.

My Legislation

Featured Bill: HB 246

Pensions for legislators and statewide elected officials should be given on the condition of honorable service to the State of Texas. Members of the Texas Legislature and elected officials in the executive branch of state government who are convicted of corruption-related felonies directly related to their service currently remain eligible to receive taxpayer-funded pension benefits for life. Of the ten largest states in the U.S., only Texas and New York allow this.

HB 246 would make a member of the Legislature or elected official in the executive branch of state government who is convicted of certain corruption-related felonies committed after the effective date of the bill ineligible to receive a taxpayer-funded pension as a member of the Elected Class of the Employees Retirement System of Texas.

HB 246 will help to ensure that Texans have confidence that their elected officials are working for their constituents' best interests in Austin. So far, 25 of my House colleagues have joined me in co-authoring this legislation, and Senator Kel Seliger has filed an identical companion bill in the Senate.

HB 184

Would ensure that when a vacancy occurs in the Legislature and a special election to fill the vacancy is uncontested, the sole candidate is sworn in quickly, so that legislative districts go without representation for as short a period as possible.

HB 324

Would commission a study of afterschool programs in Texas, identify afterschool programs that effectively reduce dropout rates, and provide data identifying where students' afterschool needs are not currently being met.

HB 337

Would require electronic highway signs to display messages warning drivers of the dangers of leaving children in hot cars.

HB 430

Would expand Texans' opportunities to build their credit by allowing payments to utilities and other types of recurring payments to be reported to credit bureaus and requiring that these payments be incorporated into credit scoring formulas.

HB 745

Would require a governmental entity using its power of eminent domain provide documents to a property owner in the language of his/her choice.

HB 746

Would require a governmental entity using its power of eminent domain authority to provide a property owner enough compensation to own a home or operate a business of similar quality in the community.

HB 747

Would require a governmental entity using its power of eminent domain to disclose additional information to a property owner.

HB 1106

Would require a judge to inform a defendant accepting an offer of deferred adjudication about his/her rights to ensure that the defendant fully understands the implications of accepting deferred adjudication.

Swearing-In Day

On January 11, 2011, Representative Johnson was sworn in as a member of the 82nd Texas Legislature. As a part of the opening day ceremonies, Speaker Joe Straus asked Representative Johnson to serve on his Escort Committee, and Representative Johnson accompanied the Speaker on the dais as he delivered his opening address to the Texas House of Representatives. Over seventy constituents and supporters joined Representative Johnson in Austin to celebrate his swearing-in.

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