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August 14, 2017      10:56 PM

Senate pushes hard on school finance deal, advances $351 million for school districts, $212 million for TRS-Care

Vote was 25 to 6 on HB21 and 26 to 5 on HB 30 on second reading

The special session’s school finance bills made it to the floor of the Texas Senate on Monday night and the ragged edges of continuing negotiations were evident.

Sen. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, admitted some aspects of negotiations were ongoing, but that the House had agreed to consider using a deferral of a managed care payment to finance what may end up being a short-term finance fix and funds to shore up TRS-Care.

Privately, House members said Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, was reticent to put the funding mechanism on the table, for fear it would put more stress on a state health care system already strained by funding cuts. No doubt the Senate’s refusal to restore cuts to critical therapy services during the regular session would be on the minds of the House leadership.

By Kimberly Reeves

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