Thread by @RANewsTX

After being voted out just yesterday, the committee substitute for the Senate's $16.3B ARPA relief spending bill (#SB8) is on the Senate floor right now. The text just became available a couple of hours ago. #txbudget #txlege #txed capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/Tex…

Here are the top-line items of the cmte substitute for #SB8:

https://twitter.com/DeLunaEva/status/1446219562651951114

#SB8 author @SenJaneNelson said Senate work groups navigated 300 requests that would spend $60B, well over the amount that #txlege can appropriate. #txbudget

Sen. @NathanForTexas talks to Nelson about $3.5 billion from ARPA relief funds being used to replace state general revenue for DPS & TDCJ staff pay & benefits who were frontline pandemic response workers. #SB8 #txlege #txbudget

Sen. Johnson notes that Texas could get $3B more ARPA funds if they expanded Medicaid.

Nelson opts not to discuss that issue for now. She notes that #SB8 has $75M for rural hospitals. #txlege #txbudget

Sen. @sarah_eckhardt notes that ARPA funds for hospital surge staffing in #SB8, which can be reimbursed by FEMA, has a Jan. 1, 2022 deadline to be spent & whatever is remaining gets credited to TX's Coronavirus Relief Fund & can't be spent until next #txlege session. #txbudget

https://twitter.com/DeLunaEva/status/1446548456479285249

Menendez withdraws floor amendment 1 to #SB8 after Sen. Nelson moves to table it, saying she would rather look at it during the interim via an interim charge that she'll request of the @LtGovTX. Nelson commits to continuing discussion. #txlege #txbudget

https://twitter.com/DeLunaEva/status/1446550007730118659

Menendez withdraws floor amendment 2 after Nelson indicated she'll table it. #SB8 #txlege #txbudget

https://twitter.com/DeLunaEva/status/1446553915370180653

Nelson moves to table amendment 3 by Menendez, which takes $96M from DPS pay to DFPS for a 1-time caseworker bonus. She cites not enough money for good work and having already increased pay by $12K a few sessions ago to reduce caseload. Motion to table passes 19-12. #SB8 #txlege

Floor amndmnt 4 by Menendez for $ to expand CPS prevention services is withdrawn. Nelson/Kolkhorst cite ongoing-cost, not 1-time as a required criteria. They said it's an exceptional item by DFPS that was purposefully rejected. Also this. #txlege

https://twitter.com/DeLunaEva/status/1446556966885675011

Without objection, the Texas Senate passes the $16.3B ARPA relief spending bill, #SB8, to engrossment. #txlege

https://twitter.com/RANewsTX/status/1446537803194634280