February 9, 2017
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UNDER
THE ROTUNDA
Texas
House of Representatives Speaker Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) announced
House committee assignments today, and the four TMA
physician-representatives were tapped for important positions, including
three to the budget-writing appropriations committee and two to public
health.
There are 38
standing committees in the House, and the speaker established two select
committees.
TMA
Physician Member-Representatives’ Committee Assignments:
- Rep. Greg Bonnen, MD
(R-Friendswood): Appropriations, Energy Resources;
- Rep. Tom Oliverson, MD (R-Houston):
Public Health, Insurance, House Administration;
- Rep. J.D. Sheffield, DO (R-Gatesville):
Appropriations, Public Health (vice chair), Rules and Resolutions;
and
- Rep. John Zerwas, MD (R-Simonton):
Appropriations (chair).
Chairs
of Note:
- Representative Zerwas will
chair the House
Appropriations Committee.
- Rep. Four Price
(R-Amarillo) will chair the House Public Health Committee.
- Rep. Richard Raymond
(D-Laredo) will chair the House Human Services Committee.
- Rep. Garnet Coleman
(D-Houston) will chair the House County Affairs Committee.
- Rep. Larry Phillips
(R-Sherman) will chair the House Insurance Committee.
- J.M. Lozano
(R-Kingsville) will chair the House Higher Education
Committee.
- Rep. Todd Hunter
(R-Corpus Christi) will chair the House Calendars
Committee.
- Rep. Senfronia Thompson
(D-Houston) will chair the House Local and Consent Calendars
Committee.
We can expect
those committees to begin meeting as early as next week.
The House met
this morning as it continues to take up resolutions and will return
Monday afternoon. The Senate adjourned yesterday, also until Monday
afternoon.
Bill
Count: To date, 3,046 bills have been filed this legislative
session. House members filed 2,092 of them, while senators filed 954.
TAKE
ACTION
Read
TMA’s 2017
Prescription to Keep Texas Healthy legislative agenda, which
summarizes the priorities of America’s largest and best state medical
society to help advance patient care in Texas. TMA calls for keeping a
strong, fair Texas Medical Board; protecting medical liability reform
caps; creating a Texas-run health care solution for low-income families,
seniors, and people with disabilities; requiring the same care standard
for telemedicine as for in-person care; investing wisely in mental health
and public health; stopping health insurance tactics that cause surprise
medical bills; funding graduate medical education adequately; upholding
scope of practice to protect patients; and using technology, not
mandates, to address “doctor shopping” and opioid diversion.
Use the guide
to prep for your visit with lawmakers during the second First Tuesdays at the Capitol event of the
session, March 7.
TMA Alliance and advocacy teams invite you to register
now to attend.
PHYSICIAN
OF THE DAY
The
physician of the day at the Capitol is Brynna Connor, MD, of Austin. Dr.
Connor graduated from Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica. She
is a member of TMA and the Travis County Medical Society.
WHAT
WE’RE READING
With
1 in 5 Texas children with mental disorders, funding increases debated
— KXAN
Truce
announced in longstanding feud over telemedicine in Texas — Houston Chronicle
More
than 350 organizations write Trump to endorse current vaccines’ safety
— The Washington Post
Judge,
Citing Harm to Customers, Blocks $48 Billion Anthem-Cigna Merger — The New York Times
Critics
accuse UT medical school of misspending local tax dollars — Austin American-Statesman |
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