Supplemental funding legislation draws from ‘Rainy Day Fund’

AUSTIN — A few of the funding priorities expressed by the executive, legislative and judicial branches are not covered in Senate Bill 2, the state’s tentatively approved appropriations bill for fiscal years 2020 and 2021.

So, on March 13, the Senate voted unanimously in favor of SB 500, $6 billion in supplemental funding to plug many holes. Some $4.3 billion of the total would be taken out of the Economic Stabilization  (“Rainy Day”) Fund. Authored by Senate Finance Committee Chair Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, the legislation proposes the following allocations:

• $3 billion for Hurricane Harvey recovery expenses;
• $2.1 billion to address the Medicaid shortfall;
• $100 million for school safety, with an amendment that gives districts greater flexibility on the type of safety equipment they can buy;
• $300 million to improve state hospital facilities;
• $542 million to address pension liabilities for the Teacher Retirement System and provide retired teachers a “13th check” up to $500;
• $211 million to pay obligations of the Texas Tomorrow Fund, a college tuition savings program;
• $160 million to address the Correctional Managed Health Care shortfall; and
• $100 million to refill the Governor’s Disaster Fund to help rebuild from natural disasters.