NELSON: Final Senate Finance Committee Hearing Prepares for Session

Pre-Filing Legislation & Sunset Commission Recommendations By State Sen. Jane Nelson AUSTIN Texas (Texas Insider Report) We are approaching next session with healthy revenue forecasts and thats a good thing because it will allow us to meet our growing needs. However we need to be ever mindful that every dollar we spend represents a dollar that was hard-earned by a taxpayer said State Senator Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound) chair of the Senate Finance Committee shortly after presiding over the final Interim Hearing focusing on Texas Revenue & Tax System. The committee heard presentations from the Comptrollers office discussing the sales and franchise taxes as well as the property tax system.  

In addition to producing jobs and opportunities our strong economy is producing the revenue necessary to fund education transportation and other priorities. We need to look carefully at our revenue streams to ensure that we only take in what we truly need and that we protect our successful economic environment said Nelson the Senate Finance Committee chairwoman.

Sunset Advisory Commission Discusses Recommendations The Sunset Advisory Commission chaired by Senator Nelson deliberated earlier in the month  on Sunset staff recommendations for reforms to agencies undergoing Sunset reviews including:

• the Health & Human Services Commission
• Health & Human Services cross-agency issues
• the Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General; and
• the Texas Education Agency

The Sunset process presents the perfect opportunity for the Legislature to modernize our agencies and ensure they are meeting the needs of today. Sunset staff has identified challenges that need to be addressed by the Legislature and their recommendations for structural changes provide a good starting point said Nelson. To view the reports discussed and provide comments please visit the Sunset Commissions website. Pre-Filing Legislation Begins Senator Nelson filed 9 bills during the first day possible to pre-file legislation for the 84th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature which reconvenes from January 13 2015 to June 1 2015.

My top priority this session is to pass a conservative transparent budget that meets our growing needs said Senator Nelson who serves as chair of both the Senate Finance Committee and the Sunset Advisory Commission. I am determined to protect our successful economic formula and ease the tax burden to ensure that Texas remains a place of growth and opportunity Nelson said.

My legislative efforts will focus on strengthening Texas economy and ensuring that state services are achieving their intended outcomes. I am also working to improve our mental health system and to help guide several state agencies through the legislative stages of the Sunset process. To read more about each of the bills she filed click here. And ... Congratulations Republicans! I want to thank all of our GOP volunteers for working so hard and leading us to victory on election night said the Senator. I am looking forward to working with all of our newly-elected officials to keep Texas strong and successful said Nelson while congratulating all the Republican candidates who are now newly-elected officials. Texas State Senator Jane Nelson the highest-ranking Republican in the Senate is a businesswoman former teacher mother and grandmother from Senate District 12. A former State Board of Education member she currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and is the first woman in Texas legislative history to chair a standing budget-writing committee.  She also serves as Chairman of the Sunset Advisory Commission.