James Huffines

Bank Exec Chosen as New Chairman of UT System Board

Commercial banker James Richard Huffines has been elected chairman of the University of Texas System's Board of Regents, the second-largest public university system in the U.S. Huffines, 53, will serve out the term of outgoing Chairman Charles Miller, who announced his resignation after serving more than five years of his six-year term. Miller resigned to increase his involvement in public policy in higher education. Also influencing his decision to leave was his dissatisfaction with the oversight of the University of Texas Investment Management Co.

As chairman, Huffines, who once worked for former Gov. William P. Clements Jr. and was co-chairman of Gov. Rick Perry's inauguration committee, plans to expand research investments and improve the system's relationships with state decision-makers in both the public and private sectors. He will also work to ensure the system's schools continue to offer more and better services. Huffines will serve until February, 2005 when Gov. Rick Perry must make the decision to appoint him to the official six-year term or select another chairman.


Houston, Dallas to Receive Bioterror Funding

Twenty-one cities, including Houston and Dallas, will share $39 million through the Cities Readiness Initiative, a pilot program that includes training U.S. Postal Service workers how to deliver emergency medical supplies from the Strategic National Stockpile, a repository of chemical antidotes, antibiotics and other medications. The money will come from the reprogramming of $54.9 million from the federal Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC), which was originally allocated to help states enhance their public health resources to deal with terror attacks involving biological or chemical agents such as anthrax.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has millions of dollars to fight bioterrorism. The agency recently awarded $498 million to help hospitals better respond to bioterrorism events and other large-scale emergencies.


Beard, Krier and McHugh to Participate in Legislative Conference

The sponsors of the 4th Biennial Pre-session Legislative Conference today announced a third panel at this important event to be held on October 7th at the JJ Pickle Center. Information about the previously announced speakers and panels is available on the SPI Web site.

Today's announcement is a first for the conference - a breakout session specifically targeted to members of agency boards. Titled "The Role of Boards in the Legislative Process," this panel is comprised of board veterans from three different types of boards. Colleen McHugh chairs the three person DPS board. Each member serves a staggered six year term and the Chair is appointed by the governor. Tom Beard chairs the 7 person TBPC board. The TBPC Chair is also appointed by the governor, but some of his board members are not. Cyndi Krier is Vice Chair of the 9 member UT Board of Regents. Although the Regents are appointed by the governor to staggered 6 year terms, the board selects its own Chair.

Tom Beard

Tom Beard - A sixth generation Texas rancher, Beard has served as an officer, director and member of the Executive Committees of various national, state, and local organizations. He is Chairman of the Texas Building and Procurement Commission, the Chairman of the Far West Texas Water Planning Group and Brewster County Groundwater Conservation District and has been Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas (El Paso Branch), President of Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Cattlemen's Beef Promotion and Research Board. Beard's business interests include Leoncita Cattle Company, Leoncita Land Company, Rio Grande Broadcasting Company, and Beard & Beard. A graduate of Yale University (BA) and the University of Texas at Austin (JD), Beard is also an attorney.

Cyndi Krier

Cyndi Krier - After a quarter century of service in local, state and federal government, Krier joined USAA in San Antonio as Vice President of Texas Government Relations. She represents USAA with the State of Texas and local governments in Texas. In March of 2001, Gov. Rick Perry appointed Krier to the University of Texas Board of Regents. She recently was appointed Vice Chairman and also chairs the Academic Affairs Committee. Krier served as Bexar County Judge from 1992-2001 representing approximately 1.4 million residents of the San Antonio metropolitan community. From1985-1992, she represented Bexar County in the Texas Senate. In the 1980s at the request of George Bush, she served a three-year term on the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services (DACOWITS). Her husband, Joe Krier, is President of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.

Colleen McHugh

Colleen McHugh - A managing partner in the Corpus Christi office of Bracewell & Patterson, L.L.P., McHugh represents management in a full range of labor and employment matters. She currently chairs the Texas Department of Public Safety. In 2003, she earned the distinction of Texas Super Lawyer in labor and employment law. McHugh is involved in numerous public and community organizations. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Corpus Christi Regional Economic Development Corporation and the U.S.S. Lexington Museum, where she served as President from 2002-2003. She is on the Board of Trustees for the CHRISTIS Spohn Health System. McHugh served on the Governor's Task Force on Homeland Security and on the Board of Directors of the National Conference for Community and Justice, Corpus Christi Region and the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce. She is a member of numerous professional organizations including the State Bar of Texas, The Center for American and International Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization and American Bar Association.

The legislative conference is jointly sponsored by SPI and the LBJ School of Public Affairs. Registration will begin in mid-July. Further details will appear in future issues of the Insider.


Mary Suhm

Suhm to be Promoted to Interim Dallas City Manager

Next week, the Dallas City Council will vote to promote First Assistant City Manager Mary Suhm to interim city manager. City Manager Ted Benavides announced his retirement last week. Benavides will remain in the Dallas city manger's office until November when his retirement becomes official. Dallas Mayor Laura Miller said of Suhm: "She's very capable and she'll be a very good person to have." Suhm has been working for the city since 1978. The council hopes to select a new city manger by Oct. 13.


TCEQ System Boasts Near Real-Time Action Against Air Pollution

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) announced a pilot program that will allow the agency and industry to intervene and halt Houston air pollution events as they are beginning. Due to the early warning capability, the new system can potentially reduce the frequency, severity, and duration of the events. The pilot program - the first of its kind in Texas - represents a major technological advancement in air quality monitoring in the Houston area.

The program, called the Environmental Monitoring and Response System (EMRS), will tie together a network of near real-time air pollution monitors in the Houston area. When the network detects conditions that could indicate the start of a pollution event, such as concentrations of highly reactive volatile organic compounds (HRVOCs), EMRS will notify known industry sources in the area, so corrective action can begin immediately. Initially, the pilot program will focus on HRVOCs, which contribute to rapid escalation of ozone. Eventually however, the program will include over 90 monitoring sites, expand to other counties and monitor additional chemicals. Commenting on the quick response capacity of the new program, TCEQ Commissioner R.B. "Ralph" Marquez said, "This represents a tremendous shift in the way this agency responds to situations that might pose a threat to human health and the environment."

EMRS is a team effort of the TCEQ, industry, city of Houston, Harris County, and the University of Houston - - all entities that operate air monitors in the Houston area. The pilot program is scheduled to begin operation early this month. Plans are to eventually expand the program to other counties, specifically Galveston and Brazoria, where it will work with existing monitoring networks.

TCEQ is planning a similar pilot program to monitor surface water quality and respond quickly to pollution and adverse conditions. TCEQ already operates eight continuous monitoring stations in waters around the state, and will install more this summer. The water monitoring effort will concentrate on the Bosque and Leon watersheds near Waco, where runoff from commercial dairy operations contributes to drinking water problems downstream.

This initiative is part of an ongoing clean air effort by the State of Texas. Last session, the Legislature passed energy deregulation legislation that put Texas at the forefront of developing cleaner, renewable sources of energy. Additionally, three years ago legislation was passed requiring old plants to clean up or shut down, and the state has dedicated more than $140 million a year for the next five years for the Texas Emission Reduction Plan which will fund innovative projects to reduce emissions.


Texas Celebrates Launch of State Quarter

Texas has grand plans to ring in its newly-minted place in the national currency: on June 10th, the state is throwing a sizable bash to mark the debut of the shiny ambassadors, and the public is invited to take part. The official Texas state quarter launch will take place outside the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin, at an event complete with local celebrities, music and free barbecue. Texas musicians Kelly Willis and Dale Watson and Mariachi Nuevo Chapultepec will entertain the crowd, and the museum will waive exhibit admission charges for the day.

Governor Rick Perry and Henrietta Holsman Fore, director of the U.S. Mint, will officially unveil the first quarter. The Texas quarter's unique side features a dominant outline of the state and includes a five-point star and inscription of the state's "Lone Star State" nickname. A lariat, symbolic of the state's cowboy history, is etched around the design's perimeter.

The design by Daniel Gene Miller of Arlington was chosen from nearly 2,600 design concepts submitted in the Texas Quarter Dollar Coin Design Advisory Committee. The Texas Numismatic Association narrowed the design contenders down to 17 finalists that went before the committee. The committee then narrowed the field down to five, and Gov. Perry submitted the preferred design to the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury for approval.

The Texas quarter is the 28th release in the United States Mint's popular 50 State Quarters Program. It marks the third quarter release of 2004. State quarters release order coincides with each state's entry into the Union. The program began in 1999 and will conclude in 2008 when the 50th quarter-Hawaii's-is released. Texas was admitted into the Union on Dec. 29, 1845, making it the 28th state. Additional information on the event can be found at http://www.texasquarter.org.


CHIP Cuts Mean Less Outreach to Eligible Families

The 78th Legislature's cuts in the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) have already received a great deal of scrutiny, by both the media and lawmakers. While some of the most controversial cuts are well-known, other cuts, particularly in promotional and outreach funds, are having a similar, reducing-the-roles effect on the program according to Donna Cohen Ross, an analyst with the Washington-based Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. She recently noted that without outreach, many families with eligible children are unaware of the program or unclear about how to sign up for it. Add to this the three-month enrollment waiting period, the requirement to re-enroll every six months, and the tighter income limits-the result is that many people don't understand the parameters of eligibility and coverage. CHIP enrollment has dropped from 529,000 children in 2002 to 366,000 in 2004: projections for 2005 forecast a further drop down to 347,000 kids.

Looking for ways to balance a tight budget, Legislators opted to repeal a requirement that the Health and Human Services Commission promote enrollment in child health programs. As a result, funding for school-based health clinics, contracts with community groups, and a toll-free information hotline was reduced in order to save money for services.


Sunset Commission Update

The Sunset Commission has issued decisions on the following agencies:

The Commission decided to abolish the Texas State Board of Barber Examiners and the Texas Cosmetology Commission and create a new agency, the Texas Board of Barbering and Cosmetology, to administer the agencies' regulatory functions. Of course, this "decision" really means deciding the contents of proposed legislation and directing the Sunset Commission staff to work with the attorneys in the Legislative Council to draft such legislation. The legislature will have to act on this proposal when it meets early next year and the result may or may not reflect the decisions of the Sunset Commission. Legislation that passes both houses is then subject to the approval or veto of the governor.

In keeping with prior announcements, decisions on the continuation of the Texas Board of Chiropractic Examiners, The Texas State Board of Pharmacy, and the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists are being postponed until all health and mental health licensing agencies have been reviewed. There has been some suggestion that consolidation of some of these agencies would also be beneficial.


West Houston Named as Newest Home of Texas Children's Hospital

As part of a major expansion that will include a new children's health center, Texas Children's Hospital purchased 44 acres of land in West Houston. Administrators have also stated that they are considering adding another hospital campus on the site as the community surrounding the center develops. The newest Texas Children's Health Center will focus on pediatric sub-specialties such as gastroenterology, otolaryngology, endocrinology, cardiology, pediatric surgery, audiology, and others. More specialties will be added as the center grows.


PUC Looks Into Possible Security Breach at Power Grid

The Texas Public Utility Commission (PUC) is investigating a possible security breach at the Austin-based Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the electricity grid that serves 85 percent of the state's power load. ERCOT launched its own investigation into what it says are "vendor procurement irregularities" in late March but did not notify the PUC, which oversees the state's $20 billion-a-year electricity industry, of its actions until late May. The PUC will use ERCOT funds to finance its own independent third-party investigation. ERCOT says that employees involved in the alleged security breach have either resigned or have been fired and that there are no imminent security threats stemming from the possible breach. An audit of ERCOT's vendor contracts and vendor activities is underway to prevent a recurrence of any improper employee conduct.


Carolyn Price Named Regional Director for GTC Southwest

Carolyn Price of CMP Management will be taking over for Paul Fairbrother as the regional director for the Government Technology Conference Southwest. As regional director, she will represent GTC to state and local government entities and work with the GTC Advisory Board to develop conference programs. Carolyn has worked with the Texas public sector IT and vendor community since 1997. Additionally, Debra Williams, a 20-year veteran of Texas state government, will assist her.


State Bar Executive Director Tony Alvarado Announces His Resignation

Antonio "Tony" Alvarado announced his resignation as State Bar of Texas Executive Director effective June 15, 2004. Alvarado began his tenure at the State Bar in February 1995 and has been instrumental in moving the Bar into the technological era. During his time as Executive Director, Alvarado developed a wide array of online tools to assist Texas practitioners and the public, in addition to completing a successful Sunset Review by the Texas Legislature and overseeing a fiscally conservative program that led to a strong financial position for the State Bar of Texas. Alvarado plans to spend some time with his family before deciding on his next career move.

Prior to serving as Executive Director of the State Bar of Texas, Alvarado had practiced law in Laredo since 1977. He served on the State Bar of Texas Board of Directors from 1990 to 1992 and was a member of the Board Professional Development Program Committee during that time. Alvarado also chaired the MCLE Committee in 1994 and CLE Committee in 1993. He served as president of the Laredo-Webb County Bar Association during 1985-86. Alvarado is a fellow in the Texas Bar Foundation and is a member of the National Association of Bar Executives and the American Society of Association Executives.

Current and former State Bar officers and directors praise Alvarado's efforts as an ambassador for the State Bar of Texas. "Tony's innovation and management style have been key in communicating board direction to staff for implementation. We can all be proud of the progress and innovation that has occurred over the past nine years," said State Bar President Betsy Whitaker. "The State Bar of Texas will miss Tony as Executive Director but looks forward to his continued support and assistance in elevating justice in Texas."

Comptroller Predicts All-Star Week Will Be a Boon for State

State Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn predicted that Major League Baseball's All-Star Week, to be held in Houston in July, will bring in $85.6 million for the state. Contributing to this number are the 29,000 fans expected for the event, who will spend an average of $316 each on their stay. In addition to those expenditures, the organizing committee's expenses will account for another $6.3 million of the total. This equates to a direct economic benefit of $36.8 million; the remainder of the $85.6 million is predicated on secondary or "multiplier" effects on visitor-related industries, local earnings, and "induced" household spending. Including fans coming from other areas of Texas, as well as the 29,000 from other states, Houston will host over 67,000 guests during All-Star Week.


Summer Fun, Capitol Style!

Now that school is out, many of our readers may be planning a visit to the Capitol City. Capitol tours are generally available:

  • Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm
  • Saturday, 9:30am - 3:30pm
  • Sunday, Noon - 3:30pm

They typically last 30-45 minutes. The State Preservation Board offers ten tips for planning group tours and has information specifically for educators, including lesson plans and teachers' guides.


Mental Health Advocates Say Therapy Cuts are Hurting People

Around 128,000 adult Texans have lost Medicaid-funded mental health services since the Texas Legislature last year instituted widespread budget cuts. In an effort to save the state $34.2 million over two years, the Texas Legislature decided that therapy by professionals such as counselors, psychologists and social workers would no longer be covered by Medicaid. Mental health advocates say most Medicaid recipients can't afford to pay for their own therapy. Since the cuts have gone into effect, the number of mental health diagnoses has jumped 37 percent at 20 Austin-area hospitals and health clinics, according to the nonprofit organization Indigent Care Collaboration.


Important Dates for 79th Legislature

Before you know it, the 79th legislature will be convening. Here are some key dates:

  • Monday, November 8, 2004 -- Prefiling of legislation begins
  • Tuesday, January 11, 2005 -- 79th Legislature convenes at noon
  • Friday, March 11, 2005 -- Deadline for filing bills and joint resolutions other than local bills, emergency appropriations, and bills that have been declared an emergency by the governor
  • Monday, May 30, 2005 -- Last day of Regular Session
  • Sunday, June 19, 2005 -- Last day governor can sign or veto bills
  • Monday, August 29, 2005 -- Date that most bills become law

Event Links

Texas State Agency Business Administrator's Association 24th Annual Conference - 6/7/04 - 6/9/04

Identity Crime Regional TrainingVarious Dates

EDA National Economic Development Conference - 6/8/04 - 6/10/04

TASA 56th Annual Summer Conference - 6/13/04 - 6/15/04

Texas Department Insurance, Secretary of State, et al. Business Opportunity Forum - 6/17/04

2004 Workforce and Economic Development Conference - 6/23/04 - 6/24/04

NCSL Annual Meeting: The New Legislative Reality - 7/19/04 - 7/23/04

TASSCC 2004 Conference: IT Olympics--Go For the Gold - 8/9/04 - 8/11/04

Texas Association of School Administrators/Texas Association of School Boards 44th Annual Convention - 09/17/04-09/20/04

NASCIO 2004 Annual Conference - 9/19/04 - 9/22/04


WIN BUSINESS WITH TEXAS GOVERNMENT

SPI has a dedicated Information Services (IS) Division that researches governmental entities and analyzes data for future and current business opportunities. Our team studies and reviews strategic plans, legislative appropriations requests, appropriations bills, and budgets to identify potential business projects. IS provides these key services and products:

  • Future Opportunity Analysis - email notification of new opportunities as they are discovered and updates to opportunities as new information becomes available


  • Bid Monitoring - timely email notification of current procurement opportunities for over 500 state agencies, institutions of higher education, cities, counties, school districts, airports, and ports.


  • Customized Research - specific intelligence on entities, opportunities, markets, trends, products, competitors, etc.


  • The Guide to the Texas State Government Marketplace - This comprehensive report identifies funding allocations and projected timelines for projects as well as historical spending data in 20 key state agencies. The Guide also offers explanations and insight to potential opportunities in significant legislation from the Regular Session of the 78th Legislature.


Please contact SPI's Crystal Kuhs at ckuhs@spartnerships.com for more details.


Past ABJ articles by Mary Scott Nabers

Opportunities taking off at airports around Texas - 4/19/2004

It pays to be schooled about education projects - 3/22/2004

Health care arena filled with outsourcing deals - 2/23/2004

River authorities pumping opportunity in Texas - 2/02/2004

Texas Government Insider Archives

Volume 2 Issue 21 - 5/27/04

Volume 2 Issue 20 - 5/21/04

Volume 2 Issue 19 - 5/14/04

Volume 2 Issue 18 - 5/7/04

Volume 2 Issue 17 - 4/30/04

Volume 1 and Volume 2 Archives 11/7/03 - 4/23/04

News from Strategic Partnerships, Inc.

Legislative Communications Conference

Invitations have been extended to speakers for this important conference that will be held on October 7th at UT's JJ Pickle Center in Austin. The conference is sponsored jointly by SPI and UT's LBJ School of Public Affairs. As the agenda becomes firm and speakers confirmed, details will be available at SPI's website. Registration will open in mid July after all of the panels have been announced. At that time, a link to the registration page will appear here.

Resources

Report on Contract Administration for the Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System.

NASBO Fiscal Survey of the States

Fiscal Year 2003 Quality Assurance Team's Annual Report

New Texas Fact Book 2004

Joint Select Committee's Report on Public School Finance, March 17, 2004

Texas Public Policy Foundation's Policy Papers on Public School Finance

Center for Public Policy Priorities' Finding a School Finance Solution


Public Hearings/Meetings

Senate Finance Committee and Senate State Affairs Committee-- 1:00pm, June 7, 2004 E1.030: The Committees will hear invited testimony on the interim charge relating to revisiting the rising health-care cost study of the 77th Legislature.

Senate Finance Committee and Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education -- 8:00am, June 8, E1.030: The Committees will hear invited testimony on the interim charge relating to funding for Higher Education.

Senate Health and Human Services Committee-- 1:00pm, June 8, 2E.8: The committee will meet to hear invited and public testimony on Interim Charge #5 relating to increasing electronic transactions in health care, and portions of Interim Charge #4 relating to the effectiveness of legislation relating to the Board of Medical Examiners (SB 104) and childhood immunizations (HB 1921).

Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Higher Education -- 2:00pm, June 8, E1.016: The Committee will hear invited testimony on Fall 2004 tuition increases for institutions of higher education.

TSHRA BiMonthly Meeting

The Texas State Human Resources Association holds meetings every two months. The topics range from personal development to legislative updates. The next meeting is June 9, 8:30am to 11:30am in the Board Room of the Texas Department of Human Services' John H. Winters Building. For more information, visit http://www.tshra.org/meeting.html.

Connecting the Pieces: TDI Business Opportunity Forum

The Texas Department of Insurance, along with the Secretary of State, the State Board of Educator Certification, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, and the Higher Education Coordinating Board will host a Business Opportunity Forum on June 17, 8:30am to 1:30pm at TDI offices at 333 Guadalupe in Austin. It will include panel discussions on "Resources for Opportunities" and "Keys to Preparing Successful Solicitation Packets," as well as one-on-one vendor presentations and Purchasing CEU training. For more information, call Rose Esparza of TDI, 512.475.1998, or Jeff Staton of the Secretary of State's office, 512.463.5606, or visit https://wwwapps.tdi.state.tx.us/inter/asproot/general/hubreg/registration.asp.