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Senate Finance adopts Article 2 work‑group recommendations, approves major HHSC and mental‑health funding
Summary
The Senate Finance Committee approved the Article 2 work‑group recommendations, adopting dozens of funding items and riders that together fund mental‑health bed build‑outs, Medicaid operations, and multiple HHSC and related agency initiatives totaling billions in all funds.
The Senate Finance Committee on an adopted voice vote approved the Article 2 work‑group recommendations, advancing a large package of funding and rider changes for health and human services agencies.
The vote adopted work‑group changes to the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and affiliated agencies after three weeks of review, committee chair Senator Kolkhorst said. "Members, we spent over 3 weeks in work group," Senator Kolkhorst said, thanking staff and LBB analysts for their work.
The decisions cover multiple agencies including the Health and Human Services Commission, Department of Family and Protective Services, Department of State Health Services, the Office of Inspector General, and the Texas Civil Commitment Office. Among adopted items, the committee approved funding for expanded mental‑health bed capacity, residential treatment operations for youth, and many information‑technology and staffing items for HHSC and partner agencies.
Edward Rodriguez of the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) laid out the agency‑by‑agency decisions. He said work‑group actions include a mix of technical adjustments, ongoing operations funding and one‑time appropriations. Specific decisions adopted by the committee included: maintaining a $770 per‑day bed rate and a 5% rate increase for certain existing and new mental‑health capacity funded at $78,800,000 in general revenue and the same amount in all funds; funding to operate a residential treatment facility for youth in conservatorship at $34,300,000 in general revenue and all funds with 280 FTEs; and reductions and reallocations across HHSC programs that together include a $550,000,000 general‑revenue reduction tied to system savings directives included in riders.
The committee also approved Department of Family and Protective Services items presented by LBB staff, including $29,200,000 in general revenue and $59,500,000 in all funds to begin implementation of a new case management system, supports for community‑based care (including a $9,400,000 GR payment to maintain a $2,300 per‑child contractor network support payment), and $20,000,000 in general revenue to address staff compensation compression. The Department of State Health Services received adopted items such as partial funding for regional clinic cost increases, laboratory maintenance, and a $5,000,000 appropriation for a spay and neuter pilot program.
Committee members asked for follow‑up materials. Senator Zaffery asked the LBB to compile total appropriations for mental‑health spending across agencies and articles; LBB staff agreed to provide the number. During questioning, Senator Zaffery also asked for the personal attendant wage under the budget; an LBB staff member said it would be $12.44 per hour under the adopted pattern.
The work group also added and adopted several riders requiring reporting and directing transfers or unexpended balance authority for specific capital projects, and adopted a package of member riders and work‑group writers related to long‑term care, children's behavioral health, and Medicaid access.
The chair directed LBB staff to make technical conforming adjustments to FTEs, performance measures and bill patterns in the produced appropriations bill so the adopted decisions are reflected in the final drafting.
The committee adopted the Article 2 package by voice vote after no objections were raised.
