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An Update from Your MOWAT Lobby Team


We are officially past the halfway point of the 87th (Regular) Legislative session, and committee hearings and budget negotiations are in full-swing!


Senate Bill 1 Update

As earlier reported, SB 1 was introduced with the "5% cut" requested by state leadership this summer. The "5% cut" translated into more of a 14% cut in Article VI of the budget, with the Texans Feeding Texans-Home Delivered Meals (TFT-HMD) program being cut by $688,009 each year of the biennium. After significant work with the Senate Work Group on Article VI of the budget (where the Texas Department of Agriculture is funded,) SB 1 (which passed by the Senate on April 6th,) has the funding cuts RESTORED. Serious thanks are due to Chairman Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound), Sen. Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville), Sen Charles Perry (R-Lubbock), Sen Eddie Lucio (D-Brownsville) and Sen. Whitmire (D-Houston), who are all strong supporters of Meals on Wheels.

Now the bill will go to the House, which will substitute its version, and then the bill will go to a conference committee to resolve any differences in the two versions. The House bill, as introduced, did NOT include the 5% cuts. This should signal full funding for FY 22-23, but obviously, we must continue to watch the bill carefully.
 

House Bill 1134 and Senate Bill 732 Updates

HB 1134/SB 732, the bills that would open the TFT-HDM program to for-profit organizations, are still awaiting a hearing.  We are very thankful to the chairmen of the relevant House and Senate committees for not yet scheduling a hearing, since we know they are under pressure to do so. We are also thankful to all of members we have emailed for contacting your legislators who serve on the House Human Services committee and the Senate Health and Human Services committee to request that the bills not be set for hearing.

Unfortunately, we have reason to believe that HB 1134 is still likely to receive a hearing in the House. If this bill is set for a hearing and your legislator serves on the House Human Services committee, please contact your legislator urging that the bill NOT be voted out of committee. These bills would almost guarantee that your TDA funding would be reduced, possibly dramatically. They are introduced by powerful legislators, and will be difficult to stop, especially if they are allowed to get out of the committee. Because session is moving so quickly, we will need quick action from all of YOU when we call for it.  


Additionally, your lobby team is watching for amendments to other bills that would open the program to for-profits.


Thank you to each of you that have already engaged with your legislators on behalf of Meals on Wheels! It is more influential than you may even realize. Together, we can make a difference for Texas seniors.


- The Meals on Wheels Association of Texas Lobby Team
 

 

Other News



MOWAT Feedback to HHSC

Your lobby team provided the following comments back to HHSC regarding the proposed rule 20R031 amending portions of Texas Administrative Code that cover Area Agencies on Aging and the Implementation of the Older Americans Act. MOWAT provided feedback that included requested clarification on several items and concern that the handbook was changed while the rules are under consideration. You can find the MOWAT letter to HHSC here.
 

Key Dates for Bills

You can find a summary of key dates for bills in the Texas 87th Legislative Session at this link here.
 

2022 Texans Feeding Texans Home Delivered Meals Grant Update

The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is excited about the upcoming 2022 Texans Feeding Texans Home Delivered Meals Grant (HDM) year. Even though the current year just started, TDA is already making plans for the upcoming year application process. Here are a few updates: County Grant: 2020 census data will be published soon. The county grant is based on the county seniors as reported by the census. So that means the resolutions and amounts for the 2022 grant will be based on the new census data. If you plan on your resolutions done early, it is please be mindful that the minimum amounts per county are going to change.

Once the census data is published, TDA will post a new table to the HDM web page here.

2022 Grant application: TDA is moving to an online grant application system called TDA-GO to submit the 2022 application materials and will no longer accept emailed or mailed applications. The roll out of the new system is anticipated in Early July. There will be plenty of instruction documents and tutorial videos to help you. 
 
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