Ron Reynolds, Fort Bend County State Represenative, House District 27 » Legislation

Texas Special Session Convened; We Must Remain Resolute

Margo Williams Handy — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 17:05:32 +0000

AUSTIN, Texas (June 1, 2011) — The regular session of the 82nd Texas Legislature was finally adjourned (sine die) around 5:30 p.m. on Monday evening, May 30, with both the House and Senate leaving important state business unfinished. The failure of the legislature to pass Senate Bill 1811, the fiscal matters bill, and Senate Bills 8 and 23, omnibus healthcare bills dealing with the health compact and Medicaid reform, prompted the governor to issue a proclamation placing a call for a special session of the legislature. “The set of bills that remained unresolved dealt with the most important issues facing our state, but instead we were consumed by non-substantive hyper-partisan issues, declared as emergency items by the governor, earlier in the session,” stated Rep. Reynolds (D-Fort Bend County, District 27).

The effort to kill the ill-conceived and little debated school finance bill SB 1811, was carried out on both sides of the Capitol with House Democrats carrying out a valiant effort that fell short on Saturday, leaving only the courageous act by Senator Wendy Davis (D – Fort Worth), who effectively filibustered the bill past the Senate midnight deadline on Sunday, as the mechanism that would prevent the bill from passing. “My democratic colleagues have displayed an relentless and undying spirit, as we have fought to defend the interests of children, parents, and teachers. We have stayed the course on a long and difficult journey, we have been unwavering in our determination to fight, we have stayed true to our purpose, and we have repeatedly refused to concede on proposals that would cause irreversible damage to our state’s education,” added Rep. Reynolds.

“The decision to not tap the state’s savings account, in the midst of our budgetary crisis, was a bad one from the beginning, and one that will surely come home to roost. The final version of the budget cuts over $15 billion in state spending, from a state which currently ranks last in per capita spending. The budget cuts $4 billion from public education, over $1 billion from higher education, decimates funding for early childhood education, and further undermined our school teachers. The final budget put together by a select few lawmakers, relied on a wide range of gimmicks and financial engineering to push through a budget that fails the people of Texas.”

“The definition of insanity is to repeat the same thing over and over again while expecting to yield different results. The voters elected us to lead, set priorities, and to protect those priorities. We must uphold our statutory obligations to properly fund our State’s programs and not short-change our future opportunities for development and business growth. We must proceed forward by making responsible spending cuts, closing corporate tax loopholes, adequately funding healthcare and education, and making use of the Rainy Day Fund to avoid a further deepening of this economic recession.”

“With the special session convened, there is little time to for reflection, rather I would urge that the time is now for Texans to seize the moment, and add their voice to the debate and demand that leadership moves in the direction of using the Rainy Day Fund to provide additional funding for public education and healthcare; our future depends on it,” stated Rep. Reynolds.

“Lastly, let me add that I am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to serve in Austin as the elected representative of the people of House District 27 in Fort Bend county. While we have had some success this session, we have not done it alone. For all those who continue to toil in the daily struggle, I stand with you in solidarity and know that our work cause is just and our work is not in vain.”

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About State Representative Ron Reynolds
Ron Reynolds is State Representative for District 27 of Fort Bend County in Texas. Rep. Reynolds serves on the Economic and Small Business Development and Environmental Regulation committees. He is a former Associate Municipal Judge for The City of Houston. For more information, please visit: www.ronaldreynolds.com

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Rep. Reynolds Encourages Colleagues to Support Unemployment Benefits Bill During These Tough Economic Times and Extreme Budget Cuts

Margo Williams Handy — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 17:00:17 +0000

AUSTIN, Texas (May 3, 2011) — Today, Rep. Reynolds (District 27-Fort Bend) is asking his colleagues to step up and support House Bill 3068 to help individuals who have suffered employment loss due to the downturn in our economy and provide them with the additional resources and tools that are needed for them to gain reemployment in the work field.

House Bill 3068 will provide additional unemployment insurance benefits to individuals who are unemployed due to a separation from a declining occupation or a permanent reduction of operations at their last employment, and are enrolled in training programs approved by the Texas Workforce Commission.

“With the extreme budget cuts proposed by the leadership, Texas will have a record loss of jobs. The Legislative Budget Board (LBB) predicts that the state budget approved by the House Appropriations Committee would result in 272,000 fewer jobs in 2012 and 335,000 fewer in 2013. The LBB also predicts that we would eliminate 117,000 private sector jobs. This bill will help provide temporary relief to the unemployed and individuals who will be losing their jobs due to the draconian budget cut,” said Rep. Reynolds.

“I encourage my fellow colleagues to join me in supporting and passing this legislation that will help Texans get the assistance and training they need to get back to work,” commented Rep. Reynolds.

Representative Reynolds Commends Texas Teachers During National Teacher Appreciation Week and Fights to Protect Their Rights

Margo Williams Handy — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 16:06:54 +0000

Today, Rep. Ron Reynolds (D-Fort Bend County, District 27) thanks all of the Texas teachers for their hard work and dedication to the children of this state. “Few other professionals touch as many people as teachers do,” said Rep. Reynolds. “National Teacher Appreciation Week is a good time to learn about the contributions educators make to our community every day.”

Today, Rep. Reynolds single-handedly defeated legislation, which would have stripped educators of their due process rights. “I am proud to stand with teachers and fight to protect their rights in the workplace,” commented Rep. Reynolds. The bill would have forced school districts to put employees on a probationary contract in the event of a promotion, for example, a teacher being promoted to a principal’s position. Educators on probationary contracts have virtually no due process rights. The district can simply notify them of their intent to terminate, and there is nothing the employee can do to challenge that.

“Teachers work to open students’ minds to ideas, knowledge and dreams, and they serve as role models and mentors to our children on a daily basis,” said Rep. Reynolds. Teachers continue to influence us long after our school days and they deserve full appreciation from every student they have ever taught. “As a father and legislator, I will continue to respect and value teachers and the important role they have in the lives of our children,” noted Rep. Reynolds.

“I encourage all Texans to stand up for our great teachers and honor them for all they do to educate and prepare our kids for their bright futures ahead,” said Rep. Reynolds.

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Rep. Reynolds Joint-Authors Bills To Provide Transparency and Boost Economic Development Incentives in Texas

Margo Williams Handy — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:26:04 +0000

AUSTIN (May 10, 2011) — Rep. Ron Reynolds (D-Fort Bend County, District 27) joined Chairman John Davis, House Committee on Economic and Small Business Development, in joint-authoring HB 2457 and HB 2785. Providing incentives for economic development can be one of the key factors in growing a strong economy for Texas. It is also important for there to be oversight and scrutiny when tax money is being used to pay incentives for businesses to come to Texas.

HB 2457 enhances transparency by requiring closer examination and notification to the Lt. Governor and Speaker of the House when contracts have to be amended when incentives are provided from the Texas Enterprise Fund. “These funds are important for the state to have and promote economic development, but it is crucial that every tax dollar used for incentives be closely scrutinized,” commented Rep. Reynolds. “This bill will help ensure that funds are being expended appropriately.”

Texas has developed a variety of economic development incentives administered through a number of state agencies, from temporary tax relief to direct state grants and subsidies. “These incentives have evolved without a comprehensive review of their effectiveness; how they compare with other states’ efforts; whether they appropriately target the correct economic activity; how they should be evaluated; or how they can be coordinated with other incentives to be most effective,” noted Rep. Reynolds.

“I was honored to joint-author HB 2785 which seeks to address some of these issues by creating a Select Committee on Economic Development to study and make recommendations on incentives for economic development,” commented Reynolds. “A in-depth look at these programs will provide us with valuable information so that we can get the best bang for our buck, and wisely invest in Texas’ future.”

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Representative Reynolds Passes Legislation To Provide Flexibility To Smaller Cities On Local Elections

Margo Williams Handy — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:11:23 +0000

AUSTIN (April 27, 2011) — Today, Rep. Ron Reynolds (District 27-Fort Bend) passed House Bill 2920, which will provide any General Law C City with a population of more than 10,000, the option to adopt an ordinance to allow for commissioners to be elected in alternate years or in the same election year.

“This legislation will provide local control to small cities to adopt by ordinance the manner in which it elects its officials,” said Rep. Reynolds.

Currently, the elected officials of the City of Richmond and some other small cities serve for a term of two years. The mayor and commissioners are all up for election on the same uniform election day in May every even year. “With this current structure, a complete turnover of its elected officials in one year could occur, thereby losing all experienced elected officials,” commented Rep. Reynolds. “This bill should provide the flexibility that small cities need to set their local elections.”

Rep. Reynolds stated, “I expect HB 2920 will move swiftly through the Senate and will soon be a valuable tool for small cities.”

Representative Reynolds Passes Legislation To Spur Economic Opportunities For Small Cities

Margo Williams Handy — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 12:30:14 +0000

AUSTIN, Texas (April 27, 2011) — Rep. Reynolds (District 27-Fort Bend), passed House Bill 3302, which would enable 4A corporations in cities having both 4A and a 4B corporation to do 4B projects without having to hold an election. The bill would require that these 4B projects would be subject to approval by the City Council with the ability of City Council to rescind such action, but the corporation would be able to complete any 4B projects undertaken. The bill only applies to cities with a population below 7,500.

“This important legislation will provide an invaluable economic tool for small cities, especially during these tough economic times,” said Reynolds. With their limited physical and financial resources, small cities simply cannot compete for manufacturing and industrial projects. “Small cities will now have an opportunity to pool Type A resources with their existing Type B in meaningful economic development projects such as tourism and infrastructure needs, including retail,” stated Rep. Reynolds.

“I look forward to working with the Senate to get the bill moved all the way through the process so it can become law and an economic asset for small cities,” commented Reynolds.

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An Open Letter to Governor Rick Perry from Rep. Ron Reynolds

Margo Williams Handy — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 21:39:37 +0000

Governor Perry, I hope that this message finds you in good spirits. In light of the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) report regarding the state budget, I felt that it was important for me to write you regarding mine and concerns of my constituents.

As you are aware, the LBB predicts that the state budget approved by the House Appropriations Committee would result in 272,000 fewer jobs in Texas in 2012 and 335,000 fewer in 2013. The LBB also predicts that the budget would eliminate 117,000 private sector jobs in 2012 and 146,000 in 2013. In 2006, you pushed through a tax swap that you said would better fund public education. Not only has your promise not proven true, but it has actually drained money from schools, leaving the state with a permanent shortfall that has reached $5 billion a year. Texas currently ranks near the bottom in funding for public education.

Although you and the politicians in control are responsible for this record shortfall, you have chosen to focus your sights on local school districts, proposing billions of dollars in cuts to public education to offset the shortfall in the upcoming biennium. As you are well aware, this will result in hundreds of thousands of lost jobs across the state and poorer quality education for children of all ages. Furthermore, extreme cuts to education pose a great threat to the future prosperity of our state. We need to make Texas school children a priority, and it is economically shortsighted to increase class sizes, fire teachers and underfund classrooms. Education is the key to innovation, and the technology jobs of tomorrow will require students with a strong background in math and science to compete in the 21st century global economy.

You and some conservative Republicans originally refused to commit any of the estimated $9.4 billion in the Rainy Day Fund. At the urging of numerous members of both parties, you struck a deal to use $3.2 billion of the Fund to close the current deficit; which will keep the state running and help the State avoid a shortfall for six weeks over the summer. This expenditure, however, will do little to help public schools for the next two years, leaving them $7 billion short.

You have stated that you would reject a bill that spends one additional cent of the Rainy Day Fund for the next two years. Moreover, you have said that school districts should spend down their reserve balances, which they are required by law to maintain, creating fiscal insecurity and devaluing financial accountability ratings. I believe it is disingenuous for the state to require school districts to hold a specific amount of money in their reserves, only to later tell those same districts to spend it down so that the state does not have to take responsibility for its mistakes.

Governor Perry, we need real solutions to our budget problems. The definition of insanity is to repeat the same thing over and over again while expecting to yield different results. Anyone can apply across the board budget cuts without thought. However, the voters elected us to lead, to set priorities, and to protect those priorities. The right priorities include responsible spending cuts, closing corporate tax loopholes and using some of the Rainy Day Fund.

I am incredibly concerned about what the draconian cuts to public education will mean for preparing our children and protecting their future. We cannot afford to balance our budget on the backs of our children, and more importantly I believe that we should put party politics aside and do what’s in the best interest of our state.

Sincerely,

Ron Reynolds
State Representative
HD 27

Rep. Reynolds Files House Bill 1851 to Enhance Opportunities for Historically Underutilized Businesses

Margo Williams Handy — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 19:50:12 +0000

AUSTIN, Texas (Mar. 2, 2011) — Today, Rep. Ron Reynolds (D-District 27, Fort Bend) filed HB 1851. In light of constituent concerns regarding state contracts with historically underutilized businesses (HUBs), Rep. Reynolds introduced legislation to help the state meet its contracting goals for minority- and women-owned businesses. “Historically underutilized businesses are missing out on economic opportunities when the state falls short of its proposed goals for HUB contracts. HUBs have the experience and demonstrated ability to satisfy the requirements of contracts in a variety of fields and the state needs to be more accountable to ensure that HUBs receive contracts,” remarked Rep. Reynolds.

The HUB program began in 1991 to increase minority- and women-owned business participation in state procurement and contracting from which such businesses had often experienced difficulty becoming involved. The state performs periodic disparity studies to assess the effectiveness of the HUB program. “Although there have been many inroads made by HUBs over the last two decades, the percentage of contracts that they receive is unsatisfactory. The recent Comptroller disparity study showed improvement and provided some quality recommendations which I’m incorporating into this legislation.”

Rep. Reynolds concluded by saying, “I am impressed by the efforts of some state agencies, particularly universities, but we need the same commitment and passion for seeking contracts for HUBs throughout every state agency. I have made this one of my legislative priorities and am determined to meet the goals set out by the state for HUB participation.”

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Rep. Ron Reynolds Files Legislation to Propose Mandatory Meningitis Vaccines

admin — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:55:30 +0000

AUSTIN, Texas (Feb. 22, 2011) — Today, Rep. Ron Reynolds (D – District 27, Fort Bend) filed HB 1557 requiring all incoming college students to be vaccinated for bacterial meningitis. Currently, only students who live on campus in student housing are required to get the meningococcal vaccine.

Last week, a Texas A&M junior from Sugar Land, Texas, who did not live on campus, suffered from bacterial meningitis and died in a College Station hospital. “When a student dies from the area I represent, it really hits home that we need to change the law to include that all college students need to be vaccinated,” said Rep. Reynolds. Since the student was not living in a dorm on campus, he was not required to be vaccinated. Rep. Reynolds said, “We need to pass this bill to save lives on college campuses and HB 1557 will help accomplish that.”

Bacterial meningitis is an inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord, but the early symptoms can mimic the flu. According to the CDC, about 10 percent of people who get infected with bacterial meningitis die, in spite of treatment with antibiotics. Even students who do not live in a dorm are at risk since they are still in close proximity to other students in the classroom, the library and other campus settings.

“I am appreciative that Chairman Byron Cook (R-Corsicana) has joint authored this legislation with me, and I look forward to working with him in a by-partisan manner to pass this important life saving legislation,” Rep. Reynolds concluded.

Rep. Reynolds Responds to Governor Perry’s State of the State Address Calls for Perry to Address Real Issues State is Facing

Margo Williams Handy — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 21:06:11 +0000

AUSTIN, Texas (Feb. 10, 2011) — Today, Rep. Reynolds (D- District 27, Fort Bend) responded to Governor Rick Perry’s State of the State Address. Instead of talking about the $27 billion shortfall facing the state this year, Governor Perry decided to highlight his pet projects, like the Texas Enterprise Fund.

“When given an opportunity to come clean about the real issue facing the state, the Texas budget, Governor Perry went back to his usual tactics of diversion, deceit, and delay,” said Rep. Reynolds. “With a $27 billion shortfall that is being balanced on the backs of our seniors in nursing homes, college students, and kids in pre-K, Texans deserve a budget process that is open and transparent.”

Perry proposed that public colleges and universities should have a $10,000 path to a bachelor’s degree. Currently, $10,000 will buy you two semesters at the University of Texas-Austin.

“I’m glad that Governor Perry has joined our call for lower tuition rates. Since 2003, tuition at Texas public colleges and universities have skyrocketed,” added Rep. Reynolds. “Unfortunately, the proposed budget underfunds higher education by $1.1 billion. Now that too many students are priced out of college tuition, Rick Perry wants to pull the brake on his runaway train and set a new mandate without picking up the tab.”

“The budget cuts don’t stop at higher education,” continued Rep. Reynolds. “The proposed cuts mean our school districts will be forced to lay off good teachers. Long-term, our state may pay a high price with an uneducated workforce and resulting high unemployment rates.”

Texas currently ranks at or near the bottom among states in funding for public education.

Texas House Democrats have called for an honest and transparent process in deliberating the budget this legislative session.