2017 Legislative Session

Photo credit: 'Inside the House' by Brandon Watts. 2009. View original photo here.
Welcome to the TAHC&H Resource Center on the 2017 Texas Legislative Session! Look below for information on the 85th Legislature, bills relevant to home care, grassroots advocacy, and weekly updates from our lobby team. We encourage all providers to reach out to their legislators this session to spread the message that home care is the leading solution for health care. Some exclusive content is for TAHC&H members only. For more information, please contact (512) 338-9293 x 5 or governmentaffairs@tahch.org.

Legislative Materials

Legislative Visits
All providers should reach out to the State Representatives and State Senators where you reside and operate. Bring information on your agency, the informational sheets below, and talking points. Be sure to tell TAHC&H about a legislative visit!

2017 State Legislative Priorities
Support Access to Community Care
Support Access to Home Therapy for Kids
Support Access to Private Duty Nursing
Support the Electronic Visit Verification Rider
About Home Care
About Hospice

Advocates
Get tips below on how to be an effective grassroot advocate!

Advocate toolkit
Get involved

Action Alerts
Call your legislators today - it's so easy using our TAHC&H action center!

Bill Tracking
Read about current legislation affecting home care & hospice.

Bill tracking list (as of 5/17/2017)

Testimony
Testify at key committee hearings to speak directly to lawmakers tasked with formulating health policy and appropriating funds for Medicaid services. The templates and video archives below will be helpful in developing your testimony and ensuring a cohesive message.

Archive of Senate Finance Hearings
Archive of Senate Health & Human Services Hearings

Medicaid Therapy
Study on access
Study on rate comparison
Map of waitlist data survey results
Table of waitlist data survey results
Letter from Sen. Menendez

Updates

From TAHC&H

Sine die! Session is over
#TXKidsMatter Campaign
Capitol Insight- 44 Days Left!
Therapist Assistant Pay Rule Hearing Recap
Texas Budget Insights *Audio Update!*
Lobby Day Recap
HB 3982 House Human Services Hearing
Therapy Assistant Rule Hearing
Budget Update
10 Things to Know About House Budget Proposal
TAHC&H Statement on Supplemental Budget
Q&A on Medicaid Therapy Budget
Budget Updates
Community Care Day
Texas Legislature Enters Sprint Mode
PIAC Releases 2016 Report
American Health Care Act
HHS Waiver Slot and Enrollment Report
#TXKidsMatter Campaign
Supplemental Budget Bill Filed in State House
Special Kids Day Recap
Star Kids Advisory Meeting Recap
TAHC&H Members Testify to House Appropriations
DADS Regulatory FY 2016 Report
Lobby Day Survey
Legislative Reception Recap
Kick-off Lobby Day at the Capitol a Success
Texas House of Representatives Committee Chairs Announced
Senate Finance Committee Hearing Notice
Senate Finance Organizational Meeting
Senate Budget Bill Filed & Senate Committees Announced
Capitol Insights: Week 1
Texas Comptroller Biennium Budget Revenue Estimate

Events

Public Events

Deadlines for legislative action

Home Care In the News

House passes budget after more than 15 hour debate (Texas Tribune)
Amid clash over procedure, Texas House moves to defund Enterprise Fund (The Texas Tribune)
The education of Briscoe Cain (Austin-American Statesman)
Texas to lose Brazos Valley children's therapy provider (Texas Tribune)
Texas officials seek deeper cuts to therapy for disabled children (Dallas Morning News)
Move to strip Gov Abbott Biz Fund (Austin-American Statesman)
Texas House budget writers send budget to full House with massive health care cut (The Texas Tribune)
Bill calls for rainy day fund (Star-Telegram)
Speaker Straus on Senate Budge t (Austin American Statesman)
Severely disabled kids lives at risk as Texas enacts Medicaid cost-savings plan (Dallas Morning News)
America's oldest veteran needs help staying in East Austin home (kxan)
Cuts to Medicaid therapy have parents on edge (Lubbock online)
Medicaid actions don't leave poor, disabled with Merry Christmas (Lubbock online)
House Speaker Joe Straus vows to reverse cuts to disabled kids' therapy services (Texas Tribune)
Speaker Straus wants to revisit cuts to therapy programs (Texans for Joe Straus)

85th Legislature

Texas Legislature Online

Legislative Reference Library

Who Represents Me

Texas House of Representatives

Texas Senate

Office of the Speaker

Dates of Interest

Executive offices

Texas Health & Human Services

TMHP

T exas Register

Office of the Governor

Office of the Lt Governor

L egislative Budget Board

News

Austin-American Statesman

Social media

Reaching out to public officials on social media can encourage them to take action.

Facebook: TAHCH.fans

Twitter: Accounts to follow

Useful hashtags

#txlege
#homecare
#Medicaid
#ReverseTheCuts
#ProtectTXKids
#TherapyHelps
#HomeCareHelps
#HospiceHelps
#TXKidsMatter

TAHC&H members, we want your photos! Email governmentaffairs@tahch.org with pictures of home care in action, your staff at community events, or meetings with public officials. We can use all photos in our communications to showcase the importance of health care at home.