by Legislative Media | Aug 11, 2015 | Politics
Featured: Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, on Thursday, July 9, 2015, at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel in McAllen, addressing the McAllen Chamber of Commerce’s 84th Legislative Session Wrap-Up Luncheon.
Photograph By MARK MONTEMAYOR
The Delta Area School Supplies Drive, which will donate key learning materials, ranging from pens and pencils to paper and erasers to notebooks, is underway and will wrap up on Wednesday, August 19, when the donations will be distributed, while supplies last, to students enrolled in the Edcouch-Elsa Independent School District, Rep. Terry Canales has announced. Canales, who said he has contributed in the past to other school drives, said this is the first time he is helping organize one, serving as host for the event. He also expressed deep appreciation to the Edcouch-Elsa Rotary Club, which is playing a vital role in this event, and to his House 40 constituents in the area. “We have been asking as many people as possible. It is amazing how some companies will pull out their checkbook with a moment’s notice to help with school supplies,” Canales reported. “It is very expensive for all families to prepare their children for the school year. I am just glad to work with the Edcouch-Elsa Rotary Club and other generous leaders to provide help for those who need it.” Any school student is eligible, but each child must be present to receive a backpack. Each child will get a Edcouch-Elsa Independent School District approved backpack, which means it is clear or mesh. In the backpack will be supplies to get a child started out for the year: pencils, folders, notebooks, tissues, glue sticks, erasers, pencil case, rulers, colored pencils and crayons. The backpacks with school supplies will be given away from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the John F. Kennedy Elementary Cafeteria, 500 West 9th Street, in Elsa. Students must show up in person to receive the donations. Individuals who wish to contribute or have questions about the Delta Area School Supplies Drive may call 956/383-0860. Canales said students who show up are the ones who are doing society the real favor. “There is nothing shameful about needing help,” Canales encouraged the public school students. “By receiving these school supplies, they will do better in school, and it shows the world that Valley students want a great education. We’re here to give our Edcouch-Elsa ISD students some of the tools to help the achieve their goals and dreams.” Equally important, Canales said, the generosity demonstrated by groups such as the Edcouch-Elsa Rotary Club, local businesses, and caring individuals involved in the school supply drive are worth of fortune in many other ways that count. “Throughout the state and nation, many families simply don’t have enough resources to properly provide the school supplies needed by their children,” the state lawmaker reflected. “But through the love and caring that our residents have for our communities and for our youth, these small acts of kindness are investments in all of our future and well-being.”
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by Legislative Media | Jul 31, 2015 | Politics
Featured, from left: Brent Byler, Director of State Governmental Affairs in Texas for LeFleur Transportation in Austin; Letty González, President, Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, holding the title of a van donated to the local chamber by LeFleur Transportation; and Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, at LeFleur Transportation’s Valley headquarters in Edinburg.
Photograph By RONNIE LARRALDE
A 12-passenger van has been donated to the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce by LeFleur Transportation, a national transportation service with a major presence in Edinburg, in order to allow the local chamber to better serve and promote the city’s many assets to visitors and residents, Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, has announced. The Wednesday, July 29 ceremony took place at the firm’s site in Edinburg, located at 1920 Industrial Drive, near the intersection of the northbound U.S. Expressway 281 frontage road and East Iowa Road, in the Renaissance Industrial Park. “This is the second consecutive year that LeFleur Transportation has made such a generous gift to our community,” said Canales, who participated in the donation with company and chamber of commerce leaders. “In 2014, LeFleur Transportation donated two vans to the Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library. On behalf of my constituents, I wish to express my tremendous gratitude to LeFleur Transportation.” LeFleur Transportation (https://www.lefleur.net/Default.aspx) specializes in providing non-emergency passenger transportation services. The company has been in business for nearly 20 years and has served the people of South Texas for more than a decade, providing safe, reliable transportation services for both public and private sector users. Letty González, President of the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce, praised the donation of the vehicle, which is a Ford E350 Econoline. “This van will help us to advance our mission of expanding business opportunities in the Edinburg area by giving us the means to share our exciting city with residents and visitors alike,” said González. “Currently, we often have to rent or borrow vans to provide tours for children to the renowned World Bird Center or the Scenic Wetlands, both located in Edinburg. The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce also conducts tours for Winter Texans who spend their winters in Edinburg, and according to research conducted by the University of Texas-Pan American, contributed $710 million into the Rio Grande Valley economy in 2014.” Brent Byler, Director of State Governmental Affairs in Texas for LeFleur Transportation in Austin, shared the sentiments of his colleagues in Edinburg and throughout the firm, which has locations throughout Texas and beyond. “We are proud to serve the citizens of Edinburg and the clients we serve. Giving back is a special part of our culture and we thank Representative Canales and the Edinburg Chamber in allowing us to give,” Byler said. “On behalf of the owner of LeFleur and our 250 Edinburg employees, we are proud we can contribute to economic development and plan on supporting in the ongoing future.”
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by Legislative Media | Jul 29, 2015 | Politics
Featured, from left: Mario Lizcano, Marketing Director, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance; Robert Martínez, M.D., Chief Physician Executive, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance; Rep. Óscar Longoria, Jr., D-La Joya: Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg; Rep. R.D. “Bobby” Guerra, D-McAllen; and Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen, on Thursday, July 9, 2015 at the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel in McAllen for the McAllen Chamber of Commerce’s 84th Legislative Session Wrap-up Luncheon.
Photograph By MARK MONTEMAYOR
Five Valley representatives are among 28 state lawmakers who have called on the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to look elsewhere in their massive budget rather than reduce Medicaid funding for medically necessary therapy services for an estimated 60,000 pediatric and elderly Texans. According to information from the Health and Human Services Commission requested by Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, more than 26,000 residents in the Rio Grande Valley would be affected by the planned rate reductions, which could go into effect on September 1. Canales, Rep. Ryan Guillén, D-Rio Grande City, Rep. Eddie Lucio, III, D-San Benito, Rep. Armando “Mando” Martínez, D-Weslaco, and Rep. Sergio Muñoz, Jr., D-Mission, were among the authors of a July 22, 2015 letter delivered to Chris Traylor, Executive Commissioner of that powerful agency, which administers Medicaid, among other major health and human service programs. “We write today in opposition to the rates proposed by the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) for physical, occupational, and speech therapy provided by Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facilities/Outpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (CORF/ORF), Home Health Agencies (HHA), and Independent Therapists,” the 28 state representatives stated. “We fear the proposed reductions will severely limit access to medically-necessary services for the most vulnerable in our state.” The legislative intervention is part of a statewide effort to protect Medicaid funding for those vital services for deserving Texans. Those cuts could involve up to $350 million in federal and state moneys for the therapy programs controlled by the HHSC. That $350 million estimate reflects the total potential impact if both rate reductions and policy changes directed in Rider 50 of the state budget are implemented. For only the rate reductions ($100 million in state funds), the total impact would be approximately $233 million. Public comment is closed, but the Health and Human Services Council will consider testimony and make the final recommendation by the time the new state budget goes into effect in about a month. Canales and the 27 other lawmakers who signed the July 22 letter to Traylor contend that the two-year state budget approved by the majority of the Texas Legislature allows the Health and Human Services Commission to come up with revenue from other sources or develop alternative financing plans to keep the funding at the same level. “Individuals to be most impacted by this proposal include children receiving services for birth defects, genetic disorders, and/or physical or cognitive disabilities,” the legislative correspondence added. “(We) think you would agree that, rather than subject them to additional barriers, we have a duty to safeguard these fragile young Texans.” Canales, Guillén, Lucio, III, Martínez, and Muñoz concluded their letter by urging the HHSC leadership “to comprehensively study the effect this level of reductions could have on access to care prior to the implementation of any cost-reduction strategy. While short-term cost containment may be possible using this methodology, the longer term cost to our state and to those most in need is potentially catastrophic.” Earlier in the spring, state legislators, led by Rep. Sylvester Turner, D-Houston, and Rep. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola, along with pediatric and elderly patients, parents, patient advocates and members of therapy provider associations, gathered at the State Capitol to begin raising awareness of those pending budget cuts, which had been included in the Senate version of the state budget, according to the Texas Association for Home Care & Hospice.
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by Legislative Media | Jun 1, 2015 | Politics
Featured: Lucille D. Wood, Clinical Professor at The University of Texas School of Law, whose research in a 2012 study helped lead to the passage of House Bill 311 by Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, and Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., D-Brownsville. HB 311 will help protect thousands of low-income families, especially those who live in colonias, who purchase their homes through non-traditional financing known as contracts for deed. Photograph Courtesy THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SCHOOL OF LAW
Thousands of Texans who purchase their homes through non-traditional financing known as contracts for deed would be better safeguarded from losing their investment under legislation by Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, which was approved by the Legislature on Saturday, May 30. The measure, House Bill 311, whose Senate sponsor was Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., D-Brownsville, now goes to Gov. Greg Abbott for his approval. “I am honored to announce that House Bill 311 has been passed by the Texas Legislature, ” said Canales. “This important legislation will help protect Texas homebuyers from unscrupulous sellers. For most Texans, our home is the most expensive purchase we will make in our lifetime and it is paramount that we protect that investment.” Contracts for deed oftentimes are used when traditional financing, such as mortgages through a financial institution, is not available. Many of the estimated half-million Texans who live in colonias are at risk because they buy their homes through a contract for deed. The legislation’s major goals include streamlining the title conversion process for contracts for deed so title is conveyed to the purchaser, giving the purchaser protection, and the seller still retains a lien on the property at the same terms of the original contract. “This puts these properties back into the real estate market, allowing them to be properly sold and allows the homeowner to take out a loan on them,” Canales said. HB 311 also will encourage contracts for deed to be recorded so that other buyers, lenders, and title companies know that a property has been sold. Contracts for deed, also known as executory contracts, are contracts for the sale of land – usually residential property – where the seller keeps title to the property until the buyer has paid the full contract price. “Most of these contracts are long-term arrangements, lasting eight to 10 years on average,” Canales, an attorney, explained. “In that time, lots of things can go wrong. Sellers die, get divorced, or just disappear. Buyers have a difficult time getting homestead exemptions for their taxes, buying insurance, refinancing, or doing other things property owners with a deed can do.” A deed is a written instrument that, when executed and delivered, convey (transfer) title to or an interest in real estate. HB 311 would automatically require contracts for deed to convey (transfer) the title to the homebuyer, and would encourage these contracts to be legally recorded, which establishes ownership of the residence. Canales said HB 311 would help improve “an outdated system of property transactions. Unfortunately, contracts for deed are structured in a way that allows for abusive practices to arise,” the House District 40 lawmaker explained. “Buyers who complete their payment are not guaranteed the conveyance of title, and if the buyer defaults, they may lose any payment that they have already paid. When not recorded, buyers face less protection and risk losing their property.” Robert Doggett, an attorney with Texas Family Council, which supported the legislation, agreed that the legislation modernizes this type of residential real estate transaction.“For many decades these transactions have caused problems for Texas homeowners because they delayed the buyer receiving title to their property for many years. Buyers who had to move in the middle of their contracts lost the value of all improvements and any equity they achieved because there was nothing for them to sell,” said Doggett. “Thanks to the continued efforts of Rep. Canales and his staff both this session and last, Texans with these contracts will actually become Texas homeowners simply by filing their contracts. HB 311 will truly help make the problems caused by contracts for deed a relic of the past.” Canales thanked the Texas Family Council and Randy Lee with Stewart Title Guaranty Company for endorsing the legislation, which Canales first filed in 2013. But the South Texas lawmaker also praised a 2012 study commissioned by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA), which contracted with Peter M. Ward, C.B. Smith Sr. Centennial Chair in US-Mexico Relations at the LBJ School; Heather Way, ’96, director of the Law School’s Community Development Clinic; and Lucille Wood, 2011–2012 Research Fellow at the William Wayne Justice Center for Public Interest Law, to direct the study. Their “invaluable research” found that despite these reforms, contracts for deed continue to be problematic transactions for consumers, the South Texas legislator noted. The research was extensive, according to a December 10, 2012 feature story by UT Law, The Magazine of the University of Texas School of Law, which chronicled the in-depth look at the problems of contracts for deeds among lower-income families ( http://www.utexas.edu/law/magazine/2012/12/10/colonias-contracts/ ).
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by Legislative Media | May 28, 2015 | Politics
Digital driver’s licenses, such as now set up in Iowa, could be studied for use in Texas under a bipartisan measure being considered by the Texas Legislature.
Photograph By DIGITALTRENDS.COM
Texans could one day soon have the option of carrying virtual version’s of their driver’s license on their smartphone under legislation by Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, that is making its way through the state legislature. His proposal, originally contained in his House Bill 640, was attached as an amendment to Senate Bill 1934 on Monday, May 25. An amendment is a proposed change – either by adding new language and/or deleting existing language – to a bill or resolution as it moves through the legislative process. Canales was successful in adding the entire text of HB 640 to the language of Senate Bill 1934, by Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, which deals with changing requirements for driver’s licenses, personal ID information. “Recently enacted legislation allowed drivers to show proof of auto insurance on their smartphones and reports indicate that other states have passed similar laws,” Canales said of his HB 640. “In an effort to continue this digital trend, my legislation requires the Texas Department of Public Safety to conduct a study concerning the use of a digital image for identification and proof of licensure purposes.” Now, through SB 1934, which is awaiting a final vote by the House of Representatives, Canales’ idea would result in Texas developing a system where such digital driver licenses could become a reality in Texas within the next few years. “Other major states are looking at this option, and my amendment to SB 1934 would give us until the fall of 2016 to come up with the pros and cons, anticipate and fix any shortcomings, and protect the privacy of individuals who prefer to have digital versions of their driver license, rather than the plastic type,” said Canales. Iowa and Delaware are the first two states to set up such a system, while this spring, as of March 10, 2015, other states are also looking at similar measures, including Arizona, California, Illinois, Kentucky, New Jersey, North Dakota, and Tennessee. Under Canales’ amendment to SB 1934: The DPS would be required to conduct a study determining the feasibility of establishing a system to allow a person to use a digital image displayed on an electronic device for identification purposes or to prove that the person has a driver’s license; The DPS would evaluate risks to personal information security that such a system might create; The DPS would survey and evaluate digital identification and proof of licensure policies in other states; and The DPS would be required, not later than September 1, 2016, to submit a detailed report of its findings and recommendations to the legislature.
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