The House and Senate established a provision as part of the Senate’s budget that requires passage of a Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas oversight bill in order for the group to be funded by the state.
Early this month Senators passed a set of bills, one authored by Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Dallas, that add a new level of oversight and transparency for the troubled CPRIT.
A mixed group of representatives and senators added a contingency clause as part of the Senate’s budget bill.
Nelson said the funding for CPRIT depends on Senate Bill 149passing before the nearly $600 million in funding kicks in, and it appears to be doing well.
Nelson said if her oversight bill does not pass, then the organization will not receive any of the $594 million set aside for the group as a part of Senate Bill 1.
Another big change is that Attorney General Greg Abbott and Texas Comptroller Susan Combs are stepping down as board members.
"They both asked to have that position removed and that is probably a good idea because if they are going to be, perhaps in the future, having to make some decisions whether there were some misjudgements then probably they shouldn’t be on the board," Nelson said.
Her bill now awaits a vote before the full Texas House. Once made law, CPRIT would be assigned an oversight officer and required to post all the board’s decision online.
