New manufacturing focus A new caucus in the Texas House focuses on the manufacturing industry in Texas—no small task in the No. 1 exporting state in the U.S. "Manufactured goods account for 93 percent of all Texas exports, and Texas has held the distinction as the No. 1 exporting state in the U.S. for seven consecutive years," House Manufacturing Caucus Chairman Jim Murphy said. "We want to keep Texas thriving and producing quality products made in our state." Manufacturers in Texas contributed about $192 billion to the state's economy in 2011 and accounted for one-third of all corporate taxes collected by the state and local entities, according to a statement from state Rep. Paul Workman, R-Austin, a member of the new caucus. Capitol commercialization The thought of condos towering above the Bob Bullock State History Museum, an idea being floated in development proposals, has drawn the ire of nearly 30 state lawmakers who have signed on to legislation banning commercial properties from the Capitol Complex in the heart of Austin. The bill applies to, according to the Texas Government Code, "the area bounded on the north by the inside curb of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, on the east by the outside curb of Trinity Street, on the south by the outside curb of 10th Street, and on the west by the outside curb of Lavaca Street," as well as "the William P. Clements State Office Building located at 300 W. 15th St. and other locations under the jurisdiction of the Capitol police district as may be approved by the director." Mental health training for teachers Under a proposed state program creating a Mental Health First Aid training program for educators, teachers would learn tactics to respond to incidents of serious mental illness in their schools. The bill filed by state Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, would teach educators how to respond to a variety of illnesses, including trauma, bipolar disorder, severe anxiety, psychosis and depression. The voluntary program would be administered through local mental health authorities. Educators would learn how to assess risk, help a child in crisis and identify a safety net for the child. "In light of recent school violence, including the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary, it's critical that we do all we can to spread awareness about mental health and look for additional ways to help our teachers maintain a safe school environment," said Schwertner, a doctor whose mother was a mental health nurse for 20 years. "In addition to enhancing school safety, this bill will help Texas teachers recognize the warning signs for a variety of serious mental illnesses and teach them how to work with parents to coordinate the help and care these children need in order to live better, more fulfilling lives." Return of the Tea Party Caucus Lawmakers marked the second session for the fledgling Tea Party Caucus, formed in 2011 in response to the growing grass-roots movement at the time that sent a handful of tea party freshmen to the state Legislature. The Tea Party Caucus convenes again this year, with Houston Sen. Dan Patrick at the helm along with Rep. Allen Fletcher of Tomball/Houston. "The consistent growth of the legislative Tea Party Caucus over the past three sessions is representative of the success of our statewide Tea Party leaders. Their input is important for Texas, and their influence has resulted in electing representatives from the grass roots of our state," Fletcher said. The caucus has 56 House members and seven Senate members. All are Republicans. QUOTE OF THE WEEK "The state Capitol and Capitol Complex belong to all Texans and should be protected for generations to come. I will not allow our grand state Capitol and the home of our state government to become surrounded by towering buildings, condominiums and commercial enterprise." —Sen. John Whitmire, D-Houston