STATE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
May 11, 2007
(This update is produced by the UH System Office of Governmental Relations and the UH Division of University Advancement as a service to the UH System community.)
CONFERENCE COMMITTEE MAKES FINAL DECISIONS
The Conference Committee on the Appropriations Bill met for several hours this morning and made final decisions on several articles. While the workgroup on Article III (education) has completed most of their deliberations on public education, they have made little progress on higher education issues. We understand that the Legislative Budget Board, in order to meet end-of-session deadlines, would like to have final decisions by next Tuesday, May 14. With major decisions on Article II (health and human service issues) and Article III, it is unlikely that they will meet that timeline.
The House met until midnight last night and passed over 100 bills on second reading, including HB 3828 by Chairman Geanie Morrison authorizing incentive funding for universities. The bill originally required the use of exit and certification tests in determining the incentives, but was amended to leave the number of graduates (weighted by certain factors) as the only criteria. Rep. Fred Brown’s bill limiting the number of dropped courses was on the calendar but was not reached by the deadline.
On Wednesday, the House avoided contentious debate when the Speaker sustained a point of order on HB 159. The bill would have repealed the so-called 1403 provision that allows resident aliens who have graduated from Texas high school to pay resident tuition.
GOVERNOR APPOINTS FIVE-MEMBER BOARD FOR TSU
You may have read that Gov. Rick Perry appointed five members to the Texas Southern University Board of Regents. Today, the Senate expedited their hearing before the Nominations Committee and they were all later confirmed by the full Senate. The Regents are Gary Bledsoe, state NAACP president; Glenn Lewis, former state representative; Javier Loya, Choice Energy president; Richard Holland, management consultant; and Richard Salwen former Dell Computer executive.
While UT, A&M and Texas Tech regents’ terms expired on February 1, the governor has yet to name their replacements. If he does not do so shortly, it is unlikely that he will do so during this legislative session.
Today is the 123rd day of the session. Saturday, May 19, is the last day for House committee to report Senate bills for consideration on the House calendar on May 22.
With deadlines looming, the House Committee on Higher Education is scheduled to meet on both Monday, May 14, and Tuesday, May 15, with rather lengthy agendas (highlighted bills are of particular interest to some of you):
BILLS OF INTEREST TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Monday, May 14 at 8 a.m.
- SB 51 by Zaffirini relating to leave for junior college district or university system employees who are physically assaulted while on duty.
- SB 101 by Shapiro / et al. relating to limitations on the automatic admission of undergraduate students to general academic teaching institutions and to fees charged to certain admitted students (top 10%).
- SB 309 by Van de Putte / et al. relating to the requirement that a career school or college adopt a refund policy for students called to active military service.
- SB 469 by Brimer relating to the creation by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board of a certificate of recognition for persons who contribute certain gifts or donations to public institutions of higher education.
- SB 523 by Seliger relating to student services building fees at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin.
- SB 649 by Shapleigh relating to requiring the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to conduct a study concerning the effectiveness of joint partnerships between institutions of higher education.
- SB 963 by Shapleigh relating to the recreational facility fee at The University of Texas at El Paso.
- SB 1007 by West, Royce / et al. relating to student representation on the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and certain coordinating board advisory committees.
- SB 1046 by Wentworth relating to the provision of notice to institutions of higher education of meetings of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and to certain telephone conference meetings of the board and other boards of institutions of higher education.
- SB 1050 by Zaffirini relating to the administration of the work-study student mentorship program by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
- SB 1051 by Zaffirini relating to course requirements for students enrolled in joint degree programs between certain general academic teaching institutions and foreign universities.
- SB 1053 by Zaffirini relating to assessing the quality and effectiveness of academic advising services offered by public institutions of higher education.
- SB 1146 by Shapiro / et al. relating to online performance reports for public institutions of higher education.
- SB 1495 by Zaffirini relating to student fees at component institutions of The Texas A&M University System.
Tuesday, May 15 at 8 a.m.
- SB 105 by West, Royce / et al. relating to the establishment of a law school in the city of Dallas by the University of North Texas System.
- SB 1064 by West, Royce relating to the purchasing and contracting practices of junior college districts; providing criminal penalties.
- SB 1138 by Duncan relating to risk management programs for members and advisors of student organizations at public and private postsecondary educational institutions and to certain insurance requirements for fraternities.
- SB 1234 by Zaffirini / et al. relating to a master plan for higher education in this state.
- SB 1418 by Hinojosa relating to the establishment and operation of a spatial reference center at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.
- SB 1446 by Duncan relating to the removal of indirect cost recovery fees from the list of items that must be accounted for as educational and general funds by institutions of higher education.
- SB 1488 by Patrick, Dan / et al. relating to the Texas Teach Corps Scholarship Program for students who agree to teach in public schools in this state that have shortages of teachers in certain academic subjects.
- SB 1496 by Zaffirini relating to the partial forgiveness of Texas B-On-time loans for certain graduates of four-year public and private institutions of higher education.
- SB 1601 by West, Royce relating to the operation of the Joint Admission Medical Program and to admission to the program.
- SB 1699 by Shapiro relating to financial aid to assist students with paying the costs of higher education.
- SJR 61 by Duncan / et al. proposing a constitutional amendment increasing dedicated funding for the major repair or rehabilitation of buildings and other permanent improvements of institutions of higher education that were not created as a part of The University of Texas System or The Texas A&M University System.
- SB 365 by Nelson relating to the creation and implementation of the health professional education grant program.
- SB 114 by Van de Putte / et al. relating to the sale of instructional materials to students of public institutions of higher education.
- SB 1045 by Wentworth relating to providing that a performance evaluation of the commissioner of higher education or of a chancellor or university president is confidential.
