Last Week

The Budget/Conference Committee

The Conference committee came to agreement on all of Article III of the budget on Friday and Sunday. The decisions include Community College formula funding and the House position on proportionality – which mirrors the TACC position & HB 2083 by Solomons. TACC will be producing a more detailed analysis of the decisions related to the funding for Community Colleges by the end of today.

The House

The House met in marathon sessions on both Wednesday and Thursday as the deadline to hear House Bills arrived at midnight on Thursday. Bills that ran out of time included the House version of the handguns of campus bill – HB 1893 by Driver.

The Senate

The Senate met each day but ended early to allow committee’s to meet and conduct business. Senate bills are still being voted out of committee but the committees are quickly moving to hearing only House Bills.

Senate Finance

The Committee met on Monday and heard, among others, HB 2083 by Solomons – the proportionality bill supported by TACC. Representing Community Colleges were Dr. Millicent Valek, TACC Chair &President of Brazosport College, Dr. Richard Rhodes, Chair-Elect of TACC & President of El Paso Community College, and Dr. Wright Lassiter, Chancellor of the Dallas County Community College District. The Committee left the bill pending in Committee.

The Week Ahead

Conference Committee on the Budget

The Conference Committee should wrap-up the budget early in the week and vote on the final conference committee report. The report will then be sent back to both chambers for approval. That could come as early as the end of this upcoming week or early the next week. As of this morning, there are several pended items but they are not related to higher education.

House

The House will continue to work on bills as the week progresses. This week will see deadlines related to hearing the last local House bills.

Senate

The Senate Intent calendar is growing as well and we expect the Senate to continue to meet and hear bills each day. TACC has received word that the Senate version of the handgun on campus bill (SB 1164 by Wentworth) will be heard on Tuesday. Most around the Capitol believe that it is getting too late in the process for a Senate bill to make over to the House and get out before the end of session. TACC will continue to monitor the potential movement of the bill.

House Higher Education Committee

Will only meet in a formal meeting sometime early in the week to vote out a few of the remaining bills in committee. TACC understands that among these is SB 857 by West, which is the Community College purchasing modernization bill.

Senate Finance Committee

Has yet to post a hearing for the week but most expect that the committee will meet sometime midweek to hear bills. Among these will be HB 4586 by Pitts, which is the supplemental appropriations bill. IT is in this bill that the $154 million in vetoed funds is returned to the Community College formula. The bill also contains the Hurricane Ike appropriations.

Senate Higher Education

Has not posted for a hearing as of this morning although we do expect that Chair will do so at some point in the week.