(This legislative update has been assembled by the UH System Office of Governmental Relations and edited by the UH Division of University Advancement as a service to the UH System community.)
This week has been filled with lengthy and intense meetings on the Appropriations Bill. Hearings began by 8 a.m. every day and concluded in the early evening. It was particularly hectic since the House and Senate education appropriations subcommittees were meeting simultaneously in different buildings. The subcommittees are at the “mark-up” stage, where they scrutinize each funding item to ultimately make recommendations to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Appropriations Committee. They will resume this schedule for another full week at 8 a.m. on Monday, February 21.
In addition to those two subcommittees, the Appropriations Committee formed a new subcommittee called Government Efficiency and Operations, which has been meeting throughout the week. They are charged with finding additional savings and are studying the LBB Staff Performance Recommendations. The report includes recommendations on a wide variety of issues including elimination of institutional enhancement, funding interest only on tuition revenue bonds and reductions in employee insurance benefits. (see http://www.lbb.state.tx.us/The_LBB/Access/Other_Documents.htm#Perform)
Rep. Geanie Morrison and Sen. Ken Armbrister filed legislation this week allowing UH-Victoria to offer graduate programs (HB 1215 and SB 391, respectively).
Hearings have been set on a number of other bills of interest next week:
House Higher Education - February 21
HB 64 McClendon
Relating to the automatic admission to public institutions of higher education of certain undergraduate transfer students.
HB 479 Keel
Relating to the concurrent jurisdiction of campus peace officers commissioned by The University of Texas at Austin and law enforcement agencies of the state and political subdivisions of the state.
HB 609 Giddings
Relating to tuition rebate incentives for persons who complete certain degree and certificate programs without excessive credit hours.
HB 684 Giddings
Relating to the establishment of a school of pharmacy at the University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth.
HB 1039 Keel / et al.
Relating to an exemption from tuition and fees at institutions of higher education for peace officers and police cadets enrolled in certain law enforcement programs.
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