An increasingly bitter disagreement over the future of the University of Texas at Austin between University of Texas System regents’ chairman Gene Powell and state Sen. Judith Zaffirini is ratcheting up the ongoing debate surrounding higher education in Texas.
Judith Zaffirini
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Wentworth Surprises Senate With Campus Carry
State Sen. Jeff Wentworth surprised his colleagues and brought the Senate to a standstill today when he tried to tack his controversial campus carry bill onto another measure.
Posted in
State Government
House Tentatively Passes TEXAS Grants Bill
The House tentatively passed a bill to provide students who have demonstrated college readiness with priority access to TEXAS Grants, the state’s primary need-based financial aid program.
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State Government
Senate Passes Reforms on How Police May Restrain Mentally, Physically Disabled
Two bills passed the state Senate today that would change the way mentally and physically disabled people and children are restrained and cared for by law enforcement officers.
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Higher Education
Senate Passes TEXAS Grants Priority Model
A bill that would change the system for distributing TEXAS Grants — the state’s primary need-based aid program — by creating a new priority system passed the Senate today by a vote of 24-7.
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Health care
Committee Votes to Restore $4.5 Billion for Health Services
Deliberation about what to cut — and whom to save — ended with a vote to restore $4.5 billion to state health agencies at a Senate Health and Human Services subcommittee hearing this morning. The issue now goes to the full Senate Finance Committee.
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Public Education
Senators Take Up Bullying Bills
At Tuesday’s Senate Education Committee hearing on a trio of anti-bullying bills, the parents of children who committed suicide after being picked on by classmates asked lawmakers to fix a system they say failed their families.
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Higher Education
Lawmakers’ Concerns Linger After Changes at UT System
After running a gantlet of concerned legislators, Gene Powell, the chairman of the University of Texas System Board of Regents, took steps last week to assuage concerns over his direction of the system.
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Public Education
Parents Push for Statewide Food Allergy Guidelines
Beth Martinez, who saved her young son’s life after an allergic reaction to something he ate, has joined with other parents across the state to support bills they say would help schools deal with an increasing number of students with food allergies.
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Higher Education
B-On-Time: Good for Students, Not for Some Schools
The B-On-Time Loan Program offers sweet savings if you are a student. But if you are an institution of higher education, the program might be costing you anywhere from a few thousand to millions of dollars.
