Second Life: Where Do Education Bills Stand in the Special Session?
Updated: A revised version of Rep. Rob Eissler's class size bill, which expands the Texas Education Agency's authority to grant waivers, quickly clears the House. Full Story
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Updated: Fiscal Conservatives Frustrated With House Votes
Rep. Donna Howard's proposal to direct surplus Rainy Day Fund money to Texas schools for enrollment growth survived to fight another day during debate on the House floor this morning, but not before a Republican attempt to derail it. Full Story
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After 16 Hours of Debate, House Tentatively Passes Key Fiscal Matters Bill
Lengthy debate on a key budget bill featured many retreads of contentious topics from the regular session — but it was Rep. Wayne Christian's revival of his famous "pansexual" amendment around midnight that almost killed the whole thing. Full Story
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![State Rep. Wayne Christian, R-Center, listens to testimony during a House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee hearing on April 5, 2011.]()
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Amid School Finance Scuffle, Pre-K Measure Makes a Return
Expect the Texas House to revisit old battles over school finance — and open a new one, for the lower chamber at least, over pre-kindergarten accountability — when it takes up Senate Bill 1 today on the floor. Full Story
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TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Aaronson and Grissom on a freshman lawmaker who didn't mind making waves, Aguilar on E-Verify's new lease on life, Galbraith on the state's plodding progress toward solar power, Hamilton on Warren Chisum's exit, Philpott on the remapping of Lloyd Doggett's district, Ramsey on a proposed change to ethics laws for Texas pols, Ramshaw on efforts by the state to take control of Medicaid and Medicare, Root on why a Rick presidential bid shouldn't be underestimated, M. Smith on the unraveling of school finance legislation and Tan and Dehn on the highs and lows of the 82nd legislative session: The best of our best content from May 30 to June 3, 2011. Full Story
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This Time, Budget Bills Sail Through Senate
After last ditch efforts from Democrats to increase funding for schools through closing tax loopholes and tapping the Rainy Day Fund failed, two budget bills quickly cleared the Senate Friday night. Full Story
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School Finance Returns to Senate; What Next?
School finance likely hits the Senate floor this afternoon. Will anything change? Full Story
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![Former state Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, shown in 2011, took the reins as chancellor of the Texas Tech University System in 2014.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
How School Finance Legislation Unraveled — and Might Again
In the end, a late-night filibuster in the Senate killed school finance for the regular session. But SB 1581’s earlier crash-and-burn in the House is an odyssey worth revisiting as lawmakers take up the issue in their special session. Full Story
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House and Senate Adjourn; Special Session to Begin Tuesday
Both the House and Senate have adjourned sine die. But without a school finance deal in the Senate, Gov. Rick Perry is expected to call a special session for 8 a.m. Tuesday. Full Story
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Video: "She Raised A Hurdle. That's Her Call."
Gov. Rick Perry talked this morning about the late-night filibuster by state Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, that kept the upper chamber from voting on SB 1811, a critical piece of the budget puzzle. Full Story
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Updated: A Deal on School Finance, Dewhurst Says
Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said leaders in the House and Senate had agreed on a school finance plan as he left a meeting with education and budget chiefs from both chambers. Full Story
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AUDIO: Crownover, Taylor and Williams at TribLive
At this morning's TribLive conversation, I interviewed three veteran lawmakers — state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, state Rep. Larry Taylor, R-Friendswood, and state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands — about how they and their Republican colleagues fared this session. Full Story
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Interactive: What $4 Billion Less Could Mean for Your School District
As the Texas House and Senate haggle behind closed doors over a school finance plan we've updated our searchable database to include the latest proposals distributing the $4 billion in state funding cuts. Full Story
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TribLive: Will We Get a School Finance Deal Done?
At this morning's TribLive conversation, state Rep. Myra Crownover, R-Lake Dallas, and state Sen. Tommy Williams, R-The Woodlands, expressed confidence that the House and Senate will agree to a school finance deal before the end of the regular session. Full Story
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Budget Notes: School Finance Remains the Key
Lawmakers made progress today on solving the current budget deficit but still haven't solved the major problem in the 2012-13 budget: school finance. Full Story
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Special Session Hinges on School Finance Fix
The Legislature has just a few days to get the state budget, the most important bill of the session, passed and to the governor's desk. Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports on the final items needed to send lawmakers home on time. Full Story
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Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Budget Notes: The Race to Fix School Finance Without a Special Session
One day after the education fiscal bill, SB 1581, died on the floor of the House, lawmakers are scrambling to reach a deal and keep the budget bill, HB 1, on track for approval by both chambers before the weekend deadline. The governor is among the optimists who think they'll finish their work without going into overtime. Full Story
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Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Time Dwindling, Another Lost Chance at School Finance
The death of a key education fiscal matters bill on the House floor tonight ensures that any changes to school finance formulas will happen in a conference committee — and adds fuel to speculation of a special session this summer. Full Story
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![Sen. Florence Shapiro (l), R-Plano, discusses a matter with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst on May 5, 2011 one day after the Senate passed HB1 the state budget.]()
Credit: Marjorie Kamys Cotera -
Video: Ogden- Special Session Likely
Senate Finance Chair Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, says there is still no consensus on education funding or SB 1811, a revenue bill that would balance the state budget. Meanwhile, GOP members of the House left a caucus meeting without divulging details of what they discussed and then the House postponed consideration of two fiscal bills critical to the budget until tomorrow. "So, we're stuck," Ogden said. Full Story
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School Districts Nearing Own Budget Deadlines
Public school budget cuts are coming, but for now, school districts still don't know by how much. As Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports, a special session on education funding could push decisions past school district deadlines. Full Story
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