Category Archives: School Finance

Here’s a basic guide to the 85th Texas Legislative Session

Leave a reply

The biennial session kicked off on Jan. 10 in Austin with the swearing-in of House and Senate members, who will convene for a total of five months to tackle the state’s business.

The Legislature meets for 140 days between January and June, every other year. The only item the Legislature is constitutionally obligated to pass is the state’s budget for the next two years.

HISD’s government relations team is in Austin full-time, educating lawmakers and staff on the most important issues affecting the district, especially the recapture payment and the pending detachment and reassignment of commercial property.

Learn More about HISD’s Legislative Agenda

The House contains 22 new members and four former state representatives returning to the Texas House. The Senate has three new members. Overall, there are 181 members of the Texas Legislature. The House has 95 Republicans and 55 Democrats (150 total). The Senate has 20 Republicans and 11 Democrats (31 total).

Rep. Straus re-elected House Speaker, cites support for school finance reform

Leave a reply

On the first day of session, incumbent Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, was unanimously re-elected to his fifth consecutive term as Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.

A long-term supporter of public education, Straus said on opening day, “Our school finance system may meet the legal definition of constitutional. But parents and taxpayers know something different. They know that the system is broken. And, they know that it’s our job to fix it.”

One of his main goals is to reduce recapture payments school districts make to the state, a key priority for HISD this session.

Key Senate committees start work after members named

Leave a reply

Lt. Gov. Patrick announced the Senate’s committee assignments on Jan. 18, kicking off hearings on funding K-12 and higher education the following week.

Chairmanships will remain the same for both the Senate Education and Senate Finance committees. In one major change, the Education Committee no longer has a senator with HISD in his or her district.

Here is the full list of committee members on the Senate Education Committee:

  • Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood), Chair
  • Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr. (D-Brownsville), Vice Chair
  • Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston)
  • Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels)
  • Sen. Don Huffines (R-Dallas)
  • Sen. Bob Hall (R-Canton)
  • Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Tyler)
  • Sen. Carlos Uresti (D-San Antonio)
  • Sen. Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo)
  • Sen. Van Taylor (R-Plano)
  • Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas)

The Senate Finance Committee remains relatively the same as last session. Four senators from the greater Houston area will still serve on the committee: Whitmire, Huffman, L. Taylor and Bettencourt.

Here is the full list of committee members on the Senate Finance Committee. Senators who represent HISD are in bold.

  • Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound), Chair
  • Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-McAllen), Vice Chair
  • Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston)
  • Sen. Brian Birdwell (R-Granbury)
  • Sen. Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills)
  • Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston)
  • Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham)
  • Sen. Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville)
  • Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown)
  • Sen. Kel Seliger (R-Amarillo)
  • Sen. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood)
  • Sen. Carlos Uresti (D-San Antonio)
  • Sen. Kirk Watson (D-Austin)
  • Sen. Royce West (D-Dallas)
  • Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston)

The Senate Finance Committee on education funding began with testimony from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and the Legislative Budget Board (LBB). Houston ISD’s recapture or “detachment” situation was discussed at great length.  State Sen. Paul Bettencourt urged the HISD school board to hold another election, asking voters to stop detachment by writing a $162 million check to the state.

During the third week of session, Senate Finance Chair Jane Nelson directed her colleagues to form a school finance workgroup, a surprise to many in the school community. The members of the school finance workgroup are Senators L. Taylor (Chair), Bettencourt, Birdwell, Hancock, Hinojosa, Seliger and West. The workgroup held their first hearing on Friday, Jan. 27 and heard school finance proposals from eight different groups. Chairman Taylor’s goal is to simplify the school finance system and build a framework for next session. HISD will remain involved in these conversations in Austin.

You can view the full list of Senate Committee assignments here.