Topic: Legislature

Statement on Texas House Democratic Caucus proposals for school finance

Publish Date: February 21, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 21, 2019 CONTACT: Rob D’Amico, 512-627-1343 Texas American Federation of Teachers President Louis Malfaro commented today on the Texas House Democratic Caucus proposals for school finance: The proposals presented today help put the conversation at the Capitol where it needs to be, on making a significant investment in our students and all the school employees who...

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Higher Education Committee gets demographic forecast, hears support for community colleges

Publish Date: February 14, 2019

The House Higher Education Committee met yesterday to get an outlook on post-secondary education and heard from State Demographer Lloyd B. Potter for an overview of the changing population of Texas. Potter said 380,000 new Texans were added between 2017 and 2018, more than any other state, with most growth in the Latino population. Raymund Paredes, Commissioner for the Texas...

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San Antonio election headed to runoff for state House seat; special election set for Houston-area seat

Publish Date: February 13, 2019

A special election yesterday will send Republican Fred Rangel and Democrat Ray Lopez to a runoff (date yet to be announced) for Texas House District 125, which covers west and northwest San Antonio. However, another Democrat—Coda Rayo-Garza—has not conceded yet, since she was only 22 votes behind Lopez for a runoff spot. The seat was up for grabs after former...

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Property tax cap bill moves toward full Senate without answers to key questions about loss of local funding

Publish Date: February 12, 2019

Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa questions SB 2 author Sen. Paul Bettencourt on why the tax cap should be as low as 2.5 percent. With no additional public testimony, the Senate Committee on Property Tax voted yesterday to advance a bill that will cripple local government budgets, including school districts. SB 2 would cap property tax revenue growth at 2.5 percent,...

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Senate budget discussion highlights need for more public education funding

Publish Date: February 11, 2019

Yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee heard from the Legislative Budget Board and the Texas Education Agency about the Senate’s proposed budget. Unlike the House budget proposal, the Senate provides less new funding for schools, and the funding it does provide is contingent on a classroom teacher salary increase ($3.7 billion) and legislation to slow growth in local property taxes and...

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