Legislative Update – Monday, February 11, 2019 – The University of Texas at Arlington

Monday, February 11, 2019

Greetings,

As we finish the first month of the 86th Texas Legislature, we wanted to start regular communication to the campus with information on state, local, and federal public policy news. The goal of the update is to keep you up to speed on issues that affect UTA and higher education. As we continue with these updates, please let us know if they are helpful and how we can improve them to assist you and our joint advocacy efforts at UTA.

Thank you for your dedication to UTA, and Go Mavs!

UTA Government Relations

Turner to chair higher ed committee

Chairs were named to 30 Texas House committees this legislative session, including Chris Turner (D-Tarrant County) for higher education. Read more.

Texas' higher education commissioner will step down

After 15 years on the job, Texas' commissioner for higher education, Raymund Paredes, announced he will leave his post Aug. 31. Read more.

Governor names emergency items in State of the State address

In his biennial address, Gov. Greg Abbott prioritizes school finance reform, teacher pay raises, and property tax relief. Read more.

Can Senate jump-start overhaul Higher Ed Act

The chairman of the U.S. Senate education committee chose at conservative think tank to lay out his vision for overhauling the Higher Education Act. Read more.

Are coordinating boards higher ed’s best watchdogs?

Two new governors want to raise the profile of state coordinating boards, but legislators and public flagship universities may balk at the idea. Read more.

Appointed positions

The Office of the Governor is always looking for people to apply to various boards, including higher education. If you need assistance in applying, please contact Jeff Jeter at jeter@uta.edu. See a full list of available positions.

February 13 | Senate Finance Committee

The Senate Finance Committee will hear from UTA and other UT System schools about their priorities at 9 a.m. Watch online.

Feb. 14 | House Committee on Appropriations

The House Committee on Appropriations will meet to hear from the UT System. Watch online.

Your input helps UTA

The University needs the support of its faculty, staff, and alumni to ensure that we continue to receive resources to serve our students, conduct research, and expand our programs. For more information on how you can support the University and its legislative goals, contact:

Jeff Jeter, vice president of Government Relations, at jeter@uta.edu.
Martin Lujan, director of Government Relations, at martin.lujan@uta.edu.
Bogan Pollock, director of Public Policy, at bogan@uta.edu.