H88th Legislative Session Underway
Senate Committee Appointments
Lieutenant Governor Patrick appointed Senate Committees for the 88th Legislative Session on January 23rd. As expected, rather than appoint a free-standing committee for higher education, the lieutenant governor created a subcommittee for higher education in the Education Committee. The following senators received education appointments:
Senate Committee on Education
- Brandon Creighton, Chair, Senate District 4, The Woodlands
- Donna Campbell, Vice Chair, Senate District 25, New Braunfels
- Paul Bettencourt, Senate District 7, Houston
- Brian Birdwell, Senate District 22, Waco
- Peter Flores, Senate District 24, Pleasanton
- Phil King, Senate District 10, Weatherford
- Morgan LaMantia, Senate District 27, South Padre Island
- José Menéndez, Senate District 26, San Antonio
- Mayes Middleton, Senate District 11, Galveston
- Tan Parker, Senate District 12, Flower Mound
- Angela Paxton Senate District 8, Allen
- Drew Springer, Senate District 30, Wichita Falls
- Royce West, Senate District 23, Dallas
Senate Committee on Education, Subcommittee on Higher Education
- Brandon Creighton, Chair
- Mayes Middleton, Vice Chair
- Phil King
- Drew Springer
- Royce West
Though not unprecedented, the fact that Chairman Creighton is also chair of the subcommittee is somewhat unusual. Also of note is the appointment of two freshman senators to a five-member committee, though both Senators Middleton and King have House experience.
The subcommittee structure means that higher education issues will have two committee exposures. The subcommittee will consider bills, and then make recommendations to the Senate Education Committee for passage. Thus, communication with both committees will be very important.
What You Can Do
We do not know when the committees will begin holding hearings. Unless Governor Abbott declares education issues emergency items in his State of the State address on February 16 (or before his address), we will likely not see hearings scheduled until the end of February. However, faculty members can act now to open good lines of communications with the Senate committees. We recommend that our members, and especially constituents of the committee members, call or email their offices and consider making the following points:
- Congratulate members of the Higher Education Subcommittee for their appointments, emphasize the importance of higher ed policy in Texas, and observe that as one of a five member subcommittee their work will be crucial.
- Congratulate the members of the Senate Education Committee who are not on the Higher Education Subcommittee on their appointments, and urge them to fully engage on higher education issues when they come before the full committee.
- Advise all members that faculty will be working on critical issues related to funding, rigor, academic freedom, and tenure, and will be in contact with them throughout the legislative session.
- Offer help on issues if questions or needs arise in the senate offices.
These kinds of communications are very valuable as the session accelerates into weekly committee hearings, identifying us as an informed resource. They can lead to good access at critical moments in the future when we go to offices with specific requests on specific legislation.
Save the date to visit, in person, with TCCTA Lobbyist, Beaman Floyd, Friday, March 3rd at the 76th Annual Convention at the Westin Galleria in Houston, Texas.88th Legislative Session Underway
Senate Committee Appointments
Lieutenant Governor Patrick appointed Senate Committees for the 88th Legislative Session on January 23rd. As expected, rather than appoint a free-standing committee for higher education, the lieutenant governor created a subcommittee for higher education in the Education Committee. The following senators received education appointments:
Senate Committee on Education
- Brandon Creighton, Chair, Senate District 4, The Woodlands
- Donna Campbell, Vice Chair, Senate District 25, New Braunfels
- Paul Bettencourt, Senate District 7, Houston
- Brian Birdwell, Senate District 22, Waco
- Peter Flores, Senate District 24, Pleasanton
- Phil King, Senate District 10, Weatherford
- Morgan LaMantia, Senate District 27, South Padre Island
- José Menéndez, Senate District 26, San Antonio
- Mayes Middleton, Senate District 11, Galveston
- Tan Parker, Senate District 12, Flower Mound
- Angela Paxton Senate District 8, Allen
- Drew Springer, Senate District 30, Wichita Falls
- Royce West, Senate District 23, Dallas
Senate Committee on Education, Subcommittee on Higher Education
- Brandon Creighton, Chair
- Mayes Middleton, Vice Chair
- Phil King
- Drew Springer
- Royce West
Though not unprecedented, the fact that Chairman Creighton is also chair of the subcommittee is somewhat unusual. Also of note is the appointment of two freshman senators to a five-member committee, though both Senators Middleton and King have House experience.
The subcommittee structure means that higher education issues will have two committee exposures. The subcommittee will consider bills, and then make recommendations to the Senate Education Committee for passage. Thus, communication with both committees will be very important.
What You Can Do
We do not know when the committees will begin holding hearings. Unless Governor Abbott declares education issues emergency items in his State of the State address on February 16 (or before his address), we will likely not see hearings scheduled until the end of February. However, faculty members can act now to open good lines of communications with the Senate committees. We recommend that our members, and especially constituents of the committee members, call or email their offices and consider making the following points:
- Congratulate members of the Higher Education Subcommittee for their appointments, emphasize the importance of higher ed policy in Texas, and observe that as one of a five member subcommittee their work will be crucial.
- Congratulate the members of the Senate Education Committee who are not on the Higher Education Subcommittee on their appointments, and urge them to fully engage on higher education issues when they come before the full committee.
- Advise all members that faculty will be working on critical issues related to funding, rigor, academic freedom, and tenure, and will be in contact with them throughout the legislative session.
- Offer help on issues if questions or needs arise in the senate offices.
These kinds of communications are very valuable as the session accelerates into weekly committee hearings, identifying us as an informed resource. They can lead to good access at critical moments in the future when we go to offices with specific requests on specific legislation.
Save the date to visit, in person, with TCCTA Lobbyist, Beaman Floyd, Friday, March 3rd at the 76th Annual Convention at the Westin Galleria in Houston, Texas.