AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation applauds the Texas Legislature’s final approval of House Bill 1296 that will improve the transparency of Texas public higher education. “This is a fantastic victory for Texas parents and students who will now be able to make better-informed higher-education choices,” said Dr. Thomas Lindsay, TPPF’s Center for Higher...
Press Release May 22, 2013AUSTIN – The Texas House of Representatives has approved Senate Joint Resolution 1, a constitutional amendment that sets up a scenario to raid the Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF), or state savings account, for billions in the upcoming biennium. By tapping the ESF for billions at a time when state revenues have increased by record amounts...
Press Release May 22, 2013AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation applauds the passage of House Bill 1926, a digital education bill that improves the accessibility of online learning. “HB 1926 takes a strong step toward expanding flexibility for online learning providers in Texas,” said James Golsan, Policy Analyst at Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Center for Education Policy. “Though...
Press Release May 22, 2013AUSTIN – The Texas Public Policy Foundation will host a media conference-call briefing today, Thursday, May 23, at 4:00 p.m. Central Time to discuss the 83rd Texas Legislature’s proposed state budget and the risk it poses to Texas prosperity. Foundation experts will outline the current state budget plans and how it will affect the future...
Press Release May 22, 2013AUSTIN – Today the Texas Public Policy Foundation cheered the passage of HB 1188 through the Texas Senate. The bill would limit the liability of employers who hire persons with past criminal convictions. According to the bill, “A cause of action may not be brought against an employer, general contractor, premises owner, or other third...
Press Release May 21, 2013AUSTIN – Arlene Wohlgemuth, Executive Director and Director of the Center for Health Care Policy at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, issued this statement on this evening’s passage of Senate Bill 7 by the Texas House of Representatives: “The House passage of SB 7 with the successful inclusion of Amendment 26 — the Leach...
Press Release May 21, 2013AUSTIN – Today the Texas House of Representatives will discuss CSSB 1718, a bill that would create an “Achievement School District” (ASD) with a statewide Superintendent responsible for improving the state’s lowest-performing primary-education campuses. “Interventions in under-performing schools are too often ineffective for many reasons, including local political pressures and diffusion of responsibility,” said James...
Press Release May 21, 2013AUSTIN – Arlene Wohlgemuth, Executive Director of the Texas Public Policy Foundation issued this statement today on the budget deliberations underway in the final week of the regular session of the 83rd Texas Legislature: “The 83rd Texas Legislature had at its disposal close to $20 billion of new general revenue this session. To this point,...
Press Release May 21, 2013National studies show that 36 percent of college students learn little during four years invested in college. To combat this, Texas should measure and publicize how much its students actually learn. “
Press Release May 21, 2013AUSTIN – The Texas House of Representatives will today consider Senate Bill 14, an education-debt transparency bill that will help shine a light on state and local government spending and debt. The Texas Public Policy Foundation urges Members to pass this much-needed legislation. “We live in the Information Age, but when it comes to Texas...
Press Release May 21, 2013The Texas Senate is expected today to debate House Bill 1025, the second supplemental appropriations bill of the 83rd Regular Legislative Session. This bill would add several hundred million dollars in new spending to the current budget, and possibly enable the state to spend billions from the state's Economic Stabilization Fund on water infrastructure projects. The Texas Public Policy Foundation urges Senators to carefully consider whether the new spending embodied in this bill is to satisfy "needs" or "wants," and whether some - or all - of the funding could be done without.
Press Release May 21, 2013AUSTIN – The Texas House has passed SB 393 by Senator Royce West and Representative Tryon Lewis. This legislation will help keep schools safe, save taxpayers money and could even lead to higher graduation rates. The Foundation testified in support of this legislation in response to the growing trend to criminalize minor misbehavior, which in...
Press Release May 21, 2013