|  |
Aggie and Longhorns walk to the Capitol for OMLD 2023
|
|
Howdy, Advocates!
The Legislature is in full-swing, having just passed the half-way point of the session. With a highly successful Orange and Maroon Legislative Day behind us, we look ahead to the biggest decisions awaiting the state.
Among those is the state's biennial budget. This week, the House's version of the state appropriations bill (HB1) will come to the House floor for its "second" reading. Learn more about this phrase below.
As a state university, there is no legislation that has a bigger impact on Texas A&M than this appropriations bill. Until the final version is passed by both chambers of the legislature and signed into law by the governor, even small changes to the bill can make a big difference.
For this reason, we ask our Aggie Advocates in Texas to be ready to help if called upon by the university. To help prepare for such a request, we are pleased to host Norman Garza, vice president for government relations at Texas A&M University, in an upcoming advocacy update on April 18. Read on for more details on this and how to sign up!
In addition to joining for this advocacy update, we encourage you to stay informed on your own representative and senator's actions and updates. On our Advocacy Platform (tx.ag/Advocate), you can easily find your lawmakers' contact information.
On April 21, we will celebrate one of the most cherished Aggie traditions of Muster. If you still need to make your Muster plans, be sure to visit The Association's Muster webpage to help you find a Muster, view the Roll Call and more.
The Association of Former Students is proud to advocate for Texas A&M, and I thank each of YOU for your support and willingness to join us in this effort. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or anytime we can be of assistance to you!
In the Aggie Spirit,
Miranda Henderson ’09
Director of Advocacy and Legislative Affairs
| |
|
 |
Norman Garza, Vice President for Government Relations, Texas A&M University
|
| Join us on Zoom for an advocacy update!
On Tuesday, April 18, at 6 p.m. CT, the Texas A&M Advocacy Network is pleased to host Norman Garza, vice president for government relations at Texas A&M University, in a Zoom update exclusively for Aggie Advocates!
Norman will provide updates on the state appropriations bill, what to expect in the weeks to follow, and how Advocates can best help Texas A&M in the pivotal final six weeks of the regular session.
This free event is open to anyone interested in advocating for Texas A &M, but registration is required. Please visit tx.ag/AdvocacyUpdate to register, or click the button below. You can also submit any questions you would like Norman to specifically address relating to the budget or the 88th Legislative Session at the registration page. The Zoom link to join the webinar will be emailed to all registered attendees on April 18.
We thank Norman for the outstanding work he does for Texas A&M and for taking the time to provide this update!
| |
Aggies and Longhorns unite for higher education at OMLD 2023
On Feb. 15, over 200 Aggies and Longhorns gathered at the Texas Capitol to demonstrate the impact Texas A&M University and the University of Texas at Austin have on the state's economy, research landscape and more.
For the first in-person OMLD since 2019, volunteers met with all 181 offices in the Texas Legislature to discuss the share legislative priorities of the universities.
Read more about OMLD 2023 here, and find pictures from the day here. Thank you to our Aggie volunteers who made this day a success!
| |
Halfway Point of the 88th Session
We just crossed the halfway point of the 140 day-long legislative session. The first half of the session was largely devoted to organization of the chambers and the filing of bills.
Prior to the bill-filing deadline of March 10, more than 9,200 bills were filed between the two chambers. Going forward, only bills deemed as "local" or emergency bills may be filed. After filing, a short "caption" of the bill is read aloud in the chamber. The Texas Constitution requires successful bills to be "read" three times before final passage. This is the first reading.
Upon the first reading, a bill is referred to the proper committee within its chamber. The appointed chair of the committee decides which bills are considered and when the committees will meet.
This is the stage most bills are in right now, though some bills have already passed one or both chambers. Committees are holding their meetings to work on the bills. Many of these meetings are public hearings, where interested parties can give testimony and express support or opposition to a bill.
After consideration, the committee can issue a report on the bill with its recommendations on the next action. The committee may also choose to take no action, and thus the bill "dies" in committee.
Steps after committee hearings:
- In the House, if the committee issues a "favorable" report on a bill it goes to the Committee on Calendars for placement on the agenda before the full chamber. In the Senate, it is placed on the agenda in the order it was reported.
- When the bill comes before the full chamber, it is "read" a second time (with the caption). At this time, debate and amendments may be offered by any member on the floor. Amendments are made to the bill if approved by a majority of the members present.
- Once amendments and debate conclude, a vote is taken. If passed, it will then go into the third reading and final passage. Per the Texas Constitution, this third reading must take place at least one day after the second reading.
- Additional amendments may be offered after the third reading, but require a two-thirds majority to be included. A final vote is taken, and if passed by a majority the bill is sent to the other chamber to follow the same process.
| |
Governor Abbott announces support for Texas CHIPS Act
One of the legislative priorities supported by the Texas A&M University System calls for investment in the semiconductor industry in Texas. Appropriated funds from the state would strengthen Texas' proposals to successfully compete for federal funding designated to meet the growing demand for these technologies.
- Create the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium to make Texas a leader in advanced semiconductor research, design and manufacturing;
- Leverage the expertise of higher education institutions in Texas to develop a comprehensive plan to continue innovation in the semiconductor industry;
- Expand workforce development training and attract new investments to Texas for semiconductors; and
- Establish the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund, providing funding to institutions of higher education on semiconductor manufacturing and design projects.
In the House, this is contained in House Bill 5174, authored by Rep. Greg Bonnen ’88, while Sen. Joan Huffman has authored the senate companion, Senate Bill 2288.Earlier this month, Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp ’72 joined Bonnen and Huffman at the governor's press conference discussing this important initiative.
Read more on the governor's support for the legislation here.
| |
House honors Texas music legend Robert Earl Keen ’79
On the floor of the Texas House on March 21, Rep. Andrew Murr ’99 read his resolution honoring Robert Earl Keen ’79 for his contributions to Texas music.
For this honor, Keen — a Distinguished Alumnus of Texas A&M — invited his classmate Porter S. Garner III ’79, President and CEO of The Association of Former Students, to join as his guest.
Watch the resolution at tx.ag/REKday, beginning at the 47:20 time stamp.
| |
Comptroller: Texas A&M finding solutions
Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar ’93 recently praised Texas A&M for its innovative solutions to reverse this trend.
"Texas A &M University — my alma mater — is looking to solutions, with two newly established programs in its strategic toolkit," said Hegar. "One program incentivizes former students to return to the university to finish their degree or certificate, greatly benefiting military service members and others who had to put a pin in their studies. Another program encourages students such as wait-listed freshman to enroll in underfilled majors."Read more on these new programs here.
| |
Former Speaker of the Texas House Joe Straus to speak at Texas A&M
On Tuesday, April 4, the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M will host the Honorable Joe Straus III, former Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives (2009-2019) for the 2023 Cameron Fellows Lecture on the topic "State Legislatures as Agents of Change."
This free event is open to the public and will be held at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center, a part of the Bush Library complex. A reception will begin at 5 p.m., with the event to follow at 5:30 p.m. If you are in the Bryan/College Station area on April 4, you can register for this event at this link.
| |
|
|
