Howdy, Aggie Advocates!

The 88th Texas Legislature wrapped its regular session on Monday, May 29, with over 4,500 bills passed by the two chambers. In the preceding 140 days, lawmakers passed several important bills impacting higher education in Texas.

The impact of these pieces of legislation ranges from extremely high — for example, the state's biennial budget — to matters of more personal concern, such as honorarium resolutions. No matter the number of pages in a bill, however, each piece of legislation represents untold hours of work by legislators, their staffs and constituents like you who weighed in!

In this first edition of our post-session wrap-up, we will provide an overview of several key pieces of legislation passed in the regular session, separate from the state's budget. Each bill detailed below has been sent to the governor; where available, we will provide you an update on that status.

In a second post-session update later this month, we will focus on how higher education fared in the state's biennium budget. We will also provide information on a new endowment created to further higher education in Texas.

We send our thanks to the lawmakers and staffers who worked tirelessly this session in pursuit of their legislative goals; but most importantly, to you — our Aggie Advocates — who took the time to learn the issues, contact your representatives and stand ready and willing to be a voice for Texas A&M this session!

Thank you again for your work and your preparation this session. Read on for more details on key bills passed in the 88th; an overview of the topics on the table for the first special session; and newsworthy achievements of some fellow Aggies. As always, please reach out with any questions!

In the Aggie Spirit,

Miranda Henderson ’09
Director of Advocacy and Legislative Affairs

2024-25 biennial budget ready for governor's review

In the final days of the session, the legislature passed its $321.3 billion budget that directs the state's spending for Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025. Passing a balanced budget for the next biennium is the only constitutionally mandated item of the legislative session.

On June 6, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar ’93 certified the budget as "balanced," sending it to Gov. Greg Abbott to review and sign or veto.

The Texas A&M Advocacy Network will send an overview of the budget, with specific details on the items affecting higher education, after the governor's review and passage.

Texas A&M University Athletic Director Ross Bjork testified before the House Committee on Higher Education on March 27.

Name, Image and Likeness (NIL)

HB 2804 clarifies Texas’ laws on name, image and likeness (NIL) for student athletes. It also updates allowable activities for university employees to assist student athletes with the identification of NIL opportunities, provided the employee receives no financial gain from the student athlete's opportunity.

While allowing student athletes to enter into contracts for the use of their name, image or likeness, it also continues the conditions under which this is allowed. Most importantly, this updated legislation allows Texas institutions to remain competitive in its recruitment and retention of student athletes.

While not yet signed by Gov. Greg Abbott, he expressed his support for the bill on social media on May 23, writing that "Texas is poised to have the biggest and boldest NIL law for our college athletes. Everything is bigger in Texas!”

Tenure

A high-profile bill this session, SB 18 provides updated restrictions on tenure at institutions of higher education.

The first version of this bill prohibited the granting of tenure of any type of "permanent employment status" to employees. Through further negotiations, however, the legislature looked at Texas A&M University System's tenure policy as a model for statewide consistency.

In the final version passed by both chambers, the legislation requires institutions to adopt policies and procedures to address the granting of tenure; provide for a periodic performance evaluation process; and define the circumstances for which a faculty member's tenure can be revoked.

Gov. Abbott has signaled his support for this legislation but has not yet signed it into law (as of this writing).

Diversity, equity and inclusion

Another high-profile bill this session, SB 17 relates to initiatives on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at public institutions of higher education in Texas.

Through the final passed version of the bill, institutions may not, except as required by federal law, establish/maintaining a DEI office; hire employees to perform the duties of a DEI office; or require statements/trainings on DEI as a condition for hiring.

The legislation does not affect course instruction, faculty research, student organizations, guest speakers or admissions.

The bill also requires the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to conduct a study every two years to examine how this policy has affected enrollment, retention and graduation of students.

Gov. Abbott has signaled his support for this legislation, but as of this writing has not yet signed it into law.

Texas Aerospace Research & Space Economy Consortium

HB 3447 creates a new consortium of Texas higher education institutions to identify research opportunities to promote commercial space activities. This consortium will plan and implement educational opportunities across the state, advance the state’s space-related economic development and provide grants to eligible institutions — such as Texas A&M — from the Space Exploration and Aeronautics Research Fund.

Inaugural AggieACHIEVE Graduates Recognized

The Spring 2023 commencement marked the historic graduation of the inaugural Aggie ACHIEVE cohort, a comprehensive transition program for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Graduates were invited to the Texas Capitol on May 15 for the ceremonial signing of Texas HB 446, a bill eliminating the use of outdated terminology across statutes pertaining to intellectual disabilities.

Both chambers of the legislature passed resolutions honoring this first class of Aggie ACHIEVE graduates. Texas state representatives Kyle Kacal ’92 and John Raney ’69 authored the House Resolution and Texas State Senator Paul Bettencourt ’80 authored the Senate Resolution recognizing the accomplishments of the program and these students.

See the social media post from Sen. Bettencourt below and read more here.

Photo courtesty of United States Marine Corps

Aggie Nominated to Lead United States Marine Corps

Gen. Eric Smith ’87 was recently nominated by President Biden to serve as the U.S. Marine Corps commandant.

Smith, a political science graduate from Kansas City, Missouri, served as commander of the Aggie Band and a member of the Ross Volunteer Company before commissioning into the Marine Corps. He has commanded troops during the Gulf War, Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan. Domestically, Smith has served as deputy commandant for integration of combat development, as well as the senior military assistant to former Defense Secretary Ash Carter. Smith has earned two Defense Distinguished Service Medals, two Bronze Stars, a Legion of Merit as well as a Purple Heart Award.