Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick asks Gov. Greg Abbott to add higher ed construction projects to third special session

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Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick requested Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday So as to add funding for public college enhancement tasks by way of tuition income bonds to the Legislature’s particular session name as quickly as Wednesday, Decrease than Every week earlier than The prime of the this yr’s third particular session.

The Legislature Did not move An identical invoice all by way of this yr’s common session Which might have currentd $4.3 invoiceion in bonds to fund these tasks.

“Tright here have been requests and calls for from schools throughout the state,” Patrick said Inside the letter to Abbott. “Each chambers stand prepared So as To deal with The drawback And current the funds for tuition income bonds to our greater education institutions.”

A spokesperson for the governor’s office Did not immediately Reply to a request for remark.

The final time the Legislature handed a invoice funding greater education capital enhancement tasks was in 2015.

For yrs, greater education leaders grew accustomed to lawmakers moveing enhancement funds For his or her tasks every completely different session. Neverthemuch less the time between the moveage Of these funds has widened over the previous 20 yrs. Before 2015, state lawmakers had not accredited a tuition income bond invoice since 2006.

On The house flooring Through the common legislative session, state Rep. Jim Murphy, R-Houston, said many universities Want to bodily increase as scholar enrollment will enhance. Newer additions to current buildings that incorporate greater know-how are furtherly needed, he said, particularly Inside the medical fields.

Based mostly on Murphy, the Texas State University System falls 1.4 million sq. ft In need of how huge it Ought to be, the Texas A&M University System wants ancompletely different 2.3 million sq. ft and the University of Texas System Is working with out The three million sq. ft it might use To fulfill the wants of its rising scholar populations.

“The wants are very huge right now, a lot much less A pair yrs from now,” Murphy said in May.

The primary goal all by way of this third particular session, which Is merely 30 days prolonged, has been the redrawing of legislative district maps and figuring out The biggest Method to spend $16 invoiceion in federal COVID-19 aid funding. The chambers are furtherly contemplating two completely different factors: requiring transgender scholar athletes to play on teams based on the gender assigned to them at or shut to delivery, and banning COVID-19 mandates. On Sept. 22, Abbott furtherly added legal guidelines That currents further property tax aid to the third session name.

Disclosure: The Texas A&M University System, the Texas State University System and the University of Texas System have been monetary supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan information group That is funded Partially by donations from members, foundations And agency sponsors. Financial supporters play no position Inside the Tribune’s journalism. Uncover An complete itemizing of them right here.