Monday, May 23, 2005
Top Ten Resurrection
Sen. Education Committee Chair Florence Shapiro brought top ten legislation back from the dead today after declaring it caput over the weekend. A committee vote Saturday on HB 2330, which would cap top ten percent admissions at 50 percent, resulted in a deadlock with a 3-3 tie.
But, Shapiro may have sent the bill to an early grave. The legislation will go before the committee again Tuesday morning for another vote. Shapiro says she will continue to try to get the votes she needs to get the bill out of her committee. She says she hopes more committee members will be present for the vote this time.
Three members were absent from the meeting Saturday: Sen. Kip Averitt (R-McGreggor), Sen. Todd Staples (R-Palestine) and Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands).
In a vote on the Senate's version of top ten percent, SB 333, which left the rule in tact, several admentments to cap or eliminate the bill were presented but defeated on the floor. Averitt and Staples voted against the ammendment to change top ten. Williams voted in favor. (SB 333 died in committe in the House.) Depending on who shows for the vote, the numbers could swing.
Sen Royce West (D-Houston), Sen. Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio) and Sen. Steve Ogden (R-Bryan) voted no in committee Saturday.
West, the original author of the top ten percent rule, says he will not change his committee vote unless an agreement is reached between the House and Senate, as well as the administration of the University of Texas at Austin who say a cap is needed or else top ten will take over their entire admissions process.
Last session, West killed a bill to cap top ten percent through a fillibuster. He says he does not think he will have to do that this session. "I will continue to work with trying to come up with a solution to the UT problem, but the solution must not only deal with their part but maintain the integrity of top ten percent." West has proposed a seven percent cap, but it is unclear if this is a compromise that all parties agree on.
West has concerns with passing an ammended version of this bill out of committee because this would send it to a House controlled conference committee. "The Senate winds up losing the process at that point," he says. He says he wants the Senate to maintain their position of influence over the legislation until an agreement is reached.
But, Shapiro may have sent the bill to an early grave. The legislation will go before the committee again Tuesday morning for another vote. Shapiro says she will continue to try to get the votes she needs to get the bill out of her committee. She says she hopes more committee members will be present for the vote this time.
Three members were absent from the meeting Saturday: Sen. Kip Averitt (R-McGreggor), Sen. Todd Staples (R-Palestine) and Sen. Tommy Williams (R-The Woodlands).
In a vote on the Senate's version of top ten percent, SB 333, which left the rule in tact, several admentments to cap or eliminate the bill were presented but defeated on the floor. Averitt and Staples voted against the ammendment to change top ten. Williams voted in favor. (SB 333 died in committe in the House.) Depending on who shows for the vote, the numbers could swing.
Sen Royce West (D-Houston), Sen. Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio) and Sen. Steve Ogden (R-Bryan) voted no in committee Saturday.
West, the original author of the top ten percent rule, says he will not change his committee vote unless an agreement is reached between the House and Senate, as well as the administration of the University of Texas at Austin who say a cap is needed or else top ten will take over their entire admissions process.
Last session, West killed a bill to cap top ten percent through a fillibuster. He says he does not think he will have to do that this session. "I will continue to work with trying to come up with a solution to the UT problem, but the solution must not only deal with their part but maintain the integrity of top ten percent." West has proposed a seven percent cap, but it is unclear if this is a compromise that all parties agree on.
West has concerns with passing an ammended version of this bill out of committee because this would send it to a House controlled conference committee. "The Senate winds up losing the process at that point," he says. He says he wants the Senate to maintain their position of influence over the legislation until an agreement is reached.