Senate Version Scheduled For Hearing

[UNTflyer]

The House version is still pending in committee.

http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Hi...&Bill=SB473

[Cr1028]

The House version is still pending in committee.

http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/Hi...&Bill=SB473

Excuse my ignorance, but what goes on in a public hearing? Do regular people come in and say why they think it is good or bad?

[C&S]

Excuse my ignorance, but what goes on in a public hearing? Do regular people come in and say why they think it is good or bad?

Anyone can testify at a hearing. You have to sign up to speak. If there aren't a lot of people in the committee chambers, you can sit in there and watch and listen to the testimony and any questions that the committee members may have for the person testifying. If there a lot of people, there will be an overflow room with a close circut feed.

[Green to the Bone]

Anybody who wants to testify, be advised, this hearing starts at 7 a.m.

The House hearing was interesting. Dr. B, the SGA president and the student regent all testified for the bill. Now, they officially signed up as "neutral" on the bill because that's a requirement for state officials. But they all actually testified in favor of the bill. They testified quite effectively. Chairman Dan Branch also told Dr. B that he sees the UNT billboard every day on his way to work in Dallas and he's impressed that the school has grown so large and is doing such a good job of promoting itself. Everybody who is making a hobby of predicting failure because the administration isn't behind this effort needs to learn some facts before they spout off.

Another person testified for the bill. Alum Noels (misspelled? Mr. Cornwell, are you reading this?) Cornwell was very enthusiastic. He noted it was nothing different from what every other major school in Texas has.

Testifying against the bill was Philip Young, the same gentleman from Denton who wrote the op-ed in the NT Daily. Although he is a financial planner, he repeated his statement that Jerryworld is costing $270 million, and when questioned by a committee member on that, he said, well, that's what's on their web site. Given this assertion, I might be inclined to go elsewhere for financial planning. He also repeated all the other arguments from his op-ed, such as doubting the legitimacy of the vote and saying voice majors won't be able to buy season tickets to the Dallas Opera.

Upon questioning by Rep. Patrick Rose, it appeared that Rep. Crownover, the House author, has received no more than three letters opposing the bill, which when compared to the big student turnout in the election, Rose seemed to suggest, pretty much seals the deal. Rose concluded by saying he thinks the fee is a great idea.

The bill was left pending in committee. This is standard procedure for every bill upon first hearing. Given the positive response from the House committee, it seems likely to pass when it comes up for its second committee hearing.

I got all this from watching the video of the hearing. Click the link, then pick the April 8 hearing. HB 2024 starts at about the 1:05:08.

House hearing video

Edited April 11, 2009 by Green to the Bone

[UNTflyer]

Yup, it was a very good hearing. Nobody in the Texas legislature wants to see the 3rd largest university in Texas struggling any longer. And they all know the value of quid pro quo in these hearings. Someday, Tech or Houston or A&M will be asking for something and their representatives will need votes from the Dallas area.

[UNTnewbie]

You have to see the big picture. Texas wants more top level universities for several reasons. One of them is that they want more top 10% students to choose schools other than A$M and UT. If a school like UNT is more attractive to students, then it will take some of the admissions burden off those two schools.

Very Good Points!

[Cr1028]

That was awesome! I watched the whole UNT part and they made that financial planner guy out to be kind of on his own island.