Join the Red Raiders and Rams in Austin to visit with members of the Texas Legislature to advocate for TTU System priorities.
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Office of Governmental Relations
Texas Tech University System
System Administration Building
1508 Knoxville Ave. Suite. 305
Box 42025
Lubbock, TX 79409-2025
Office: 806.742.2120
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Central, Monday - Friday
86th Texas Legislature
The 86th Texas Legislature convenes for 140 consecutive days beginning Tuesday, Jan. 8 to make key decisions for the state’s next biennium affecting many areas, including Texas public higher education.
The Texas Tech University System and its four universities have several legislative priorities in addition to those affecting higher education policies and broad-based funding. Among the TTU System’s legislative priorities are:
Enhance and Restore Formula Funding
Restore formula funding rate from drastic cuts in 2003 and 2011 and fund forumlas based on 2018 student enrollment numbers and at rate grown by at least the rate of inflation
Exceptional Item Requests
Appropriate funds for each university’s exceptional items which stand to serve and solve significant needs in West Texas and the entire State of Texas, including:
Angelo State University – Academic & Student Success
Texas Tech University – School of Veterinary Medicine
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center – Mental Health Institute
TTUHSC El Paso – Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine
Higher Education Group Insurance (HEGI) Program
Fully fund group insurance premiums for public higher education employees – which are currently funded at 74.7 percent of Employee Retirement System of Texas’ premium rates – at the same rate as other state agencies.
Continue and Enhance Research Funding
Continue and enhance support for the Texas Research Incentive Program (TRIP), Core Research Fund, Texas Comprehensive Research Funding and Governor’s University Research Initiative (GURI).
Higher Education Fund (HEF) Support
Authorization of the Updated Five-Year Allocation for the eligible HEF institutions as provided by the Texas Constitution to fund infrastructure projects and maintain aging facilities.
Graduate Medical Education (GME)
Enhanced funding for the GME formula and continued investment for GME expansion grants at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.