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System Day at the Texas Capitol

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

Texas Dome

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.