Bill

HB 2848

84(R) - 2015
House Higher Education
House Higher Education
Higher Education

Vote Recommendation

No
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Negative
  • Neutral

Author(s)

Myra Crownover

Co-Author(s)

Dustin Burrows
Travis Clardy
Drew Darby
Dan Flynn
John Frullo
Donna Howard
James Keffer
Richard Raymond

Bill Caption

Relating to the amount and allocation of the annual constitutional appropriation to certain agencies and institutions of higher education.

Fiscal Notes

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2848, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($262,500,000) through the biennium ending August 31, 2017, assuming the funding contingency is met; if it is not met, the bill would have no fiscal impact.

Local Government

No fiscal implication to local government.

Bill Analysis

HB 2848 would reallocate Higher Education Fund appropriations and authorize an increase in the annual constitutional appropriations from $262,500,000 each fiscal year to $393,750,000 each fiscal year. This would result in increased debt of approximately $130,000,000 each fiscal year.

Vote Recommendation Notes

This bill would abridge the principle of limited government, therefore we oppose this legislation. Our principle of limited government can be affected by an increase or decrease in spending.  This is a significant increase in spending for higher education and there is no compelling reason for the increase.  Increasing entitlements to schools does not guarantee better performance or quality of education. There should be a legitimate purpose for spending more money on higher education institutions. This bill does not show that there is one.

We would like to note that a bill that would have only reallocated spending for higher education would have been acceptable. HB 2848, again, does propose an increase in spending.