High Court to Hear School Case in July

Based on the info below, one possible scenario is no decision on school finance will be made this session since the high court still has to hear the court case and with a special session on school finance happening sometime during the biennium (this fall?). This despite the present consolidation of power and a strong desire on the governor to make it all happen this time around. We’ll see what happens. -Angela

High Court to Hear School Case in July

08:09 PM CDT on Friday, April 22, 2005

From Staff Reports


AUSTIN – The Texas Supreme Court said Friday that it will hear oral arguments in the state's appeal of a district court ruling that found the school finance system unconstitutional and ordered billions more in funding for schools.

Justices agreed to hear the case on July 6, more than a month after the legislative session ends. A top priority of lawmakers this session is to fix the troubled funding system without court intervention.

Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst predicted Friday that legislators will act independently of the courts. "We don't believe the courts ought to be drawing our school finance plan," he said. "It is out the question for the Senate to punt this important issue to the courts."

But House and Senate members are still far from agreement on a new funding plan with just over five weeks left in the session. They are under an Oct. 1 deadline to come up with a new system or state District Judge John Dietz will issue an injunction to cut off all funding for public schools ú about $30 billion a year.
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http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/legislature/schoolfinance/stories/042205dntexschool.201f1924d.html