AUSTIN -- Lawmakers appeared frustrated Monday evening as they waited and waited for a major school finance bill to be brought to the House floor, only to have a Dallas Democrat abruptly kill it.
State Rep. Yvonne Davis said Republican-proposed cuts were too deep for her to allow the measure to advance.
Republican leaders signaled plans to attach school finance language to a different bill. Lawmakers are working on a budget agreement expected to cut about $4 billion from education over two years. With a week left in the session, some members remain worried about possibly having to debate how to dole out $37 billion among the state's schools in a matter of hours.
Some high-profile measures were approved in the Senate on Monday, including a bill to regulate large-scale dog breeders and two bills that would impose increased disclosure and reporting requirements on the payday loan industry.
Also Monday, Perry ceremonially signed an eminent-domain bill that strengthens protections for individual property rights. Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, joined Perry at the signing.
Dave Montgomery is chief of the Star-Telegram's Austin bureau. 512-476-4294
Aman Batheja, 817-390-7695
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