By J. Lyn Carl, GalleryWatch.com
Austin, TX –
With the Texas Supreme Court poised to begin hearing tomorrow an appeal of a district judge's ruling that the state's school finance system in unconstitutional, House Speaker Tom Craddick (R-Midland) was earlier today asked if he thought the two school bills - HB 2 and HB 3 - would cure all the problems in the lawsuit.
Craddick responded that he did not think so.
Later today, Craddick issued a statement regarding his remarks earlier.
"I have been asked whether I think HB 2 and HB 3 will cure all the problems in the lawsuit," he said in his statement. "I want to emphasize that I am not lawyer. Nevertheless, I do think that together the two bills will establish a fair and constitutionally sound school finance system, and we hope that it will pass muster with the courts."
HB 3, the property tax reduction tax bill, is scheduled for floor debate in the House on Wednesday. HB 2, the public school reform bill, has already passed the House and a committee substitute was passed in the Senate. The bill is awaiting action by a conference committee.