AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The Texas Senate has voted to allow a group of state universities to compete for money to help them become major research centers.
The bill would create funding pools for emerging research schools.
Texas currently has only three nationally recognized top research schools at the University of Texas at Austin, Texas A&M University and Rice University.
Supporters of the bill say 10,000 students leave Texas for top tier research schools in other states. For example, California has nine top research schools.
The Tuesday night vote sends the bill back to the House for final approval.