Update Sunday afternoon to correct the House vote on House Bill 2621:
The Texas House Friday voted 138-4 for House Bill 2621, which would add two members to the Blinn board of trustees appointed by the Brazos County Commission.
These members, who would serve staggered six year terms, would have the same decision making authority except in matters involving the property tax assessed in Washington County and how that revenue is spent.
Commissioners would have until December 31 to appoint one member who would serve a six year term and another to serve three years.
HB 2621 was written by Rep. John Raney of Bryan and co-sponsored by Rep. Leighton Schubert of Caldwell…whose district includes Brenham…and Rep. Kyle Kacal of rural Brazos County.
There is an identical companion bill in the Texas Senate, SB 2042, written by Sen. Charles Schwertner of Georgetown…whose district includes Bryan/College Station…and Sen. Lois Kolkhorst of Brenham.
Original story:
One of three bills in the Texas House involving Blinn College has been defeated, a second is one vote away from final passage, and a third remains in committee.
The president of Blinn College’s board of trustees thanked those who helped defeat the proposal that would have kept revenue generated by students in Bryan from being spent on the home campus in Brenham.
Douglas Borchardt agreed with state representatives opposed to House Bill 1903 that it would have set a bad precedent for community colleges around the state.
Borchardt says they continue to monitor House Bill 2621, which would add two members to the Blinn board appointed by the Brazos County Commission. The bill was written by Rep. John Raney of Bryan, who also wrote HB 1903. Co-sponsors of HB 2621 are Rep. Leighton Schubert of Caldwell, whose district includes Brenham, and Rep. Kyle Kacal of rural Brazos County.
The third issue, covered in HB 2231 and HB 2361, would remove Waller County from Blinn’s service area and give it to Lone Star Community College. Both bills remain pending in the House Higher Education Committee.
Click below for comments from Douglas Borchardt, visiting with WTAW’s Bill Oliver:
Prepared statement from Douglas Borchardt about the defeat of House Bill 1903:
As president of the Blinn College Board of Trustees, I am pleased to see that the Texas House of Representatives has recognized that House Bill 1903 would have set a bad precedent for Texas community colleges. With this bill behind us, Blinn College can now focus entirely upon its mission of serving our students and service area, and prepare for another year dedicated to helping students reach their academic transfer and career goals.
The issues discussed in relation to this bill will be extremely helpful in guiding Blinn College as it continues to grow in Brazos County and throughout our service area. I would like to thank State Representatives Leighton Schubert, Ed Thompson, Drew Springer and Cecil Bell for their insightful and persuasive arguments in opposition to House Bill 1903 and in defense of the districts they represent. I would also like to thank the Washington County Chamber of Commerce task force led by President & CEO Paige Michel for its tireless efforts in support of Blinn College and its students.