Texas Senate Higher Education Committee passes 8 bills

A new state might join the ranks of those that allow testing of autonomous vehicles on public roads: A bill just passed the Texas Senate Transportation Committee that spells out a path toward statutes allowing use of highly automated vehicles on public state roads.

Other states are likewise looking to encourage self-driving testing and operation, and in December Michigan lawmakers passed some of the most permissive laws around operation of autonomous vehicles, setting up a framework for not just testing but eventual vehicle sales, too.

A bill that sets new limits on the state's top 10 percent university admissions law is advancing in the state Senate.

The automatic admission law, also known as the top 10 percent law, was enacted in 1997 with a goal of bumping up minority enrollment, especially at UT, after a lawsuit and a state attorney general's ruling halted affirmative action in admissions.

"Rather than eliminating the Top 10 Percent Rule, this change in the committee substitute would keep the policy in tact but provide flexibility to UT-Austin and Texas A&M [University]", Seliger said during the meeting. In theory, accepting the best students from all schools levels the playing field. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo, who originally proposed eliminating the rule altogether.

"Is it the role of government to run the admissions department of any university?" he said. That cap has already made it harder to get in automatically - now students have to be in the top 7 percent.

"The Latino community still feels strongly that the Top 10 Percent Rule is a merit-based way to achieve diversity", said Sen.

SB 2119 will progress to the full Senate for its consideration.

The committee's proposal is laid out in Senate Bill 2119 by Sen. To do this, colleges would have to be in good financial standing and suit needs in the workforce.

Health professionals from institutions like Texas Woman's University and Grayson College testified on the bill.