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Day 134 of the 82nd Texas Legislature

LINE OF THE DAY
“I don’t understand the obsession of men to regulate certain body parts.”
Rep. Jessica Farrar during a debate over an abortion-related amendment yesterday

FLOOR PLAY BY ABBY RAPOPORT
With less than a week in the legislative session, everyone is still wondering just how lawmakers can pass a school finance plan. Last night Democrats called a point of order on a major fiscal matters bill that could have taken school finance plans as amendements. But as Abby Rapoport writes, the school finance measures are far from dead.

OBSERVED
Last week the sanctuary city bill gained new life after it appeared dead, and as Melissa Del Bosque reports, it has been placed on the Senate’s intent calendar where technically it can come up at any moment. Senate Democrats have vowed to block the measure, but with the session winding down and lawmakers trying whatever they can to get their bills passed, anything is possible.  

BEST OF THE REST
Yesterday members of the budget conference committee put the final touches on their recommendations, including cuts to higher education. With the reductions, almost 30,000 fewer incoming college students will receive state financial aid and tuition may also go up, according to Peggy Fikac at the San Antonio Express-News. The original House version of the budget proposed cutting off grant money to new students all together. Committee members plan to vote on all of the final budget recommendations Thursday.  

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
It’s going to be another long day, and likely night. The House has until midnight tonight to pass Senate bills. Meanwhile, the Senate’s calendar is loaded with House bills, and senators are likely to stay late tonight as they try to pass as many as possible.