University presidents: Lawmakers put us on the road

When the 2009 Texas Legislature began way back in January, we outlined five major priorities. If lawmakers addressed them in the right way, we believed, they would improve the quality of life for Texans everywhere, including right here in North Texas.

We have already opined about one of our priorities: giving communities the option to raise local funds to finance roads and rail. That effort failed miserably, and we took Austin to task. We also applauded the Legislature's decision to create more Tier One research universities. That, too, was an important goal.

Here's how the rest of the list looks after five months of writing bills, conducting hearings and casting votes:

Public schools: One of the Legislature's most monumental tasks was rewriting the state's education code for the first time since 1995. Legislators came out in an acceptable place, but only after Gov. Rick Perry and others pushed back against weakening school standards. We particularly like that the bill requires the education commissioner to define what it takes for Texas students to get ready for college.

Colleges: Going into this session, college affordability had emerged as one of Texas families' top concerns. We're pleased legislators responded by significantly hiking funding for TEXAS Grant, the state's leading financial aid program for struggling families.

Lawmakers also didn't fall into the trap of limiting universities' ability to set tuition rates. Although there was a movement to restrict universities, legislators produced only a resolution that expresses their sense that rates shouldn't increase by 3.95 percent over the next two years. That compromise sends a signal without imposing an actual cap.

Many families probably would like a real cap, but limiting rate increases would put universities in a bind. And that would hurt their kids, who benefit as students when colleges have the money to do things like hire enough faculty to lower teacher-student ratios.

Legislators cut the University of Texas at Austin some slack, but not enough. The House prevailed with its proposal to limit the number of students UT must accept from the top 10 percent of Texas high school classes. The House put the number at 75 percent; the Senate's 60 percent proposal was better.

Three of our six priorities for the overlooked half of Dallas passed.

The winners: The city gained more power from the state to regulate group homes for people with mental disabilities, drug addictions or other challenges. The new power will benefit Oak Cliff's Jefferson Boulevard, where unsupervised group homes are a nuisance to residents and businesses.

The city also can now more easily move properties in and out of its land bank. Revisions to the land bank law should be a boon to southern Dallas development. And Dallas should have access to funds from the money set aside to fight homelessness across Texas; some of this money can go toward developing transitional housing.

The losers: The University of North Texas' Dallas campus didn't get all the money it needs for a second building. Also, rules governing bars remain lax, which makes it easy for them to pop up across southern Dallas. And the definition of deadly dogs remains elusive, which means dangerous breeds can still roam city streets, a problem especially acute on the south side.

All were important initiatives, but we'll take three of six and be back in two years.

Lawmakers continued to nibble around the edges of environmental issues. They dabbled mostly in noncontroversial proposals, passing legislation that would encourage state agencies to use plug-in hybrid vehicles and agreeing to study ways to reduce energy consumption and emissions.

What did happen: On the plus side, lawmakers adopted legislation that will give tax breaks to companies building "clean coal" plants that capture greenhouse gases. But in general, they left much undone in the realm of air quality, energy efficiency and clean energy.

What didn't happen: Two years ago, the specter of 16 proposed coal plants hung over the session, forcing lawmakers to at least discuss these issues. This year, the Legislature showed relatively little interest – and even less urgency – in failing to lay out a vision for investing in renewable energy or preparing for a future that likely will include a federal cap on carbon dioxide emissions.

At the start of the session, solar energy took center stage. A raft of promising proposals offering incentives for solar energy and setting renewable energy standards had bipartisan support. Unfortunately, higher-profile issues took precedence as time ran out on the solar bills.

For now, questions about air quality and energy have been kicked down the road. As a result, Texas will remain a fossil-fueled, smoggy state.

The odds against reforming – much less stopping – capital punishment in Texas are as long as they get in the tough-on-crime Legislature. Yet lawmakers made incremental changes that indicate they know that the criminal justice system is not airtight.

What changed: One move had important symbolism: The House formed its first committee on the death penalty. Lawmakers also sent the governor a bill creating a new office to provide qualified counsel to indigent death row prisoners for certain appeals.

What didn't change: It's regrettable that other vitally needed reforms fell short, like a bill that would have banned joint trials in capital murder cases and prohibited the death penalty for accomplices who did not kill. Another glaring shortcoming was lawmakers' failure to require police agencies to modernize their photo lineup practices.

After years of trying, supporters of a special innocence commission to examine exonerations got a weakened bill. Pending the governor's signature, a new advisory panel will assist in a study on whether a full-fledged innocence commission – with authority – should be formed to tackle systemic changes in the justice system.

With the record run of DNA exonerations in Texas, particularly in Dallas County, the need is clear.