Monday marked the first day of filing bills for the 83rd session of the Texas Legislature, and several bills related to higher education have already been filed.
A total of 231 bills were filed with the legislature Monday: 131 House Bills and 100 Senate Bills.

Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, filed a total of 30 bills, more than any other senator who filed Monday. Richard Raymond, D-Laredo, led the House with 37 bills. Out of the 30 bills Zaffirini filed, seven were related to higher education, including bills related to tax exemptions for textbooks, the use of tuition revenue bonds to fund construction projects at higher education public institutions and eligibility for loan forgiveness program Texas B-On-Time loans.

Zaffirini sits on the Senate Committee of Higher Education and previously served as committee chair.

Rep. Dan Branch, R-Dallas, filed four bills related to higher education, including student outcome-based financial funding for universities and facilitation of transfer students.

Branch is the chair of the Texas House Higher Education Committee.

Nineteen amendments were also filed through the House and six through the Senate.

Legislators will begin filling the Capitol for the 83rd legislative session, which convenes Jan. 8 at noon.

Printed on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 as: Legislators prefile bills for session