Shortly after you receive this report, your ABC of Texas Board (along with one invited guest from each chapter) will be meeting to revisit and update our Strategic Plan. Certainly, if you have input, contact your President, Brad Brown, or one of your ABC of Texas Board members (GPaul Holliman, Russ Garrison and Paul Lembke). ABC of Texas updates its Strategic Plan every two years following the Regular Session of the Texas Legislature. We prepare a four year plan with goals initially and then back up to set more specific two year goals that advance us towards our four year goals. Since we already set four-year goals two years ago, that last step involves testing those goals to make sure they are still relevant.
In fact, this report is consistent with one of this year’s goals, which is to increase the awareness of ABC of Texas to members and industry stakeholders.
Most recently, ABC of Texas, AGC-TBB and TCA have been engaged in efforts to try to explore revising the state’s complicated lien laws. Almost everyone agrees that our lien law is hard for even attorneys to navigate. It is certainly not clear at this point what direction any proposed changes will take, but we believe we have some of the brightest legal minds in the construction industry representing the three construction associations. Of course, other groups such as home builders, commercial builders and developers, lenders and title companies will have to be part of any successful attempt to revise these statutes.
At the September meeting of the State Board of Education, many groups, including Jobs for Texas (to which both ABC of Texas and AGC-TBB belong), commented on how to implement the new high school graduation standards contained in HB 5 from last session of the Texas Legislature. Chuck Schu, Education Director of ABC’s Central Texas Chapter, was invited to address the Board by his Texas Education Agency (TEA) contacts. That chapter accredits instructors in NCCER at over 270 Texas high schools and community colleges.
HB 5 specifically deleted Algebra II as a requirement in all but the distinguished level of achievement. HB 5 still requires Algebra I and Geometry plus another math course, but gives school districts the flexibility to allow students to choose from other math courses that may be offered, some of which could be more related to the student’s endorsement.
Unfortunately, the TEA has prepared draft proposed rules that require Algebra II for every endorsement. However, the distinguished level still requires Algebra II and a student is also able to get an endorsement. The endorsements are Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Business and Industry (which can include construction); Arts and Humanities; Public Services; and Multidisciplinary Studies (which can have a courses from one or among the endorsement areas). As mentioned above, the Legislature left it up to the school districts to decide what the third math course could be and specifically deleted a statutory reference to Algebra II.
The State Board of Education meets on November 20, and ABC of Texas will be prepared to provide its input as we have already done in writing. We have also engaged our members in contacting State Legislators to ask them to weigh in. If you had previously signed up on VoterVoice, you should have received an alert.
And, the campaign season is upon us. The ABC of Texas Political Action Committee (ABC PAC) generally waits until after the filing deadline to determine how many races it needs to participate in. Then, it prioritizes those efforts based on likely general election contests. Thus, ABC PAC gives in three cycles—primary elections (including runoffs), general election and post-election (for the lucky ones without opponents). This allows us to prioritize based on what is occurring or has occurred in the various races. What that also means is that we do not generally give to unopposed candidates until post-election. Of course, there are always exceptions, but very few. This way, we are helping those who need our help when they need it and showing our appreciation to those friends who were unopposed (or dealing with the occasional missed opportunity) right before the Legislature meets. Everyone gets asked multiple times to contribute. This way we are either giving when the legislator needs it or saying "yes" the last time they ask.
As always, ABC of Texas exists to serve your interests in Austin. Please feel free to communicate anytime you have any concerns.
