George P. Bush set to present General Land Office budget to Texas Senate on Wednesday

AUSTIN — House and Senate committees are taking up school and state finance matters Wednesday as they continue to hammer out dueling state budget proposals.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS: In a year when lawmakers are promising to tackle school finance reform, the House Public Education committee will kick off its hearing Wednesday with testimony from the Texas Education Agency. View the agenda here.

MONEY MATTERS: Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Committee, which controls the purse strings, will open its hearing with a focus on public education funding, then hear testimony on other big-ticket items including school safety, mental health and border security funding. View the agenda here.

SENATE FINANCE: All week the Senate Finance Committee has been hearing budget presentations from the state’s agencies. On Wednesday, the powerful committee will hear from the Texas General Land Office, led by George P. Bush, and Department of Agriculture, headed by Sid Miller.

HIGHER ED AT THE LEGE: Community College Day is Wednesday with a welcome rally and press conference planned for 9 a.m. on the Capital steps. Students will then meet with legislators throughout the day, no doubt touting the benefits of community college.

ON THE FLOOR: The House gavels in at 10 a.m. and the Senate at 11 a.m., though there’s nothing major on the agenda.

amorris@express-news.net