State Representative Trent Ashby (R-Lufkin) has been appointed to serve on the Conference Committee for House Bill 3, which seeks to overhaul the state’s school finance system and provide property tax relief.
Prior to this appointment, Ashby has been deeply involved in crafting this legislation, which has been characterized as the number one issue facing the 86th Texas Legislature. As a member of the Public Education Committee, Ashby is known to be vocal proponent of reforming Texas’ school finance system by promoting greater equity and ensuring all public school students in Texas receive a quality education, regardless of their zip code.
“As a former school board member, and father of two public school students, having a seat at the table to finally provide meaningful reform to our broken school finance system will be the honor of my career,” Ashby said. “I have considerable faith in the appointed House members of this Conference Committee, as well as Speaker Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton), to produce a more efficient and sustainable system that provides our students and teachers with the resources they need to achieve the brightest future possible, while also providing much-needed property tax relief to property owners across Texas.”
Ashby has experience as a House conferee on substantial legislation in his tenure as a legislator, as he has twice served as the lead negotiator for Article III of the General Appropriations Act, which has purview over public and higher education funding in Texas. The ten-member conference committee has until May 26, 2019 to produce their final report to the Legislature.
Representative Ashby is in his fourth term as a member of the Texas House of Representatives. Currently, Ashby is a member of the Public Education Committee, as well as the House Committees on Defense & Veterans Affairs.
