Government

The largest teacher’s union in the state of Texas and a right-wing political think tank are providing their assessment of this past session education bills.

A statewide pro-business group based in Austin is urging Gov. Rick Perry to veto House Bill 5, a bill that changes the state’s testing structure for public schools.

Bill Hammond, the executive director for the Texas Business Association, said the House bill that reduces the number of high-stakes exams for school kids will provide the Texas workforce with a poor product.

"60 or 70 percent of the jobs that are being created today require some post-secondary education of some sort, perhaps even a certificate from a community college or an associate’s degree," Hammond said.

A lawmaker from the San Antonio area is pushing the Gov. Rick Perry to sign into a law a bill that prohibits public schools from selling sugary drinks.

Sen. Carlos Uresti, D-San Antonio, said he fought to get his own version of the bill approved for the past two sessions, hoping that a ban on sugary drinks at the state’s elementary and middle schools will help the Hispanic population turn the corner in the fight against obesity and diabetes.

What did pass was a companion bill, House Bill 217, which excluded high schools from the ban.