The Texas Tribune is pleased to present a daylong symposium, in partnership with Austin Community College and the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin, previewing the 84th Legislature. Topics of discussion will include the relationship between the House and Senate, what the Tea Party wants, the coming battle over the state budget and what’s in store for the big issues on the agenda like public education, energy, transportation and health care.

8 a.m. Complimentary Breakfast

8:30 a.m.: The House vs. the Senate

State Sen. ROYCE WEST, D-Dallas, chairman of the Senate Jurisprudence Committee; state Sen. LARRY TAYLOR, R-Friendswood, vice chairman of the Senate Business and Commerce Committee; state Rep. CHARLIE GEREN, R-Fort Worth, chairman of the House Administration Committee; and state Rep. TREY MARTINEZ FISCHER, D-San Antonio

9:45 a.m.: The Agenda

State Sen. KIRK WATSON, D-Austin, vice-chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee; state Rep. JIMMIE DON AYCOCK, R-Killeen, chairman of the House Public Education Committee; state Rep. MYRA CROWNOVER, R-Denton, vice chairwoman of the House Energy Resources Committee; state Rep. JOE PICKETT, D-El Paso, chairman of the House Select Committee on Transportation Funding; and state Rep. JOHN ZERWAS, R-Richmond, chairman of the House General Investigating and Ethics Committee 

11 a.m. What The Tea Party Wants

State Sen.-elect KONNI BURTON, R-Fort Worth; state Sen.-elect PAUL BETTENCOURT, R-Houston; state Rep. JONATHAN STICKLAND, R-Bedford; state Rep. JEFF LEACH, R-Plano; and state Rep.-elect MATT RINALDI, R-Irving

Noon: Complimentary Lunch 

12:30 p.m.: 2014, 2015, 2016 & 2018 

CHRISTY HOPPE, Austin bureau chief for The Dallas Morning News; HARVEY KRONBERG, editor and publisher of The Quorum Report; ERICA GRIEDER, senior editor at Texas Monthly; and ROSS RAMSEY, executive editor of The Texas Tribune

1:45 p.m.: The Battle Over The Budget 

State Sen. JUDITH ZAFFIRINI, D-Laredo, chairwoman of the Government Organization Committee; state Sen. KEL SELIGER, R-Amarillo, chairman of the Senate Higher Education Committee; state Rep. DREW DARBY, R-San Angelo, chairman of the House Redistricting Committee; and state Rep. DONNA HOWARD, D-Austin, vice chairwoman of the House Administration Committee

Optional 3 PM Tour of Austin Community College Highland Campus

ABOUT THIS EVENT
The daylong symposium will be held at Austin Community College Highland Campus (west entrance - former Highland Mall). The event is free and open to the public. 

Go green! Participants are encouraged to use one of the many transportation options available to Highland Mall: ride the rail, take the bus, carpool or bike. Complimentary parking for attendees will be available. Recycling bins will be on site to keep waste out of the landfill.

The Tribune's On the Road symposia are modeled on the celebrated Texas Tribune Festival. These one-day, one-topic events bring together experts to present and generate productive conversations on major issues on the topic of the day. 

This event is generously sponsored by Austin Community College, Texas Politics Project, AT&T, Google, Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas, State Farm, Harmony Public Schools, The University of Texas at Arlington, Texas Mutual Insurance and St. David's HealthCare.

Disclosure: though donors and corporate sponsors underwrite our events, they play no role in determining the content, panelists or line of questioning.