An ambitious House plan overhauling the troubled way Texas pays for its public schools has collapsed as a key deadline to pass bills looms.
Rep. Jimmie Don Aycock began presenting his proposal Thursday, calling it a near-total tear down of the school finance system.
But he scrapped it after only a few minutes, saying that debate would take too long and derail too many other important bills. Aycock also noted that the Senate "almost certainly" wouldn't even consider his measure.
Midnight Thursday is the deadline for House bills to get their first full chamber vote.
The school finance system has been declared unconstitutional as part of an ongoing lawsuit pending on appeal before the Texas Supreme Court.
Aycock had wanted to devise a new system without waiting for the courts.
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