AUSTIN- Thursday, the Texas House of Representatives passed House Bill 100, which will assist Texas Tech University Health Science Center Permian Basin (TTUHSC), and the University of Texas Permian Basin (UTPB) in financing the construction of new educational buildings on both campuses.

"Higher education has been one of my top priorities since arriving in Austin and the passage of H.B. 100 is a tremendous benefit for West Texas higher education institutions," Landgraf said. "This bill will allow TTUHSC and UTPB to continue producing top-tier talent in the fields of engineering and medicine."

The bill authorizes $48 million in campus construction funds to UTPB to build an engineering building, and more than $14 million to TTUHSC for the construction of a medical education building in downtown Odessa. The amounts authorized for the two projects originated from two bills filed by state Rep. Landgraf.

"I filed H.B. 625 and H.B. 626 as my first two bills of the session, and I am happy to see that these important authorizations for TTUHSC Permian Basin and UTPB are included in House Bill 100", Landgraf said. "Our community recognizes the economic benefits of educational opportunities, and these funds will go a long way to make our higher education institutions in West Texas better able to serve our communities and state."

H.B. 100 will now be heard by the Senate and must then be signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott to become effective.

State Representative Brooks Landgraf was elected in 2014 to serve House District 81, which includes Andrews, Ector, Ward, and Winkler Counties. Landgraf resides in Odessa with his wife Shelby and works as an attorney and rancher. He also serves on the Midland-Odessa Transportation Alliance Board of Directors, the Education Foundation Board of Directors, and the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute Advisory Council.