Capitol Watch Alert Archive
Public Comment Period Opens for SBEC Proposed Rules that Will Expand Allowances for Contract Abandonment Without Sanction
We encourage TASA members, district human resources leaders, and principals to carefully review SBEC’s proposed rules that would expand mitigating factors and good cause considerations for teachers to abandon their district contracts. The opportunity to provide public...
SBEC Majority Votes to Advance Proposed Rules to Expand Allowances for Contract Abandonment
At the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) meeting on Friday, October 1, the Board heard a discussion item that would establish rules to implement the requirements of HB 2519, as passed during the 87th Regular Legislative Session. Some of the rule changes...
September 21: Senate Finance Committee to Meet on SB 1
The Texas Senate Finance Committee has posted a public hearing notice for 10 a.m., Tuesday, September 21. The committee will consider SB 1 by Sen. Paul Bettencourt relating to a temporary reduction in the maximum compressed tax rate (MCR) of a school district and the...
TEA Updates FAQ on HB 4545
TEA has updated the FAQ document on HB 4545. View the updated FAQs. Two Questions Added to the TEA HB 4545 FAQs: 20. How should districts track accelerated instruction for students who transfer to another Texas school district? It is recommended that school districts...
Governor Signs SB 15 – Virtual School Bill
Late Thursday, September 9, Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law SB 15, which allows school districts and charter schools to receive full ADA funding for students who attend a local remote learning program at any time during the 2021-22 school year if the remote...
Texas Senate and House Adjourn Sine Die for the Second Called Special Session
Last night the 87th Legislature adjourned its Second Called Special Session, sine die, after passing Sen. Bryan Hughes’ SB 3 (also known as the critical race theory bill), adding funding for a 13th TRS check, and restoring funding for the legislative branch of...
House Pub Ed Hears Mask Bills, Virtual Instruction + TRS 13th Check Bills Advance
The House Committee on Public Education met on Monday, August 30, to hear testimony on three bills. HB 233, as filed by Rep. Dan Huberty, addresses the difficulties school district leaders and staff are experiencing while implementing the requirements of HB 4545...
August 30: House Pub Ed Committee to Meet on Mask Bills + Accelerated Instruction
The Texas House Public Education Committee has posted a hearing notice for 4 p.m. (or upon final adjournment/recess of the House), Monday, August 30. The committee will hear testimony on the following bills: HB 141 Leach | et al. Relating to prohibiting face covering...
House Public Education Committee Holds First Hearing of Second Called Special Session
Texas House Public Education Committee Chair Harold Dutton opened the committee's first hearing of the second called special session on August 24 by explaining that one agenda item, SB 3 by Sen. Bryan Hughes, was being withdrawn and would not be heard by the...
August 24: House Pub Ed Committee to Meet
The Texas House Public Education Committee has posted a hearing notice for 10:30 a.m. (or upon final adjournment/recess of the House), Tuesday, August 24. The committee will hear testimony on the following bills: HB 28 Toth | et al. Relating to curriculum, materials,...
Governor Announces Special Session Agenda
Gov. Greg Abbott today issued a proclamation that identifies 11 agenda items for the special legislative session that begins at 10 a.m. tomorrow, July 8. Included on the agenda are these education-related items: YOUTH SPORTS: Legislation identical to Senate Bill 29 as...
Education Bills Passed by the 87th Texas Legislature
The following bills were passed by the 87th Texas Legislature and have been sent to and/or signed by the governor. For bills sent to the governor within 10 days of final adjournment, the governor has until 20 days after final adjournment to sign the bill, veto it, or...
HB 3 “Cleanup” Bill Finally Passes
HB 1525 by Rep. Dan Huberty finally passed both chambers. What started out as a “cleanup” bill from the passage of HB 3 in 2019 ended up becoming a 64-page bill covering school finance and other public education matters. The bill is now on its way to the governor’s...
Senate Passes HB 3 Cleanup and Virtual Learning Bills
The Senate moved two major pieces of legislation impacting schools Wednesday, May 26. HB 1525, also known as the HB 3 cleanup bill, was passed out of the chamber with 23 amendments. Highlights of the bill as passed out of the Senate include: Removes the requirement...
Senate Votes on Bill on EOC/Graduation for 2020-21 Seniors, while House Considers Bills on Accountability Sanctions, Special Education Services, Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
The Senate passed HB 999 on the evening of Tuesday, May 25. As amended by the Senate, the bill provides that an individual graduation committee may determine that a student is qualified to graduate without considering performance on any end-of-course state assessment...
Senate Education Committee Advances More House Bills
The Senate Education Committee met Monday, May 24, and voted out the following bills, which will now go to the full Senate: HB 332 by Rep. James Talarico would permit school districts and charters to use state compensatory education funds for social and emotional...
Senate Ed Advances Remote and Accelerated Instruction Bills + Others Over Weekend
The Senate Education Committee met Friday and Saturday, May 21-22, to hear numerous bills previously passed by the House. On Saturday evening they voted out the following bills, which will now go to the full Senate for consideration: HB 1468 by Rep. Keith Bell, as...
House Public Education Committee Votes Out Bills May 19
The House Public Education Committee held a formal meeting at Chair Harold Dutton's desk May 19 and voted out the following Senate bills already passed by the full Senate: SB 123 by Sen. Nathan Johnson (11-0 vote) incorporates social and emotional learning...
Bills on the Senate Education Committee Agenda for May 21
The Senate Education Committee posted notice for its second hearing of the week, to be held at 9 a.m., Friday, May 21. The committee will hear testimony on the following bills: HB 572 Dutton SP: Lucio Would authorize a school district or open-enrollment charter school...
Senate Education Committee Votes Out More House Bills on May 18
The Senate Education Committee met Tuesday, May 18. They heard testimony on a number of bills in the morning, then voted out the following, which includes most of the bills on which the committee heard testimony earlier in the day: HB 547 by Rep. James Frank would...