The House State Affairs Committee will meet at 8 a.m., Wednesday, April 2, 2025, to hear testimony on a number of bills, including the following of interest to school leaders:
HB 2391 Capriglione – This bill establishes new regulations in the Texas Education Code focusing on how disciplinary actions are handled in public schools and institutions of higher education when a student’s behavior may be influenced by antisemitism. The newly created Section 37.0095 for public schools and Section 51.9791 for institutions of higher education impose a responsibility to consider the definition of antisemitism, which is outlined in Section 448.001 of the Government Code. The bill specifies that these provisions will be effective in the 2025-26 school year for public schools and in the 2025-26 academic year for higher education.
HB 3293 González, Mary – This bill aims to establish a framework for discounted rates on electric service for designated public school districts and other local governmental entities in certain counties along the Texas international border. Specifically, it adds Section 36.3511 to the Utilities Code, stipulating that electric utilities must provide a discount on electric service rates to facilities of public school districts or political subdivisions that can impose an ad valorem tax. This aligns these entities with the financial benefits already available to institutions of higher education under Section 36.351. The bill exempts electric utilities from providing these discounts if it may negatively affect their total annual revenues by more than 1 percent. The law applies solely to contracts formed on or after the effective date.
