CAPITOL "TEA"

The legislature has adjourned “Sine Die” or without day to resume, officially marking the end of the 89th Legislative Session and making this the last newsletter for this session. June 2, 2025 was the last day of the session, generally reserved for celebratory and ceremonial activities including recognitions of staff and legislators.

Over 9,000 bills and joint resolutions were filed during the 89th Legislative Session, a new record. However, approximately 1,200 made it across the finish line. For public education, the nearly 1,500 bills and joint resolutions filed resulted in 107 bills and joint resolutions finally passed. The Governor has until June 22 to sign into law or veto these remaining bills or they become law without his signature.

LEGISLATION HIGHLIGHTS

Several major bills passed including the following:

HB 2, the omnibus school finance and public education policy bill that provided $8.5 billion for public schools. The bill was signed by the Governor at a ceremony in Salado ISD earlier this week.

HB 6, which reforms school discipline procedures providing more authority for teachers and administrators to address increasing student behaviors.

SB 2, which creates an education savings account program for families to use on qualifying educational expenses.

SB 4, which increases the homestead exemption to $140,000 from $100,000 pending voter approval of a constitutional amendment in November.

SB 10, which requires the posting of the ten commandments in every classroom if they are donated to the schools.

SB 11, which requires school boards to vote on a policy allowing a specific period of time for prayer and reading of religious texts at school and sets detailed requirements for participation in such a period. Regardless of whether a school board adopts such a policy, the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees the rights of students and employees to pray and read religious texts while at school.

In addition to bills that did pass, several major bills did not make it across the finish line, including:

HB 4, which was a major assessment and accountability reform bill as it came out of the House. However, the Senate version of the bill would have made very few changes to the current accountability system and would have maintained control of the state assessment with the Commissioner of Education. Ultimately, the two chambers could not agree on a final version.

HB 19, which would have set a cap on the amount of debt political subdivisions can issue and would have required all bond elections to be held in November.

SB 19, which would have banned taxing entities from using funds to contract with lobbyists or to pay dues to associations that used funds to contract with lobbyists. The bill would have continued to allow several taxpayer-funded entities to contract with lobbyists, including charter schools and vendors whose business is largely or even entirely with government entities making those vendors taxpayer-funded.

SB 686, which would have required all public schools to accept out-of-district transfers.

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