We have a week to go.
A few news items:
The main topics in Monday's meeting were three of the larger pending issues of the regular session: property tax relief, power grid reform and education, including Abbott’s crusade for “school choice.” That is according to a person who was briefed on the meeting who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.
There are still a lot of unknowns. With the session ending May 29, the leaders were trying to navigate fast-approaching deadlines to at least get their priority bills to conference committees. Those are teams of House and Senate negotiators that hash out their differences. If they can reach a compromise, it still has to be approved by each chamber.
School choice remains perhaps the thorniest issue. On Monday morning, the Senate launched a last-ditch effort to rescue a proposal on the topic that fell victim to a House deadline over the weekend, but its chances of reaching the governor’s desk are still not assured.
The Texas Senate has once again advanced legislation that would severely limit classroom lessons, teacher guidance and school programming about sexual orientation and gender identity through 12th grade in Texas schools.
The upper chamber voted 19-12 Monday to preliminarily approve House Bill 890 after the Senate education committee added the proposed restrictions to the legislation. This marks the third time the GOP-controlled body has passed what critics dub the “Don’t Say Gay” provision, which they say is both unconstitutional and harmful to LGBTQ Texans. Supporters of the proposal, however, say it is needed to expand parental rights — a key focus for Republicans, including Gov. Greg Abbott, this session.
. . . Authored by state Rep. Keith Bell, R-Forney, HB 890 initially focused on the processes school districts must adopt to receive and resolve complaints. It passed unanimously out of the House in late April.
On Thursday, almost a month later, Republicans drastically changed HB 890 to add language that would severely limit classroom lessons, campus activities and educator guidance regarding gender and sexual orientation in all public and charter schools. The Senate version also has several other proposals that its backers said would similarly broaden parental rights, such as requiring schools to notify parents of any changes to their children’s “mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being.”
- Future of university tenure in Texas likely will be decided in last-minute negotiations.
The fate of tenure for Texas public university professors is poised to be decided through last-minute negotiations after the House and Senate have each thrown their support behind dramatically different proposals.
The Senate, led by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, voted to eliminate tenure altogether, arguing it makes “woke” faculty feel protected to spew liberal ideology to students. But on Monday, in an 85 to 59 vote, the House gave preliminary approval to an overhauled version of the bill that instead enshrines tenure policies in state law.
Rep. John Kuempel, R-Seguin, carried the legislation in the House and argued that his version of the legislation brings back tenure from the Senate chopping block by “providing our institutions of higher education a baseline, a framework of what we expect from those institutions and the faculty.” This will provide transparency and clear expectations, he said.
A few bills passed today - 5/22/23
Note: these have not yet need signed into law.
HB 315: Relating to a statement by the secretary of state regarding the furnishing of certain personal information on an application for a ballot to be voted by mail.
HB 630: Relating to the provision of lifeguards by certain municipalities and counties on public beaches.
HB 999: Relating to the effect of certain reductions in a health benefit plan enrollee's out-of-pocket expenses for certain prescription drugs on enrollee cost-sharing requirements.
HB 1199: Relating to the inclusion of certain information regarding trailers in vehicle accident reports.
HB 1330: Relating to a grant program for public improvement projects for unincorporated communities in certain counties.
HB 1526: Relating to parkland dedication for multifamily, hotel, and motel property development by certain municipalities; authorizing a fee.
HB 5174: Relating to the establishment and administration of the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium.
SB 37: Relating to the criminal offense of hazing.
SB 375: Relating to the composition of districts for the election of members of the Texas Senate.
SB 467: Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for the offense of criminal mischief involving impairment of a motor fuel pump.
SB 1045: Relating to the creation of the Fifteenth Court of Appeals with jurisdiction over certain civil cases, the compensation of the justices of that court, and the jurisdiction of the courts of appeals in this state.
