Black students, who are already overrepresented in disciplinary referrals, say their fears come as lawmakers consider a slew of bills to expand the state’s school marshal program in response to a deadly shooting last year.
Texas Legislature 2019
The 86th Legislature runs from Jan. 8 to May 27. From the state budget to health care to education policy — and the politics behind it all — we focus on what Texans need to know about the biennial legislative session.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Analysis: Legislators have a deadline, and so do Texas schools
Lawmakers are in their last month of a regular session, with their priority issues — public education and property taxes — still incomplete. If they can’t finish without a special session, they’ll run into someone else’s deadlines; school districts write budgets and set tax rates in June.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas House approves property tax reform bill, setting up negotiations with the Senate
The House approved the bill designed to slow local property tax revenue growth, but made the bill contingent on the passage of a school finance bill, which is still pending in the Senate.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says Senate won’t pass bill to lower penalties for marijuana
His comment comes the day after the Texas House gave preliminary approval to the bill in a 98-43 vote.
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Texas Legislature 2019
It’s crunch time: Texas bills are going to start dying
Is paid sick leave on life support? Did “constitutional carry” advocates shoot themselves in the foot? With just weeks to go in the session, lawmakers are handling the pressure to get their bills across the finish line in different ways.
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Texas Legislature 2019
In wake of Houston-area chemical fires, Texas Senate panel weighs input on stronger storage tank regulations
The Senate Committee on Water and Rural Affairs took public testimony on a bill that would strengthen state oversight of above-ground tanks that hold hazardous hydrocarbons.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas House offers a new way to determine whether a defendant has intellectual disabilities — and is ineligible for execution
The lower chamber gave initial approval to a bill creating a pretrial process to determine if a capital murder defendant is intellectually disabled — more than 15 years after the U.S. Supreme Court said executing such prisoners is cruel and unusual punishment.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas House passes bill that reduces penalties for Texans caught with small amounts of marijuana
The House vote Monday is the first time the lower chamber approved such a measure, marking significant progress. But the opposition of the lieutenant governor remains a major hurdle.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Texas Senate passes school safety bill intended to prevent mass shootings
Senate Bill 11 is authored by state Sen. Larry Taylor, whose district includes Santa Fe High School.
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Texas Legislature 2019
Analysis: The Texas House is handcuffing property tax relief to education reforms
An amendment added to a Senate property tax bill ties it to school finance — a signal the Texas House doesn’t want to leave the harder-to-pass education bill behind.