Lawmakers have already proposed directing billions of dollars to schools so they can lower property taxes and pay for safety upgrades. But House Bill 100 would be the first to increase the amount of money districts receive to raise teacher pay and cover the actual costs of educating students.
Texas Legislature 2023
During the 88th Legislature’s regular session, lawmakers increased school safety funding, passed a law designed to shore up the state’s electrical grid and banned diversity, equity and inclusion offices at public universities. After two special legislative sessions, the GOP-controlled chambers agreed to an $18 billion tax cut for property owners. A third special session began Oct. 9 focusing on school vouchers and border issues. Learn how legislators write laws and which elected officials represent you. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get all the latest session news.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas lawmakers hope an investment in teacher training will help keep new educators in the classroom longer
A bill passed by the Texas House on Wednesday would also help schools rehire retired teachers and offer other incentives in an effort to fight the state’s teacher shortage.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas Senate passes bill limiting farmland sales to China, other countries
The amended bill is a dramatically watered-down version of an earlier proposal that sought to ban land and home purchases by citizens of China and three other countries.
Posted in
LGBTQ+ Texans
Transgender Texans of all ages could lose access to transition-related care under Senate bill
The Senate advanced a bill that could create such high financial risks for doctors and health insurers that they’d stop providing or covering gender-affirming care — even for adults.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Journalists fear Texas Legislature could weaken law designed to protect free speech
News publications and First Amendment advocates are fighting a bill to revise a state law meant to prevent litigants from weaponizing the legal system to punish people for speech they don’t like.
Posted in
Asking to be Heard
After months of struggle, Korean language access advocates find their voice at a legislative hearing
In a key step on their quest to make state services more easily available to non-English speakers, advocates from Houston’s Woori Juntos community group testified before a panel of lawmakers.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas House reaffirms the political maps it drew in 2021
The 150 districts didn’t change, but the vote ensured the House met its constitutional requirement to approve new maps in the first regular session following formal publication of the 2020 census results.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Texas Democrats rally around Joe Biden as he announces reelection bid
Texas Democrats are hopeful Biden can run a competitive race in the historically red state — especially if the GOP nominee is Donald Trump again.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
House-Senate animosity bubbles over with clashes on property taxes, education
With threats of a special session and a derisive moniker, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick tries to pressure the House speaker into acting on his conservative priorities.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2023
Senate OKs bill to allow construction of anti-abortion monument on state Capitol grounds
The original sculpture was installed in the Church of San Marcello al Corso in Rome last year and is often interpreted as a depiction of Mary and Jesus.