The 89th legislative session in Texas is shaping as much as be busy, with state representatives and senators proposing tons of of payments. These proposed payments span varied sectors, together with training, healthcare, voting rights, and public security, reflecting the state’s advanced and evolving wants.
The Defender has compiled an outline of some key proposals formulated by legislators who characterize Houston not directly (on the time of publication).
Payments filed by a number of elected officers
The next payments had been proposed by a couple of consultant and senator.
HB (Home Invoice) 1484: This invoice permits dad and mom to switch their baby to a different public or non-public faculty—with state funding following the coed—in the event that they consider their baby is being uncovered to “sexual grooming” in a public faculty. Nevertheless, the definition and enforcement of such claims stay imprecise.SB (Senate Invoice) 2: This invoice, authored by Sen. Brandon Creighton, proposed allocating $10,000 a yr to households for personal faculty enrollment, together with different bills like books and transport. Gov. Greg Abbott, who has been advocating for varsity vouchers, declared it an “emergency merchandise,” to fast-track proposals on this matter.
Payments filed by Black senators
Senator Royce West, District 23, has filed 169 payments, together with:
1. SB 579: This invoice exempts sure scholarships funded by non-public cash from variety, fairness and inclusion (DEI) necessities at public establishments of upper training in Texas. He has additionally filed SB 580, which seeks an exemption from sure necessities concerning DEI initiatives for sure scholarly analysis or artistic works at public establishments of upper training, and SB 581, which seeks an exemption from sure necessities concerning DEI initiatives for sure charitable funds at public establishments of upper training.
2. SB 220: This invoice amends the Texas Staff’ Compensation Act to permit workers with mental or developmental disabilities who’re victims of sexual assault or abuse to carry a civil lawsuit towards their employer if the damage resulted from employer negligence. The invoice offers a authorized treatment exterior of staff’ compensation for these victims.
Senator Borris L. Miles, District 13, has filed 100 payments, together with:
1. SB 283: This invoice proposes the creation of the Texas African American Heritage Fee to protect, promote, and interpret websites reflecting the state’s African American heritage. The fee can be made up of 9 members, appointed by the Texas Legislative Black Caucus and college presidents. The invoice consists of provisions for administrative assist, funding and obligations associated to heritage preservation, training and outreach.
2. SB 491: This invoice proposes modifications to the confidentiality of sure dwelling deal with info in property tax appraisal data for people similar to present and former peace officers, authorities workers and victims of household violence or sexual assault. The invoice broadens the record of eligible people who can request confidentiality of their dwelling addresses to boost their security.
Senator Brandon Creighton, District 4, has filed 77 payments, together with:
1. SB 2: This invoice focuses on pay raises for Texas lecturers by establishing a everlasting allotment that ensures across-the-board wage will increase, with necessities for performance-based compensation and instructor placement at high-need campuses. It creates a grant program to help districts in implementing native instructor designation techniques and rising the variety of lecturers eligible for such designations. The invoice additionally expands eligibility for pre-kindergarten enrollment to incorporate youngsters of public faculty lecturers.
2. SB 316: The invoice grants the Texas Services Fee the authority to train eminent area to accumulate property for constructing a wall alongside the state’s worldwide border to forestall “human trafficking,” and unlawful entry of “aliens with out official approval of an applicable federal governmental authority,” “terrorists and devices of terrorism” and “contraband, together with narcotics and different managed substances.”
3. SB 318: This invoice establishes an election integrity division throughout the Texas Legal professional Normal’s workplace to analyze election fraud and violations of the Election Code, with assist from state legislation enforcement businesses.
4. SJR (Senate Joint Decision) 21: S.J.R. No. 21 proposes a constitutional modification to permit the Texas legislature to set a decrease restrict on the utmost appraised worth of a residence homestead for advert valorem taxation, topic to voter approval in November 2025.
Senator Molly Cook dinner, District 15, has filed 102 payments, together with:
1. SB 566: This invoice prohibits the sale of over-the-counter weight reduction medicine and dietary dietary supplements to minors in Texas, requiring retailers to implement age verification measures and imposing civil penalties for violations.
2. SB 1311: This invoice establishes a pilot program in Harris County to award grants to group organizations and political subdivisions for creating catastrophe reduction hub homes that present shelter, energy and emergency provides throughout disasters, with an analysis due in 2026 to think about potential enlargement.
3. SB 1312: This invoice prohibits the disconnection of residential electrical service throughout an excessive climate emergency in Texas and requires utilities to defer invoice funds, establishing a pay schedule for purchasers affected by such emergencies.
Payments filed by Houston-area representatives
Rep. Senfronia Thompson, District 141, has filed 57 payments, together with:
1. HB 539: The invoice permits victims of human trafficking or compelling prostitution who had been convicted of sure offenses associated to trafficking or prostitution to petition for an order of nondisclosure of their prison historical past, offered they meet particular necessities and help within the prosecution of trafficking-related offenses.
2. HB 673: The invoice expands staff’ compensation advantages to cowl post-traumatic stress dysfunction (PTSD) for sure first responders, together with peace officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel, offered the PTSD is brought on by occasions occurring in the middle of their employment.
3. HB 896: The invoice prohibits peace officers from deliberately utilizing neck restraints, similar to choke holds, or carotid artery holds, throughout searches or arrests, until mandatory to forestall critical damage or dying and mandates coaching on this prohibition for peace officers.
Rep. Harold V. Dutton Jr., District 142, has filed 76 payments, together with:
1. HB 2336: This invoice proposes together with chronically absent college students as college students susceptible to dropping out of faculty, mandates detailed reporting on power absenteeism and requires the Texas Training Company to publish annual absenteeism knowledge disaggregated by race, ethnicity and standing.
2. HB 2394: This invoice goals to create an internet voter registration system for Texans with a sound driver’s license or state ID. It requires digital signature verification and knowledge checks with the Division of Public Security to make sure accuracy.
3. HB 2781: This invoice permits Texas public faculties to supply training and informational supplies on menstrual problems and requires the State Board of Training to create age-appropriate sources masking signs, remedy, and self-advocacy.
Rep. Alma Allen: District 131, has filed 37 payments, together with:
1. HB 1413: This invoice proposes a $400 month-to-month wage improve for public faculty lecturers, full-time librarians, counselors and nurses within the 2025-2026 faculty yr, ensures they won’t obtain a decrease wage in subsequent years, and offers $4,000 in extra state funding per eligible worker to high school districts to assist these raises.
2. HB 1415: This invoice bans corporal punishment in Texas public faculties. It prohibits faculty workers, volunteers, and contractors from utilizing bodily self-discipline like spanking or paddling whereas nonetheless permitting affordable restraint when mandatory.
3. HB 2709: This invoice limits the workday for public faculty classroom lecturers to a most of 480 minutes (8 hours) per day, making certain that new instructor contracts mirror this restriction beginning within the 2025-2026 faculty yr.
Rep. Hubert Vo, District 149, has filed 19 payments, together with:
1. HB 1296: The invoice establishes an automated voter registration system for naturalized U.S. residents. Upon receiving a certificates of naturalization, people can be mechanically registered to vote by the county registrar.
2. HB 1420: The invoice mandates a research by the Well being and Human Companies Fee on the influence of nurse-to-patient ratios for essential care sufferers, with a report due by Dec. 1, 2026.
Rep. Ana Hernandez, District 143, has filed 44 payments, together with:
1. HB 1362: This invoice expands eligibility for unemployment advantages to incorporate people who go away their jobs attributable to sexual harassment, offered they report it to their employer, legislation enforcement or a related company.
2. HB 1559: This invoice establishes strict tips for medical procedures on foster youngsters with intersex traits, requiring knowledgeable consent, psychological well being evaluations and court docket approval for non-medically mandatory remedies.
3. HB 2319: This invoice mandates annual cost-of-living changes (COLAs) for Trainer Retirement System (TRS) advantages primarily based on inflation, contingent on the system’s monetary stability.
Rep. Armando Walle, District 140, has filed 43 payments, together with:
1. HB 2271: This invoice requires day-care facilities, group day-care houses, and household houses to submit capability and enrollment knowledge to the Texas Workforce Fee for inclusion on a baby care availability portal.2. HB 2573: This invoice requires Medicaid to reimburse for doula providers offered to medical help recipients from the affirmation of being pregnant till the twelfth month after being pregnant ends.
