RISD Legislative Corner – August 15

texas capitol dome

Special Session

Special Session The first-called special session concluded this morning, four days ahead of the 30-day deadline. Because the Texas House did not have a quorum (enough members to vote on legislation) no new laws were passed in this first session. As promised, the Governor has called a second special session to begin today at noon. The items on the call are largely unchanged from the first session with the exception that “Camp Safety” has been added as the first item. 

The following items impacting public schools are on the call for the second session:

  • Eliminating the STAAR assessment
  • Reducing property taxes 
  • Imposing spending limits on taxing entities 
  • Prohibiting taxpayer-funded lobbying

More to come … stay tuned!

Legislative Corner is published periodically throughout the 89th Texas legislative session. For more information about RISD’s legislative involvement and priorities, please visit the legislative page here. Other resources include Texas Legislature Online (TLO) – find legislation (bills), committee hearings, legislative member info, and more; The Quorum Report – sign-up for “Daily Buzz” or a listing of political news articles; Texas Tribune – online daily news, also a data dashboard for education.

Share this post

Class of 2026 - Peri Howell - Lake Highlands High School

Senior Feature: Continuing a Legacy, Carving her Own Path

As the fourth Howell sibling to walk the halls of Lake Highlands High School and soon Texas A&M University, Peri Howell is continuing a strong family tradition while creating a path that is uniquely hers. With three scholarships in hand to attend her dream school, she’s preparing for a future in medicine driven by her desire to help others.