This Week In Austin
- On Mar. 18, House Public Education committee heard House Bill 6, RISD’s top legislative priority. HB 6 modifies the discipline code to give schools more flexibility in addressing ongoing violent and disruptive behavioral issues as well as other issues. Superintendent Branum* and Asst. Superintendent Matthew Gibbins* were in Austin to testify in support of the bill. Click here for more information on HB 6.
- The committee also heard bills that would prohibit cell phone use in schools during instructional time (HB 1481).
- See other bills that were discussed here.
- Texas Senate sends education bills to the House:
- SB 10 – Requires the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms
- SB 11 – Requires school boards to vote to implement a policy that would provide a daily period for prayer and reading of religious texts; student participation would be voluntary
- SB 12 – Relating to a Parent Bill of Rights (no DEI, right to transfer, increases transparency, etc.)
- SB 13 – Relating to parents rights regarding school library materials
- SB 569 – Relating to the provision of virtual education in public schools
Next Week In Austin
Watch House committee hearings live stream here. Watch Senate hearings here.
- March 25 – House Public Education will hear HB 7 – the House version of parental rights and HB 124 – to increase the school safety allotment from $10 to $14 per student and from $15,000 per campus to $37,000 per campus for required armed security officers. Other bills on the schedule can be found here.
- Senate Education has not yet posted their hearing agenda for next week. Check here for updates.
Thoughts/comments? Texas residents who wish to electronically submit comments related to agenda items on House Bills without testifying in person can do so until a hearing is adjourned here.
*Listen to Superintendent Branum’s testimony on HB 6 here at time marker 4:49:35.
*Listen to Dr. Gibbins’ testimony on HB 6 here at time marker 5:41:20.
