The 89th Texas Legislative Session is entering its final days, and many bills have already met their fate. Any bill that did not receive a floor hearing by last Tuesday night is officially dead. While we lost a few good proposals, we also saw many problematic bills fail to advance—clearing the way for more focused legislation.
Where Things Stand
As of today, approximately 106 education-related bills are still in play and are likely to pass in some form. Here’s a breakdown:
- 77 bills have been approved by both the House and Senate and are awaiting final procedural steps before heading to the Governor’s desk.
- 21 bills have already been signed into law by the Governor.
- 29 bills are headed to conference committees, where differences between House and Senate versions will be reconciled. These will be closely negotiated over the next two days, with final decisions expected by Monday.
| Major Bills to Watch HB 2 – Funding: This bill has encountered some technical issues, but discussions between the House and Senate are ongoing and are expected to be resolved soon—possibly today or tomorrow. A favorable vote from both chambers is expected and forthcoming. HB 4 – Accountability: This bill remains at an impasse. The Senate version incorporated language from SB 1926, while the House made significant revisions based on feedback from superintendents and education specialists. Despite the collaborative effort on the House side, the two chambers are still far apart. We’ll be watching closely in the coming days to see if a compromise can be reached. |
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.
