Transcript Highlights:

• It's a bill that is designed to allow virtual charter.
• But again, you choose the charter school that doesn't have a football team.
• Why do you get to choose twice if you're a charter school kid?
• This is just allowing a public school child to practice their First Amendment rights.
• The court favors the child's First Amendment rights.

Bills: HB4491, HB3240, HB4146, HB4158, HB4159, HB3718

Keywords: extracurricular activities, charter schools, student eligibility, virtual education, Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association, prayer, religious freedom, public schools, consent, First Amendment, school policy, paid maternity leave, school employees, public health, childcare, work-life balance, education, family leave, tuition, grant

Transcript Highlights:

• We're well familiar with the First Amendment.
• First Amendment rights.
• Senate Bill 18 will amend, would amend Chapter 22 of the Education Code to prohibit a school district
• Students' First Amendment rights were protected, but teachers weren't.
• We have it with respect to Second Amendment rights, so the bill...

Bills: SB3, SB810, SB965, SB1073, SB1119, SB1505, SB 3

Keywords: Texas Education Code, public schools, school district, open-enrollment charter school, teacher speech, employee speech, biological sex, pronouns, gender identity, retaliation, discipline, workplace protections, school personnel, education policy, LGBTQ, transgender, charter schools, SB 965, religious speech, prayer

Transcript Highlights:

• authored and the legislature passed Senate Bill 741 into law, which provided local school districts, charter
• It simply affords school districts, charter schools, private schools, and junior colleges the ability
• And we can address that through some other venue as far as an amendment goes.
• However, in 2019, a bill amended suspension statutes and unintentionally created confusion regarding
• But you could literally have an in-school suspension where the kid is on virtual, kind of like a charter

Bills: SB27, SB226, SB326, SB570, SB605, SB870, SB991, SB1871, SB1872, SB1873, SB1874, SB1924, SB1925

Keywords: residency, public schools, child safety placement, enrollment, education code, antisemitism, student conduct, education, disciplinary actions, Texas Education Code, truancy, attendance policy, chronic absenteeism, school attendance, student absence notifications, parent notification, home visit, attendance officer, truancy court, school district

Summary: The committee heard a series of school safety and discipline bills, beginning with SB 870, which would codify an attorney general opinion allowing local school boards to decide whether school marshals may openly carry, conceal carry, or store a firearm in a secure safe on campus. The bill was laid out with no public testimony and left pending. The chair then moved to a combined discussion of SB 1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, and 1924, all focused on school discipline, teacher authority, and student safety. Senators Perry and Creighton described the package as a response to rising classroom disruptions, assaults on teachers, and concerns that districts lack effective tools to maintain order. SB 1871 would expand teacher removal authority, require return-to-class plans before a student removed for certain conduct can return, make some serious offenses mandatory for placement in juvenile justice settings, and provide telehealth mental health services through a consortium. SB 1872 would require expulsion to a JJAEP for assaults on teachers or school volunteers and extend certain expulsion-eligible conduct to off-campus offenses. SB 1873 would restore the prior understanding that in-school suspension is not subject to a three-day limit. SB 1874 would grant teachers immunity from disciplinary action for reporting discipline violations or acting in compliance with Chapter 37. SB 1924 would restore authority for local police and school district police to issue Class C citations for school offenses and require criminal referrals for students posing an imminent threat or assaulting a teacher, with a substitute clarifying referral rules when a citation has already been issued. The committee adopted the substitutes for the bills and moved them forward. Invited witnesses from teacher and administrator groups largely supported the overall goal of stronger discipline and safer classrooms, while asking for refinements. The Texas Classroom Teachers Association testified that teachers need more autonomy to remove disruptive or violent students and that classroom removals should not mean removal from learning. Superintendents from San Angelo, Grandview, and Wiley ISDs supported the bills’ emphasis on safety, expanded ISS flexibility, mandatory placement for serious offenses, and telehealth mental health services, but asked for more local control, flexibility for Districts of Innovation, more than one campus behavior coordinator in large districts, clearer timelines for return-to-class plans, and more precise definitions for disruptive conduct. Several witnesses stressed that teacher retention and student learning are being harmed by current discipline problems, while some members raised concerns about vague standards and the risk of overuse or public humiliation through citations and removals.

Transcript Highlights:

• But you passed Senate Bill 741 into law, which provided local school districts, charter schools, private
• It simply affords school districts and chartered. schools, private schools, and junior colleges the ability
• to actually have to have it back, and we can address that through some other venue as far as an amendment
• In 2019, a bill amended the suspension statutes and unintentionally created confusion regarding whether
• Where the kid is on virtual learning, kind of like a charter school does for those non-traditional kids

Bills: SB27, SB226, SB326, SB570, SB605, SB870, SB991, SB1871, SB1872, SB1873, SB1874, SB1924, SB1925

Keywords: residency, public schools, child safety placement, enrollment, education code, antisemitism, student conduct, education, disciplinary actions, Texas Education Code, truancy, attendance policy, chronic absenteeism, school attendance, student absence notifications, parent notification, home visit, attendance officer, truancy court, school district

Bills: SB27, SB226, SB326, SB570, SB605, SB870, SB991, SB1871, SB1872, SB1873, SB1874, SB1924, SB1925

Keywords: residency, public schools, child safety placement, enrollment, education code, antisemitism, student conduct, education, disciplinary actions, Texas Education Code, truancy, attendance policy, chronic absenteeism, school attendance, student absence notifications, parent notification, home visit, attendance officer, truancy court, school district

Transcript Highlights:

• Over the past decade, some cities have proposed charter amendments that conflict with existing statutes
• In 2024, Dallas passed a charter amendment that decriminalized up to 4 ounces of marijuana, but that
• Um, a local municipality puts up charter amendments that they recognize and I would say check that the
• charter amendments that they're putting up, uh, don't run afoul of already existing state law.
• So let's have that conversation now instead of after, uh, those charters, uh, amendment maybe passes.

Bills: SB 231, SB 667, SB 689, SB 825, SB 965, SB 992, SB 1059, SB 1220, SB 2368, SB 2601

Keywords: temporary emergency electric energy facility, temporary generation, emergency power, backup generation, mobile generator, portable generator, grid resilience, power outage restoration, transmission and distribution utility, TDU, Public Utility Commission of Texas, PUCT, Utilities Code Section 39.918, competitive bidding, lease authorization, emergency procurement, bulk power system, locational marginal pricing, reliability model, black start

Transcript Highlights:

• Over the past decade, some cities have proposed charter amendments. conflict with existing statutes.
• In 2024, Dallas passed a charter amendment that criminalized up to four ounces of marijuana, but that
• amendments that they recognize, and I would say check that the charter amendments they are proposing
• It kind of. puts everyone on notice that if you’re going to put up a charter amendment in the future,
• Does the bill create any distinction about whether the charter amendment was citizen-led?

Bills: SB231, SB667, SB689, SB825, SB965, SB992, SB1059, SB1220, SB2368, SB2601

Keywords: temporary emergency electric energy facility, temporary generation, emergency power, backup generation, mobile generator, portable generator, grid resilience, power outage restoration, transmission and distribution utility, TDU, Public Utility Commission of Texas, PUCT, Utilities Code Section 39.918, competitive bidding, lease authorization, emergency procurement, bulk power system, locational marginal pricing, reliability model, black start

Transcript Highlights:

• Next, we have another amendment. Whose amendment is this? Representative Lee. Thank you, Chair.
• This morning, I'm offering the A1 amendment because as...
• Representative Lee moves the H1049A1 amendment. Further discussion?
• Okay, let’s go to the author of the H104 R-981 amendment. Representative Lee moves that amendment.
• As amended, it will really be laid over this time.

Bills: HF1049

Keywords: school library aid, education finance, school districts, charter schools, funding eligibility

Bills: HCR14, HB201, HB218, HB352, HB626, HB636, HB738, HB749

Keywords: Department of Education, federal overreach, education policy, Tenth Amendment, local control, fine arts, high school diploma, arts education, capstone project, academic achievement, student recognition, Louisiana education, food insecurity, hunger, student hunger, school meals, free lunch, community eligibility provision, McKinney-Vento, homeless students

Transcript Highlights:

• There is an amendment. Would you like to take up the amendment? Yes, I would. Thank you.
• That is the amendment. Are there any questions on the amendment? No.
• Are there any appearance forms on the amendment? No. Is there any debate on the amendment?
• Back on the bill as amended, are there any questions on the bill as amended?
• We're back on the bill as amended. Is there any debate on the bill as amended?

Bills: S7036

Keywords: education, epinephrine, charter schools, voluntary prekindergarten, school funding, teacher incentives, student progress monitoring

Summary: The Senate Committee on Pre-K-12 Appropriations met with a quorum present and announced it would not be presenting its budget at this time, per a Senate memorandum. The sole bill on the agenda was SB 7036 by Senator Corey Simon, which was described as a broad education package strengthening school turnaround tools, early literacy supports, early learning policies, academic offerings, and educator pipeline provisions. Senator Simon explained that the bill addresses persistently low-performing schools, Title I use for STEM curricula, charter school renewal and dismissal rules, epinephrine device policies, VPK summer bridge eligibility, disability-aligned interventions, agriculture and Algebra 1 instruction, GATE access, and certification updates for teachers and computer science. An amendment was adopted that removed provisions on temporary door locks and DOE-developed instructional materials and added a GATE startup grant update. The committee heard numerous appearance forms, with many individuals and organizations waving against the bill, while one student, Ella Latimore, appeared and spoke briefly. Much of the exchange with her was lighthearted and unrelated to the bill, but Senator Simon used his closing to note that concerns from the prior stop had been addressed by removing the DOE materials and door-lock language, and he asked for favorable support. The committee then voted on the bill as amended, and CS for SB 7036 was reported favorably. After the vote, members made several informal statements, including remarks about a Valentine’s Day visit from students and appreciation for community member Misty Cash. Senator Osgood also raised a serious concern about declining immigrant student enrollment affecting district budgets, especially in Broward County, and urged the committee to address the issue proactively with school districts. The chair said staff were already working with districts on the matter and that more discussion would follow. The meeting then adjourned after additional light banter among members.

Transcript Highlights:

• Item next, we have another amendment. And whose amendment is this one? Representative Lee.
• Let's go to the author of the H104981 amendment.
• Let's go to the author of the H104981 amendment.
• Let's go to the author of the H104981 amendment. Representative Lee moves that amendment. Great.
• The A1 amendment does not prevail. The A1 amendment does not prevail.

Bills: HF1049

Keywords: school library aid, education finance, school districts, charter schools, funding eligibility, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• This bill amends the language on these forms to add clarity and make these forms more applicable to all
• coupled with the federal law and, and, and the Fifth Circuit deemed it, uh, violative of the Second Amendment
• findings of ongoing family violence, and those are appropriate cases for an incursion into the Second Amendment

Bills: HCR 10

Keywords: balanced budget amendment, federal budget, deficit reduction, deficit spending, fiscal restraint, constitutional amendment, U.S. Constitution, Congress, PAYGO, Gramm-Rudman-Hollings, national debt, budget deficit, taxpayer dollars, balanced budget resolution, memorial resolution, Texas Legislature, federal spending, budget reform, fiscal conservatism

Transcript Highlights:

• take the powers of one branch of government and put them into another branch of government unless we amend
• the Constitution, because this is a statutory provision. ...and not a constitutional amendment.
• is a reason that our governor put this on the call in the form of a request for a constitutional amendment
• understand how you could say it's good for our community public schools but not have it apply to our charter

Bills: SB5, SB11, SB12, SB5, SB11, SB12

Keywords: hemp regulation, consumable products, cannabinoids, occupational licenses, criminal offenses, SB 11, Texas attorney general, election crimes, election law enforcement, criminal prosecution, Election Code, Government Code Chapter 402, local prosecutors, county attorney, district attorney, grand jury, probable cause reports, state election offenses, voter fraud, election integrity

Transcript Highlights:

• some concerns and we wanna address those concerns, but we'll handle that, uh, we believe in a floor amendment
• that it's a large, like we should credit all the thoughtful work that went into the constitutional amendment
• The chair moves that SJR 57 without amendment be reported favorably to the full House with the recommendation
• The chair moves that SJR 57 without amendment be reported favorably to the full House with a recommendation

Bills: HJR40

Keywords: Medicaid, healthcare access, Affordable Care Act, federal funding, constitutional amendment

Bills: SB 4, SJR 2

Keywords: property tax, homestead exemption, school funding, state aid, constitutional amendment

Transcript Highlights:

• non-public, charter, tribal. non-public, charter, tribal.
• It's not a position any public charter It's not a position any public charter school<00:07:33.000
• amendment, specifically section 3. amendment, specifically section 3.
• includes charter public schools.
• <00:20:50.320> Lila's charter public schools. Lila's charter public schools.

Bills: HF3493, HF4114

Keywords: safe schools, charter schools, nonpublic schools, Tribal education, funding increase, special education, funding, education finance, appropriations, budget, cross subsidy

Transcript Highlights:

• So, House File 3900 is a constitutional amendment that is working on amending our state constitution
• pre-filing requirement for amendments pre-filing requirement for amendments offered<00:03:20.360
• that is working constitutional amendment that is working on<00:04:29.240> amending<00:04:29.800
• So your oral amendment is on 2.29?
• no oral amendment no oral amendment >> no<00:24:27.720> oral<00:24:27.920> amendment

Bills: HF3900, HF1849

Keywords: permanent school fund, school endowment fund, Minnesota constitutional amendment, school aid, public school funding, State Board of Investment, investment income, distributable amount, school districts, property taxes, income taxes, voter approval, ballot question, constitutional amendment 2026, education finance, fund perpetuity, purchasing power, trust lands, swamp lands, internal improvement land fund

Transcript Highlights:

• pedestrian nature of some of these questions, but the ESF is what this bill contemplates making amendations
• to the, uh, a constitutional amendment.

Bills: SJR 4

Keywords: term limits, state offices, constitutional amendment, governor, lieutenant governor, election reform

Transcript Highlights:

• And that's what this amendment does. This amendment just strengthens our SAPA bill.
• And that's what this amendment does. And that's what this amendment does.
• Second Amendment? So, with that, Mr. Second Amendment? So, with that, Mr.
• This is Senate File 101, Second Amendment Protection Act. Amendments three, page one. Page two.
• <00:36:31.599> Amendments Amendment Protection Act. Amendments Amendment Protection Act.

Bills: SF0101

Keywords: Second Amendment, firearm regulation, state legislation, public safety, civil penalties, 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The amendment was brought up by those and it's a fantastic amendment.
• The amendment was brought up by those and it's a fantastic amendment.
• The amendment was brought up by those and it's a fantastic amendment.
• The amendment was brought up by those and it's a fantastic amendment.
• The amendment was brought up by those and it's a fantastic amendment.

Bills: SF0101

Keywords: Second Amendment, firearm regulation, state legislation, public safety, civil penalties, 916, all