Transcript Highlights:

• Starting with the 2027-2028 school year, there would be a beginning of year (BOI), a middle of year (
• The testing windows require that the end-of-year testing happens later in the school year. and split
• So the next refresh would happen with the 2027-2028 school year, the same year that the new test goes
• how they end the next school year.
• That being said, if it were administered later in the school year, that would be better.

Bills: HB8

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Transcript Highlights:

• the school year, allowing educators and school systems to adapt to student needs.
• We give beginning of year, middle of year. When I first became a school board member...
• At Webb Middle School for the last three years.
• Fifty-six percent of its students will advance one academic... ...school year each year.
• There is still that test at the end of the school year, and now it just adds more.

Bills: HB8

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Transcript Highlights:

• House Bill 8 repeals the STAAR test effective in the 2027-2028 school year and replaces it with a series
• Starting with the 2027–28 school year, there would be a beginning-of-year, or BOY, a middle-of-year,
• The testing windows require the end-of-year testing to happen later in the school year, uh, and split
• school year, same year that the new test goes live.
• then how they end the next school year.

Bills: HB8

Committee: House Public Education

Keywords: HB 8, Texas public school accountability, school accountability, public school transparency, STAAR, state assessments, instructionally supportive assessment program, Student Success Tool, Texas Education Agency, TEA, accountability ratings, A-F ratings, through-year assessment, benchmark testing, norm-referenced assessment, college career military readiness, CCMR, local accountability plan, school district performance, campus turnaround

Summary: The House Committee on Public Education met to hear House Bill 8, which would replace STAAR with a new assessment and accountability system beginning in the 2027-28 school year. The chair described the bill as reducing testing time, limiting benchmark tests, adding beginning-, middle-, and end-of-year assessments, requiring faster score turnaround, involving Texas teachers in test development, and tightening accountability timelines and transparency rules. Members also discussed provisions on A-F ratings, cut scores, CCMR, local accountability plans, and TEA reporting requirements. Committee members and invited witnesses split sharply on the bill’s approach. Supporters, including the chair, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath, and Ed Trust’s Nicholas Munyon Penny, argued the bill would reduce high-stakes pressure, provide quicker and more actionable data, limit over-testing, and better align assessments to Texas standards while preserving criterion-referenced accountability. They said the new system would help teachers and parents intervene sooner and would improve transparency, including parent access to student responses and automatic rescoring in some writing cases. Opponents, including Rep. Hinojosa and student witness Ella Moran, argued the bill still increases testing and replaces one high-stakes test with multiple TEA-created tests. Moran testified that STAAR creates anxiety, disrupts instruction, and does not reflect real learning, while Hinojosa said the House had previously passed a better bill based on a nationally norm-referenced model and criticized the new proposal as a concession to the Senate. Questions also focused on AI scoring of writing, rescoring rates, and whether the bill’s new accountability rules would be reliable and fair. The committee did not take a final vote during the portion provided, but the chair said a vote on HB 8 would be called after public testimony later in the day.

Transcript Highlights:

• We just don't have the money because Republicans have cut revenue year after year after year after year
• year...
• year rather than a fiscal year.
• It's two million dollars from the school safety program funding line item from the fiscal year 2026 appropriation
• I'm saying because three of my schools in Chandler are going to be losing SRO money this year.

Bills: HB4154 , HB4155 , HB4156 , HB4157 , HB4158 , HB4159 , HB4160 , HB4161 , HB4162 , HB4163 , HB4164 , HB4165 , HB4166 , HB4167 , HB4168 , HB4169 , SB1847 , SB1848 , SB1849 , SB1850 , SB1851 , SB1852 , SB1853 , SB1854 , SB1855 , SB1856 , SB1857 , SB1858 , SB1859 , SB1860 , SB1861 , SB1862

Committee: Joint Appropriations

Keywords: general appropriations act, budget, biennial budget, state spending, appropriations, fiscal year 2026, fiscal year 2027, state treasury, agency funding, operating budget, capital budget, public finance, state agencies, legislative budget, house appropriations, rules committee, HB4155, amusements, amusement industry, entertainment

Transcript Highlights:

• As someone who served on the school board for eight years and had regular discussions, in fact, one of
• What a lot of people don't realize is the majority of kids that build that debt up to the school year
• To make that payment right, and so schools are left towards the end of the year.
• I work at Central Middle School in Lawton, Oklahoma, and I've been here for about 5 years.
• Their bill is immediate implementation starting in the school year fall of '26.

Bills: SB1632 , SB1594 , SB2045 , SB1251 , SB1884 , SB1250 , SB1630 , SB1262 , SB1374 , SB1292 , SB1432 , SB1199 , SB1790 , SB1481 , SB1614 , SB1734 , SB1437 , SB1489 , SB1718 , SB1778

Committee: Senate Education

Keywords: career readiness, education reform, high school assessments, workplace skills, state education, credentialing, teacher certification, principal requirements, education administration, special education, Oklahoma education law, SB2045, Grow Your Own Educator Program, teacher recruitment, teacher retention, alternative certification, alternative teacher certification, teacher preparation, tuition reimbursement, course fee reimbursement

Transcript Highlights:

• of experience at up to 200 hours over five years.
• five years.
• This bill simply helps our schools move inappropriate material out of the school libraries.
• As far as the list goes, most of our schools I haven't talked to a school yet who didn't have an existing
• You've done on this year.

Bills: SB1734 , SB1630 , SB1894 , SB1975 , SB1432 , SB1437 , SB1812 , SB346 , SB1250 , SB710 , SB1489 , SB2045 , SB1614

Committee: House Common Education

Keywords: artificial intelligence, AI, schools, public school districts, education technology, edtech, student privacy, FERPA, data privacy, data security, emerging technologies, machine learning, generative AI, classroom technology, instructional technology, teacher oversight, human-in-the-loop, student data, parental consent, opt-out

Transcript Highlights:

• at up to 200 hours over five years, and for teachers with more than five years' experience the allowable
• requirement remains 150 hours over five years.
• As far as the list goes, most of our schools, I haven't talked to a school yet who didn't have an existing
• As far as the list goes, most of our schools, I haven't talked to a school yet who didn't have an existing
• Thank you for the hard work you've done on this year.

Bills: SB1734 , SB1630 , SB1894 , SB1975 , SB1432 , SB1437 , SB1812 , SB346 , SB1250 , SB710 , SB1489 , SB2045 , SB1614

Committee: House Common Education

Keywords: artificial intelligence, AI, schools, public school districts, education technology, edtech, student privacy, FERPA, data privacy, data security, emerging technologies, machine learning, generative AI, classroom technology, instructional technology, teacher oversight, human-in-the-loop, student data, parental consent, opt-out

Summary: The committee took up a series of education-related Senate bills, first accepting untimely filed PCS amendments for SB 1614 and SB 1250 without objection. SB 1734, the Oklahoma Responsible Tech in Schools Act, would prohibit AI tools from being used for instruction in public districts except for educator-directed uses, and it passed 12-0. SB 1630 would allow a school district up to one day or six hours of virtual instruction when students are completing statewide assessments, and it also passed 12-0. SB 1894, using PCS language, caps teacher professional development requirements at 200 hours over five years for teachers with fewer than five years of experience and 150 hours for those with more experience; it passed 11-0. SB 1975 would expand access to AP testing locations and the state’s Horizons online learning platform, and it passed 11-0. SB 1432 removes pilot-program and sunset language from an alternative certification program, and SB 1437 creates the President’s Physical Fitness Act and directs districts to use student fitness results to improve health outcomes; both passed 11-0. SB 1812 requires districts to make K-8 benchmark assessment results available to parents and guardians, and SB 346 modifies the background check process for certain teachers moving to a new district; both passed 11-0. SB 710 would expand the Teach Forward education preparation program to additional providers if funds are available, and SB 1489 concerns special-needs students; both passed 10-0. The committee also approved SB 1614, which creates a teacher induction program for new and emergency-certified teachers, by an 11-0 vote. The committee then considered SB 2045, a recess-related bill that would provide 30 minutes of recess and prohibit recess from being used as punishment. Members asked about possible compromise language with other PE/recess proposals, and the bill passed 11-0. Finally, the committee debated SB 1250, which was described as addressing school library materials and, through amendment, removing the definition of obscene in favor of sexually explicit language. Supporters said it would give districts and superintendents clearer guidance and require local library collection lists to be submitted to the Department of Education; opponents questioned whether the bill was necessary, whether it would require additional staff or create fiscal impacts, and whether stronger repeated-violations language was needed. After discussion, SB 1250 passed 8-2, and the chair noted it was the committee’s last meeting for the year.

Transcript Highlights:

• OK, now, in case y'all didn't know It, they were up here last year, and they liked y'all so much they
• All of them, they're really doing our Stuart School proud, and the coach here, he really runs a representing
• He is newly married, only three months ago, to a lovely woman who is in medical school herself.

Bills: HB3840 , HB3431 , HB4422 , HB4117 , HB4300 , HB4298 , HB2984 , HB3344 , HB2979 , HB2980 , HB3662 , HB4107 , HB3082 , HB2997 , HB3083 , HB3055 , HB2951 , HB3469 , HB3173 , HB3287 , HB2947 , HB3784 , HB3901 , HB4275 , HR1031 , HB4359 , HB4115 , HB3467 , HB2978 , HB3026 , HB3032

Keywords: foreign ownership, land acquisition, military installation, critical infrastructure, affidavit requirements, state law, penalties, Attorney General, foreign ownership of land, foreign adversary, foreign government adversary, foreign government enterprise, foreign government entity, foreign terrorist organization, specially designated national, SDN, FTO, critical minerals, land ownership, real property

Transcript Highlights:

• Okay, now in case y'all didn't know it, they was up here last year and they liked y'all so much, they
• They're really doing our Stewart School proud. And the coach here, he really runs a tight ship.
• He is also newly married, only three months ago, to a lovely woman who is in medical school herself.
• Medical school herself. Members, welcome Dr. Aziz. Thank you. Mr. Floor Leader.

Bills: HB3840 , HB3431 , HB4422 , HB4117 , HB4300 , HB4298 , HB2984 , HB3344 , HB2979 , HB2980 , HB3662 , HB4107 , HB3082 , HB2997 , HB3083 , HB3055 , HB2951 , HB3469 , HB3173 , HB3287 , HB2947 , HB3784 , HB3901 , HB4275 , HR1031 , HB4359 , HB4115 , HB3467 , HB2978 , HB3026 , HB3032

Keywords: foreign ownership, land acquisition, military installation, critical infrastructure, affidavit requirements, state law, penalties, Attorney General, foreign ownership of land, foreign adversary, foreign government adversary, foreign government enterprise, foreign government entity, foreign terrorist organization, specially designated national, SDN, FTO, critical minerals, land ownership, real property

Summary: The House convened with a roll call, prayer by Chaplain Ronnie Wilson, and the Pledge of Allegiance led by Representative Littrell. The chamber then heard several introductions and recognitions, including guests from members’ districts, the Lady Hornets championship team, and Doctor of the Day Dr. Ahmed Aziz, an internal medicine hospitalist from the Edmond/Deer Creek area. The main legislative action was consideration of House Joint Resolution 1031 by Representative Tammy West, a resolution recognizing Rose Day 2026 and honoring the sanctity of life. West moved adoption of the resolution, and the House approved it by recorded vote, 72-16. After the resolution passed, the body moved to announcements and introductions. The floor leader then offered a motion to adjourn, and the House agreed to adjourn until Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 9:30 a.m.

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been practicing here for over 35 years.
• We're gonna send this to the general calendar.
• ago, 1000 years ago, painting on the walls.
• And I know 20 years ago, a leaf passed 100.
• So we're not talking about, you know, facing 30 years in prison.

Bills: HB113

Committee: House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

Keywords: HB 113, Texas, Government Code Chapter 1253, general obligation bonds, bond election, voter approval, political subdivision, local government, city bonds, county bonds, school district bonds, capital projects, public finance, bond referendum, ballot measure, five-year waiting period, rejected proposition, election law, municipal finance

Bills: HR202 , HB2095 , SB2657 , SB2138 , SB3110 , SB3082 , SB3109 , HB1800

Keywords: Hawaii, Hawaiʻi, house resolution, congratulatory resolution, education, public schools, librarian of the year, middle school principal of the year, school counselor of the year, teacher of the year, library system, blind and print disabled, accessible learning, braille, audio technology, principal, school counselor, agriculture education, culinary arts, student recognition

Transcript Highlights:

• So it would be the assessment value can't go up more than 10% year over year.
• This year, just about a month ago, it was held again.
• She served many years on the Arlington school board and, uh, recent, well, within what the last couple
• During my 28-year career with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, which includes over 10 years as a
• I have to take a lot of training to drive a car as a school board trustee, the first year, my goodness

Bills: HB148 , HB203 , HJR30

Committee: House S/C on Property Tax Appraisals

Keywords: HB 148, Texas Education Code, Texas Education Agency, TEA, artificial intelligence, AI, machine learning, automated scoring, constructed response, open-ended answers, student assessments, state testing, standardized tests, public schools, education policy, assessment instruments, school accountability, test scoring, 2026-2027 school year, ad valorem tax

Transcript Highlights:

• Abigail attends Satsuma High School and is ...attends Satsuma High School and is paging for Senator Albritton
• This flag will be given to you all to take to schools that ...given to you all to take to schools that
• They can become a semi-centennial school or semi-quin school. ...centennial school or semi-quin school
• flag for the next year.
• Whereas, in the wake of Pearl Harbor, 18-year-old Stewart dropped out of high school and volunteered

Bills: SJR 2 , SB 4 , SJR 36 , SJR 2 , SB 4 , SR 42 , SR 74 , SR 76 , HCR 5 , SB 710 , SB 710

Keywords: SJR 2, Senate Joint Resolution 2, constitutional amendment, homestead exemption, property tax relief, school property tax, ad valorem tax, residence homestead, school district taxes, Texas Constitution Article VIII, public school finance, homeowner exemption, elderly exemption, senior tax relief, disabled exemption, tax year 2025, voter approval, November 2025 ballot, local government, Ways & Means

Transcript Highlights:

• I am the aunt of nine-year-old Arlene Alvarez. on her way to dinner on Valentine's Day three years ago
• My daughter was murdered three years ago. She was 20 years old.
• Imagine, I've been a victim advocate for over 30 years.
• We've been working for 30 years.
• But we didn't have a conversation for two years. For two years, I've already had a meeting.

Bills: SJR2 , SB4 , SJR36 , SJR2 , SB4 , SR42 , SR74 , SR76 , HCR5 , SB710 , SB710

Keywords: SJR 2, Senate Joint Resolution 2, constitutional amendment, homestead exemption, property tax relief, school property tax, ad valorem tax, residence homestead, school district taxes, Texas Constitution Article VIII, public school finance, homeowner exemption, elderly exemption, senior tax relief, disabled exemption, tax year 2025, voter approval, November 2025 ballot, local government, Ways & Means

Transcript Highlights:

• I lost school at Georgetown, I wanted to come back to Texas.
• Unfortunately, I had to move after a year there because my father got cancer, and I had to move back
• a world without blood cancers as each strives to earn the student visionary of the year title.
• I don't think so this year, but. So. All right, I got it. And I move adoption.
• Since it's on Google, how many years are you, you want to say?

Bills: SJR2 , SB4 , SJR36 , SJR2 , SB4 , SR42 , SR74 , SR76 , HCR5 , SB710 , SB710

Keywords: SJR 2, Senate Joint Resolution 2, constitutional amendment, homestead exemption, property tax relief, school property tax, ad valorem tax, residence homestead, school district taxes, Texas Constitution Article VIII, public school finance, homeowner exemption, elderly exemption, senior tax relief, disabled exemption, tax year 2025, voter approval, November 2025 ballot, local government, Ways & Means

Transcript Highlights:

• That's five years away, allowing schools to incorporate it within their emergency school safety planning
• Ma, I don't want to put you on the spot or others, but of course, several years back, all the schools
• They also had no cell phones during the school year, which I think is contributing to some of the credit
• I work with Young Life; I've been with Young Life for 20 years and have always worked with high school
• So, I would like to go into the school year with that as something that all the schools and all the teachers

Bills: HB205 , HB226 , HB234

Committee: House Ways and Means Education

Keywords: sales tax, use tax, exemption, tax conformity, tangible personal property, Alabama Department of Revenue, retail tax, consumer use tax, nonresident, religious publications, church magazines, Bible class materials, Sunday school materials, tax administration, indirect tax, state revenue, HB226, homestead exemption, ad valorem tax, property tax

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> schools across the state. schools across the state.
• every year.
• every year.
• </c> over 40 years this year, so excited over 40 years this year, so excited about<01:28:05.640><c> that
• </c> take many years. take many years.

Bills: HF3753 , HF4299 , HF4700 , HF4282 , HF4139 , HF3530 , HF4031

Committee: House Public Safety Finance and Policy

Keywords: school safety, threat assessment, pilot project, education, real-time monitoring, public safety, HF4299, school safety specialists, Minnesota School Safety Center, appropriation, general fund, fiscal year 2026, school security, school violence prevention, student safety, Department of Public Safety, school resource support, education funding, peace officer, training reimbursement

Transcript Highlights:

• It's been years.
• It's going to be those school districts, those little rural school districts, districts five, six, and
• to our charter schools.
• I thought they're public schools too.
• Advocating for public schools, but private schools can bring lobbyists all day long, and she's like,

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:

• and about 70% of hospital each year and about 70% of hospital each year and about 70% of these occur
• Arrest outside of a hospital each year Arrest outside of a hospital each year in the United States and
• and I Leonard smoo for about 20 years and I Leonard smoo for about 20 years and I just want you all
• be it resolved by the Senate of calendar be it resolved by the Senate of calendar be it resolved by
• psychologists on page regarding School psychologists on page regarding School psychologists on page

Bills: SJR 36 , SJR 2 , SB 4 , SR 45 , SR 47 , SR 63 , SR 66 , SR 70 , SR 85 , SCR 14 , SB 10 , SB 11 , SB 10 , SB 11

Keywords: SJR 2, Senate Joint Resolution 2, constitutional amendment, homestead exemption, property tax relief, school property tax, ad valorem tax, residence homestead, school district taxes, Texas Constitution Article VIII, public school finance, homeowner exemption, elderly exemption, senior tax relief, disabled exemption, tax year 2025, voter approval, November 2025 ballot, local government, Ways & Means

Transcript Highlights:

• He guided over 430 priests in nearly 150 parishes. schools.
• this year the House will pass school choice maybe in your honor.
• Whether undergraduate or law school or graduate school, I truly believe that you have more alumni here
• It was started a number of years ago, 25, 30 years ago. to form the network of the future leaders of
• It's still the top 10 ranked high school football stadiums in the state of Texas. for 90 years.

Bills: SJR36 , SJR2 , SB4 , SR45 , SR47 , SR63 , SR66 , SR70 , SR85 , SCR14 , SB10 , SB11 , SB10 , SB11

Keywords: SJR 2, Senate Joint Resolution 2, constitutional amendment, homestead exemption, property tax relief, school property tax, ad valorem tax, residence homestead, school district taxes, Texas Constitution Article VIII, public school finance, homeowner exemption, elderly exemption, senior tax relief, disabled exemption, tax year 2025, voter approval, November 2025 ballot, local government, Ways & Means