The biggest news to come out of the Senate this week was honestly a foregone conclusion. On Friday, April 18, following House passage of Senate Bill (SB) 2, the private school voucher bill, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) recommended that Senate Education K-16 Committee Chair Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe) concur with the House changes. Creighton did just that when SB 2 came up for discussion on the Senate floor this Thursday, and the chamber passed SB 2 by a vote of 19-12 after a point of order was overruled. 

With just 37 days remaining this session, this is a busy time at the Capitol. Bills are starting to die without being heard or are getting stuck in committees while others start to move to the opposite chamber for consideration or to die.  

On Tuesday, the Committee Substitute to Senate Bill (CSSB) 2330 by Sen. Tan Parker (R–Plano), which would prohibit educators and certain other public employees from using payroll deduction to pay their membership dues, was reported from the Senate Business and Commerce Committee, making it one step closer to being heard by the full Senate. Also on Tuesday, the Senate received House Bill (HB) 2 by Rep. Brad Buckley (R–Salado) (the school funding bill) from the House and referred it to the Senate Education K-16 Committee. SB 568 by Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R–Houston) dealing with special education has been sent over to the House and was referred this week to the House Public Education Committee.  

The conference committee for SB 1, the state budget bill, met for the first time Wednesday. The committee’s role is to negotiate differences between the House and Senate versions of the budget. 

On Wednesday evening, the Senate Education K-16 Committee met in the Press Room instead of its normal hearing room to vote on education-related bills. The committee moved swiftly, with several bills receiving unanimous approval following the suspension of the 24-hour posting rule. While the agenda included bills relating to both public and higher education, the following update focuses on the bills directly impacting Texas K-12 public schools. 

• Committee Substitute to Senate Bill (CSSB) 1224 by Sen. Kevin Sparks (R–Midland) proposes new mandates for reporting public school employee misconduct to local law enforcement. While intended to bolster student safety, ATPE provided neutral testimony on the bill expressing concerns about ensuring due process protections for educators when allegations arise without sufficient evidentiary basis. The committee passed this bill on a 10-0 vote.  
• SB 735 by Sen. José Menéndez (D–San Antonio) was passed on a 10-0 vote. This legislation would strengthen Holocaust education in K-12 settings by requiring public schools to enhance instruction and training for educators, reaffirming Texas's commitment to historical awareness and combating antisemitism. 
• CSSB 1049 by Sen. Phil King (R–Arlington) would permit public school students to receive excused absences for participation in off-campus religious or moral instruction, often known as “released time” programs. The bill includes provisions to ensure such absences are documented and do not impact the student’s academic standing. This bill passed on a 10-0 vote. 
• SB 784 by King relating to school transfer options for students who are children of peace officers passed on a 10-0 vote. 

These K-12 bills now will move to the Senate floor for full debate.  

The Senate Education K-16 Committee met again Thursday, April 24, but only heard two higher education bills.  

On Thursday, the Senate State Affairs Committee heard SB 2044 by Bettencourt, which would regulate certain political communications and prohibit electioneering by school district and open-enrollment charter school officials and employees, as well as actions and other proceedings by a public school challenging the operations of the public school system. The legislation would authorize an administrative penalty and create a criminal offense. ATPE opposed this bill because of its chilling effect on educators’ speech, its disproportionate penalties, the broad and vague definitions of “electioneering,” and the dangerous precedent it sets for state overreach into local school governance. 

ATPE continues to advocate for policies that prioritize student safety, educator fairness, and equitable access to public education. As legislative deadlines approach, educators and public school advocates are encouraged to stay engaged and reach out to their lawmakers. Stay tuned to Teach the Vote for continued updates on public education legislation as we get closer to Sine Die on June 2.