The ATPE Governmental Relations team recaps the past week’s education news, legislative and election updates, and regulatory developments. ATPE members: Share your thoughts and ask our lobby team questions in The Rotunda on the ATPE Online Community. 

• Status check: Where do major education bills stand?
• Apply for Leadership ATPE by May 31
• Register at the lowest rate for the 2025 ATPE Summit by June 6
• Use ATPE’s member advocacy tools to stay in the know and take action

MAJOR EDUCATION BILLS: Just a few days remain until the Legislature adjourns sine die, and the ATPE lobby team continues to keep an eye on the bills closing in on the finish line. The only bills still moving toward passage at this point are bills that have passed both legislative chambers but need to have differences between the House and Senate versions reconciled. Here are some key deadlines to keep in mind:

• Friday, May 30: The deadline for chambers to either concur on the latest version of a bill or appoint a conference committee to continue negotiating.  
• Sunday, June 1: The last day for both the House and Senate to either adopt conference committee reports or discharge conferees and concur with the opposite chamber’s amendments. Sunday is the last day to finally pass any bill during the 89th legislative session.   
• Sunday, June 22: The last day for Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to sign a bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without a signature. Unless otherwise specified, bills become effective 91 days after sine die. Bills with earlier effective dates must have been passed by a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each chamber.   

Read more about the bills still in play in this blog post. 

LEADERSHIP ATPE: Saturday, May 31, is the last day to apply for the next Leadership ATPE cohort.  

Leadership ATPE is a year-long program designed to advance your career with professional development, leadership training, and networking opportunities for newer ATPE members.  

You don’t need previous ATPE leadership experience to apply—just two years of ATPE membership, including during the current 2024-25 membership year. Whether you aspire to grow as an ATPE leader, serve on one of our committees, mentor new teachers, or simply show up more confidently for your students and colleagues, Leadership ATPE will help you get there. 

Learn more about the program and apply at atpe.org/leadership-atpe. 

SUMMIT: Just one week remains to register at the lowest rate, book rooms in the official housing block, and be certified as a delegate for the 2025 ATPE Summit—the deadline is June 6. The summit will take place July 7–9 at the JW Marriott Austin Downtown. If you would like to be a delegate this year, reach out to your local unit president (or region president if you are an at-large member). All members must register themselves, and this process is separate from the delegate certification process.  

Be sure to also check out what’s in store for Beats & Boutiques, a festival-inspired evening social featuring live music, interactive activities, and a curated selection of local vendors sure to captivate and delight. Summit registration includes entrance to this event, so we hope to see you there! Learn more and register at atpesummit.org. 

MEMBER ADVOCACY: Don’t forget to check out all of ATPE’s advocacy resources: 

• Judy: Chat with ATPE’s new AI assistant for Texas educators, ready to help you with all things ATPE and all things #txed.   
• The ATPE Bill Tracker: Find out the status of the major education bills moving through the Texas House and Senate, as well as ATPE’s position on each bill.   
• ATPE’s 2025 Legislative Priorities: Catch up on ATPE’s written and oral testimony from this session.    
• Advocacy Central: Get in touch with your elected officials about the legislation impacting your profession. 
• ATPE Member Advocate Program (ATPE-MAP): Enroll in ATPE-MAP to earn the state-level and recently released local-level advocacy microcredential, as well as earn continuing professional education (CPE) credit. ATPE-MAP is included in your member benefits, so check it out today.    
• The Rotunda: Don’t forget, members, that you can interact with your ATPE lobby team throughout the week when you log in to the ATPE Online Community. (The final Regional Advocacy Challenge (RAC) standings will be available Tuesday, June 3.)  

We know most Texas educators have now completed the 2024-25 school year! Enjoy your well-deserved break. Please take some time to explore your ATPE membership this summer, whether you take advantage of your many ATPE member discounts, check out the online community or professional learning portal, or ask Judy the AI assistant a few questions.