Monday
The Senate is expected to debate HB 1, the General Appropriations Act, today on the Senate floor. A few fire works are expected in regards to higher education, but none of the provisions of the bill related to public education are expected to change.
The House Select Committee on Youth Health & Safety will meet Monday afternoon to take up bills dealing with discipline, bullying, safety plans, and more. Last week, this committee advanced both House school safety allotment bills (HB 3 and HB 13) out of committee as committee substitutes.
The House Ways & Means Committee is also scheduled to meet. They aren't hearing any bills that especially impact school finance, but they heard HB 5 last week and left the bill pending. Will they advance a committee substitute of that bill today?
Tuesday
As usual, the House Public Education Committee will meet on Tuesday. They will hear 20 bills on topics ranging from extending the supplemental special education services program, to charter schools, to chaplains, and barbering and cosmetology. The committee will hear bills on accountability and complaints, and they will contemplate whether to establish Texas Fruit and Vegetable Day in public schools.
Wednesday
The Senate Education Committee is expected to meet on Wednesday, but no hearing was posted at the time this message was sent.
Thursday
For the first time this legislative session, the House Public Education Committee will hear bills on a second bonus day, and they will meet Thursday as well to hear another 19 bills. Included on that list is HB 3028 by Rep. Meyer (R-Dallas), which would provide a prepayment discount for recapture of 4% for any district that chose to make their payment early. You can see more info on this legislation, on our Prepayment Discount for Recapture. This bill is similar to the one heard a few weeks ago in the Senate committee.
Additionally, the committee will hear HB 4522 by Rep. Lozano (R-Kingsville), which relates to the "THIS IS A TAX INCREASE" language that is required to appear on the ballot for bond elections. The proposed bill makes is so that language is only required if the bond election is expected to make the tax rate increase the following year.
Also on Thursday, the House Elections Committee will hear several bills, including HB 453 by Rep. Schofield (R-Katy), which says that if a school ever refuses to serve as a polling place for any election that they may not conduct their own election for the board of trustees or a school district bond for the next five years.
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