Bills to watch for the week of March 24

Committee hearings continue rapid-fire as we head to the back half of the 89th Legislative Session. The Senate got off to a quick start, having already sent a number of bills to the House while the lower chamber has yet to bring any education bills to the floor. Both the Senate K-16 Education Committee and the House Public Education Committee are set to meet March 25, with plenty of bills of interest in each hearing.

SB 27 by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe): The bill contains a number of provisions that are advantageous to teachers. TCTA has worked extensively with the author to address concerns and suggest language, many of which have been accepted in advance of the hearing. SB 27 would waive certification exam fees for special education and bilingual education candidates, more explicitly protect teachers who abandon their contracts before the school year begins for certain reasons, facilitate school districts rehiring retired teachers, and provide notice to teachers who are the subject of a complaint, among other provisions.

SBs 1871-1874 by Sen. Charles Perry (R-Lubbock): These bills are all generally related to student discipline. Perry has long been interested in reforming school discipline law to be more favorable for teachers, and TCTA has assisted him with his efforts this session. 

HB 7 by Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Plano): The bill aims to change a number of provisions related to how teachers are investigated for misconduct. TCTA has expressed concerns to the author about unintended consequences of the bill, but the committee substitute remains to be seen.

With a marathon day March 25, stay tuned for updates on the hearings and TCTA's oral and written testimony.