Updates from the Capitol | TCTA
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Updates from the Capitol

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During legislative sessions, TCTA's top-ranked lobby team is at the Texas Capitol every day, working on behalf of Texas teachers and other classroom professionals. Our lobbyists carefully monitor and testify on legislation that could affect TCTA members and provide daily reports on legislative action. These updates are provided below and compiled and emailed weekly via the TCTA eUpdate newsletter.

Abbott says schools can't require masks after June 4

May 18, 2021

Gov. Greg Abbott announced Tuesday that government entities, including school districts, will no longer be allowed to require face masks. For…

Controversial civics bill passes committee

May 17, 2021

After being set on the schedule at the last minute, then deleted, then added back in, HB 3979 passed out of the Senate State Affairs Committee Monday…

Accelerated instruction/outcomes based bonuses bill clears the Senate

May 17, 2021

The Senate passed SB 2094 Monday. The bill is one of a handful of proposals that would provide districts with bonus funding based on student…

Best and worst bills we're watching

May 14, 2021

As the House reached a critical deadline this week and the last day of the session (May 31) is just over two weeks away, our list of more than 800…

Testing bills approved by House

May 13, 2021

Two more bills related to state standardized tests have passed the House and are headed to the Senate. Another, reducing state testing to only those…

HB 4545 revived, passes House on initial vote

May 13, 2021

HB 4545 by Rep. Harold Dutton refused to give up the ghost earlier this week when it was voted down 68-72 over concerns raised by school districts…

Committee chair loses battle over accelerated learning bill

May 11, 2021

HB 4545 by Rep. Harold Dutton is one of several of the committee chairman’s bills that have struggled to stay alive in recent days. Dutton has…

Literacy academy deadline bill and others stay alive as key deadline looms

May 11, 2021

The House is in the final days of debating House bills. Thursday is the last day that the House can consider most House bills (“consent” bills with…

Bill reducing STAAR testing passes House

May 8, 2021

HB 764 by Rep. Matt Krause passed the House Saturday on a vote of 136-6. The bill addresses several testing issues, including reducing required STAAR…

Charter bill voted down on House floor, but may be revived

May 6, 2021

A charter school governance bill that is opposed by most education organizations, including TCTA, was on the House floor late Wednesday. The bill…