The Texas Senate has passed bills that are headed to the Texas House for consideration. These legislative proposals—many of which are authored by Central Texas lawmakers—could become law if passed by both chambers and signed by Gov. Greg Abbott.
1. Guaranteed income ban advancing
Several Texas counties and cities, including Austin, have launched programs offering unrestricted payments to select residents. House Bill 530 from Rep. Ellen Troxclair, R-Lakeway—one of three bills filed to ban such programs—was heard during a March 18 House committee session.
Troxclair stressed her opposition to the “misguided” initiatives. She said her ban would discourage government dependency and prevent the redistribution of taxpayer dollars.
Past guaranteed income recipients and policy advocates argued for the programs, saying financial support can improve lower-income Texans’ quality of life and career prospects. Bill supporters said no-strings-attached funding can stop recipients from seeking work and shouldn’t be a local government priority.
2. State cryptocurrency reserve passes Senate
In early March, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 21 by Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, to create the Texas Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. The reserve would allow the Texas Comptroller to acquire, sell and manage state investments in Bitcoin and cryptocurrency with a market capitalization of at least $500 billion.
The reserve would operate as a special fund outside of the state treasury where lawmakers could allocate money through legislation. With the Legislature’s approval, the comptroller could transfer money from the reserve to the state treasury.
“The bill allows Texas to diversify our investment approach, participate competitively in the digital financial economy, and leverage the benefits of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies,” Schwertner said at a Feb. 18 committee hearing.
3. Bills aim to promote healthy school meals
House Bill 1290 by Rep. Caroline Harris Davila, R-Round Rock, would ban school districts from using seven food additives in free or reduced-price meals for students. On March 12, the Texas Senate passed SB 314, an identical bill to HB 1290 that would ban 14 food additives.
4. Efforts to fund behavioral training for teachers underway
Rep. James Talarico’s, D-Austin, HB 222 would allow school districts to use funding from the school safety allotment to train educators on behavioral management in the classroom.
A district's school safety allotment can currently go toward:
- Securing school facilities
- Employing school police or security officers
- Active shooter and emergency response training
- Mental and behavioral health support
Rep. Diego Bernal’s, D-San Antonio, HB 211 would encourage air conditioning in state-supported affordable housing.
Bernal’s bill would make cooling a key consideration in the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs’ reviews of funding applications for income-restricted housing; those whose projects aren’t equipped with air conditioning would score lower.
Bernal said the update is needed as Texas’ most vulnerable can live in public housing with “inhumane” conditions in high temperatures, and as thousands of government-subsidized housing units statewide currently aren’t cooled.
“Having any person without air conditioning in Texas is wild. ... That this is not just housing, but government housing, that makes it 10 times worse," Bernal said during a March committee hearing.
6. Bill filed to ban student cellphone use
Troxclair's HB 515 could prohibit students from using their cellphones on campus next school year.
The legislation would require a school district’s board of trustees to adopt a policy banning students from using a personal device throughout the school day. Students would have to put their device in a secure location or lockable container, such as a secure case or pouch, provided by the district.
During a Senate Education Committee hearing in September, Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath urged state lawmakers to pass a statewide ban against students using cellphones in all public schools.
"If it were in my power, I would’ve already banned them in schools in the state," Morath said.
Many Texas school districts have recently updated their device policies to restrict cellphone use, including Lake Travis and Georgetown ISDs. Troxclair's proposal also isn't the only legislation on the topic filed this session; HB 1481 from Rep. Caroline Fairly, R-Amarillo, and its Senate companion SB 2365 are also being considered.
7. Legislation proposes allowance of local minimum wage
Municipalities and counties could have the authority to implement a local minimum wage that’s higher than the federal floor under SB 339 by Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin.
Texas abides by the federal minimum wage, which has been $7.25 per hour since 2009.
8. State takeover of Austin’s Congress Avenue considered
Authority over the historic strip of Austin’s Congress Avenue leading up to the Capitol could be transferred from the city to the state under a bill from Troxclair.
Her HB 2368 would turn over Congress Avenue between Lady Bird Lake and 11th Street, where the Capitol sits, to the Texas Department of Transportation. Today, most roads in Austin are managed by the city, although portions of some roadways are already in the state highway system.
The proposal comes as city planners are looking to redesign aspects of Congress downtown, including the closure of several blocks near the Capitol for use as public plaza space.
Other legislation filed this session would also expand state oversight of Austin's downtown. HB 146, co-authored by Troxclair, would require the State Preservation Board to sign off on any traffic pattern changes throughout downtown. And HB 470 would expand the Texas Department of Public Safety's enforcement in Central Austin through an agreement with the city. Both of those bills remain pending after initial committee review.
9. New 10-year redistricting process proposed
A new independent resident commission to draft Texas Senate and state and U.S. House district boundaries after 10-year census counts is proposed in Senate Joint Resolution 8. Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, said her plan aims to make the process nonpartisan by moving it out of the Legislature.
"Redistricting shapes the political landscape of our state, and it is vital that this process reflect the will of the people, rather than being influenced by political agendas and partisan advantages," Zaffirini said in a statement. "By establishing the Texas Redistricting Commission, SJR 8 would create an independent body tasked with drawing district boundaries using methodology that is objective, fair and representative of Texas' diverse population."
- State Constitutional amendments must be proposed with at least ⅔ support in the House and Senate.
- A majority of voters must approve the amendment in an election.
Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, is looking to ensure school districts transport students in buses equipped with safety belts.
Under his SB 546, all Texas districts would be required to use school buses with at least a two-point seat belt for all passengers and the driver. State law currently requires school buses to use three-point seat belts but exempts vehicles from before 2017. Models from 2018 and after can also be excluded for budgetary reasons, an allowance Menéndez’s bill would strike.
His proposal, left pending in committee in late March, would allow districts to accept donations or grants to help with the safety modernization.
