LegiScan, a national service that allows users to view and track any bill in all 50 states and Congress, collects data on which bills are most tracked. This session, Texans were highly concerned with education savings bills, potential THC bans and laws that would impact legal gender identity and gender-affirming care.
The same issues were the primary concerns of Texas lawmaking giants and have dominated the newscycle this session. While not all Texans agree on every issue, we just might agree on which ones are the most important. Here are the 10 bills Texans had the closest eye on:
1. Senate Bill 2:
Arguably, the most controversial bill of this session, SB 2, which has already been signed into law, is a hotly contested school voucher bill that restructured the public education funding system in Texas. The bill appropriated $1 billion in the first year to allow parents to use up to $10,000 in public funds to pay for private school education. The amount dedicated to the program will increase each year. The bill was a legislative priority for all major players in Texas politics, including Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows and Abbott.The bill, which was the most tracked and viewed Texas bill on LegiScan was signed into law on May 3.
2. Senate Bill 3:
Filed by Sen. Charles Perry and strongly supported by the lieutenant governor, who named it his top priority, SB 3 was a near-total ban on all hemp products in its initial form. The sweeping bill, which has since been amended to make exceptions for THC-infused beverages, has caused a stir amongst hemp product developers, distributors, and consumers reliant on the products for pain management.The bill passed the Senate and is still moving through the House. If it does not pass, Patrick has threatened to force a special session.
3. House Bill 2:
Known as the “Texas Two-Step”, HB 2 ran in tandem with SB 2. While SB 2 sends public money to private schools, HB 2 is a conciliatory move that increases the basic student allotment, the amount school districts receive per student. The basic student allotment had not been increased since 2019. Though the bill falls short of meeting projected requirements to pull Texas schools out of their budgetary deficits, the bill passed the House in a 142-5 vote.4. House Bill 237:
Funding bills were among the most popular this session, and HB 237 is no exception. The bill would increase the salary of all state employees, including employees at state-funded higher education institutions, by $10,000.The bill remains in the House Appropriations Committee.
5. Senate Bill 26:
Another education bill, SB 26, would increase teacher pay across the state based on a teacher’s tenure at a school. Educators criticized the bill for expanding the Teacher Allotment Incentive rather than creating a merit-based pay grade. The bill also fails to establish a continuation of pay raises and does not increase the salaries of other crucial employees within schools, like librarians, nurses, and cafeteria staff.The bill is in the House Committee on Public Education.
6. House Bill 3399:
This bill aimed to completely eradicate gender affirming care almost in its entirety for all ages, not just children. The exhaustive bill listed a variety of treatments that it would ban doctors from providing, including surgical procedures and hormone-blocking agents.The bill is at committee, but is unlikely to pass.
7. House Bill 3:
This bill was an education funding bill similar to SB 2, but with minor differences in eligibility requirements and dynamic funding levels for applicants. The proposed legislation, the House’s attempt to pass a school voucher program, was left pending in committee.8. House Bill 3817:
One of the shortest bills filed this session, HB 3817, would create a state jail offense for gender identity fraud.“A person commits an offense if the person knowingly makes a false or misleading verbal or written statement to a governmental entity or the person's employer by identifying the person's biological sex as the opposite of the biological sex assigned to the person at birth,” reads almost the entire bill.
The bill is stuck at the Committee of State Affairs.
9. Senate Bill 572:
This bill is identical to HB 237 in that it proposes a $10,000 pay increase for full-time state employees.10. House Bill 1208:
This bill offers a regulatory framework for the cannabis industry in Texas. It outlines a rule book for the cultivation, manufacture, distribution, sale, transportation, delivery, possession, use and taxation of cannabis products in Texas. The bill would fully legalize cannabis in Texas under strict guidelines and impose a 10% sales tax on all products.The bill has no cosponsors and has yet to be voted out of committee.
