From vouchers to a cellphone ban, this year’s lawmaking session brought transformative changes to Texas schools

An agenda driven by conservative priorities, schools’ financial duress and teacher needs led to an $8.5 billion boost, new discipline rules, more Christianity in classrooms and a DEI ban.
Join us June 18 for a conversation with San Antonio lawmakers about the 2025 Legislative Session

We’ll discuss bills that the Legislature passed, how San Antonians will be affected and what they should know going forward.
Texas lawmakers voted to ban consumable THC products. Will Gov. Greg Abbott sign — or veto — the bill?

Abbott faces pressure from both sides of the aisle. The prohibition was a priority for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, but some hemp farmers and veterans want it killed.
In final act, Texas Legislature boosts judges pay and lawmaker pensions

House and Senate members agreed that judges needed a pay raise. But they spent the final hours of the legislative session debating whether Texas lawmakers should also benefit from the boost.
Rep. Tony Tinderholt, voice of the insurgent far right GOP, to retire from the Texas House

Tinderholt attributed his decision to retire to his confidence in a new conservative generation of lawmakers and a desire to spend more time with his family.
It’s the last day of the Texas Legislature. Here’s what they did.

The Legislature is wrapping up without the same drama that defined the end of the last two sessions, with state GOP leaders checking off nearly everything on their to-do lists.
U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear GOP activist’s lawsuit challenging Texas Ethics Commission’s lobbying fine

Former Empower Texans leader Michael Quinn Sullivan has challenged a $10,000 fine from the Texas Ethics Commission for failure to register as a lobbyist for more than 10 years at nearly every level of the state court system.
Texas Education Agency extends Houston school district takeover through 2027

Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath applauded the district for its improvements while citing the need for more time to “achieve lasting success for students.”
How RFK Jr., Democrats and Republicans found common ground over food labels in Texas

Texas is poised to lead the country in an initiative to inform denizens of what’s in their food. Food industry experts say it’s going too far.
Bills aimed at studying, restricting “forever chemicals” in Texas fail

Texas lawmakers bypassed bills that would have restricted “forever chemicals” in sewage sludge, studied health impacts and banned some uses of PFAS-laced firefighting foams.