Jay Janner, Austin American-Statesman
The Texas 89th Legislative Session, which convened on January 14, 2025, officially concluded its regular session Monday. A complete and final recap, including bills that will be signed into law, vetoed, or become law without a signature, will become clearer after the gubernatorial action period ends (typically 20 days after the session’s end, excluding Sundays).
However, based on information available as the session concluded, here’s a preliminary recap of major developments and legislation:
Key Themes and Priorities:
- Republican-Controlled Agenda: With Republicans controlling both the House and Senate, the session was largely driven by conservative priorities.
- Budget (SB 1): Lawmakers passed a state budget of approximately $338 billion for the next biennium. This is the only bill the Legislature is constitutionally required to pass.
- Education Overhaul: Significant attention was given to education, with major debates and legislation on:
- School Vouchers/Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) (SB 2): A landmark bill establishing an ESA program was passed, allowing families to use taxpayer funds for private school tuition and homeschooling expenses. This was a major priority for Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.
- Public School Funding (HB 2): A substantial increase in funding for public schools was approved, aimed at teacher pay raises, operational costs, and various educational programs. This was often linked to the passage of the voucher bill.
- Parental Rights and Curriculum (SB 12, SB 13, SB 10): Several bills focused on increasing parental access to instructional materials, a formal process for grievances, and the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms. A ban on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives was also extended to K-12 public schools.
- Property Tax Relief (SB 4): Legislation was passed to increase the homestead exemption from $100,000 to $140,000, aiming to reduce property taxes for homeowners.
- Border Security and Immigration (SB 8): Measures were passed to require local law enforcement to assist federal immigration enforcement efforts.
- THC and Medical Marijuana (SB 3): A significant bill was passed to ban most products containing THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, while potentially expanding the state’s limited medical marijuana program through separate legislation. This has generated considerable debate and calls for a veto.
- Electric Grid Reliability (SB 6): Legislation aimed at improving the stability of the state’s electric grid by placing more requirements on businesses and restructuring aspects of the open energy market.
- Water Infrastructure (SB 7, HJR 7): Bills were passed to expand the list of water projects eligible for state funding and to create the Texas Water Fund, with a proposed constitutional amendment to allocate up to $1 billion annually to it (subject to voter approval).
- Social Issues:
- Prayer in Schools (SB 11): Requires school boards to vote on policies allowing designated times for prayer or religious text reading.
- Abortion-Related Measures (SB 31, SB 33): Legislation aimed to clarify exceptions to the state’s abortion ban (“Life of the Mother Act”) and to ban public funding for Texans seeking abortions in other states.
- Foreign Land Ownership (SB 17): A bill was passed to ban certain individuals, companies, and government entities from China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia from purchasing property in Texas.
Other Notable Legislation and Developments:
- Bail Reform (SJR 5): A proposed constitutional amendment to tighten bail laws for violent offenses, which will go to voters.
- Business Personal Property Tax (HB 9): A bill to exempt up to $250,000 of a business’s inventory from taxation.
- Child Care and Family Support: Investments were made in child care, including initiatives to boost access and support for child care educators. Bills were also passed to improve support for breastfeeding and newborn health coverage.
- Children’s Mental Health: Modest funding increases were allocated for children’s mental health services, including mobile youth crisis outreach teams.
- Foster Care: Several bills aimed to support older youth in foster care and improve the state’s foster care data and case management system.
- “Uvalde Strong Act” (HB 33): Authored by former Uvalde mayor-turned-State Representative Don McLaughlin, this bill mandates crisis response policies for law enforcement agencies.
- House Leadership Change: Representative Dustin Burrows was elected Speaker of the House at the beginning of the session.
What Happens Next:
- Gubernatorial Action: Governor Greg Abbott will now have a period (typically until June 22, 2025, excluding Sundays) to sign bills, veto them, or allow them to become law without his signature.
- Effective Dates: Most new laws will go into effect on September 1, 2025, though some may have different effective dates.
- Special Sessions?: The Governor has the sole authority to call special sessions to address topics of his choosing if he deems it necessary.
As the 89th legislative session came to an end on Monday, many priority Republican bills cleared the House and Senate, including a total ban on recreational legal THC.
There’s pressure on Gov. Abbott to veto Senate Bill 3.
Abbott could also let the clock run out and let it become law without his signature.
Austin Independent School District must quickly finalize turnaround plans for three underperforming schools after a legislative bill that would have provided more time failed to pass. House Bill 4, which aimed to reform standardized testing and extend improvement deadlines, died in the Texas Legislature due to disagreement over control of the state’s school rating system. (CBS Austin)
Meanwhile, a proposal to consolidate some Leander ISD schools is drawing backlash from parents. They say they feel blindsided.
Austin ISD is predicting that 15 schools will receive their second state-designated “F” rating with the potential release of the 2024 accountability scores. (Austin American-Statesman)
A barricade situation in San Marcos ended peacefully just after midnight last nght.
This week, Austin City Council is set to vote on continuing Austin Police Department’s license plate reader pilot program. (KVUE-TV)
Austin police have provided more information about the city’s 27th homicide of the year which occurred last week.
KXAN-TV provides a map of where all 27 homicides in Austin have occurred.
Austin Fire Arson investigators are looking into the cause of a house fire early Monday morning in the 3000 block of Pecan Springs Road where two people died.
Kyle police announced they made a major drug bust over the weekend.
Also out of Kyle, two dead goats were dumped outside the Kyle Animal Hospital, according to the Kyle Police Department.
The Department of State Health Services’ measles tracker showed an increase from one to six cases in Williamson County on Friday. However, the Williamson County and Cities Health District has only reported two of these cases, as they solely count lab-confirmed positive tests. The state’s higher count includes four additional cases epidemiologically linked to the initial two Leander cases through exposure and symptoms, even without lab confirmation.
In the West Texas outbreak area, the state has confirmed 738 cases, and two children have died. Outside of the outbreak area, there are now 32 cases in Texas, including two in Travis County that were travel-related, one in Hays County with unknown sources, and six in Williamson County.
State health officials are due to provide new numbers on the outbreak later today as they have been doing every Tuesday and Friday. (Austin American-Statesman)
Arnold Wells / ABJ
Ayro, a company previously based in Round Rock, appears to have moved its headquarters. (Austin Business Journal)
On Monday, the City of Austin said its curbside customers can now recycle food and beverage cartons and coated paper products in their blue recycling carts. This is an effort to help reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. (KXAN-TV)
A vote by the Austin City Council to upzone Austin’s West Campus neighborhood for taller buildings could be delayed until September. Such a postponement might allow UT Austin officials to have a say in the matter. (Austin Monitor)
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (ABIA) has introduced two new baggage carousels in the international arrivals area, aiming to improve the travel experience for international passengers.
Drivers who park in bicycle lanes could be fined $75, but that’s not the only update.
Many Austinites continue the cleanup after last week’s severe weather caused damage to many parts of the region.
Austin Energy replaced more than 100 utility poles in the wake of the storm.
Severe storms hit North Texas overnight, causing widespread damage from Fort Worth to Arlington.
Staff of the Federal Emergency Management Agency were confused and dispirited on Monday after the acting head of the agency said during a daily briefing that he had not been aware the country has a hurricane season, according to three sources familiar with the meeting.
The Texas Ethics Commission’s enforcement powers will remain intact after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a conservative activist’s challenge, concluding a ten-year effort to weaken the agency. (Austin American-Statesman)
An actor who was best known for his voice work on the animated TV series King of the Hill was shot and killed on San Antonio’s South Side on Sunday.
On Friday, Jonathan Joss attended ATX TV Festival’s King of the Hill panel discussion/sneak peek at The Paramount Theatre in Austin. Though Joss reportedly was not invited to take part in the panel that consisted of Pamela Adlon, Lauren Tom, Toby Huss, co-creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels and one of the show’s new writers, Saladin K. Patterson, he showed up to the theater anyway. (My San Antonio)
One of Texas’s Ten Most Wanted has been captured.
$100,000 worth of rare Pokémon cards were stolen from a Texas game store.
COLLEGE SOFTBALL: The Texas Longhorns softball team advanced to the championship series of the WCWS for the second consecutive season and third time over the last four years after a victory over Tennessee yesterday. (Texas Longhorns)
MLB: Both the Texas Rangers and the Houston Astros had Monday off. They’re both back in action tonight.
Parlez-vous francais?
We’re taking a daytrip to Paris.
