The 87th Texas Legislature convenes Jan. 12, 2021, for a 140-day session. Below you'll find more information about education-related bills filed during the session. Click on the bill's name in the table to see more details about it.

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Bill Number Sponsor Last Actionsort descending Bill Categories Bill Summary
HB 680 Rep. Ana Hernandez Filed Students

Requires the secretary of state to provide registration application forms to high schools at least once per year.
HB 444 Rep. Steve Allison Filed

Appropriates $1.2 billion from the Economic Stabilization Fund to TRS-Care.
HB 220 Rep. Diego Bernal Filed

Creates "resource campuses" that can be designated by the commissioner to provide quality education and enrichment. An eligible campus must have received an overall rating of F for four years over a 10-year period. A designated campus is exempt from Chapter 39 accountability interventions and sanctions, and qualifies for SB 1882 funding. Prior to application for the designation, a campus must form an evaluation team including the superintendent, teachers, a community member, a parent of a student enrolled during an "F" year, and a non-teacher educator.
HB 808 Rep. Gina Hinojosa Filed

Allows districts to adopt a policy allowing the consumption, possession, and sale of alcohol at a sporting or athletic event at a stadium or other athletic facility owned by the district, as long as the facility is not within 300 feet of a public or private campus and is leased to a nonprofit or private entity for an event not sponsored by the district.
HB 684 Rep. Mary Gonzalez Filed Charter schools

Requires the commissioner to conduct a study to evaluate enrollment characteristics of charters vs traditional school districts, and the financial impact of charters on recapture (wealthy) districts. Information must include comparisons of students who are eligible for special education services, identified as economically disadvantaged, or placed in a DAEP or expelled.
HB 445 Rep. Steve Allison Filed

Adds to the list of positive character traits to be integrated into TEKS "the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion."
HB 226 Rep. Diego Bernal Filed

Provides that a social worker can provide social work services to students and families in a school or district, and must collaborate with school administrators and other professionals to enhance students' learning environments.
HB 812 Rep. Matt Shaheen Filed Accountability

Prohibits the use of the statewide standardized tests as the sole criterion for evaluating teacher performance or determining teacher compensation. Requires TEA to ensure that each assessment instrument is administered through statewide interim assessments. The results will be combined to determine a single summative score. If administered electronically, it must be adaptive and growth-based. At least one interim assessment must be administered at the beginning of the school year and one at the end.
HB 690 Rep. Will Metcalf Filed School Safety

Provides that the State Board of Education must require school board trustees to complete training on school safety. SBOE will develop the curriculum and materials in conjunction with the Texas School Safety Center.
HB 450 Rep. Mary Gonzalez Filed

Revises the charter statute regarding charters providing notice of a new (expansion) campus to be mandatory, rather than permissive, and to require that the notice be provided at least 18 months before opening, rather than up to 18 months. Shortens the time limit for the commissioner to provide approval or disapproval of the expansion from 60 to 30 days.
HB 244 Rep. Mary Gonzalez Filed

Requires the commissioner to establish a competitive professional development grant program to encourage teachers to obtain computer science certification and continue professional development in coding, computational thinking, and computer science education. Grants are to be made to providers that offer professional development for elementary and middle/junior high teachers to ensure they maintain a working knowledge of current tools and resources, and that offer training for computer science certification.
HB 818 Rep. Sheryl Cole Filed

Expands the definition of the crime of harassment to include publication of repeated electronic communications in a manner reasonably likely to harass, abuse, or torment another person and makes this form of harassment a Class A misdemeanor. Includes the provision in the Ch. 37 statute that allows principals to report to law enforcement if the principal has reasonable grounds to believe the student engaged in this conduct.
HB 691 Rep. Will Metcalf Filed School Safety

Requires the Texas School Safety Center to report to TEA if a school district fails to comply with certain school safety requirements, such as implementation of a multihazard plan, and creation of a school safety and security committee. TEA can impose an administrative penalty for noncompliance in an amount no greater than the superintendent's annual salary.
HB 516 Rep. Michelle Beckley Filed

Requires that all students be immunized against bacterial meningitis.
HB 246 Rep. Andrew Murr Filed

Clarifies the definition of "sexual contact" in the statutes regarding educator misconduct.

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