Capital Highlights

Capital Highlights

House Democrats’ tax plan would help renters Texas House Democrats unveiled a $20.9 billion plan for property tax relief that drops tax rates, increases the homestead exemption, gives annual rebates to renters, and includes pay raises for teachers, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

Senate passes tax bill as second special session begins The Texas Senate on the first day of the Legislature’s second special session unanimously passed a tax bill last Wednesday that increases the homestead exemption and includes a pay hike for teachers, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

Capital Highlights

Capital Highlights

Capital Highlights

House lawmakers defy Abbott on vouchers A key House education committee adjourned last week without voting on a school voucher bill that is Gov. Greg Abbott’s top priority this session, the Houston Chronicle reported. Barring some unforeseen maneuver in the last week of the regular legislative session, the bill is effectively dead for now.

Capital Highlights

The Texas House last Thursday passed two education-related bills, one that allocates $4.5 billion for teacher pay raises and another to increase the annual perstudent base funding from $6,160 to $6,300 – a 2.3% increase.

Capital Highlights

Capital Highlights

House pushes armed officer at all schools Under legislation prioritized by House Speaker Dade Phelan, every Texas school would have an armed police officer, and aspiring teachers would receive extra support.

Street takeover spurs governor’s action Gov. Greg Abbott has created a statewide task force after several “street takeovers” recently took place in Austin in which motorists obstructed intersections, shot off fireworks and drove recklessly.

Capital Highlights