This past week marked the beginning of the annual NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, or as we all know it, March Madness. I always relish this time of year as folks all across Texas tune in to the Big Dance to pull for their team or wish for a Cinderella upset. Of course, I wish all of our Texas teams, especially my Texas A&M Aggies, the best of luck in the coming weeks as they vie for a national championship.
Additionally, I want to extend another warm welcome to each of you to come visit your Texas Capitol during the current legislative session. This week, I was delighted to see several constituents from Angelina, Polk and San Augustine counties who made the trek to Austin to visit with me about several issues of importance to them. Never forget our beautiful Capitol belongs to each of you, and if my office can help facilitate a visit, please don’t hesitate to contact our office.
With that, here’s an update from your State Capitol …
Last Friday was the deadline for bills to be filed in the House and Senate for the 89th session. Nearly 5,800 bills were filed in the House and over 3,100 bills were filed in the Senate. If you’re keeping track, this volume of bills sets another record for most bills filed during a legislative session in Texas history. Now the attention will be focused on getting bills scheduled for a public hearing and voted out of committees so that they can be considered by the full House and then passed to the Senate for consideration. The race is on!
This past Tuesday, the Committee on Public Education heard testimony on multiple bills, including House Bills 6, 27 and 1481. HB 6 is a sweeping school discipline reform bill that focuses on managing student behavior. One of the primary concerns I hear from teachers is their inability to appropriately deal with disruptive students in the classroom. Some highlights of the bill include addressing out-of-school suspensions and removing the time limit on in-school suspensions. The bill also allows school districts the option of placing expelled students in virtual disciplinary alternative education programs should they choose to do so.
HB 27 would add the topic of personal financial literacy to the required social studies curriculum for high school students. I have long supported this initiative to better prepare our students for adulthood, and I am grateful to my colleague, Representative Ken King, for bringing this legislation forward.
Finally, HB 1481 prohibits the use of wireless devices, except for devices issued by schools to students for educational purposes, during classroom time. The bill requires that students place their phones in a secure, out-of-reach area during the school day. The bill does not prohibit the use of wireless devices during non-instructional times, such as between classroom periods, lunch, and recess, although school boards are given the flexibility to implement policies restricting access during the full school day. During public testimony, we heard from a diverse group of parents, students, teachers, administrators, and interested citizens about their concerns and support for the bill.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if we can help you in any way. My district office may be reached at 936-634-2762. Additionally, I welcome you to follow along on my official Facebook page where I will post regular updates on what’s happening in your State Capitol and share information that could be useful to you and your family: https://www.facebook.com/RepTrentAshby/.
