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October 1, 2021: Redistricting maps for Senate/SBOE move ahead; New TEA charter rules could weaken accountability; Enter to win $2k in DonorsChoose project funds
Legislative wrap: Redistricting continues as state Senate/SBOE maps move forward; Gov. wants voting mistake penalties increased After several days of public and invited testimony, the Senate Redistricting Committee approved maps for the State Board of Education (SBOE) and state Senate districts this Tuesday. The committee approved the SBOE map unanimously, but the Senate district map was approved by a 12...
Read MoreOctober 22, 2021: ossible ‘premium holiday’ for TRS retirees; A wrap on the 3rd special session; Early voting starts on state election
Texas Legislature concludes its third special session with a flurry of bills passed On Tuesday, the Texas Legislature adjourned sine die, putting an end to a packed third special session. The primary focus was redrawing district maps for Texas’ State...
Read MoreOctober 8, 2021: Huge win on student loan debt!; #TxLege wrap of the week; Rules mulled on contract abandonment
Lawmakers move bills on transgender students in sports, redistricting, voting, and laundry list for federal pandemic aid expenditures Now in its third week of the third special session, the Legislature pushed through legislation that would discriminate against transgender student athletes...
Read MoreSept. 24, 2021: TRS decides on building move; Third special session kicks off; Dept. of Ed investigates Texas
Texas Legislature convenes for third Special Session (Photo: Sen. José Menéndez speaks on the Senate floor Wednesday.) On Monday, the Texas Legislature convened for a third special session called by Gov. Greg Abbott to address redistricting, ban vaccine mandates, restrict...
Read MoreSeptember 17, 2020: 13th check TRS pension update; Florida cancels standardized testing…time to nix STAAR!; Bills from 2nd special session signed
13th check for TRS retirees planned for delivery in January The Teacher Retirement System of Texas will deliver a supplemental pension payment—a 13th check—to retirees in January after the budget bill funding is signed by the governor. TRS members who...
Read MoreSept. 10, 2021: Texas AFT sues state to block voter suppression bill; New special session on the way; AFT’s Randi Weingarten visits Texas
Texas AFT joins in lawsuit to protect access to voting after voter suppression bill is signed into law Texas AFT sued state election officials Tuesday to block the provisions of Senate Bill 1 (signed into law the same day), which...
Read MoreSept. 3, 2021: Special session ends…get the scoop on pub ed bills; TEA still under scrutiny for special ed
Legislature adjourns with a good 13th-check bill and several bad bills headed to the governor Speaker Dade Phelan addresses the House Chamber. Credit: Jordan Vonderhaar for The Texas Tribune. Read more on the end of the special session at the...
Read MoreAug. 27, 2021: Updates on ‘critical race theory,’ 13th check, and voter suppression bills; Our member Teacher of the Year finalists
Legislative Update Rep. Senfronia Thompson speaks against SB 1, the voter suppression bill, in the Texas House today. House Public Education Committee holds hearings for bills on ‘critical race theory,’ transgender sports, and virtual instruction. Updates on voter suppression bill...
Read MoreAug. 20, 2021: House quorum means hearings on bad bills; AG takes aim at masking school districts; TRS mulls new building
Texas House makes quorum: Hearings begin on the governor’s call The Texas House—shutdown for nearly the entire first special session and for the first 12 days of the second with the absence of protesting Democrats—achieved a quorum Thursday with the...
Read MoreAug. 16, 2021: Districts defy governor’s mask order; Legislature still in uncertain waters as Capitol floods from downpour
Districts revolt against governor’s order on masks Last week we saw a flurry of lawsuits and legal maneuvers as major urban school districts began openly defying Gov. Greg Abbott’s prohibition of mask mandates. Austin, Houston, San Antonio, Fort Worth, and...
Read MoreAugust 9, 2021: New special session kicks off with same-old bad bills; Dallas ISD to require masks, despite governor’s order
Join the union that builds power for school employees in Texas If you’re ready to exercise your power as a public school employee, join our union. If you want local decision-making on safety standards, join with us and fight for...
Read MoreAug. 2, 2021: Survey shows large majority favor ability to require masks; The harmful consequences of the Gov’s #txlege budget veto
Large majority of educators favor local decision-making on mask use CDC guidelines updated last week recommend masks in schools AFT launches campaign for investment in safer campuses Texas AFT ads to promote HVAC upgrades and mask use Texas...
Read MoreJuly 26, 2021: Texas AFT stand up for teachers in proposed SBEC rule; TEA proposal would water down law against charters’ self dealing for profit
Stalemate continues on voter suppression bill, session still halted Full business in the Legislature is still at a halt—although the Senate is advancing bills—after Democratic House members broke quorum and traveled to Washington D.C. to stop voter suppression legislation. Some...
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