The House Public Education committee held a formal meeting Wednesday, May 19, 2021, to vote on advancing more Senate bills to the full House. Saturday, May 22, is the last day House committees can report Senate bills, which makes today’s meeting likely one of the last opportunities to advance legislation that has come over from the upper chamber.

All the following bills were approved 11-0 (Reps. González and Lozano absent) by the committee today:

• Senate Bill (SB) 123 by Johnson (D-Dallas) is an ATPE-supported bill that would include “personal skills” in the character education TEKS, which supports ATPE’s belief that state curriculum standards should support the social, emotional, personal, and academic growth of students. Committee substitute recommended for placement on the House Local and Consent Calendar.
• SB 279 by Hinojosa (D-McAllen) is an ATPE-supported bill that would require certain suicide prevention information to be included on student ID cards. The House companion version of this bill is House Bill (HB) 1014 by Bucy. Committee substitute recommended for placement on the House Local and Consent Calendar.
• SB 801 by Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) would require the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to develop an agriculture education program for elementary school students. Recommended for placement on the House General Calendar.
• SB 1095 by Creighton (R-Conroe) would require school districts to notify parents of career and technology education programs or work-based education programs, as well as subsidies based on financial need for AP or IB test fees. Recommended for placement on the House Local and Consent Calendar.
• SB 1109 by West (D-Dallas) is an ATPE-supported bill that would call on the State Board of Education (SBOE) to require students to receive instruction through the health TEKS on the prevention of child abuse, family violence, and dating violence. This instruction would have to occur once in middle or junior high school and twice in high school. Recommended for placement on the House Local and Consent Calendar.
• SB 1171 by Taylor (R-Friendswood) is a testing-related bill that would provide grant funding to help schools with the mandatory transition to online administration of STAAR tests. The House companion bill is HB 3261 by Huberty. Recommended for placement on the House General Calendar.
• SB 1351 by Miles (D-Houston) is an ATPE-supported bill that would clarify who can facilitate school food donation and the standards of the donated food. The House companion bill is HB 2756 by Allen (D-Houston). Recommended for placement on the House Local and Consent Calendar.
• SB 2050 by Menéndez (D-San Antonio) is an ATPE-supported bill that would strengthen bullying prevention and remediation in districts. Committee substitute recommended for the House General Calendar.
• SB 2081 by Menéndez would implement a class-size limit of 22 in pre-K classes. ATPE supports class-size limits for all grade levels and appreciates the extension of the 22:1 limit in the pre-K setting to ensure an optimal learning environment. The House companion bill is HB 41 by Talarico (R-Round Rock). Recommended for the House General Calendar.