This past week brought continued momentum in the Texas Senate on several public education bills with direct implications for teachers, students, and school districts statewide. Things are slowing down in committee meetings on the Senate side but heating up behind the scenes and on the Senate floor as the bills ATPE has registered on/for/against in committee meetings are now being scheduled on the intent calendar and debated by the full Senate. Once House bills start to flow through to Senate committees, committee hearings will get busier again. From payroll deductions to school safety and curriculum development, here are a few key highlights from this week: 

• On Monday, Senate Bill (SB) 1924 by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R–Conroe) was passed on the Senate floor 23-8 and sent to the House. The bill has already been referred to the House Committee on Juvenile Justice and Family Issues. The bill would expand the list of criminal offenses enforceable on school property and at school-related events. It includes provisions that would allow law enforcement to issue Class C misdemeanor citations for certain conduct and require criminal charges in cases where a student intentionally causes bodily injury to an educator. Supporters say it prioritizes campus safety, while some others have raised concerns about over-criminalizing student behavior. ATPE registered on the bill in committee and provided testimony. 
• During Tuesday’s hearing in the Senate Education K–16 Committee, ATPE registered in support of SB 625 by Sen. Pete Flores (R–Belton) relating to courses in personal financial literacy and economics for high school students in public schools. The bill would require curriculum updates to better prepare students with essential financial and economic knowledge before graduation. ATPE supports the value of equipping students with real-world financial skills to navigate adulthood successfully. 
• On April 30, the Senate moved SB 2330 by Sen. Tan Parker (R–Flower Mound) by a 19–12 vote. As mentioned before, this bill would prohibit certain state and local government employee organizations, including ATPE, from collecting membership dues through payroll deduction. Parker claims the change ensures state resources aren't used to support political activity and “removes the middle man.” ATPE registered against SB 2330 and believes that it targets educators with the goal of weakening their ability to join organizations such as ATPE to represent their interests at the Capitol. Our efforts, which included testimony from ATPE Executive Director Shannon Holmes as well as several ATPE members, slowed but ultimately did not stop the bill from moving through the Senate. The bill now heads to the House where we will continue to advocate for our members’ rights. An almost identical bill was filed in the House, House Bill (HB) 4525 by Rep. Carl Tepper (R–Lubbock) and referred to committee but has not been heard.  
• SB 2, the ATPE-opposed voucher bill by Creighton will be signed by Gov. Greg Abbott (R) Saturday. 

As these bills continue to move through the legislative process, ATPE remains engaged to ensure your voice and all public educators' voices are heard. Stay tuned and stay involved—there’s much more to come as bills cross chambers and the House begins to pick up the pace in the remaining weeks of the session.