Abbott calls latest session his ‘best’

Gov. Greg Abbott says he got everything he pushed for during the Legislature’s 89th session, which ended on June 2.

The Dallas Morning News reported that the governor believes the “school choice” bill that passed will rejuvenate the state’s education system.

Abbott has until June 22 to sign or veto bills

Texas legislators wrapped up the 89th session last week, passing more than 1,200 bills — 800 of which were sent to Gov. Greg Abbott in the last 10 days of the session, The Dallas Morning News reported. 

Legislative session wraps up

The dust hasn’t quite settled on the 2025 legislative session, but here’s a sampling of bills already sent to Gov. Greg Abbott.

• A ban on clubs supporting gay teens in public schools won final legislative passage on Saturday. The measure sponsored by state Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, would prohibit schools from authorizing or sponsoring student clubs based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Several Democrats argued passionately against the bill, the Texas Tribune reported.

Editors: This is an early bulldog edition of Capital Highlights to accommodate early holiday deadlines. It will be updated Sunday if needed.

Less than a week remains in legislative session

Abbott signs voucher bill into law

Gov. Greg Abbott last week signed a $1 billion private school voucher bill into law in front of a large crowd at the Governor’s Mansion, the San Antonio Express-News and other media outlets reported. Abbott called the new law the biggest legislative win of his time in the governor’s office and touted the new program as the largest in the nation.

House bill proposes new standardized test

A Texas House bill would eliminate the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness test and replace it with a test comparing students’ performance to one another rather than state-set standards, the Austin American-Statesman reported.

House Bill 4 would also create benchmark tests to measure students’ academic performance throughout the year.

TEA releases 2023 A-F accountability ratings

After a prolonged delay because of a lawsuit filed by about 100 school districts, the Texas Education Agency has released the 2023 A-F accountability ratings, indicating the share of campuses that received a passing ranking dropped by 14% from 2022.

House passes school voucher bill

Paxton, Cornyn gear up for primary battle

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton made it official last week, announcing he will challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn in next March’s Republican primary. The fireworks already have begun, the Austin American-Statesman reported, with Cornyn calling his rival “a con man and a fraud.”

Appeals court: TEA can release A-F school ratings

A judge with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that the Texas Education Agency can release its 2023 A-F school accountability ratings, the Houston Chronicle reported.