Legislative Services

Governor Declares Emergency Priorities, Issues Budget Proposal

On Sunday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced his priorities for the 89th Legislature in Sunday's State of the State address. The Texas Constitution prohibits the Legislature from passing legislation during the first 60 days of a regular session without a four-fifths majority, unless the subject is granted emergency status by the governor. Abbott's emergency items:

• Property tax relief
• Water infrastructure
• Teacher pay
• Expanding career training
• School choice
• Bail reform
• Cyber command center

Abbott also released his budget proposal.

Senate Advances Education Savings Account Legislation

Senate Bill 2 by Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe) is the 89th Legislature's first bill to move. Creighton primed the bill for consideration by the full Senate after passing it out of his Senate Education K-16 Committee with a 9-2 vote on Jan. 29.

SB 2 would implement a voucher program for public education, allotting a $10,000 stipend to support private education to the parents of eligible students, or $11,500 to the parents of children with disabilities. Both the House and Senate budgets reserve $1 billion for fiscal year 2027 to fund education savings accounts. SB 2 passed the Senate on a 19-12 vote and sits ready for House action.

House Awaits Committee Assignments

First-term Speaker Dustin Burrows took the first step to ready the House for action by setting the committee slate, but has yet to fill the ranks of those committees. An announcement is imminent.

For more information about this article, please contact Pete Winckler.