The 89th Texas Legislative Session is poised to address several significant issues that will shape the state’s future. The session opened on Jan. 14 and is set to close on June 2.
With Republicans maintaining control of the House and Senate, the legislative agenda reflects the party’s priorities.
During this session, lawmakers will pass new bills out of the 2,400 that have already been filed — a record for the state. However, the only bill lawmakers are required to pass is HB 1 or the state’s budget for the next biennium of 2026 and 2027, which covers the school years 2025-26 and 2026-27.
The Texas House and Senate released their initial budget proposals for the biennium. The Senate’s draft (SB 1) calls for $332.9 billion in spending from state and federal funds, while the House (HB 1) version totals $335.7 billion in spending. These proposals include funding for tax relief, public education, pay raises for teachers and a program to promote school choices.
Among the several bills, a few pertinent discussions Texans need to look out for, with issues spanning across education, immigration, and gender identity.
1. School Choice and Vouchers
A prominent topic is the introduction of a school voucher program. Per Texas Tribune, the Texas Senate’s bill, co-authored by Sen. Brandon Creighton, proposed allocating $10,000 a year to families for private school enrollment, along with other expenses like books and transport. Gov. Greg Abbott, who has been advocating for school vouchers, could not pass a similar bill in the last legislative session.
The bill says disabled students will receive $11,500, while home-schooled students will get $2,000 annually.
“Texas families are rejecting the status quo and calling for an education system that prioritizes their children’s success. Senate Bill 2 places parents at the center of their child’s education, empowering them with the freedom to choose the educational path that works best for their families,” Creighton said.
Proponents argue that vouchers provide parents with more educational options for their children, and opponents raise concerns about potential impacts on public school funding and educational equity.
2. Border Security
Several bills also discuss border security, including the HB 1832 – Dangerous Aliens Act, which was filed by Texas state Rep. Stan Gerdes. It aims to punish migrants who illegally cross into the United States through the Texas border if they have been convicted of an offense or crimes in other states or countries.
Bills, such as HB 176 and SB 136, allow the sharing of intelligence on illegal activity at the Mexican border. This includes “sharing state resources in order to build a physical barrier, a comprehensive technological surveillance system, or both, on state land to deter or detect illegal activity occurring at the border with Mexico.” It also aims to collaborate with federal authorities to implement enhanced measures.
Other bills ask for tax breaks for border security infrastructure, proof of citizenship to vote and reimbursing public schools to report the number of noncitizen students.
3. Abortion Legislation
Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, abortion has been a recurring topic among Texans. In the state, all abortions are banned, except when it saves the mother’s life or reverses “a serious risk of substantial impairment of a major bodily function.” Texas also codifies up to 99 years in prison, $100,000 in fines and loss of medical license for doctors who perform abortions.
Some representatives like Donna Howard filed bills that allow physicians to rely on their “best medical judgment” to perform abortions. Other lawmakers filed bills aimed at restricting the distribution of abortion pills, including measures to classify them as controlled substances and making it hard to order abortion pills online.
4. Property Tax Relief
Addressing property tax relief is a key concern, with discussions likely to focus on strategies to alleviate the tax burden on homeowners and businesses.
Both the House and Senate have budgeted $51 billion for the 2026–27 biennium, aimed at maintaining the property tax relief provided in previous sessions. The House included $26.3 billion to keep funding the cost of the $100,000 homestead exemption, which passed last session. In comparison, the Senate has allocated $32.2 billion for property tax relief, to increase the homestead exemption to $140,000 for homeowners and $150,000 for seniors.
Other potential measures might include adjustments to appraisal processes, tax rate reductions, or increased exemptions.
5. Teacher raises and campus security
Beyond school choice, the legislature is expected to consider proposals to increase teacher salaries and overall education funding. The House budget does not include details on whether public education funding includes teacher raises, but state law requires school districts to use at least 30% of the funding for non-administrative employee raises.
Both chambers proposed the addition of $400 million for school safety. Rep. Dustin Burrows expressed support for “public education funding and increased support for teachers.”
Teacher unions like the Texas chapter of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) say basic allotment raises, or the base amount of funding per student school districts are entitled to. This supports educators’ pay, more funding for special education, bilingual education and career and technical education, and an increase in recruiting and retaining quality educators.
Advocates are pushing for an increase to the basic allotment of at least $1,340 to beat inflation and address the lack of an increase last session.
