Here’s a quick recap of what happened over the last week:
Texas House Passes Vouchers, School Finance Bills
The Texas House yesterday passed Senate Bill 2 (SB 2), a $1 billion school voucher investment that would create education savings accounts (ESAs) for families to use on private school tuition and related expenses. The 85-63 vote, including 2 Republicans along with all Democrats voting no, marks a historic shift in Texas, as the House has previously been an unmovable hurdle for Governor Greg Abbott’s top legislative priority.
The issue has been so important to the Republican Party that President Donald Trump called into a Republican Caucus meeting on Wednesday before the initial vote to urge all Republican House members to support the legislation.
The legislation now heads to a conference committee where the House and Senate will reconcile their competing proposals before final passage. During floor debate, there were 44 amendments proposed, mostly by Democrats; however, only one passed which was authored by the House sponsor, Rep. Buckley.
The current bill prioritizes students with disabilities and low-income families; however, low-income is defined in the bill as making up to 500% of the federal poverty line, which is an annual income of roughly $150,000 for a family of four. It also includes a controversial restriction adopted on the House floor yesterday that bars undocumented children from participating, raising legal concerns since public education is constitutionally guaranteed to all students regardless of immigration status. Democrats strongly opposed the measure, arguing it favors wealthier families and undermines public schools, while proposed amendments to make the program more equitable were overwhelmingly rejected.
In tandem with the voucher vote, the House also approved a $7.7 billion school funding bill (HB 2) with near-unanimous support. This legislation would also increase the basic allotment for schools by $395 per student and tie future increases to property value growth, helping to raise teacher salaries and improve special education services. While both parties praised the investment, Democrats argued that it still falls short of addressing chronic underfunding, inflation, and staffing shortages. The bill also bans uncertified teachers from leading core classes and reforms how special education funds are allocated, changing to a needs-based model.
Political observers have noted that the voucher program would impact only a small share of Texas families, with most slots allocated via a lottery system beginning in 2026. The Senate, which has already passed similar legislation, will need to resolve key differences in the coming weeks before sending a final bill to Abbott, who has praised the House’s approval as a victory and continues to anticipate signing the bill into law.
Chaos on House Floor Over Memorial Resolution
A day after the House went through the intense debate on the voucher legislation, a resolution honoring Cecile Richards caused controversy and chaos on the House floor. Richards is the daughter of former Texas Governor Ann Richards. She passed away from brain cancer in January, and a memorial resolution was presented on the House floor to honor her life. Memorial resolutions are usually part of the normal course of business on the House floor to honor those who have passed. Hundreds are passed every session. The controversy ensued due to her role as the leader of Planned Parenthood from 2006-2018.
Several hardline Republicans stood in opposition to block the House from voting for the resolution. They even took it a step further. On the House calendar after the resolution was a routine calendar consisting of either purely local or uncontested, non-controversial bills that allows members to quickly and easily pass bills that are expected to have no resistance on the floor. The hardliners used a parliamentary procedure to remove every bill on that calendar to demonstrate their commitment to kill the resolution honoring Richards.
The debate was ugly, highly partisan, and very uncomfortable for most members. In the end, the hardliners were successful in removing the resolution from floor debate, demonstrating how partisan the Texas House has become.
Budget Goes to Conference Committee
The Texas Senate and House of Representatives have each passed their version of the biennial state budget. Because the House and Senate versions differ, a conference committee will meet to strike a compromise. Five members from each chamber will now meet privately for the next six weeks to put the final touches on the budget to sustain state services for the next two years.
The total amount of spending in both drafts is similar, about $337 billion. The state has another $40 billion lawmakers could spend, but only if a supermajority suspends the constitutional limit on budget growth, which Republicans are unlikely to do.
Both chambers propose around $51 billion for property tax relief; however, the Senate’s plan focuses more on increasing the homestead exemption to benefit homeowners, while the House plan aims to provide relief to both homeowners and businesses by exempting up to $250,000 of business personal property from taxation, without including franchise tax credits as the Senate does.
In public education, both budgets seek to increase teacher pay, yet the House prefers raising the basic allotment (the per-student funding formula), whereas the Senate favors direct pay raises for teachers. Both chambers have set aside $1 billion for a school voucher program, but their specific mechanisms and priorities for distributing these funds differ slightly. Additionally, the House budget includes a supplemental $12 billion plan, with notable allocations for water infrastructure and maternal health programs, which may not be mirrored in the Senate’s version.
Regarding Medicaid, both budgets allocate substantial funds, with the Senate proposing $80.8 billion in All Funds for Medicaid, including $32.0 billion in General Revenue Funds. A notable difference is the House’s decision to redirect $70 million from Medicaid to the Thriving Texas Families program, formerly known as Alternatives to Abortion.
Overall, while the total spending figures and core areas of investment are similar, the primary differences lie in how each chamber targets tax relief, education funding, and Medicaid allocations, reflecting their distinct priorities and approaches to achieving shared legislative goals.
House to Give Paxton Backpay
Speaking of budget deliberations, when appointing the conference committee on the budget, Texas House members on Tuesday voted to instruct state budget writers to give Attorney General Ken Paxton nearly $64,000 in back pay to cover the time that he was suspended while under impeachment. Paxton was impeached by the Texas House in May 2023 but acquitted months later by the Senate, meaning he went without pay for about three months.
State Rep. Mitch Little, R-Lewisville, who was one of Paxton’s defense attorneys during the trial, introduced the measure. It passed in an 88-56 vote largely along party lines. Included among the yes votes was former House Speaker Dade Phelan, who was attacked during his tight GOP primary election last year over his role in overseeing the impeachment.
The motion is non-binding but could have an effect on the House/Senate negotiations.
Border/Immigration News
After a year of closure due to Operation Lone Star, Shelby Park in Eagle Pass has officially reopened to the public. The park, which had been under state control for border security purposes, was returned to the city last week. Governor Greg Abbott’s office confirmed the transition, citing improved conditions along the Texas-Mexico border as a reason for ending the state’s use of the park.
Operation Lone Star had utilized the location as a staging ground for law enforcement and National Guard personnel deployed to deter illegal crossings. A spokesperson for the governor credited the Trump administration’s immigration policies and recent federal actions with helping secure the border, making the park’s continued use unnecessary.
Local residents, many of whom have long called for the park’s reopening, welcomed the news. Shelby Park, which sits along the Rio Grande, is a popular gathering spot for families and visitors, and its closure had sparked controversy in the community over access and transparency.
In Houston, police are now cooperating with ICE. Twenty-two cases have been documented that cite cooperation between HPD and ICE, including when a woman last month flagged down a Houston police officer to tell them about a car crash on Washington Avenue. The officer responded by calling federal immigration authorities due to an outstanding ICE warrant.
While ICE agents didn’t respond and detain her, they have in some similar instances. Experts say the reports reveal a growing sense of cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration officials.
Houston Mayor John Whitmire in January, before the start of the Trump administration, played down concerns local police would cooperate with ICE. “We do not deal with immigration,” he said at the time. “We’re not the immigration department. We’re not ICE. We run the city of Houston; we deal with city issues.”
Houston police have access to 700,000 ICE administrative warrants. The Police Department’s current policy on the administrative warrants instructs officers to call ICE and tell them about the warrant if an individual is in a situation involving the police and then wait a reasonable amount of time for an agent to arrive on scene – this action is referred to as an “Immigration Inquiry.”
Critics of the policy argue that the police “want the community to feel safe to report crimes to them,” and that this policy could deter hundreds of thousands of Houstonians who have questionable or no immigration status from doing the community work of keeping the neighborhood safe.
House Passes NIL
The Texas House has passed House Bill 126, which would allow universities to directly pay student athletes for their name, image, and likeness (NIL). This marks a significant change from current Texas law, which only permits external entities to provide NIL compensation. The bill aligns with recent national legal developments, including an NCAA class-action settlement and a separate federal case that open the door for universities to directly pay athletes. If passed, HB 126 would enable Texas universities to participate in these revenue-sharing models and level the playing field with institutions in other states.
Supporters argue the legislation is essential for Texas universities to remain competitive in the athletic recruitment realm, especially as other states move to allow direct NIL payments. During the debate, some argued that failing to act could hurt Texas college sports programs, especially football. However, critics caution that the bill could widen the gap between wealthy universities and smaller schools without high-profile donors. During the debate, there were also concerns raised about student protections in NIL deals, especially regarding injuries or contract breaches, as state universities currently enjoy sovereign immunity from lawsuits.
Others voiced concern over student-athletes’ financial literacy levels when transitioning directly from high school. Amendments were proposed that would have placed safeguards for the student athletes – such as trust funds — to preserve young athletes’ earnings. These amendments were rejected.
State Investigating Islamic Community
EPIC City, a proposed development by the East Plano Islamic Center (EPIC), has become the center of a political and cultural controversy in Texas. The planned 402-acre community near Josephine, which is located northeast of Dallas, would include a mosque, homes, schools, senior housing, sports facilities, commercial spaces, and a community college. According to EPIC officials, the project is a response to the rapid growth of the Muslim population in North Texas and is intended to be an inclusive, family-oriented space. Early interest has been strong, with hundreds of plots sold shortly after being listed. However, the development is still in its preliminary stages, with no construction underway and permitting processes still being planned.
Despite this, Governor Greg Abbott has ordered EPIC to halt construction and has claimed legal violations; however, there has been no specification as to which laws are being broken. Gov. Abbott also initiated a criminal investigation, adding to four previous state investigations into possible discrimination, investor fraud, and “unlicensed funeral services.” Gov. Abbott and Sen. John Cornyn, have accused EPIC of promoting Sharia law and expressed concern that the development could become a religiously exclusive enclave. These claims are due to vague language previously used in early promotional materials and have led to accusations of discrimination against non-Muslims, although EPIC officials insist the community is open to all.
During public hearings, the project drew both logistical concerns from area residents, such as overburdening the area water supply, traffic, and emergency services. Some residents accused the development of conflicting with “Christian values” and raised unfounded fears of terrorism. Muslim community members and EPIC representatives have pushed back, asserting that the backlash stems from religious bias rather than legitimate planning issues.
The developers and their attorneys maintain that EPIC City is being unfairly targeted due to its Islamic affiliation. They argue the project is no different from other master-planned communities across Texas, aside from the inclusion of a mosque rather than a church. Legal teams say they are cooperating with investigations and are confident the development complies with all relevant laws. Meanwhile, the project remains in the conceptual stage, with little to no actual development underway, suggesting that the controversy surrounding it is likely to persist for the foreseeable future.
Political Notes
With incumbent Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton running for the US Senate, the race is now on for the next state Attorney General. State Senator Mayes Middleton, Republican from Galveston, declared his candidacy on Wednesday. Middleton is an attorney by trade but comes from a very wealthy family and has committed to spend $10 million of his personal fortune to start the race. Middleton’s colleague – Senator Bryan Hughes of Mineola – is also considering a run for the Republican nomination. The Republican nominee will almost assuredly be elected in November since no Democrat has won a statewide race in Texas since 1994. The AG has been used as a stepping stone for to higher office. Former Democratic Governor Mark White served as AG before being elected Governor in 1982. Republican John Cornyn served one term as AG before his election to the US Senate in 2002, and incumbent Governor Greg Abbott served three terms as AG before his election as Governor in 2014.
Former Republican Congresswoman Mayra Flores announced she will challenge embattled Democratic Congressman Henry Cuellar in 2026. Flores was elected in a special election to represent a Rio Grande Valley district in 2022 before being defeated by Democrat Vicente Gonzalez of McAllen. Flores unsuccessfully to get her job back in 2024. Now, she is switching districts to challenge Cuellar, who is currently under indictment for bribery and money laundering. Cuellar is accused of accepting bribes from the government of Azerbaijan in exchange for his influence on the powerful House Appropriations Committee.
What’s Next??
Both the House and Senate have adjourned and will take a long break for the Easter weekend. They will return on Tuesday.
A listing of all committee hearings for next week can be found here: https://www.legis.state.tx.us
On Tuesday when both Houses reconvene, there will be 39 days left in the session.