Here’s a quick recap of what happened over the last week:
School Voucher Bill Passes Committee
The Texas House Public Education Committee on Thursday advanced a bill that sets up education savings accounts (ESA) – vouchers — that will now head to the full House for consideration, where it has died the last several regular and special sessions. State leaders are confident that the votes are there this session to finally pass the bill into law.
The House version differs from the Senate version including a placing a $1 billion cap on ESA funding for the program’s first year and a limit restricting universal access to only 20% of allocated funds. The revised proposal would prioritize public school students over those already enrolled in private schools for the 2026–2027 school year. Additionally, beginning in third grade, students receiving vouchers would be subject to testing, though the criteria were not specified. A new provision also excludes returning students from impacting their public school’s accountability ratings for one year and outlines an unspecified reimbursement process to offset per-pupil funding losses.
Both House and Senate versions of the state budget fund the new ESA program at $1 billion annually for the upcoming biennium.
The committee also approved a new version of HB 2, which is the public school funding measure. HB 2 increases the basic allotment – per pupil funding – by $395 per year and automatically increases the allotment every two years.
House Passes Business Tax Relief
The Texas House has passed House Bill 9 and House Joint Resolution 1 with significant bipartisan support, proposing an increase in the personal property tax exemption for businesses, from $2,500 to $250,000. If approved by the Senate and Texas voters in November, the measure would exempt businesses from paying property taxes on up to $250,000 worth of equipment, such as computers and office furniture. Proponents of the proposals argued that this increase will significantly reduce operating costs for small and mid-sized businesses, giving them room to reinvest in growth and jobs. Moreover, supporters highlighted that the items in question have already been taxed at the point of sale, and this change prevents what they view as double taxation.
Opponents of the increased exemption threshold argued that local governments will have to make up the revenue through increased rates on services such as water and garbage collection fees, but supporters countered that with claims that local governments already collect more than enough revenue and should be able to absorb the impact without burdening taxpayers.
If the bill passes in the Senate and is approved by voters, the exemption will take effect for the 2024 tax year. Texas would then have one of the largest business personal property tax exemptions in the country.
Senate Passes Bill to Require Proof of Citizenship to Vote
On a party line vote this week, the Texas Senate passed Senate Bill 16 requiring all voters to provide documented proof of U.S. citizenship to vote in state and local elections. The bill, authored by Sen. Bryan Hughes, is modeled after Arizona’s law to address alleged — though statistically rare — instances of noncitizen voting. Under the bill, those who cannot provide such proof would be limited to casting votes in federal elections only. The legislation would apply in succession to already-registered voters and includes new duties for election officials to verify citizenship, with felony-level penalties for noncompliance.
Sen. Hughes has argued that the bill would streamline the voter registration system and limit state-funded voting access to citizens only. SB 16 would require the creation of a dual-ballot system which would include one ballot for federal races and another for state and local contests. Additionally, SB 16 directs the Secretary of State to update the voter registration system to track citizenship status. According to the bill’s fiscal note, implementation costs are estimated to be nearly $2 million over five years, not including burdens on local election offices.
Some concerns were raised during the Senate hearing, including warnings that the bill could disenfranchise large numbers of eligible voters, especially naturalized citizens, and those without easy access to documents like passports or birth certificates. Additionally, many are concerned the new regulations could confuse voters and overwhelm local election officials. There are additional concerns that the bill would be difficult to implement ahead of the March 2026 primary elections due to the time constraints, with some officials urging for backup options like affidavits for those unable to produce citizenship documents.
The bill, now headed to the Texas House, faces legal and logistical challenges. Federal courts are reviewing similar restrictions in Arizona, and opponents argue that SB 16 likely violates the National Voter Registration Act. If passed and signed into law, the measure would significantly reshape Texas’ voting system by establishing a bifurcated registration process, placing new responsibilities and potential liabilities on local election officials, and possibly chilling voter participation.
Senate Bans Junk Food Purchases with State Benefits
Senate Bill 379, nicknamed the “Make Texas Healthy Again Bill,” seeks to prohibit SNAP recipients from using their benefits to purchase junk food such as sodas, chips, candy, cookies, and energy drinks. SB 379 passed the Senate floor on Monday – 22-8 with two Democrats joining all Senate Republicans – and now awaits consideration in the House. Bill author Sen. Mayes Middleton of Galveston argues that over 20% of SNAP funds are spent on unhealthy food, which contributes to chronic illnesses like obesity and diabetes, placing a burden on the healthcare system.
Opponents argue that SB 379 is not necessary since it mirrors the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, which already limits junk food purchases. Additionally, they cite new options like online grocery delivery through partnerships with grocers like Kroger and vendors like Bonton Farms–all of which offer SNAP-eligible fresh produce and even provide additional incentives through state programs.
However, some have warned that the bill could disproportionately harm low-income communities, especially those living in food deserts who have limited access to affordable, nutritious food. Sen. Borris Miles of Houston emphasized that while healthier eating is a shared goal, accessibility remains a major barrier. Critics also emphasize that education and infrastructure are essential if healthier habits are to take root in these communities. Though the bill has advanced through the state Senate, it still awaits the Texas House and requires approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to take effect, as SNAP is a federally administered program.
Border News
More than 40 individuals, including minors, were taken into custody in Hays County this week following a major law enforcement operation targeting the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TdA). The raid was the result of over a year of connected investigations by federal, state, and local agencies, including the FBI, ICE, and TDPS. Officials seized narcotics and executed a search warrant after receiving information about a suspected gathering of gang members at a local residence. At this time, there are no exact charges determined. Currently, prosecutors are reviewing evidence gathered during the operation and the case is still under investigation.
Tren de Aragua was initially designated a transnational criminal organization by the Biden administration, and the designation has been carried forward by the Trump administration. The group has also been deemed a foreign terrorist organization by Governor Abbott. The gang has been linked to human trafficking, smuggling, extortion, and drug trafficking across multiple U.S. states. Additionally, officials have not released details about where the detainees are being held or any details of their suspected crimes.
In more border related news, the Texas Senate recently passed Senate Bill 8 along party lines that would mandate cooperation between county sheriffs and ICE agents to arrest and detain any individual thought to be in the country illegally. The bill would require large counties to enter into agreements with ICE, using their own funds and incentivize smaller counties to cooperate by distributing grants from the state. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has applauded the bill’s passage, arguing that it enhances law enforcement’s ability to identify undocumented immigrants and named SB 8 as one of his top priorities for this legislative session.
Attorney General Ken Paxton has also filed a brief in support of the Trump administration in their defense of numerous lawsuits filed regarding the administration’s border enforcement initiatives. The administration is facing lawsuits from the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Gender and Refugee Studies for the administration’s efforts to curb the asylum process and to deport those in the country illegally. Paxton’s brief supports the Trump administration’s claim that the federal government is constitutionally required to protect our borders by controlling who enters the country.
Senate Passes Water Bill
On Wednesday, the Texas Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 7, an all-encompassing water infrastructure measure aimed at addressing the state’s looming water crisis. Introduced by Sen. Charles Perry of Lubbock, the bill is part of a broader package focused on creating new water supplies through innovative strategies. It also establishes two new governing bodies: the Texas Water Fund Advisory Committee and the Water Supply Conveyance Coordination Board, to oversee funding and facilitate long-term planning across all 254 Texas counties. Perry emphasized the urgent need to develop water supplies statewide, arguing that Texas is 25 years behind in water infrastructure development.
The bill responds to unnerving projections from the state’s 2022 water plan, which anticipates an 18% drop in water availability and warns of severe shortages by 2030 if droughts persist at their current pace and infrastructure is not updated. SB 7 prohibits state funds from supporting projects that deplete existing freshwater sources, while also clarifying rules for importing water from out of state. Most significantly, the bill prioritizes funding for small, rural communities.
An adjacent constitutional amendment, House Joint Resolution 7, would authorize up to $1 billion per year for 10 years to fund these water initiatives, pending voter approval in November. Some additional measures are still pending and may influence the final funding distribution scope for these projects and impact of the Texas Water Fund. Ultimately, SB 7 marks a salient moment in Texas’ water policy, reflecting bipartisan recognition of the crisis and a willingness to invest heavily in long-term solutions.
Stars at the Capitol
Two of the state’s biggest stars took centerstage at the Capitol this week when actors Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson provided testimony at the Senate Finance Committee in support of legislation to provide $500 million in incentives to lure film and television productions to the state. The bill offers grants, reimbursements for production costs, and other incentives including added benefits to productions that feature Texas or Texans in the features. Both actors testified the incentives are needed to allow Texas to have an advantage when competing with other venues for productions, including commercials, television series, and feature films.
State tourism officials also testified that in addition to the jobs provided by filming, the real benefit is the utilization of our workforce and other Texas businesses. For instance, the Paramount series 1883 used locations all over Texas including Dallas, Fort Worth, Granbury, Weatherford, and areas of the Panhandle. That production alone resulted in local spending of $65 million and created 2,000 production jobs. The local spending included the use of businesses to build and supply props, as well as provide transportation, lodging, and meals to the crew. Under this proposed bill, a similar production would be eligible for over $15 million in grants to offset production costs.
Political Notes
Last weekend, Texas Democrats selected Dallas area real estate developer Kendall Scudder as their new party chair. Scudder will now lead a party that has not won a statewide office in Texas since 1994 and experienced devastating losses in the November elections despite a massive infusion of campaign cash for their candidates. President Trump won the state by 14 points and US Senator Ted Cruz defeated Colin Allred by nearly 10 points despite Allred’s $100 million in campaign spending. Scudder said he will meet with grassroots activists to hear their concerns so he can begin to energize the base and restore their confidence in state party leadership.
Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee – a declared candidate for the race to succeed the late Sylvester Turner in Congressional District 18 – is threatening to sue Gov. Abbott to force him to call a special election to fill Turner’s unexpired term. Turner passed away last month only three months into his first term serving the Houston district. Congressional District 18 is solidly Democratic, giving Abbott no incentive to call an election to fill the seat with such a slim majority for Republicans in the US House. Menefee has accused Abbott of a dereliction of his duties by allowing the constituents to go unrepresented and says he will file suit to force an election no later than November of this year. Abbott’s office has not commented other than to say he will make an announcement on the special election at a later date. Turner – who also served in the Texas House and as mayor of Houston – passed away on March 5th.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced this week that he will seek reelection to a 4th term. Miller was reelected in 2022, defeating his Democratic opponent by 13 points. Miller served six terms in the Texas House before being elected to his current position in 2014.
What’s Next??
The Senate has recessed until 2PM on Monday.
The House is adjourned until 3PM on Monday. On Thursday, the House will debate the state budget. That debate historically will see several hundred amendments offered to the budget bill and will last well into the night.
A listing of all committee hearings for next week can be found here: https://www.legis.state.tx.us
On Monday, there will be 54 days left in the session.