THE 85TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION: WHAT SPECIAL EDUCATION LEADERS NEED TO KNOW

Janna Lilly, TCASE Marty DeLeon, Escamilla & Poneck TCASE

Legislative Update January 2017 What does the state budget look like for 2018-19 biennium?

• Rainy Day Fund - $10B, but…

• Comptroller says we have $5 billion less for 2018-19

• Gov. Abbott said in a statement that would live within its means. FYI - Select Committee on Rainy Day Fund • $10.4 Billion (Aug. 2017) • The purpose of the committee is to determine a sufficient balance for Rainy Day Fund. • Committee met on Nov. 30, 2016 • What’s an appropriate amount? $7.5 billion

House Senate Rep. Sarah Davis- Co-Chair Sen. Nelson Co-Chair Rep. Sen. Huffines Rep. (D) Sen. Bettancourt Rep. Drew Springer Sen. Birdwell Rep. (D) Sen. Nichols Big questions remain for upcoming session • Who will be a new House Pub Ed Chairman? Who will be new Appropriations Chair?

• Will Tex. Leg. find $700M to fund TRSCare? Or $200M to fix ASTAR?

• Speaking of school finance, will lawmakers touch it and if yes, who will take the lead?

• Will the Tex. Leg. address A-F at all?

• Keep District of Innovation law as is?

• What will voucher bill look like this time? Priorities for Capitol Leadership for 85th

Gov. Abbott • Classroom Connectivity/ Broadband

Lt. Gov. Patrick • P-Tech Schools • Gender Issues • Property Tax Relief • Vouchers

Speaker Straus • School Finance • TRSCare • District of Innovation Expanded Priorities for Lt. Governor for 85th • School Choice • Women’s Privacy Act (bathrooms) • Inappropriate Teacher-Student Relationships • Balanced Budget • Property Tax Reform • Sanctuary Cities • Photo Voter ID • Fetal Tissue/Partial Birth Abortion • Hailstorm Lawsuit Reform TEA Budget Highlights

Proposed Items to be Cut • SSI by 10% • Instructional Materials by 4% • AP by 5% • Teach for America by 4% • Good news:Foundation School Program exempt

Proposed Exceptional Items to be funded • E-Rate - $25M • Campus Turnaround - $1M • Restore 4% for Released STAAR test items Updated Member Experience in 85th House (150 members) • Freshmen – 26 (R 17/ D 9) • Second Term – 25 (R 20/ D 5) • Third Term – 38 (R 26/ D 12)

Senate (31 members) • Freshmen – 3 (R 2/ D 1) • Second Term – 9 (R 8/ D 1) • Third Term – 5 (R 4/ D 1) New Faces in the Capitol w/ties to Public Ed • State Reps: • (R – Shepherd), wife is a teacher and his mom is on the school board • Terry Wilson (R – Marble Falls), wife worked in public and higher education for 14 years. • (D – Austin), Austin ISD Board President • (R – Sanger), former Sanger ISD Board President • (R – Abilene), Abilene ISD Trustee since 2006 • Tomas Uresti (D – ), Former Harland ISD Trustee • Barbara Gervin Hawkins (D – San Antonio), Superintendent of George Gervin Charter Academy and founder • Kevin Roberts (R – Houston), Klein ISD Career and Tech. Ed. Adv. Council board member • (D – Pasadena), Houston Community College Trustee • Senate: Dawn Buckingham (R – Lakeway), Lake Travis ISD Board Member Vacant Chair/Vice-Chair Positions House • Appropriations • Public Education • County Affairs • Defense & Veterans’ Affairs • Juvenile Justice & Family Issues • Licensing & Administrative Procedures • Natural Resources • Public Health • Special Purpose Districts

Senate • State Affairs • Select Committee on Government Facilities Bills related to School Personnel HB 157 – Use Rainy Day Fund for teacher salaries HB 179 – Certified counselors HB 181 – Counselors time HB 185 – TAPR must contain principal turnover info HB 188 – Pre-K student/teacher ratio HB 248 – COLA for TRS retires

SB 7, HBs 49,218,333 – Inappropriate relationships

SB 196 – Require notice for no nurse/librarian/counselor on campus SB 217 – 13th check for TRS retirees SB 216 - Increase salary for teachers House Bills so far… HB 59 – Keep my name secret if I win the lottery HB 77 – Extends Indiv. Grad Committee Options HB 62/ SB 31 – No more texting and driving • Fun fact: 100 Texas cities have texting ban

HB 86 - Franchise tax credit for businesses that employ ex-cons HB 95 – No more daylight savings, no more moving the clock House Bills… HB 156 – JROTC for troubled students, no DAEP, no JJAEP HB 340 – Allow folks without barber/cosmo license to shampoo your hair for $ Fun fact: 1,500 hours needed for barber’s & pilot’s license

HB 356 – Allow trustees/ supt to carry a gun at school board meeting

HCR 27 – Make Spurger City the Knife Capital of Tx HCR 32 – Make Bowie Knife as official state knife of Tx Senate bills SB 6 – Women’s Privacy Act

SB 202 – Require curriculum on how to address police

SB 176 – Regulates ride-sharing companies (i.e. Uber/Lyft) Dates of Interest for 85th Legislature • January 10 – First Day of Session

• March 10 – Last Day to File Bills

• May 30 – Sine Die

Questions?