What’s Happening Between Legislative Sessions

By Katy Estrada, Deputy Director Government Affairs

After the Texas primary, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick made significant changes to the membership and structure of key committees. That included reverting to a two-committee structure for education issues, rather than the single committee that was initiated in 2023. The Senate Education K-16 committee was replaced with one panel focusing on  higher education, and another dealing with non-higher education. The full list of Senate Committee assignments can be found here.

Senate Committee on Higher Education:

• Paul Bettencourt, Chair
• Brent Hagenbuch, Vice Chair
• Carol Alvarado
• Phil King
• Tan Parker
• Angela Paxton
• Royce West

Senate Committee on Education:

• Donna Campbell, Chair
• Paul Bettencourt, Vice Chair
• Brent Hagenbuch
• Phil King
• Jose Menendez
• Tan Parker
• Angela Paxton
• Royce West

Patrick issued two rounds of interim charges; many directly impacting Texas schools. Links to Senate interim charges round 1 can be found here, round 2 can be found here.

Finance Committee

Further Property Tax Cuts: The Homestead Exemption has proven overwhelmingly popular with voters. It has eliminated school property taxes for the average senior and reduced school taxes in half for those under 65. Study and report on the effect of the continued increasing of the Homestead Exemption. Assess the impact of reducing the senior homestead exemption from 65 to 55 years of age. This change would freeze home values 10 years sooner for over 3 million homeowners, saving 55 plus homeowners thousands of additional dollars.

*Public hearing scheduled for Sept. 2, 2026. View the posting here.

Education Committee

Reviewing Historic Pay Increases for Teachers: Review teacher pay increases passed by the Legislature over the last decade, including the historic pay increase in House Bill 2, 89th Legislature. Monitor the implementation of pay increases for teachers and the impacts on teacher incomes, including closing the rural pay gap.

Celebrating the Successful Rollout of School Choice: Monitor the nation’s largest school choice launch in history and the ongoing implementation of Senate Bill 2, 89th Legislature, including: record-breaking demand with over 250,000 applications and enrollment by families giving greater flexibility to choose the best education for their child. Provide recommendations on how the Legislature can enhance and expand upon Texas’ historic and successful school choice program for families.

Local Government Committee

Examining the Effect of Increasing the Homestead Exemption: Review and report on the effects of Senate Bill 4 and Senate Bill 23, 89th Legislature, Senate Bill 2, 88th Legislature, 2nd Called Session, Senate Bill 1, 87^th Legislature, 3rd Called Session, Senate Bill 2, 86th Legislature, and Senate Bill 1, 84th Legislature, which in combination have increased the homeowners’ school tax exemption from $15,000 to $140,000 for those under the age of 65, and from $25,000 to $200,000 for those 65 and older. Identify the percentage of Texas homeowners that no longer pay school property taxes due to these efforts.

*Public hearing scheduled for Sept. 1, 2026. View the posting here.

Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows also issued interim charges for the House’s consideration. The full list of House of Representative’s interim charges can be found here.  Below are a few to be aware of:

Appropriations Committee

Monitoring: Monitor and oversee the implementation of appropriations bills, other legislation passed by the 89th Legislature affecting the allocation or use of funds from the state treasury, and major spending items, including funding for the following:

• Maintaining existing property tax relief and significantly increasing the homestead and business personal property tax exemptions;

Public Education Committee

Monitoring: Monitor the implementation and associated rulemaking of all legislation passed

by the Committee and enacted by the 89th Legislature to ensure that legislative purposes are properly implemented, including the following:

• HB 2, relating to public education and public school finance
• HB 6, relating to discipline management and access to telehealth mental health services in public schools
• HB 8 (Second Called Session), relating to public school accountability and transparency, including the implementation of an instructionally supportive assessment program and the adoption and administration of assessment instruments in public schools, indicators of achievement, public school performance ratings, and interventions and sanctions under the public school accountability system, a grant program for school district local accountability plans, and actions challenging Texas Education Agency decisions related to public school accountability
• HB 1481, relating to school district and open-enrollment charter school policies regarding student use of personal communication devices
• SB 2, relating to the establishment of an education savings account program

State of Education: Study the current state of public education in Texas. Examine academic outcomes, enrollment trends pertaining to the stability of the school finance system, school safety, and the role of technology and artificial intelligence. Identify emerging challenges, opportunities, and best practices to sustain and expand high-performing schools across Texas. Explore ways to streamline statutory and regulatory provisions to improve efficiency in district operations.

*Public hearing held May 11, 2026. Video archives of the hearing can be found here.

Ways and Means Committee

Property Tax Relief: Study and consider methods to build on the property tax relief provided by the 89th Legislature. Review the cost and benefits of compressing school district tax rates and increasing the homestead exemption; whether the property tax appraisal system is working as intended, and opportunities to improve the system to benefit homeowners and businesses; and the economic performance of state tax revenue supporting ongoing property tax relief, including the impact of exemptions.

Governor Greg Abbott has his own vision for additional property tax relief. While Abbott’s plan wasn’t issued as an interim charge, many lawmakers are keeping it in mind as they consider options. The five points of Abbott’s plan are:

1. Spending limits for local governments
2. Requiring a two-thirds vote by the voters on all property tax increases
3. Authorizing voters to roll back taxes
4. Lowering the homestead appraisal cap from 10% to 3% AND requiring appraisal districts to reappraise properties every five years
5. Eliminating school district property taxes on homeowners

Abbott’s full explanation of his plan can be found here.

A central, unanswered question remains: how much money will be available to fund any future tax cuts? The 89^th Legislature (2025) appropriated $51 billion in state revenue to fund property tax relief, including the most recent of recurring increases to the homestead exemption. Answers may emerge through interim charge hearings and will certainly be fleshed out in the fall, when state budget forecasts are released.

Stay tuned for additional updates.

---

This content is intended and provided solely for educational and/or informational purposes. It is not intended to provide legal advice, nor does your receipt of this content create an attorney-client relationship. This content is not a substitute for the specific legal advice of an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.

If you are a current or prospective client this content may be subject to the attorney-client privilege or the attorney work product privilege or otherwise be confidential. Any dissemination, copying or use of this content by or to anyone other than the designated and intended recipient(s) is unauthorized.