Gavel to Gavel: House Files School Choice Legislative Priority

Howdy!

This week, we spent time at the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Annual Policy Orientation, where I attended panels on some of the most pressing issues facing Texas—property tax relief, school choice, taxpayer-funded lobbying, justice system reforms, nuclear energy, and more. Alongside these discussions, we heard from key leaders, including Governor Greg Abbott, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, House Speaker Dustin Burrows, Congressman Chip Roy, and Senator Ted Cruz, who shared their visions for the future of Texas policy.

Meanwhile, the Texas Legislature continued its work, filing new bills and advancing major legislative priorities—including the latest push to implement an Education Savings Account (ESA) school choice program. With so much happening at the Capitol, staying informed is more important than ever.

That’s where we come in. In this week’s Gavel to Gavel, we break down the latest legislative action and what it means for you. Let’s dive in!

For Liberty, For Texas

Jeramy D. Kitchen
President, Texas Policy Research

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Featured

House Files School Choice Bill: What You Need to Know

The newly filed bill proposes Education Savings Accounts (ESAs), allowing parents to use state funds for private school tuition, homeschooling, or other educational expenses. Supporters argue this would empower families, increase competition, and improve education quality across the state. While school choice has strong support among conservatives, HB 3 faces an uphill battle in the Texas House, where past efforts have stalled due to opposition from rural Republicans and public education advocates.

Floor Reports

We continue to send out floor reports to lawmakers, their staff, activists, and general subscribers as legislation gets put on calendars for each legislative chamber to consider. This week, the Texas Senate considered legislation relate to bail reform, a legislative priority of both Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick.

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Other Recent Content

Committee on Delivery of Government Efficiency (DOGE):
A Win for Limited Government Advocates

• The newly formed Committee on Delivery of Government Efficiency is tasked with identifying waste, inefficiencies, and redundancies in Texas’ state government. For advocates of limited government, this is a positive development, as it aligns with efforts to reduce bureaucratic bloat and ensure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly.

• By scrutinizing government programs and agencies, the committee could pave the way for budget cuts, regulatory rollbacks, and policy reforms aimed at improving government accountability. However, its effectiveness will depend on whether its recommendations lead to tangible legislative action or if bureaucratic inertia slows its progress.

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Understanding the ‘Put and Take’ Rule
in the Texas House of Representatives Budget Process

• In the Texas House of Representatives, members proposing amendments to the budget must adhere to the Put and Take Rule, which requires any increase in funding for a program to be offset by a reduction elsewhere. This ensures that the total budget remains balanced and prevents unchecked spending increases.

• Perhaps the most significant criticism of the rule is that, once the “Put and Take” motion is adopted, it ensures that an amendment merely seeking to reduce or cut the amount of overall spending is not in order without also “putting” the money somewhere else. In other words, by adopting the motion, lawmakers who might be seeking to cut the amount of spending proposed in the budget itself face an uphill battle. This effectively shields the overall budget size from being reduced and limits the ability of fiscal conservatives to push for smaller government.

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Legislative Spotlight: Texas Strategic Bitcoin Reserve

• The creation of a Texas Strategic Bitcoin Reserve signals the state’s commitment to financial innovation and decentralization. By incorporating Bitcoin into state holdings, Texas aims to hedge against inflation, diversify its assets, and strengthen its reputation as a hub for cryptocurrency and blockchain development.

• Advocates argue that holding Bitcoin could provide Texas with a long-term store of value, independent of federal monetary policies. However, critics point to Bitcoin’s price volatility and regulatory uncertainties as potential risks. The success of this initiative will depend on how Texas manages and integrates Bitcoin into its broader financial strategy.

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Homestead Exemption Increases Pass Texas Senate, Prospects in House Unknown

• The Texas Senate has passed legislation to raise the homestead exemption, which would provide property tax relief to homeowners. This move is part of broader efforts to ease the tax burden on Texas residents as property values—and tax bills—continue to rise. While the Senate has moved forward with the measure, its prospects in the Texas House remain unclear. Political disagreements, competing tax relief proposals, and legislative priorities could determine whether this proposal becomes law or stalls before time runs out in the ongoing legislative session.

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In Case You Missed It

Texas House Committee Assignments for 89th Legislative Session Announced

• Last week, Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows announced the committee assignments of all House lawmakers. The 89th session features 30 House-standing permanent committees and 12 standing permanent subcommittees, with leadership and membership heavily favoring the majority party.

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Upcoming Committee Hearing Schedules

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Filed Legislation Summaries

• We have read through all of the filed legislation for the 89th Legislative Session. While lawmakers will continue filing new bills—and we’ll continue analyzing them—we’ve already compiled summaries of each piece of legislation to give you a head start. These summaries are just the beginning as we gear up for our next round of in-depth policy analysis and prepare our more comprehensive floor reports as the session is underway.

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Upcoming Events

Texas Policy Research is proud to partner with organizations and groups across Texas to share insights and expertise. Here’s where you can find us next:

• RED Texas Forum
  • When: Thursday, May 15th, 2025 at 7:30 pm
  • Where: La Prada Church of Christ, 2724 La Prada Dr., Mesquite, TX 75150
  • Topic(s): Texas Legislative Process & 89th Legislative Session Update

Want a Speaker at Your Event?

Bring Texas Policy Research to your next event! Our team is available to speak on a variety of topics, including the Texas legislative process, engaging with lawmakers, and policy updates. Submit your request today here.

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Legislative Countdowns

Bill Filing Deadline: 22 Days
89th Legislative Session Ends: 102 Days

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