TEXAS EDUCATORS: Are we victims or FIGHTERS?

 

As promised, here is part two of my "Knowledge is emPOWERment" series on the bills that have been filed that pertain to public education and TRS, these filed in the Texas Senate.

I am repeating the five steps below from yesterday's blog post:

   1.  For a list of House bills filed and updated regularly.

    2.  For a list of Senate bills filed, also updated regularly.

    3.  You can go to this site, create an account, and follow any bill. By doing so, you will receive updates on the bill's movement through the legislative process. 

    4.  You can click on the underlined bill/resolution numbers below to get more about that bill/resolution.  

    5.  I highlighted the bills related to TRS and TRS Care.  

SB 36	Author:	Zaffirini
	Last Action:	11/09/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the offense of hazing.

SB 37	Author:	Zaffirini
	Last Action:	11/09/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to providing free full-day prekindergarten for certain children.

SB 45	Author:	Zaffirini
	Last Action:	11/09/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the prohibition against sexual harassment in the workplace.

SB 51	Author:	Zaffirini
	Last Action:	11/09/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the requirement and study of insurance coverage for serious emotional disturbance of a child.

SB 52	Author:	Zaffirini
	Last Action:	11/09/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to age-appropriate normalcy activities for children in the managing conservatorship of the state.

SB 78	Author:	Miles
	Last Action:	11/09/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to a notification requirement if a public school, including an open-enrollment charter school, does not have a nurse, school counselor, or librarian assigned to the school during all instructional hours.

SB 79	Author:	Miles
	Last Action:	11/09/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to a report by a school authority of a communicable disease during a declared state of disaster.

SB 88	Author:	Menéndez
	Last Action:	11/09/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to a special education liaison program and the provision of certain special education services at public school districts.

SB 89	Author:	Menéndez
	Last Action:	11/09/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to supplemental information required for inclusion with a written statement of an individualized education program developed for certain public school students who received special education services during the 2019-2020 or 2020-2021 school year.

SB 91	Author:	Menéndez
	Last Action:	11/09/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to coverage for serious mental illness under certain group health benefit plans.

SB 96	Author:	Menéndez
	Last Action:	11/09/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the provision of on-campus mental health services by a school district and reimbursement under Medicaid for certain services provided to eligible students.

SB 104	Author:	Menéndez
	Last Action:	11/09/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the state contribution to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.

SB 105	Author:	Menéndez
	Last Action:	11/09/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the salary paid to classroom teachers employed by public schools.

SB 106	Author:	Menéndez
	Last Action:	11/09/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to a cost-of-living adjustment applicable to certain benefits paid by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.

SB 138	Author:	Johnson
	Last Action:	11/09/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the vaccination against bacterial meningitis of public school students.

SB 142	Author:	Powell
	Last Action:	11/09/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to requiring the state auditor and the State Board of Education to conduct a review of certain assessment instruments administered to public school students.

SB 158	Author:	Perry
	Last Action:	11/10/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to waiving the fee for the issuance of a duplicate, modified, or renewed license to carry a handgun for school marshals.

SB 168	Author:	Blanco
	Last Action:	11/10/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to active shooter drills conducted by public schools.

SB 174	Author:	Miles
	Last Action:	11/10/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the inclusion of American principles, including social injustice and civil rights concepts, in the public school curriculum and instructional materials and in training materials and resources for use by school districts.

SB 177	Author:	Seliger
	Last Action:	11/12/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the use of individual graduation committees and other alternative methods to satisfy certain public high school graduation requirements.

SB 178	Author:	Lucio
	Last Action:	11/12/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the employment of certified school counselors by school districts.

SB 179	Author:	Lucio
	Last Action:	11/12/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the use of public school counselors' work time.

SB 180	Author:	Lucio
	Last Action:	11/12/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to improving training and staff development for primary and secondary educators to enable them to more effectively serve all students.

SB 193	Author:	Powell
	Last Action:	11/13/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to an audit by the Texas Education Agency of public school professional development training requirements.

SB 194	Author:	Powell
	Last Action:	11/13/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to indicators of achievement under the public school accountability system.

SB 202	Author:	Schwertner
	Last Action:	11/17/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the payment of certain employer contributions for employed retirees of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.

SB 203	Author:	Schwertner
	Last Action:	11/17/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to selection of statewide competition locations by the University Interscholastic League.

SB 204	Author:	Schwertner
	Last Action:	11/17/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the operation of a public school transportation system.
SB 215	Author:	Bettencourt | Creighton | Hancock | Hughes | Lucio | et al.
	Last Action:	11/23/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the creation of the office of inspector general at the Texas Education Agency to investigate the administration of public education.

SB 226	Author:	Paxton
	Last Action:	12/02/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to instruction in educator training programs regarding digital learning, virtual learning, and virtual instruction.
SB 229	Author:	Johnson
	Last Action:	12/04/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to civics instruction in public schools.

SB 238	Author:	Powell
	Last Action:	12/10/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the use of the school safety allotment for a school district's pandemic preparation and response.

SB 241	Author:	Powell
	Last Action:	12/10/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to permissible uses of the instructional materials and technology allotment.

SB 253	Author:	Menéndez
	Last Action:	12/18/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to social work services in public schools.

SB 256	Author:	Menéndez
	Last Action:	12/18/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to requiring school districts to employ certain educators who retired or resigned because of the coronavirus disease pandemic.

SB 257	Author:	Menéndez
	Last Action:	12/18/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to personal leave provided for a public school employee who tests positive for certain diseases.

SB 258	Author:	Menéndez
	Last Action:	12/18/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to a remote education and distance learning allotment under the Foundation School Program.

SB 259	Author:	Menéndez
	Last Action:	12/18/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the establishment of a grant program to provide additional resources for public school students with disabilities.

SB 260	Author:	Menéndez
	Last Action:	12/18/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the administration of assessment instruments in public schools and eliminating the requirement to use public school assessment instruments as a criterion for promotion or graduation or to make certain accountability determinations.

SB 272	Author:	West
	Last Action:	12/30/2020 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to requiring the board of trustees of each school district to create a nonvoting student trustee position on the board.

SB 279	Author:	Hinojosa
	Last Action:	01/04/2021 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to the inclusion of suicide prevention information on certain student identification cards issued by a public school or public institution of higher education.

SB 287	Author:	West
	Last Action:	01/05/2021 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to voter registration application forms in high schools.

SB 288	Author:	Seliger
	Last Action:	01/05/2021 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to preventing the loss of benefits by certain retirees of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas who resume service.

SB 289	Author:	Seliger
	Last Action:	01/06/2021 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to excused absences from public school for certain students to obtain a driver's license or learner license.

SB 325	Author:	West
	Last Action:	01/12/2021 S Filed
	Caption:	Relating to providing mental health services and mental health education to public school students at school-based health centers.

Number of SBs filed as of 1-13-21:  339

SB – Senate Bill - Bills are used to make or amend laws. To take effect, bills must be passed by both chambers of the legislature and approved by the Governor.

SCR – Senate Concurrent Resolution:  Concurrent resolutions may be used to request action from other entities, including Congress, or for memorials, congratulations, or commendations. They may also be used for administrative matters. Concurrent resolutions must be approved by both chambers, and may require approval by the Governor.

SJR – Senate Joint Resolution - Joint resolutions are used to propose amendments to the Texas Constitution, to ratify amendments to the U.S. Constitution or to request a convention to consider amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Joint resolutions must be approved by both chambers, but do not require approval by the Governor.

SR – Senate Resolution - Simple resolutions are only considered by their chamber of origin. They do not require approval by the Governor.

 

SOURCE:

https://capitol.texas.gov/Reports/Report.aspx?LegSess=87R&ID=senatefiled

Chris Ardis retired in May of 2013 following a 29-year teaching career. She now works as a freelance writer and editor and remains committed to education educators, and students. Chris can be reached at cardis1022@aol.com. (Photo by Linda Blackwell, McAllen.)