Past Contributions

• Texas Senate passes school safety bill that would require districts to bolster their active-shooter plans

  By Brian Lopez May 21, 2023

  Both chambers have said school safety is a priority this session after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at a Uvalde elementary school last year. Full Story 

• Time runs out for taxpayer-funded private school tuition bill as special session looms

  By Brian Lopez May 20, 2023

  Gov. Greg Abbott has already signaled he would call a special session if lawmakers failed to pass a voucher-like program open to all students. Full Story 

• Key supporter of Texas school chaplain bill has pushed for evangelism in schools

  By Robert Downen and Brian Lopez Updated: May 19, 2023

  Rocky Malloy, a self-described former drug-smuggling pirate saved by divine intervention, has led a group that promotes chaplains as a tool to proselytize to schoolchildren. Full Story 

• School voucher bill hangs by a thread as key deadline approaches

  By Brian Lopez May 17, 2023

  The House public education committee chair said Wednesday he currently has no plans to bring the bill for a vote. Gov. Greg Abbott has vowed to call a special session if the House doesn’t “expand the scope of school choice.” Full Story 

• Gov. Greg Abbott threatens to veto pared-down school choice bill, warns of special sessions

  By Brian Lopez May 14, 2023

  Abbott says if a school voucher bill isn’t expanded to include more students, a special legislative session will be the result. Full Story 

• Teachers are losing hope that lawmakers will give them a big raise this session

  By Brian Lopez May 10, 2023

  The most ambitious proposals are all but dead, leaving teachers wondering why they’re looking at small raises when the state has a historic budget surplus at its disposal. Full Story 

• Texas House’s version of the Senate’s voucher bill would change eligibility to the program and replace the STAAR test

  By Brian Lopez and Alex Nguyen Updated: May 10, 2023

  The Texas House’s education committee is soon expected to discuss the new version of Senate Bill 8, which was heavily modified to sway votes in the lower chamber. Full Story 

• Texas House advances bill that would give retired teachers a pension raise

  By Brian Lopez Updated: May 1, 2023

  The proposed raise would be the first time in nearly 20 years that some retirees would get a cost-of-living adjustment. Full Story 

• Illegal voting in Texas likely to be a felony again after state House vote

  By Brian Lopez and Pooja Salhotra, The Texas Tribune, and Natalia Contreras, Votebeat and The Texas Tribune April 27, 2023

  The Texas Senate has passed similar legislation. But a key policy separates the two chambers. Full Story 

• Texas House advances $4.5 billion school funding bill

  By Brian Lopez Updated: April 27, 2023

  Lawmakers have already proposed directing billions of dollars to schools so they can lower property taxes and pay for safety upgrades. But House Bill 100 would be the first to increase the amount of money districts receive to raise teacher pay and cover the actual costs of educating students. Full Story