Hickland Education Bill’s Report Comes Due After The 2026 Election

The text as introduced · 422 words

89R9962 KRM-D

By: Hickland
H.B. No. 2443

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requiring the Texas Education Agency to prepare a

report regarding public education mandates.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 7, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 7.041 to read as follows:

Sec. 7.041. REPORT ON PUBLIC EDUCATION MANDATES. (a) In

this section, "public education mandate" means a requirement made

by federal or state law, including a statute, rule, order, or

ordinance, that requires a school district to establish, expand, or

modify an activity in a way that requires the expenditure of revenue

by the school district that would not have been required in the

absence of the federal or state law.

(b) The agency shall prepare a report that identifies each

public education mandate that applies in this state. The report

shall identify each public education mandate individually and

provide the following information relating to the mandate:

(1) the law authorizing the mandate;

(2) whether the mandate is fully funded, partially

funded, or unfunded;

(3) whether the funding for the mandate, if any, is

state funds, federal funds, or a combination of state and federal

funds;

(4) an estimate of any cost required to be paid by the

state or the school districts, if applicable;

(5) whether the mandate duplicates all or part of

another public education mandate;

(6) any conflict between the mandate and any other

public education mandate; and

(7) any recommendation relating to revising or

eliminating a mandate.

(c) The agency shall solicit information relating to public

education mandates from school districts, school district

employees, and any other interested person.

(c-1) Not later than December 1, 2026, the agency shall

deliver a copy of the report produced under this section to the

governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house, and presiding

officers of the standing committees of each house of the

legislature with primary jurisdiction over public education. This

subsection expires January 15, 2027.

(d) The agency shall:

(1) make the report produced under this section

available as an electronic document on the agency's Internet

website; and

(2) update the electronic document periodically to

include any additions or changes to the report.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.