Monitoring the SessionSB 859
Died in committee
Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
relating to authorization and reimbursement for certain examination fee subsidies paid for public school teachers and students.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Teacher subsidy widens from cybersecurity to any career and technology exam.
The bill lets a public school student receive more than one state-backed subsidy for industry certification exam fees, instead of only one. It widens the teacher exam subsidy from teachers who pass a cybersecurity certification exam to teachers who pass any career and technology education certification exam. School districts would be reimbursed by the state for each exam subsidy they pay, starting September 1, 2025.
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R SB 1087 (Did not pass) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 1087 (Did not pass). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Jan 22, 2025 and referred to the Senate Education K-16 committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
89R-SB859 · 2025-01-22
relating to authorization and reimbursement for certain examination fee subsidies paid for public school teachers and students.
Teacher subsidy widens from cybersecurity to any career and technology exam.
The bill lets a public school student receive more than one state-backed subsidy for industry certification exam fees, instead of only one. It widens the teacher exam subsidy from teachers who pass a cybersecurity certification exam to teachers who pass any career and technology education certification exam. School districts would be reimbursed by the state for each exam subsidy they pay, starting September 1, 2025.
[ ] NONE FOUND
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
No verified beat found.
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Donors report through Texans for Charles Schwertner.
Not tied to this bill.
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
MoneyMissing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.
by Sen. Schwertner, same lead author · Did not pass · same text
Introduced textLast action, May 23, 2023: Placed on General State Calendar
Relating to authorization and reimbursement for certain examination fee subsidies paid for public school teachers and students.
Caption, 88R bill history
Texas Senate · Filed Jan 22, 2025
02/13/2025 S Referred to Education K-16
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
Senate committee · Education K-16 · Final status: Died in committee
Education--Primary & Secondary--Finance
Education--Primary & Secondary--Testing
The text as introduced · 157 words
89R8128 PRL-F By: Schwertner S.B. No. 859 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to authorization and reimbursement for certain examination fee subsidies paid for public school teachers and students. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Sections 29.190(a-1) and (b), Education Code, are amended to read as follows: (a-1) A student may [ not ] receive more than one subsidy under this section. (b) A teacher is entitled to a subsidy under this section if the teacher passes a certification examination related to career and technology education [ cybersecurity ]. SECTION 2. Section 48.156, Education Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 48.156. CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION REIMBURSEMENT. A school district is entitled to reimbursement for the amount of a subsidy paid by the district for each [ a student's ] certification examination under Section 29.190(a) as provided by Section 29.190(c). SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.