Top lawmakers back lifting camp safety law
Top Texas legislators are pushing to waive a new state law that requires camps to install broadband fiber optics in order to legally operate this summer, The Dallas Morning News reported. Scores of camps are struggling to meet the deadline. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Dustin Burrows released a statement last week saying they support lifting the law.
Cost for future water needs could reach $174B
Texas will need to invest $174 billion over the next 50 years to keep up with water demand, according to a draft 2027 state water plan approved last week, the Austin American-Statesman reported. That is more than twice the projected cost in the previous state water plan published in 2022.
Redistricting attracts a spate of GOP candidates
Redrawing the state’s congressional maps, though being challenged in court, has drawn 114 Republican candidates in the state’s 38 districts with nearly two months left until the filing deadline, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Vouchers could change homeschool landscape
The passage of the state’s first voucher program means homeschool families in Texas will soon be eligible for up to $2,000 to use toward educational costs such as tutoring or curriculum. From 500,000 to 600,000 Texas children are being homeschooled — between 8% and 10% of all school-aged children, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Spate of tornadoes far outpaces the average
April was a busy month for tornadoes across the United States with 373 recorded, bringing the total for the year to 549, the Austin American-Statesman reported. That is nearly double the average at this point in the year, the National Weather Service says.
Solar eclipse means big money to Texas
One economist is calling it “the most profitable 22 minutes in Texas history,” according to the Texas Standard. The total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8 is expected to draw up to a million visitors to the Lone Star State, especially in its narrow path of totality.
Pitch made for new power plants
Lt. Gov Dan Patrick joined with the world’s largest investment firm to pitch investors on building natural gas power plants in Texas at a summit held last week in Houston.
TEA annual report just released
The Texas Education Agency’s annual report was released last week. It indicates per-student funding in the 2021-2022 school year averaged $14,928 per student, up 42% since 2011. However, state funding has only risen slightly in the past decade, while local funding has increased substantially.
Texas public schools educate 5.518 million students while employing 371,778 teachers on 9,054 campuses, according to the report.
Lege gets to work in fourth special session
Another special session slated for October
Gov. Greg Abbott has called a third special session, this time about school choice, for next month. He is promising retribution for lawmakers who oppose his move to enact school vouchers in Texas, the Texas Tribune reported.
