State
BY BEN THOMPSON & CHLOE YOUNG
5 legislative updates from Central Texas lawmakers
Hundreds of new bills have been filed since the Texas Legislature first convened Jan. 14 for its 2025 legislative session. All state representatives and senators have been referred to committees that will review current and future legislation as lawmakers may continue to file bills until March 14. Lawmakers from the Austin area have proposed many new bills that could have implications in Central Texas and across the state. 1 Bill filed to ban student cellphone use House Bill 515 by Rep. Ellen Troxclair, R-Lakeway, could prohibit students from using their cellphones on campus next school year. The legislation would require a school district’s board of trustees to adopt a policy banning students from using a personal device throughout the school day. Students would have to put their device in a secure location or lockable container, such as a secure case or pouch, provided by the district. During a Senate Education Committee hearing in September, Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath urged state lawmakers to pass a statewide ban against students using cellphones in all public schools.
4 New 10-year redistricting process proposed A new independent resident commission to draft Texas Senate and state and U.S. House district boundaries after 10-year census counts is proposed in Senate Joint Resolution 8. Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, said her bill aims to make the process objective and “fair, transparent and nonpartisan” by moving it out of the Legislature. Step 1: Amendments must be proposed with at least ⅔ support in the House and Senate Step 2: A majority of voters must approve the amendment in an election 3 Legislation proposes allowance of local minimum wage Municipalities and counties could have the authority to implement a local minimum wage that’s higher than the federal floor under Senate Bill 339 by Sen. Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin. Texas abides by the federal minimum wage, which has been $7.25 per hour since 2009.
2 State takeover of Austin’s Congress Avenue considered Authority over the historic strip of Austin’s Congress Avenue leading up to the Capitol could be transferred from the city to the state under a bill from Troxclair. Troxclair’s HB 2368 would turn over Congress Avenue between Lady Bird Lake and 11th Street, where the Capitol sits, to the Texas Department of Transportation. The proposal comes as city planners are looking to redesign aspects of Congress downtown, including the closure of several blocks near the Capitol for use as public plaza space. Troxclair didn’t respond to a request for comment about the bill or its local effects as of press time. Today, most roads in Austin are managed by the city, although portions of some roadways are in the state highway system.
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Many Texas school districts have recently updated their device policies to restrict cellphone use, including Lake Travis and Georgetown ISDs.
SOURCE: TEXAS LEGISLATURE/COMMUNITY IMPACT
5 Senator looks to tighten school bus seat belt rules
be excluded for budgetary reasons, an allowance Menéndez’s bill would strike. His proposal would allow districts to accept donations or grants to help with the safety modernization.
Sen. José Menéndez, D-San Antonio, is looking to ensure school districts transport students in buses equipped with safety belts. Under his SB 546, all Texas districts would be required to use school buses with at least a two- point seat belt for all passengers and the driver. State law currently requires school buses to use three-point seat belts but exempts vehicles from before 2017. Models from 2018 and after can also
"If it were in my power, I would’ve already banned them in schools in the state." MIKE MORATH, TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY COMMISSIONER
Two-point: minimum standard proposed Three-point: currently required, with exemptions for older buses and funding constraints
SOURCE: STATE OF TEXAS/COMMUNITY IMPACT
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