The 2019 Texas Legislature began its biennial regular session on Tuesday with 181 lawmakers sworn into office and the Texas House unanimously elected Dennis Bonnen R-Angelton as speaker.

Some 6,000 bills have been proposed for the 140 day session with dozens having the potential to impact the state’s education system with Frisco ISD listing the following on its legislative priorities page:

• An adequate and equitable school funding system
• Opposing property tax reform that either diminishes public school funding or places additional burdens on local property taxes
• Support the ability for locally-elected school boards to adjust tax rates within a voter-approved range without triggering subsequent elections
• Oppose any state vouchers, tax credits, taxpayer savings grants, tuition reimbursements or additional programs that allow diversion of taxpayer dollars from the state regulated public school system.
• Support full funding for the statewide expansion of high-quality Pre-K programs with increased access for students.
• Support the establishment of a comprehensive accountability system that looks beyond standardized testing to meaningful assessments that have value for students, parents and teachers, as well as measures that each community deems important to college and career readiness.
• Provide state funding to support campus-based, social and emotional health services for students.