INTERSTATE COMPACT LEGISLATION
- Representative Ryan Guillen (R-Rio Grande City) has agreed to carry our interstate compact bill again in the House. He already has had the Legislative Council draft the bill (the same as HB 1875 that passed the House in 2023) so it is ready to file in November when legislators can request bills be filed.
- Senator Angela Paxton (R-McKinney) has agreed to sponsor the interstate compact bill in the Senate in the 89th legislative session. Last session, we did not have a bill filed in the Senate, but Sen. Paxton had agreed to pick it up if it passed the House, which it did (votes 140 Aye and 1 Nay).
- TSHA is working with a coalition of associations from professions filing interstate compact bills in the 89th Session. Most had compact bills filed in the 88th Legislative Session, which passed the House but were stalled in the Senate and did not pass.
- Thirty-nine states now have passed a speech-language pathology and audiology interstate compact bill. Contiguous states to Texas (Oklahoma and Louisiana) have passed such legislation.
- Anyone wishing to read the bill may go to Texas Legislature Online and locate HB 1875 from the 88th Legislative Session. Questions regarding the bill should be directed to the TSHA Legislative Team.
PUBLIC SCHOOL VOUCHERS
- After the May primary runoff elections, proponents of school vouchers have claimed they have enough votes in the House to pass voucher legislation next year.
- The general election will tell the final story as to whether the pundits are correct in their prediction. Vote in November!
- TSHA is a member of the Public School Coalition, which opposes vouchers.
TSHA Legislative Team: Lori Colletti (Vice President for Advocacy), Mark Hanna (Legal and Legislative Counsel), and Larry Higdon (Director of Legislation)