In the wake of last month’s deadly and destructive flooding in the Hill Country, the Texas House has passed disaster preparedness and relief legislation, District 67 Rep. Jeff Leach said. 

“These bills will ensure we are better prepared for future emergencies while providing relief and support to those affected today,” Leach, R-Allen, said.

House Bill (HB) 1, the Youth Campers Act, strengthens emergency planning and preparedness at youth camps to improve the safety of children and staff, Leach said.

Senate Bill (SB) 2 improves disaster preparedness and emergency response through better coordination, licensing and training while HB 3 establishes the Texas Interoperability Council to develop a statewide plan for emergency communication systems.

SB 5 provides funding for disaster relief, early warning systems, improved weather predictability and emergency infrastructure.

HB 20 protects Texans from fraudulent charitable solicitations in the wake of natural disasters and HB 22 upports local governments with funding for early warning systems and emergency communication through the Broadband Development Office.

District 89 Rep. Candy Noble said the House passed HB 8, a sweeping education reform aimed at strengthening public school accountability and transparency. 

A central provision of the bill is the elimination of the STAAR test, a controversial standardized exam, in favor of shorter, more frequent assessments designed to better measure student progress throughout the academic year. 

“In fact, the House has passed this bill every session I have served in the Legislature,” said Noble, R-Lucas. “My hope is that this is the last time we have to do away with this test so our teachers can teach, and the students can learn.”

HB 8 also introduces clearer indicators of achievement, ensuring more transparent performance ratings for schools and a more accurate reflection of student success. 

Noble said the bill enhances state oversight by establishing a stronger accountability system that includes targeted interventions and sanctions for underperforming schools. 

Additionally, it encourages local innovation through a new grant program to support district-level accountability plans. This allows local districts more flexibility to develop tailored solutions to meet student needs, provided they continue to meet established standards. 

Leach and Noble both reported on the passage of new maps for congressional districts, signed last week by the governor.

“After 14 amendments, which were all rejected, we passed HB 4 which redistricted five congressional seats to reflect the voting strength of Texans,” Noble said.

Leach said, “While the process was unnecessarily full of ridiculous publicity stunts by some of my colleagues, at the end of the day we passed maps that more accurately and fairly represent Texas — legally and within our constitutional rights.”

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