Latest news with #BrooksLandgraf
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Bill to scrap the STAAR test fails in the Texas Legislature
AUSTIN, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – A bill aimed at scrapping the STAAR exam, co-authored by State Representative Brooks Landgraf, has failed in the Texas Legislature this session. House Bill 4 would have State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness test for three shorter tests given throughout the school year. Rep. Langraf released a statement saying, in part, 'As I've reported, the bill I co-authored to scrap the STAAR was passed overwhelmingly here in the Texas House of Representatives. Then we sent the bill—HB 4—to the Texas Senate. Rather than vote up-or-down on the good bill we sent to them, the Senate amended HB 4. Rather than scrap STAAR, the Senate amendments would have just created STAAR 2.0. Lipstick on a pig. This is an old trick that's been done before, and as a member of the conference committee, I wouldn't go along with it. I think it would've been insulting to our students, teachers and taxpayers to change the name the test and pretend like we got rid of STAAR. After desperately trying to get the Senate to go back to the original bill that would have actually scrapped STAAR, they dug in and refused. In this case, not passing the bill would be better than lying to the people of Texas about scrapping STAAR. With the legislative session adjourning Monday, this all means HB 4 is dead. HB 4 (as passed by the House) would have been great for Texas students, teachers and taxpayers. It would have also been good politics for any lawmaker who helped pass it. I won't give up the fight to scrap STAAR, and neither should you. But we will have some more work to do.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Landgraf's food truck freedom bill heads to Governor's desk
NOTE: The video above first aired on March 6, 2025. AUSTIN (KMID/KPEJ)- Legislation by State Representative Brooks Landgraf to eliminate bureaucratic hurdles for food truck owners across Texas has cleared both chambers of the Texas Legislature and is now headed to Governor Greg Abbott's desk to be signed into law. House Bill 2844 creates a single, statewide health permit for food trucks issued by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). This new system replaces the confusing patchwork of local health permits and duplicative inspections that currently burden mobile food vendors operating in multiple jurisdictions. 'Food truck owners shouldn't have to jump through a different set of hoops every time they cross a city limit,' Landgraf said. 'This bill provides a consistent, statewide framework for health permitting—cutting red tape while keeping food safety standards strong.' HB 2844 ensures that mobile food vendors are held to uniform, high health standards without being subjected to redundant local regulations. At the same time, the bill preserves local control by allowing cities to continue enforcing rules on where, when, and how food trucks operate—such as zoning restrictions, hours of operation, and proximity to events or schools. 'This is a big win for Texas small business owners, especially the hard-working entrepreneurs running food trucks in our communities,' Landgraf said. 'Instead of spending thousands of dollars on repetitive permits and unnecessary fees, food truck owners will be able to reinvest that money into growing their business—upgrading equipment, hiring more staff, and expanding their operations.' Landgraf filed the Food Truck Freedom bill at the request of several food truck operators in Odessa and Monahans. State Senator Lois Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) sponsored the bill in the Senate. The bill received overwhelming bipartisan support in both chambers and is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, following the creation of the statewide permit by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Texas Senate gives preliminary OK to House Bill 2
May 23—AUSTIN — The Texas Senate has given preliminary approval to House Bill 2 to fund public schools and raise teacher and staff pay, according to a Facebook post from State Rep. Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa. HB 2, which Landgraf co-authored, is an $8.5 billion increase in funding for Texas public schools, and it has been this year's legislative priority for the Texas House. The Senate has to vote on final passage May 23. "I'm proud to support it, and am grateful that the Senate has now passed it. This is an investment in our students, and by extension the future of Texas. Teachers need pay raises, and this provides $4.2 billion into teachers' pockets," Landgraf said in the post. For those who had concerns about education savings accounts, this is the pro-public education counterbalance to that, he wrote. "I look forward to one more vote to send HB 2 to the governor's desk. This record-breaking funding, combined with scrapping the STAAR exam, would make this the best legislative session for Texas public schools in my lifetime. I'm ready to make it happen, and Texas students, teachers and parents deserve nothing less," he said. Details included in the new version of HB 2 are: — $8.5 billion in new funding, the largest single increase in public education funding in Texas history. — $4.2 billion for record permanent teacher and staff pay raises. — $1.3 billion in Allotment for Basic Costs (ABC) to assist districts with expenses like insurance, utilities, and TRS contributions. — $2 billion to update special education formulas and fund full-day pre-K, early learning interventions, and Career & Technical Education (CTE). — $430 million for school safety. Under the new law, Ector County ISD would gain $21,456,765 in fiscal year 2026, information from Landgraf said. In fiscal year 2027, it would gain $25, 241,964. Dallas Kennedy, a special education teacher at the Transition Learning Center, said Thursday he was glad to see that they provided money for raises for all staff. He added that $4.2 billion was allotted for teacher raises and another $500 million for all other staff. "While selfishly I loved the idea of getting a raise, I was more worried about the bus drivers and paraprofessionals getting raises," Kennedy said. He added that ECISD "has done a great job stretching every penny they had, but they were out of pennies to stretch. Hopefully this bill will help the district balance it's budget."
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Landgraf's Food Truck Freedom Bill passes Texas House
Editor's note: The video above first aired March 6th in a separate story regarding a similar food truck bill and how it could impact businesses. TEXAS (KMID/KPEJ)- On Friday, the Texas House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill to help food truck owners and operators across Texas. Written by State Representative Brooks Landgraf, House Bill 2844, the 'Mobile Food Vendor Regulatory Consistency Act,' allows food truck operators to purchase a single, statewide license, replacing the current process of buying local permits everywhere they visit. 'Texas is a place where entrepreneurs should thrive, not get buried under layers of red tape,' Landgraf said. 'This bill cuts through the bureaucracy and makes it easier for hard-working Texans to grow their businesses, provide for their families, and serve their communities.' Under HB 2844, food truck owners will no longer have to navigate different health permitting and inspection requirements in every city they operate. Instead, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) will issue a uniform license that allows mobile food vendors to operate 2844 does not interfere with a city's ability to enforce local rules regarding where and when food trucks can operate. Municipalities would retain full authority to adopt and enforce time, place, and manner restrictions to ensure compatibility with local needs and conditions. 'This is a win for small businesses, a win for public health, and a win for common sense,' Landgraf added. 'I'm grateful that food truck owners in Odessa pitched the idea to me, and to have good feedback from local leaders like Councilman Craig Stoker in fine-tuning the bill.' With House approval secured, HB 2844 now moves to the Texas Senate for consideration. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill to scrap STAAR exam advances to Texas Senate
May 13—AUSTIN — State Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) on Tuesday announced the Texas House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed House Bill 4, a significant reform to eliminate the STAAR exam and overhaul the state's public school accountability system. As a co-author, Landgraf has been a key advocate for these changes. "Today marks a monumental step forward for Texas students, parents, and educators," said Landgraf. "The STAAR exam has long been a source of stress, taking time away from meaningful learning. House Bill 4 replaces this outdated system with an assessment program focused on student growth, not just a single, high-stakes test." House Bill 4 replaces the STAAR exam with shorter nationally norm-referenced tests administered three times each year to track student progress. This new approach provides timely, actionable feedback for educators, students, and parents, reducing classroom disruptions and allowing for more effective instruction. "This bill is a win for teachers, who will now have the tools to support their students without the burden of a high-stakes test, and for students, who can now focus on learning instead of test preparation," Landgraf added. In addition to testing reform, the bill introduces clearer performance metrics and enhances transparency, giving parents greater visibility into their schools' performance. It also grants school districts more flexibility by adding new indicators for student engagement and workforce development to ensure a fairer and more transparent accountability system. Landgraf co-authored the bill with State Representative Brad Buckley (R-Salado). House Bill 4 now moves to the Senate for further consideration.
