Latest news with #CharlesPerry
Associated Press
2 days ago
- General
- Associated Press
Texas to expand how schools discipline students
Texas schools will be able to use harsher punishments to discipline students after the Texas Legislature passed a sweeping package on Wednesday — part of their efforts to stem student violence after the pandemic. 'Disruptions are impeding both the ability of teachers to teach and the ability of students to learn,' said state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock. House Bill 6 would extend how long schools can place students in in-school suspensions from three days to as long as they see appropriate. Principals would need to review the placement every 10 days. Students facing in-school suspension still complete schoolwork in a different classroom on school grounds. Because the bill would allow schools to use out-of-school suspensions to discipline all students when they engage in 'repeated and significant' classroom disruption or threaten the health and safety of other children, it would make it easier for schools to discipline students experiencing homelessness and the state's youngest students. That's because the bill would reverse state laws from 2017 and 2019 that put limitations on when and how those students could be disciplined. When schools do out an out-of-school suspension to students in kindergarten through third grade, they'll need to provide documentation of the students' disruptive behavior. Both chambers have approved the legislation — the Senate last week and the House last month. With the House's approval Wednesday of 19 Senate amendments to the bill, 114-19, it now heads to the governor. The legislation also amends when schools send students to alternative education settings, a strict environment that often leans on computer-based work and is in a different building. While students caught vaping were previously required to go to alternative education settings, schools can now give students caught with a vape device less severe consequences if it is their first offense. Schools can also teach students in alternative education programs remotely — a mode of instruction that was shown to contribute to learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic. Perry, who shepherded the bill in the Senate, said the legislation was six years in the making. 'We've reached a crisis point where there's just some kids that absolutely are such a deterrent to the overall learning process that we have to find a better way,' Perry said on the Senate floor last week. 'With that, HB 6 found that balance. I like where we landed.' ___ This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Local Veteran reacts to incoming changes to medical marijuana legislation
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Senate Bill 3 and House Bill 46 have been the topics of heated debates through this most recent legislative session. The two bills have the state's medical marijuana industry hanging in the balance, and veterans are one of the groups directly affected. Local veteran Michael Kurtz doesn't use medical marijuana himself. He instead sees it as a Band-Aid solution, but it is important to his comrades. 'While it may produce a temporary fix for PTSD and anxiety, it generally just… it won't heal the issue. It won't fix the problem,' Kurtz said. While the legislature aims to ban the sale and possession of hemp THC products with SB 3, HB 46 is aiming to expand the state's Compassionate Use Program. Kurtz sees it as a correction of previous hasty medical marijuana legislation, and the two bills still might not be the final solution to the state's marijuana situation. 'How do you balance that to where we're regulating enough or we're not regulating enough and now we're regulating too much; we're not regulating enough,' Kurtz said. 'And that's the hard part, I think.' Senator Charles Perry authored the expansion of the Compassionate Use Program. The program allows for the use of medical marijuana but heavily regulates its distribution and THC content. 'It will be the largest cannabis… medical cannabis program regulated in the country, and probably the most well-designed,' Perry said. The expansion isn't without its critics either. Carlos Lopez, a dispensary owner in Wichita Falls, is wary of what might happen if the new and improved Compassionate Use Program isn't up to snuff by the time the ban goes into effect. 'If they can't get the compassionate use right away, like, you know, maybe they might go and put themselves in a risky situation where they're trying to get stuff off the black market, you know,' Lopez said. With both bills still awaiting approval, Kurtz hopes veterans can find a more permanent solution to whatever ails them. 'They need to find a community,' Kurtz said. 'And really, what it boils down to is if you have a community, you have somebody to talk to, somebody to communicate with. And that in general will help with, you know, reducing anxiety and reducing depression and things like that.' As the legislative session draws to a close, veterans' eyes will all be on SB-3 and HB-46 as they await final approval from Governor Abbott. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Texas to expand how schools discipline students
Texas schools will be able to use harsher punishments to discipline students after the Texas Legislature passed a sweeping package on Wednesday — part of their efforts to stem student violence after the pandemic . 'Disruptions are impeding both the ability of teachers to teach and the ability of students to learn,' said state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock. House Bill 6 would extend how long schools can place students in in-school suspensions from three days to as long as they see appropriate. Principals would need to review the placement every 10 days. Students facing in-school suspension still complete schoolwork in a different classroom on school grounds. Because the bill would allow schools to use out-of-school suspensions to discipline all students when they engage in 'repeated and significant' classroom disruption or threaten the health and safety of other children, it would make it easier for schools to discipline students experiencing homelessness and the state's youngest students. That's because the bill would reverse state laws from 2017 and 2019 that put limitations on when and how those students could be disciplined. When schools do out an out-of-school suspension to students in kindergarten through third grade, they'll need to provide documentation of the students' disruptive behavior. Both chambers have approved the legislation — the Senate last week and the House last month. With the House's approval Wednesday of 19 Senate amendments to the bill, 114-19, it now heads to the governor. The legislation also amends when schools send students to alternative education settings, a strict environment that often leans on computer-based work and is in a different building. While students caught vaping were previously required to go to alternative education settings, schools can now give students caught with a vape device less severe consequences if it is their first offense. Schools can also teach students in alternative education programs remotely — a mode of instruction that was shown to contribute to learning loss during the COVID-19 pandemic. Perry, who shepherded the bill in the Senate, said the legislation was six years in the making. 'We've reached a crisis point where there's just some kids that absolutely are such a deterrent to the overall learning process that we have to find a better way,' Perry said on the Senate floor last week. 'With that, HB 6 found that balance. I like where we landed.' The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lawmakers near deal to spend $20 billion over two decades on water crisis
Texas lawmakers appear to have reached a deal this week and are on the brink of passing a sweeping plan to invest billions into the state's fragile water infrastructure and future water supply over the next 20 years, ending months of tense, back door negotiations. On Tuesday, the Senate approved House Joint Resolution 7, which will send to voters in November a proposal to allot $1 billion a year — $20 billion in total — until 2047 to secure the state's water supply. That money will be used to fund new water supply projects, such as desalination, repairing old water infrastructure, conservation and flood mitigation projects. Meanwhile, the House gave initial approval to Senate Bill 7, by Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, which lays out the administrative framework for funding water projects through the Texas Water Development Board. Lawmakers also agreed to a one-time investment of $2.5 billion into the water fund from House Bill 500, the supplemental budget, which is taken from the current budget surplus. About $880 million of that is already in the fund, so more than $1.6 billion will be deposited. A final, procedural, vote by the House on SB 7 is expected to happen Wednesday. [Water bills face deadline threat as Texas lawmakers negotiate spending priorities] Addressing the state's water crisis has been a big priority for lawmakers and Gov. Greg Abbott this year. Texas is running out of water, and fast. With aging pipes, drought pressure, and population growth squeezing resources, Abbott called water an 'emergency item.' The $20 billion deal is a step forward, but the funding is a fraction of what Texas needs to fully fix the problem. A Texas 2036 report estimated that the state needs nearly $154 billion by 2050 for water infrastructure, including $59 billion for water supply projects, $74 billion for leaky pipes and infrastructure maintenance, and $21 billion to fix broken wastewater systems. The funding also dries up in 2047, and unlike similar constitutional funds, such as those dedicated to transportation, the Legislature cannot extend the tax dedication by resolution. The Legislature, more than two decades from now, will have to amend the state constitution, again — with another two-thirds vote — to keep the money flowing. It will also be put to another state referendum. And as climate change accelerates, urban demand skyrockets, and critical infrastructure ages, this deal may prove to be a down payment. Perry acknowledged the shortfall on the Senate floor, but applauded the initial step. 'This plan is a good start to make that goal,' Perry said. Both bills have changed quite a bit throughout the legislative process. The biggest point of contention was how the annual $1 billion would be spent. The original House plan gave the Texas Water Development Board wide discretion over how to use the money. Waters experts said under that plan, local leaders would have had flexibility to prioritize their community's most pressing needs — whether cleaning salty water to make drinkable or repairing leaky pipes. However, a Senate push led by Perry locked in 80% of the funds for new water supply projects, such as desalination and treating oilfield wastewater. Under that plan, the remaining 20% would be reserved for repairs, conservation, and flood mitigation. The fight over that ratio became the flashpoint of the legislative debate. On Monday, both those proposals were walked back to a 50-50 split by an amendment added to the Senate bill by state Rep. Cody Harris, R-Palestine. During the discussion Monday about the Senate bill, Rep. Vikki Goodwin, D-Austin, cited a neighborhood in her district with chronic water line failures and old pipes that need repair. She asked if the water bill will help communities like that one with leaking pipes. Harris assured her the bill 'absolutely' addresses that. 'Being able to fix existing failing infrastructure is a major focus of this bill,' he said. The Senate and House need to approve each chamber's amendments, which they're expected to do, before the legislation can be sent to Abbott's desk. Disclosure: Texas 2036 has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Senators soften student discipline bill, giving Texas schools more flexibility
The Texas Senate, in an about-face, approved a sweeping rewrite of the state's student discipline laws that provides schools with more flexibility to manage student behavior. The final legislation, which included many amendments, moderated portions of the bill the Senate had previously sought to harden. The House must concur before it goes to the governor. 'Disruptions are impeding both the ability of teachers to teach and the ability of students to learn,' said state Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, who shepherded the bill in the Senate. 'We have attempted to draft a bill that achieves the goals of both the House and the Senate.' The latest version of House Bill 6 would allow schools to place students in in-school suspensions for as long as they see appropriate, so long as principals review the placement every 10 days. Students facing in-school suspension still complete schoolwork in a different classroom on school grounds. The bill clarifies that those students must be under the supervision of faculty. The legislation also amends current law that requires schools to send students who are caught vaping to alternative education settings, a strict environment that often leans on computer-based work and is in a different building. The House wanted to repeal the law altogether. The Senate's version gives schools flexibility to hand students caught with a vape less severe consequences if it is their first offense. [Classroom violence went up in Texas after the pandemic. Is more discipline the answer?] And because the bill would allow schools to use out-of-school suspensions to discipline all students when they engage in 'repeated and significant' classroom disruption or threaten the health and safety of other children, it would make it easier for schools to discipline homeless students and the state's youngest students. That's because the bill would reverse state laws from 2017 and 2019 that put limitations on when and how those students could be disciplined. Senators on Thursday acknowledged the challenges the youngest students face behaving in the classroom. An amendment Thursday would require schools to provide documentation of disruptive behavior before they doled out an out-of-school suspension to students in kindergarten through third grade. When schools consider removing students with disabilities, they must involve professionals who are knowledgeable about how disabilities manifest. That person may be a special education teacher, a social worker or a school psychologist. Perry on Thursday said the legislation was six years in the making. 'We've reached a crisis point where there's just some kids that absolutely are such a deterrent to the overall learning process that we have to find a better way,' Perry said. 'With that, HB 6 found that balance. I like where we landed.' The Texas Tribune partners with Open Campus on higher education coverage. First round of TribFest speakers announced! Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Maureen Dowd; U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-San Antonio; Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff, D-California; and U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Dallas are taking the stage Nov. 13–15 in Austin. Get your tickets today!
