Texas Senate Passes Bills to Boost Business and Address Classroom Safety

The Texas Senate made significant progress on Thursday, advancing two pieces of legislation aimed at strengthening the state's business environment and improving its education system.

Senate Bill 29, authored by Senator Bryan Hughes (R), seeks to make Texas the top state for business incorporation, challenging Delaware’s long-standing dominance. Delaware’s business-friendly regulations have made it the home of over two-thirds of Fortune 500 companies. SB 29 aims to streamline regulations, offer protections against certain lawsuits, and revise corporate governance laws to make Texas a more appealing destination for businesses.

“Let’s put out the word, that if you want to grow your business, you want to provide jobs, you want to be a good corporate citizen, you want to grow the economy and increase the standard of living, you are welcome in Texas,” Hughes said.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick issued a statement in support of SB 29, follow its bipartisan passage.

“The Texas economy is leading America into the mid-21^st century with our pro-growth conservative polices, attracting business to our state,” Said Patrick. “SB 29 is a priority of the Senate and mine because these important changes will cement our dominant position in the global economy.”

If passed, the bill could transform Texas into a leading destination for business, encouraging new entrepreneurs and established companies to choose the state as their base of operations.

In education, the Senate passed Senate Bill 27, a measure designed to address the top concerns of Texas teachers, particularly classroom safety and discipline. Authored by Senator Brandon Creighton (R), SB 27 empowers teachers to remove disruptive, abusive, or bullying students from the classroom. Creighton emphasized that safety and discipline are key to reducing teacher turnover.

“Texas lawmakers are standing with our Texas teachers, we’re sending a powerful message that we hear you, and we’re taking action,” Creighton said.

The bill mandates that students removed from class must have a return-to-class plan approved by the teacher before re-entering. It also includes measures to fill teacher vacancies in high-need areas like bilingual and special education by waiving the first certification exam fee for those positions. Additionally, SB 27 would commission a study to assess how much time teachers spend on non-instructional tasks, which could lead to future legislation that ensures teachers have more time to focus on teaching.

These two bills reflect Texas lawmakers' commitment to creating a business-friendly environment while addressing the critical needs of the state’s educators. By fostering business growth and improving education, Texas is taking significant steps toward enhancing its economy and educational outcomes.