= Voted with TCTA position  = Voted against TCTA position  = Absent  = Present Not Voting

KEY SENATE VOTES IN 2019

Some of the more important bills of the 2019 session passed unanimously (or in some cases with only one “no” vote, from a legislator who is not running for re-election). These bills included the state budget with additional funding for public education (HB 1), the school finance reform bill with increases in teacher compensation (HB 3) and a bill providing additional funding to shore up the TRS pension fund (SB 12). TCTA appreciates the support public schools and teachers received from the legislature on those issues. 

The following were some of the other bills and amendments of interest to educators during the session.

Vote No. 1 — Floor amendment to HB 3 to remove the teacher merit pay provisions from the bill. A vote for the amendment was a vote for the TCTA position. (Floor amendment was defeated.)

Vote No. 2 — Floor amendment to HB 3 to revise the bill’s merit pay program to incentivize effective teachers (as determined by educators, parents, and the community) to teach at high needs or rural schools, or in shortage areas. A vote for the amendment was a vote for the TCTA position. (Floor amendment was defeated.)

Vote No. 3 — Floor amendment to HB 3 that would have provided a pay raise to all employees subject to the minimum salary schedule, not only teachers and librarians. A vote for the amendment was a vote for the TCTA position. (Floor amendment was defeated.)

Vote No. 4 — Final Senate passage of SB 1569, which would have criminalized the use of school district resources for “electioneering” to include such actions as forwarding an email via a school email address asking someone to contact their legislator about a bill. A vote for the bill was a vote against the TCTA position. (SB 1569 passed the Senate, but failed in the House.)