A new bill authored by State Rep. Paul Dyson in the Texas House seeks to enhance early literacy and numeracy skills for public school students through various supportive programs, according to the Texas Legislature website.
The bill on State Finances category, introduced as HB 123 during the 89(1) legislative session on Friday, July 18, was formally listed with the short title: ’Relating to expenditures for lobbying activities made by certain entities’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill seeks to enhance kindergarten readiness and improve early literacy and numeracy skills for public school students through various measures, including an early childhood parental support program. It mandates the development of teaching academies for literacy and mathematics, providing stipends to participating educators and requiring specific training and assessments in these subjects from kindergarten through eighth grade. The bill introduces the administration of diagnostic instruments to evaluate foundational skills in literacy and numeracy, with interventions for students at risk of poor performance. It establishes funding adjustments and grants under the Foundation School Program to support districts in implementing these measures, with provisions for parental participation in early childhood programs and adjustments for extended instructional days. The bill involves updating existing statutes and introducing new sections, effective as early as September 1, 2025, with certain provisions taking effect in the 2025-26 school year.
Paul Dyson, a member of the House Committee on Energy Resources, proposed no other bills during the 89(1) legislative session. He is also a member of the House Committee on Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence.
Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| HB 5489 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to a temporary moratorium on the imposition of an impact fee |
| HB 5036 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to arbitration of certain out-of-network health benefit claims |
| HB 4996 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for the offense of refusal to execute the release of a fraudulent lien or claim |
| HB 4145 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to the timely billing of health care services related to a personal injury claim |
| HB 4021 | 03/07/2025 | Relating to the declaration of an oil or gas emergency by the Railroad Commission of Texas and the liability of a person for assistance, advice, or resources provided in relation to an oil or gas emergency |
| HB 3827 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to unlawful solicitation and distribution of a voter registration application; creating a criminal offense |
| HB 3791 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to the time frame required for excavation notification |
| HB 3701 | 03/04/2025 | Relating to the authority of the board of regents of The Texas A&M University System to construct, acquire, improve, extend, and equip utility systems located on university system property |
| HB 3516 | 02/28/2025 | Relating to the availability of certain working papers and electronic communications of certain administrative law judges and technical examiners under the public information law |
| HB 3506 | 02/28/2025 | Relating to the withdrawal of the State of Texas from the Interstate Mining Compact |
| HB 1871 | 01/15/2025 | Relating to the punishment for the criminal offense of attempted capital murder of a peace officer; increasing a criminal penalty; changing eligibility for parole and mandatory supervision |
