AUSTIN, Texas — True to tradition, Democratic Sen. Judith Zaffirini, dean of the Texas Senate, this week filed the first Senate bill ahead of the 89th Texas legislative session.

What You Need To Know

  • State lawmakers have filed thousands of bills ahead of next year's 89th legislative session

  • Democrats and Republicans are prioritizing education, but in different ways

  • Democratic Sen. Judith Zaffirini reintroduced a bill that would allocate state funds to provide free pre-K. Meanwhile, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott continues to make school vouchers his priority

  • Republican lawmakers are also focused on a number of bills involving border security, including one that would prohibit undocumented immigrants from receiving in-state tuition by requiring a university to notify law enforcement of undocumented students

“Before a session is over, we’re already working for the next session,” Zaffirini said.

The first 40 bills in the Senate are reserved for the lieutenant governor’s priorities. Zaffirini’s Senate Bills 41 to 74 have a large focus on education. She reintroduced a bill that would allocate state funds to provide free pre-kindergarten to families.

“The reason I keep filing is that I believe so strongly in it and that times change, people change, situations change,” Zaffirini said.

Education is a priority for many Democrats in the lower chamber. Rep. Mary González introduced multiple bills that focus on providing quality education from early childhood through higher education.

“I really think of all my bills as a birth through career type of agenda. So we have everything from inclusive child care to exploring the ways in which special education is addressed in higher education,” González said.

Education is a large priority for both parties, though many Republicans support the idea of school vouchers to allocate taxpayer dollars towards private schools.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said last week that private school vouchers are his priority. His preferred bill has not been filed but is expected to be debated in the first 60 days of the session during which only his priorities are taken up.

This year, college students across the state spoke out against the law that removed diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices from their campuses. Democratic Rep. John Bucy filed a bill to repeal the ban while Republican Rep. Carl Tepper wants to take it one step further.

“We just want to put everyone on a level playing field,” Tepper said.

He filed a bill to ban DEI offices and initiatives from government entities. He expects this bill to be successful.

“The offices of diversity, equity and inclusion, which I think is a misnomer, they were really weaponized to be sort of a reverse discrimination against Asians or white people and others, and showing favoritism of some races over others and certainly sexual orientation as well,” Tepper said.

Republican lawmakers are also focused on a number of bills involving border security.

Rep. Terri Leo-Wilson filed a bill in the House to prohibit undocumented immigrants from receiving in-state tuition by requiring a university to notify law enforcement of undocumented students.

She was unavailable for an interview but said in a statement: “This legislation is a top priority of the Texas GOP, and it honors the message Texas voters delivered when they elected me and other like-minded conservatives to the Texas House.”

Lawmakers will gavel in January. Zaffirini — who has never missed a vote during her tenure — is looking forward to the first debate.