BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 5515
89R9137 ANG-F	By: Buckley (King)
	Education K-16
	5/19/2025
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The 86th Legislature enacted H.B. 396, which removed the geographical limitation on the use of in-state instructional materials fund for certain freight and shipping expenses. However, this bill produced an opposite effect than the bills intent and caused school districts to face a significant increase in shipping costs. H.B. 5515 would help this by prohibiting a publisher or manufacturer of instructional materials from including shipping costs in the cost of the material if it exceeds the actual cost of delivering the instructional material or includes a handling charge that is not directly related to the shipment of physical copies of the instructional material.

H.B. 5515 amends current law relating to restrictions on freight and shipping costs included in the price of instructional materials for public schools.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 31.151(a), Education Code, as follows:

(a) Provides that a publisher or manufacturer of instructional materials:

(1)-(3) makes no changes to these subdivisions;

(4) is prohibited from including in the price of instructional material a freight and shipping cost that exceeds the actual cost of delivering the instructional material, as determined based on the standard rate published by the carrier for the specified delivery method of the instructional material or includes a handling or similar charge that is not directly related to the shipment of physical copies of the instructional material; and

(5)-(11) makes nonsubstantive changes to these subdivisions.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2025.