BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 2600
89R10313 RAL-D	By: Middleton
	Education K-16
	4/24/2025
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Many Texas school districts charge families an additional fee for school bus transportation if their child lives within two miles of their school. This policy places an unfair financial burden on families who are already paying property taxes to fund public education. Moreover, requiring students to walk to school, even in areas with hazardous conditions such as high-traffic roads and a lack of sidewalks, poses serious safety risks. While some districts, like Pearland ISD and Alamo Heights ISD, charge hundreds of dollars per year for transportation, others, such as Austin ISD, provide busing free of charge within a two-mile radius, proving that it is possible to ensure student safety without additional fees.

As proposed, S.B. 2600 amends current law relating to a fee charged by a school district for the transportation of a student who lives within two miles of the school the student attends.

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 11.158 (a), Education Code, as follows:

(a) Deletes existing text authorizing the board of trustees of an independent school district to require payment of a reasonable fee for transportation of a student who lives within two miles of the school the student attends to and from that school, except that the board is prohibited from charging a fee for transportation for which the school district receives funds under Section 48.151(d) (relating to authorizing a district or county to apply for and on approval of the commissioner of education receive an additional amount of transportation allotment). Makes nonsubstantive changes.

SECTION 2. Provides that this Act applies beginning with the 2025�2026 school year.

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.