HB 20 Texas House · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to establishing the Applied Sciences Pathway program.

HB 20 establishes Texas' Applied Sciences Pathway program, allowing high school students to earn both diplomas and industry certificates through school-college partnerships. It requires courses in 20 specific high-wage, high-growth fields like plumbing, welding, IT, and oil/gas exploration, with a focus on successful job placement rates. Partnerships must offer non-duplicative, progressive coursework leading to both diplomas and certificates in these sectors. The program begins for the 2027-2028 school year, with industries reviewed every five years to match labor market needs.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

House Passage

Jun 2025

Senate Passage

Jun 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Feb 25, 2025 Signed Jun 20, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossed → Enrolled · 4 edits · Jun 20, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was converted from a draft version to its final enrolled form, adding official signatures and certification of passage. Substantive policy changes include expanding the list of eligible industries, adding a new subsection requiring students to pass end-of-course assessments before earning substituted credits, and changing the expiration date from indefinite to September 1, 2031.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to include additional industries and now includes a sunset provision expiring the program on September 1, 2031.

REQUIREMENT

Added new subsection (e-1) requiring students to perform satisfactorily on each end-of-course assessment instrument before earning substituted credits for specific secondary-level courses.

TIMELINE

Added expiration date of September 1, 2031 to the program, replacing the indefinite duration implied in the original draft.

SCOPE

Added new subsection (j) establishing the program's expiration date.

TECHNICAL

Added official signatures, certification of passage votes, and enrolled version formatting including the President of the Senate, Speaker of the House, and Governor signatures.

Floor votes · House Apr 16, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 20, 2025

Signed into law

Signed by the Governor

executive

Jun 1, 2025

Upper · Passed

Signed in the Senate

upper

Jun 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

Signed in the House

lower

May 30, 2025

Introduced

House concurs in Senate amendment(s)-reported

upper

May 30, 2025

Introduced

Text of Senate Amendment(s)

lower

May 30, 2025

Introduced

House concurs in Senate amendment(s)

lower

May 29, 2025

Introduced

Senate Amendments Analysis distributed

lower

May 29, 2025

Introduced

Senate Amendments distributed

lower

May 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

Senate passage as amended reported

lower

May 29, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

May 29, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed to 3rd reading as amended

upper

May 29, 2025

Upper · Passed

Amended

upper

May 29, 2025

Introduced

Amendment(s) offered

upper

May 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee report printed and distributed

upper

May 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably w/o amendments

upper

May 27, 2025

Upper · Passed

Vote taken in committee

upper

May 22, 2025

Upper · Passed

Left pending in committee

upper

May 22, 2025

Upper · Passed

Testimony taken in committee

upper

Apr 23, 2025

Committee

Referred to Education K-16

upper

Apr 23, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

upper

Apr 16, 2025

Introduced

Received from the House

upper

Apr 16, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed

lower

Apr 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed to engrossment

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report sent to Calendars

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report distributed

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably as substituted

lower

Mar 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Recalled from subcommittee

lower

Mar 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

Left pending in subcommittee

lower

Mar 5, 2025

Lower · Passed

Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee

lower

Feb 25, 2025

Committee

Referred to s/c on Academic & Career-Oriented Education by Speaker

lower

Feb 25, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

lower

6 primary · 107 co-sponsors