Overview
- Gov. Greg Abbott announced the proposal Tuesday at a roundtable in Lubbock with law enforcement and school leaders where a survivor urged action to help other victims be seen sooner.
- Under the plan, convicted educators would face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and be required to register as sex offenders.
- The proposal would also bar community supervision, deferred adjudication, parole, and mandatory supervision for those convictions.
- Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows said the House will partner with Abbott to pursue the measures when lawmakers convene next year.
- Advocates and reporters note the plan builds on existing penalties and comes after a spike in misconduct reports in 2026, and critics say questions remain about whether longer prison terms alone will prevent abuse and how the law would be implemented.