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HB 5979

AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Karen Alzate and 9 co-sponsors

HB 5979 - The Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act OverviewBill Number: HB 5979 Title: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT St

04/29/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · HB 5979

HB 5979 - The Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act

Overview

Bill Number: HB 5979
Title: AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION -- THE EDUCATION EQUITY AND PROPERTY TAX RELIEF ACT
Status: 04/29/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Introduced: September 26, 2024

Purpose and Intent

The primary goals of HB 5979 are to:

  1. Improve equity in education funding across the state by reforming the public school financing system.
  2. Provide property tax relief for homeowners and businesses by shifting more of the education funding burden to the state.

The bill aims to address longstanding disparities in educational resources and outcomes between high-wealth and low-wealth school districts, which have been exacerbated by the state's heavy reliance on local property taxes to fund public schools.

Key Provisions

The key changes proposed in HB 5979 include:

  • Establishing a new statewide education funding formula that reduces the role of local property taxes and increases state-level funding.
  • Increasing the state's contribution to per-pupil spending from 60% to 80%, with the remaining 20% coming from local property taxes.
  • Implementing a "district power equalizing" mechanism to ensure all districts can provide a base level of educational services regardless of local property wealth.
  • Providing a 20% property tax credit for homeowners and a 15% credit for businesses to offset the increased state-level education taxes.
  • Phasing in these changes over a 5-year period to allow for a smooth transition.

Affected Parties and Impacts

If enacted, HB 5979 would have the following impacts:

  • Students in low-wealth school districts would benefit from more equitable funding and resources, potentially improving educational outcomes.
  • Homeowners and businesses across the state would see a reduction in their property tax bills, providing financial relief.
  • School districts would need to adjust to the new funding formula and potentially make changes to their budgets and operations.
  • The state government would need to allocate significantly more funding for education, which could impact other areas of the state budget.

Procedural and Timeline Considerations

HB 5979 is currently in the committee review stage, with the committee recommending that the measure be held for further study. This means the bill will likely undergo additional analysis and revisions before potentially moving forward in the legislative process.

If the bill advances, the proposed changes would be phased in over a 5-year period to allow for a gradual transition. The full implementation of the new funding formula and property tax credits would not be complete until the

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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