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Bill

HB 419

Relating to establishing a minimum wage for school bus drivers.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Terry Meza

Texas bill establishing minimum wage standard for school bus drivers to improve workforce recruitment and retention amid ongoing staffing shortages.

Referred to Public Education
#education--primary&secondary--otherschoolpersonnel(i0246) #labor--wages(i0485) #minimumwage(s0029) #schoolbuses&schoolbusdrivers(s1346) #salaries&expenses(i0745)
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Bill Summary · HB 419

Legislative bill overview

HB 419 would establish a minimum wage requirement specifically for school bus drivers in Texas. The bill aims to set a baseline compensation standard for this transportation workforce, addressing what sponsors view as inadequate pay in the school bus driver labor market.

Why is this important

School bus drivers are critical infrastructure workers who transport hundreds of thousands of students daily, yet many positions experience high turnover due to low wages and benefits. This bill directly addresses workforce retention and recruitment challenges that have worsened post-pandemic, potentially affecting transportation reliability and student safety.

Potential points of contention

  • Funding source: School districts would need to absorb increased labor costs, potentially requiring budget reallocations from other programs or increased property tax pressure
  • Implementation variation: Texas has 1,000+ independent school districts with vastly different financial capacities; a statewide minimum may be insufficient in high cost-of-living areas or burdensome in rural districts
  • Labor market effects: Higher wages could reduce positions available if districts cannot expand budgets, or alternatively might attract more qualified drivers depending on implementation
  • State vs. local control: The bill represents state mandate over traditionally locally-controlled district budgeting decisions

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

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