Gov. Greg Abbott has vetoed a bill that would have allowed public school teachers to serve on local appraisal review boards, siding with conservative lawmakers who argued the measure created a clear conflict of interest.
Senate Bill 974, authored by Democrat Sen. Sarah Eckhardt and carried in the House by Democrat Rep. Chris Turner, was narrowly passed by the legislature but drew significant opposition from Republicans. The bill would have made teachers the only class of government employees allowed to sit on the boards that hear taxpayer protests of property valuations—decisions that directly impact school funding.
In his veto proclamation issued late Sunday night, Abbott made it clear he still had concerns about the potential for bias.
“Appraisal review boards serve as arbiters in the local property tax imposition process,” Abbott wrote. “And it is imperative that board members are free from allegations that their profession colors their judgment, especially when one of the entities that could benefit from a board decision may be a board member’s employer.”
The bill had sparked controversy during floor debate, with 42 House members later signing a letter urging the governor to reject the measure. Critics said it opened the door to undue influence from taxing entities, particularly school districts.
Under the bill, teachers would have been allowed to serve on appraisal review boards, while a new provision would have criminalized any attempt by school board members or district staff to influence a teacher serving in that role. Supporters argued that the criminal penalty provided adequate safeguards, but opponents weren’t convinced.
Abbott vetoed a similar measure in the previous legislative session, and despite its revised language, he did so again—underscoring that even perceived conflicts are unacceptable in the appraisal process.
The bill is now dead unless revived in a future session.
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