Texas House Rep. Gary Gates authors bill establishing applied sciences pathway program

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Gary Gates aims to create the Applied Sciences Pathway program, which seeks to enable high school students to earn diplomas and higher education certificates simultaneously through partnerships with educational institutions, according to the Texas Legislature website.

In the House, 52 Democrats and 82 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, with no opposition.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 11 Democrats and 20 Republicans voted in favor, also with no opposing votes.

Gary Gates introduced the bill in the Texas House on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024, ahead of the official start of the 89th regular legislative session on Jan. 14, 2025.

Gates, a Republican, was elected to the Texas State House in 2020 to represent the state’s 28th House district, replacing previous state representative John Zerwas.

According to the Texas Legislature, the bill’s official text was summarized as follows: ‘Relating to establishing the Applied Sciences Pathway program’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill establishes the Applied Sciences Pathway program, allowing students to earn high school diplomas and higher education certificates simultaneously. Targeting industries such as plumbing, electrical, welding, and aviation maintenance, among others, the program fosters partnerships between school districts or charter schools and institutions of higher education. Students in 11th or 12th grade can enroll without cost in certificate programs, gaining work-based learning opportunities. The program permits credit substitution for graduation requirements with career and technology education courses, while ensuring necessary high school credits are maintained. This Act applies from the 2025-26 school year.

The bill was co-authored by Rep. Brooks Landgraf (Republican – District 81), Rep. Alma Allen (Democrat – District 131), and Rep. Jeff Leach (Republican – District 67), along with 101 other authors.

The bill received its final legislative approval on Friday, May 30, and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday, June 20.

Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.