The Released-Time Hall Pass
Dan Patrick's Capitol passed SB 1049 on excused absences for released-time courses, because school policy is now apparently a church-bell scheduling app.
The receipt
SB 1049's official Texas Legislature caption says it relates to "excused absences from public school for the purpose of attending a released time course."
The TLO history page lists SB 1049 as signed by the governor on June 20, 2025, and effective on September 1, 2025.
The Patrick problem
Public schools are already juggling attendance, instruction time, transportation, staffing, testing calendars, special services, and the normal daily magic trick of keeping hundreds of kids moving in the same direction.
Patrick's Capitol looked at that reality and said: what this needs is another ideologically loaded attendance lane.
Keep the claim where the source is
The same-run sources verify the caption, enrolled text, signed status, and effective date. They do not verify how districts will implement released-time absences, how many students will use them, whether instructional time changes, or whether any particular course provider benefits.
So the sourced claim stays narrow: SB 1049 is about excused public-school absences for released-time courses. Anything beyond that needs receipts.
Let schools teach, not stage-manage politics
Religious freedom does not require Dan Patrick turning public-school calendars into another campaign prop.
Vikki Goodwin is the better direction: respect families, support public schools, and stop treating classrooms like a Capitol message board.
Sources
Meet the alternative: Vikki Goodwin
Texas has a choice. State Rep. Vikki Goodwin is running for Lieutenant Governor on a platform of fully funding public schools, protecting the grid, and keeping government out of small businesses it doesn't understand. If you're tired of Dan Patrick's priorities, there's somewhere else to put your vote.