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SB875

In Calendar Committee in Other Chamber
Authored by Brian Birdwell (R)
View at Source

Caption: Relating to prohibiting election activities committed by a member of the board of trustees or superintendent of an independent school district or on certain school district premises; creating criminal offenses.
Initially Referred to Senate State Affairs Committee, chaired by a Republican
Last Referred to House Public Education Committee, chaired by a Republican

SB 875 aims to prohibit electioneering by school district officials using public resources. The bill makes it a Class A misdemeanor for school board trustees or superintendents to use school district resources, such as email systems or district-sponsored events, to campaign for or against candidates, measures, or political parties. It also criminalizes the posting of political signs on school district premises outside of designated voting periods, with violations constituting a Class B misdemeanor.

Co-authors: Bettencourt (R)
Sponsors: Cunningham (R)

(S) Cunningham signed onto the bill as

Jan 22, 2025

(S) Birdwell signed onto the bill as Author
(S) Received by the Secretary of the Senate
(S) Filed

Feb 13, 2025

(S) Read first time
(S) Referred to the Senate State Affairs, chaired by a Republican

Mar 10, 2025

(S) Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
(S) Considered in public hearing
(S) Testimony taken in committee
(S) Left pending in committee

Mar 12, 2025

(S) Bettencourt signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(S) Co-author authorized

Mar 13, 2025

(S) Considered in public hearing
(S) Vote taken in committee

Mar 17, 2025

(S) Reported favorably w/o amendments
(S) Committee report printed and distributed

Mar 19, 2025

(S) Placed on intent calendar

Mar 31, 2025

(S) Rules suspended-Regular order of business
(S) Record vote

20250331_SB875_2R: Yea 21 (R 19, D 2) - Nay 9 (R 0, D 9)
Yea - A. Hinojosa; Bettencourt; Birdwell; Blanco; Campbell; Creighton; Flores; Hagenbuch; Hall; Hancock; Huffman; Hughes; J. Hinojosa; Kolkhorst; Middleton; Nichols; Parker; Paxton; Perry; Schwertner; Sparks
Nay - Alvarado; Cook; Eckhardt; Gutierrez; Johnson; Menendez; Miles; West; Zaffirini
Absent - King
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

(S) Read 2nd time
(S) Amendment(s) offered

20250331_SB875_FA1: Yea 21 (R 19, D 2) - Nay 9 (R 0, D 9)
Yea - A. Hinojosa; Bettencourt; Birdwell; Blanco; Campbell; Creighton; Flores; Hagenbuch; Hall; Hancock; Huffman; Hughes; J. Hinojosa; Kolkhorst; Middleton; Nichols; Parker; Paxton; Perry; Schwertner; Sparks
Nay - Alvarado; Cook; Eckhardt; Gutierrez; Johnson; Menendez; Miles; West; Zaffirini
Absent - King
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

(S) Amended
(S) Vote recorded in Journal
(S) Passed to engrossment as amended

20250331_SB875_E: Yea 21 (R 19, D 2) - Nay 9 (R 0, D 9)
Yea - A. Hinojosa; Bettencourt; Birdwell; Blanco; Campbell; Creighton; Flores; Hagenbuch; Hall; Hancock; Huffman; Hughes; J. Hinojosa; Kolkhorst; Middleton; Nichols; Parker; Paxton; Perry; Schwertner; Sparks
Nay - Alvarado; Cook; Eckhardt; Gutierrez; Johnson; Menendez; Miles; West; Zaffirini
Absent - King
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

(S) Record vote

Apr 1, 2025

(S) Rules suspended-Regular order of business
(S) Record vote
(S) Read 3rd time
(S) Passed

20250401_SB875_3R: Yea 21 (R 19, D 2) - Nay 10 (R 1, D 9)
Yea - A. Hinojosa; Bettencourt; Birdwell; Blanco; Campbell; Creighton; Flores; Hagenbuch; Hall; Hancock; Huffman; Hughes; J. Hinojosa; King; Kolkhorst; Nichols; Parker; Paxton; Perry; Schwertner; Sparks
Nay - Alvarado; Cook; Eckhardt; Gutierrez; Johnson; Menendez; Middleton; Miles; West; Zaffirini
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

(S) Record vote
(S) Reported engrossed

Apr 2, 2025

(H) Received from the Senate

Apr 22, 2025

(H) Read first time
(H) Referred to the House Public Education, chaired by a Republican

May 19, 2025

(H) Posting rule suspended

May 20, 2025

(H) Scheduled for public hearing on . . .

May 21, 2025

(H) Considered in formal meeting
(H) Failed to receive affirmative vote in comm.
(H) Left pending in committee
(H) Considered in formal meeting
(H) Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

May 23, 2025

(H) Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
(H) Committee report distributed
(H) Committee report sent to Calendars

May 24, 2025

(H) Considered in Calendars

Lobbying Against/For/On This Bill

Against

(Mon 3/10/2025) Registering before S State Affairs as Emily French for Common Cause Texas
(Mon 3/10/2025) Registering before S State Affairs as HD Chambers for Texas School Alliance
(Tue 5/20/2025) Registering before H Public Education as John Mckiernan-Gonzalez for self
(Tue 5/20/2025) Registering before H Public Education as Steven Deline for self

For

(Mon 3/10/2025) Testifying before S State Affairs as Fran Rhodes for self (with True Texas Project)
(Tue 5/20/2025) Testifying before H Public Education as James Quintero for Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF)
(Tue 5/20/2025) Registering before H Public Education as Anne Newman for self
(Mon 3/10/2025) Registering before S State Affairs as Ed Johnson for self (with Harris County Ballot Security)
(Tue 5/20/2025) Registering before H Public Education as HEATH WESTER for self (with TEXAS ISD POLICE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION)
(Tue 5/20/2025) Registering before H Public Education as Karen Marshall for self
(Mon 3/10/2025) Registering before S State Affairs as Michelle Evans for self

(Mon 3/10/2025) Testifying before S State Affairs as Ernest Garcia for Office of the Attorney General
(Tue 5/20/2025) Registering before H Public Education as Ernest Garcia for Office of the Attorney General
(Mon 3/10/2025) Registering before S State Affairs as Ruben Longoria for Texas Association of School Boards (TASB)