The law takes effect September 1, 2025, but the one change it makes does not apply until January 2028. That is after the November 2026 election and more than two years after the session.
Freshman and sophomore courses for Del Rio, Eagle Pass and Uvalde. Takes effect 2025, applies 2028!
The bill strikes the words "upper-level" from the state law describing Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College, the campus in Del Rio, Eagle Pass, and Uvalde. That lets the campus offer freshman and sophomore courses, not just junior, senior, and graduate courses, and it touches students, staff, and the Texas State University System regents who run the school. The change does not apply until January 1, 2028, so nothing changes on the ground for more than two years after the session.
Labels
Labels: DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 1960 (Did not pass). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 2 Republicans, 3 Democrats. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.QUICK READ: 138 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 138 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).
relating to the course levels offered at Sul Ross State University
Rio Grande College.
WHAT IT DOES
Freshman and sophomore courses for Del Rio, Eagle Pass and Uvalde. Takes effect 2025, applies 2028!
The bill strikes the words "upper-level" from the state law describing Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College, the campus in Del Rio, Eagle Pass, and Uvalde. That lets the campus offer freshman and sophomore courses, not just junior, senior, and graduate courses, and it touches students, staff, and the Texas State University System regents who run the school. The change does not apply until January 1, 2028, so nothing changes on the ground for more than two years after the session.
The law takes effect September 1, 2025, but the one change it makes does not apply until January 2028. That is after the November 2026 election and more than two years after the session.
TOTAL
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
Sources
Senator Blanco moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that HB 1022 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
Sources
Senator Blanco moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that HB 1022 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
89R216 JTZ-D
By: Morales of Maverick
H.B. No. 1022
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the course levels offered at Sul Ross State University
Rio Grande College.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 96.01, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 96.01. SUL ROSS STATE UNIVERSITY. Sul Ross State
University is a coeducational institution of higher education
located in the city of Alpine, with an [ upper-level ] educational
center known as Sul Ross State University Rio Grande College
operated in the cities of Del Rio, Eagle Pass, and Uvalde. The
university is under the management and control of the Board of
Regents, Texas State University System.
SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning January 1, 2028.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Monitoring 
