HB 1311

Hickland’s bill barring school boards from gagging trustees

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

Initial review · graded Oct 19, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to a limitation on rules, bylaws, and policies adopted by a school district's board of trustees.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

No policy limiting a trustee’s opinion on any district matter.

The bill bars school district boards of trustees from adopting or enforcing any rule, bylaw, or policy that limits a trustee from sharing their opinion on a board vote or any other district matter. It touches every school board in Texas and the individual trustees who sit on them. Boards can no longer use internal policies to silence or discipline a trustee for speaking out about district business, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: QUICK READ: 121 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 121 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).NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 13, 2024 and referred to the House Public Education committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1311 · 2024-11-13

SOLD BY

Rep. Hillary HicklandRHouse 55

+ 2 coauthors

ITEM

relating to a limitation on rules, bylaws, and policies adopted by a school district's board of trustees.

WHAT IT DOES

No policy limiting a trustee’s opinion on any district matter.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Nov 13, 2024Filed
Mar 10, 2025Read first time
Mar 10, 2025Referred to Public Education

FILED UNDER

Beats not yet reviewed.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Hillary Hickland

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$310K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$135K Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$25K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$310,226.49

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$310,226.49

Cash: $50,000.00
Paid by others: $260,226.49
Total: $310,226.49

mail $134,060.64advertising $105,955.50polling $20,210.35

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 30, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101005755, 101019808, 101048921, 101069141, 101072319.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$135,152.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$135,152.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $125,152.00
Total: $135,152.00

canvassing $125,152.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 8, 2026 to Sep 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069141.

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$25,000.00

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC

$25,000.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $25,000.00

Also funds 32 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 20, 2026 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069141.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$310,226.49

Cash: $50,000.00
Paid by others: $260,226.49
Total: $310,226.49

mail $134,060.64advertising $105,955.50polling $20,210.35

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 30, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101005755, 101019808, 101048921, 101069141, 101072319.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$135,152.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $125,152.00
Total: $135,152.00

canvassing $125,152.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 8, 2026 to Sep 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069141.

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC

$25,000.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $25,000.00

Also funds 32 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 20, 2026 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069141.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 19, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Nov 13, 2024

03/10/2025 H Referred to Public Education: Mar 10 2025 2:24PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors

Pat CurryRHouse 56

Cody VasutRHouse 25

House committee · Public Education · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 1972 by Middleton (identical)

Subjects

Education--School Districts

Text

The text as introduced · 121 words

By: Hickland
H.B. No. 1311

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a limitation on rules, bylaws, and policies adopted by a

school district's board of trustees.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 11.151(d), Education Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(d) The trustees may adopt rules and bylaws necessary to

carry out the powers and duties provided by Subsection (b). The

trustees may not adopt or enforce a rule, bylaw, or any other policy

that restricts a trustee's ability to share the trustee's opinion on

a matter voted on by the board of trustees or any other school

district matter.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.