HB 1961
Cain Bill Abolishes The County School Board In 3.3M+ Counties
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
Why it's charged
Bracket bill
THE TEXT
…“in a county with a population of 3.3 million or more is abolished”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The population cutoff limits the abolition to the very largest county or counties, while the caption says only "certain" boards. The caption does signal that the bill is narrow, so this is a mild instance.
Bracket billInitial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to abolishing certain county boards of education, boards of county school trustees, and offices of county school superintendent.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Only the very largest county or counties qualify. Leftovers go to school districts by student count.
The bill shuts down the county board of education, board of county school trustees, and county school superintendent's office in any county with 3.3 million or more people, effective September 1, 2025. The board's assets, debts, and contracts go to the county commissioners court, which must pay off the debts and split what is left among the local school districts by student count by September 1, 2026. The county school trustee race comes off the ballot, the 1965 law behind the board is repealed, and school districts take over collecting any back taxes the board was owed.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Jan 22, 2025 and referred to the House Public Education committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB1961 · 2025-01-22
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to abolishing certain county boards of education, boards of county school trustees, and offices of county school superintendent.
WHAT IT DOES
Only the very largest county or counties qualify. Leftovers go to school districts by student count.
The bill shuts down the county board of education, board of county school trustees, and county school superintendent's office in any county with 3.3 million or more people, effective September 1, 2025. The board's assets, debts, and contracts go to the county commissioners court, which must pay off the debts and split what is left among the local school districts by student count by September 1, 2026. The county school trustee race comes off the ballot, the 1965 law behind the board is repealed, and school districts take over collecting any back taxes the board was owed.
CHARGES
[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 50%
THE TEXT
…“in a county with a population of 3.3 million or more is abolished”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The population cutoff limits the abolition to the very largest county or counties, while the caption says only "certain" boards. The caption does signal that the bill is narrow, so this is a mild instance.
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Public Education
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
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 28, 2024 to May 28, 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.
Teans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$5,000.00
Teans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$5,000.00
- Cash
- $5,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $5,000.00
Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · on Jul 3, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · on Jul 3, 2025. 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: 101033926.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Teans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$5,000.00
- Cash
- $5,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $5,000.00
Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · on Jul 3, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · on Jul 3, 2025. 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: 101033926.
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 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Jan 22, 2025
03/14/2025 H Referred to Public Education: Mar 14 2025 2:36PM
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Public Education · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
Education--County Administration
Education--Primary & Secondary--General
Text
The text as introduced · 356 words
89R4822 MEW-D By: Cain H.B. No. 1961 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to abolishing certain county boards of education, boards of county school trustees, and offices of county school superintendent. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. (a) Each county board of education, board of county school trustees, and office of county school superintendent in a county with a population of 3.3 million or more is abolished effective September 1, 2025. (b) All assets, liabilities, and contracts of a board abolished by this Act are transferred to the commissioners court of the county in trust for the component school districts in the county. The commissioners court shall, not later than September 1, 2026, distribute the assets remaining after discharge of the board's liabilities to the component school districts in the county in proportionate shares equal to the proportion that the membership in each district bears to total membership in the county as of May 1, 2025. The commissioners court may liquidate board assets as necessary to discharge board liabilities and facilitate the distribution of assets. A person authorized by the board shall execute any documents necessary to complete the transfer of assets, liabilities, or contracts. (c) The component school districts of a board abolished by this Act shall collect and use any delinquent taxes imposed by the board in the manner provided by rule of the commissioner of education. SECTION 2. Section 52.092(e), Election Code, is amended to read as follows: (e) County offices shall be listed in the following order: (1) county judge; (2) judge, county court at law; (3) judge, county criminal court; (4) judge, county probate court; (5) county attorney; (6) district clerk; (7) district and county clerk; (8) county clerk; (9) sheriff; (10) sheriff and tax assessor-collector; (11) county tax assessor-collector; (12) county treasurer; (13) [ county school trustee (county with population of 3.3 million or more); [ (14) ] county surveyor. SECTION 3. Chapter 595 (H.B. 689), Acts of the 59th Legislature, Regular Session, 1965 (Article 2676c, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes), is repealed. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.