Monitoring the Session

HB 2088

Martinez Law School Bill Bars State Money Through August 2031

Did not pass

Verdict: Smells

SmellsNeeds review
Rep. Armando "Mando" MartinezDHouse 39
Both charges, and why
Delayed start

THE TEXT

…“state fiscal biennium ending on or before August 31, 2031.”

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

The bill bars state appropriations for the law school through the budget period ending August 31, 2031, after the next general election. Gifts, grants or other available funding could support it before then.

Delayed start
Study, task force, commission, report

THE TEXT

…“coordinating board to prepare a feasibility study to determine the”…

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

A school cannot be established until the coordinating board does a feasibility study on accreditation. That study is a required step before any action.

Study, task force, commission, report
Corrected Oct 31, 2026

Corrected Oct 31, 2026 · We checked this summary against the bill text and fixed it.

Needs review · Nov 1, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the establishment of a public law school in the Rio Grande Valley.

Caption from analyzed text · version H.

Summary

Feasibility study first. Before state appropriations become available, gifts, grants or other funding could support the school.

The bill lets a Texas university system open a public law school in Cameron County or Hidalgo County, but it does not require one. It touches university system boards, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and students in the Rio Grande Valley who want to study law. Before any school opens, the coordinating board must do a feasibility study, the school depends on finding money, and no state money can be appropriated for it until the budget period that starts after August 31, 2031.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 1077 (Died in committee) and this bill (Did not pass). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 1077 (Died in committee). 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.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 10, 2025. Died in the Senate: received, never referred to a committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2088 · 2025-01-24

SOLD BY

Rep. Armando "Mando" MartinezDHouse 39

ITEM

relating to the establishment of a public law school in the Rio Grande Valley.

WHAT IT DOES

Feasibility study first. Before state appropriations become available, gifts, grants or other funding could support the school.

The bill lets a Texas university system open a public law school in Cameron County or Hidalgo County, but it does not require one. It touches university system boards, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and students in the Rio Grande Valley who want to study law. Before any school opens, the coordinating board must do a feasibility study, the school depends on finding money, and no state money can be appropriated for it until the budget period that starts after August 31, 2031.

CHARGES

[x] DELAYED STARTanalysis confidence 75%

THE TEXT

…“state fiscal biennium ending on or before August 31, 2031.”

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

The bill bars state appropriations for the law school through the budget period ending August 31, 2031, after the next general election. Gifts, grants or other available funding could support it before then.

[x] STUDY, TASK FORCE, COMMISSION, REPORTanalysis confidence 45%

THE TEXT

…“coordinating board to prepare a feasibility study to determine the”…

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

A school cannot be established until the coordinating board does a feasibility study on accreditation. That study is a required step before any action.

TOTAL

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026$0

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version I · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 28, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2088, As Introduced: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2027; however there would be costs related to the establishment of the law school beginning in fiscal year 2032. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

First year · FY 2026 · $0

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Higher Education
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  7. Left pending in committee
  8. Considered in formal meeting
  9. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  10. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  11. Committee report distributed
  12. Committee report sent to Calendars
  13. Considered in Calendars
  14. Placed on General State Calendar
  15. Read 2nd time
  16. Amended 1-Martinez
  17. Passed to engrossment as amended
  18. Record vote RV#1936
  19. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  20. Read 3rd time
  21. Passed
  22. Record vote RV#2021
  23. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  24. Reported engrossed
  25. Received from the House
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 93 yea · 34 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 10, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Armando "Mando" Martinez

Donors

Border Health PAC$10KMarc Rodriguez$9,500Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$9K

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 Jun 26, 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.

Border Health PAC$10,000.00

Border Health PAC

$10,000.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$10,000.00

Also funds 17 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 26, 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: 101026922.

Marc Rodriguez$9,500.00
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$9,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$9,000.00

Cash
$9,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$9,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 10, 2024 to Apr 8, 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: 100979779, 101026922, 101055340.

Money

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

×

Border Health PAC

$10,000.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$10,000.00

Also funds 17 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 26, 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: 101026922.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$9,000.00

Cash
$9,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$9,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 10, 2024 to Apr 8, 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: 100979779, 101026922, 101055340.

Votes2

House May 10, 2025

Yea
93
Nay
34
Present, not voting
2
Absent
6
Excused
15
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 2021

HB 2088 was passed by (Record 2021): 93 Yeas, 34 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 93 (published)
  • Nay: 34 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 6 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 15 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

House May 9, 2025

Yea
108
Nay
32
Present, not voting
1
Absent
2
Excused
7
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 1936

HB 2088, as amended, was passed to engrossment by (Record 1936): 108 Yeas, 32 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 108 (published)
  • Nay: 32 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 1 (published)
  • Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 7 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses6
For
6
Against
0
On
0
Names

For

  • DFER TX1 registration
  • Self5 registrations
Sources

6 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal
Net to General Revenue · FY 2026$0

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version I · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 28, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2088, As Introduced: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2027; however there would be costs related to the establishment of the law school beginning in fiscal year 2032. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

First year · FY 2026 · $0

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Adversarial review by claude-opus-5-5 at high effort: Smells.

Analysis of text version H by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 1077

by Rep. Martinez, same lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 2, 2023: Referred to Higher Education

Relating to the establishment of a public law school in the Rio Grande Valley.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Jan 24, 2025

05/12/2025 S Received from the House

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 1:43 PM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Higher Education · Committee vote 9 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Subjects

Education--Higher--Institutions & Programs

Lawyers

RIO GRANDE VALLEY SCHOOL OF LAW

HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD, TEXAS

Text

The text as introduced · 461 words

89R4336 AND-D

By: Martinez
H.B. No. 2088

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the establishment of a public law school in the Rio

Grande Valley.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 61.0905 to read as follows:

Sec. 61.0905. RIO GRANDE VALLEY SCHOOL OF LAW. (a) The

governing board of a university system may establish and operate,

as a professional school of the system, a school of law in Cameron

County or Hidalgo County as the governing board considers

appropriate.

(b) In administering the law school, the governing board may

prescribe courses leading to customary degrees offered at other

leading American schools of law and may award those degrees.

(c) The governing board may assign responsibility for the

management of the law school to a general academic teaching

institution in the university system.

(d) The governing board may accept and administer gifts and

grants from any public or private person or entity for the use and

benefit of the law school. Notwithstanding any other provision of

this section, establishment of a law school under this section is

subject to the availability of funding, either through

appropriation or from another source.

(e) The governing board of a university system that intends

to establish a law school under this section shall notify the Texas

Higher Education Coordinating Board. If the coordinating board

receives notification under this subsection from more than one

governing board, the coordinating board shall determine which of

those governing boards may establish a law school under this

section. The coordinating board must base the determination on the

need for a law school in a geographic area, potential student

demand, available system resources, the feasibility of the specific

proposal of each system, and other criteria the coordinating board

considers appropriate.

(f) Before the governing board establishes a law school

under this section, the governing board shall request the

coordinating board to prepare a feasibility study to determine the

actions the system must take to obtain accreditation of the law

school. The coordinating board shall deliver a copy of the study to

the governing board and to the chair of each legislative standing

committee with jurisdiction over higher education.

SECTION 2. For the purposes of Section 61.0905, Education

Code, as added by this Act, no state funds may be appropriated for a

state fiscal biennium ending on or before August 31, 2031.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.