HB 2164

graduation can’t move more than 30 miles away

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

Initial 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 a limitation on the location of a commencement ceremony held by a public institution of higher education.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Or to another county, unless the board votes after public testimony.

The bill bars a Texas public college or university from moving its graduation ceremony more than 30 miles away, or into a different county, from where the previous term's ceremony was held. The school's governing board can still approve a move, but only after taking it up in an open meeting where the public gets to testify. Students and families get notice and a chance to speak before a ceremony is relocated, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 1 Republican, 1 Democrat. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.QUICK READ: 143 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 143 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 Jan 28, 2025 and referred to the House Higher Education committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2164 · 2025-01-28

SOLD BY

Rep. Erin GámezDHouse 38

Rep. Janie LopezRHouse 37

ITEM

relating to a limitation on the location of a commencement ceremony held by a public institution of higher education.

WHAT IT DOES

Or to another county, unless the board votes after public testimony.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Jan 28, 2025Filed
Mar 14, 2025Read first time
Mar 14, 2025Referred to Higher Education

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Erin Gámez

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$23K AGAVE DEMOCRATIC INFRASRUCTURE FUND$18K Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$15K

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 · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 22, 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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$22,500.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$22,500.00

Cash: $22,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $22,500.00

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 · Jul 24, 2024 to Sep 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.

Report IDs: 100987285, 101012324, 101029258, 101060219, 101072494.

AGAVE DEMOCRATIC INFRASRUCTURE FUND$18,375.00

AGAVE DEMOCRATIC INFRASRUCTURE FUND

$18,375.00

Cash: $18,000.00
Paid by others: $375.00
Total: $18,375.00

consulting $375.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 22, 2024 to Jul 7, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 22, 2024 to Jul 7, 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: 100987285, 101029258.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$15,250.00

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$15,250.00

Cash: $15,000.00
Paid by others: $250.00
Total: $15,250.00

advertising $250.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 19, 2024 to Sep 17, 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: 100987285, 101012324, 101029258, 101069662.

Money

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

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$22,500.00

Cash: $22,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $22,500.00

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 · Jul 24, 2024 to Sep 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.

Report IDs: 100987285, 101012324, 101029258, 101060219, 101072494.

AGAVE DEMOCRATIC INFRASRUCTURE FUND

$18,375.00

Cash: $18,000.00
Paid by others: $375.00
Total: $18,375.00

consulting $375.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 22, 2024 to Jul 7, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 22, 2024 to Jul 7, 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: 100987285, 101029258.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$15,250.00

Cash: $15,000.00
Paid by others: $250.00
Total: $15,250.00

advertising $250.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 19, 2024 to Sep 17, 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: 100987285, 101012324, 101029258, 101069662.

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 28, 2025

03/14/2025 H Referred to Higher Education: Mar 14 2025 2:36PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

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

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

Subjects

Education--Higher--General

Open Meetings

Text

The text as introduced · 143 words

89R5392 RDR-D

By: Gámez
H.B. No. 2164

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a limitation on the location of a commencement ceremony

held by a public institution of higher education.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 51, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 51.360 to read as follows:

Sec. 51.360. LOCATION OF COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY. An

institution of higher education may not hold a commencement

ceremony more than 30 miles from or in a different county than the

location at which the ceremony was held for the previous semester or

term unless the institution's governing board approves the new

location after considering the matter in an open meeting with an

opportunity for public testimony as provided by Section 551.007(a),

Government Code.

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