Monitoring the Session

HB 3546

bill letting school districts move trustee elections to November

Became law

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Armando "Mando" MartinezDHouse 39

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 the authority of an independent school district to change the date of the general election for officers.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Any independent school district, to the uniform date.

This bill lets the board of any independent school district in Texas that holds its trustee elections on a date other than the November uniform election date move those elections to November. It takes school districts out of an older provision that limited this option to places in a county with a population between 19,900 and 20,000, and it repeals a duplicate version of that provision passed in 2023. On the ground, school boards statewide gain a choice to put their trustee races on the November ballot, starting right away or on September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: INSTANT LAW. Took effect immediately, on Jun 20, 2025. 833 of the 1,185 graded 89R laws took effect Sep 1, 2025 (derived from the bill histories, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).CROSS-PARTY HANDOFF. Lead author Armando "Mando" Martinez (D) in the House. Lead sponsor Bryan Hughes (R) in the Senate. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3546 · 2025-02-28

SOLD BY

Rep. Armando "Mando" MartinezDHouse 39 Rep. Rafael AnchíaDHouse 103

ITEM

relating to the authority of an independent school district to change the date of the general election for officers.

WHAT IT DOES

Any independent school district, to the uniform date.

This bill lets the board of any independent school district in Texas that holds its trustee elections on a date other than the November uniform election date move those elections to November. It takes school districts out of an older provision that limited this option to places in a county with a population between 19,900 and 20,000, and it repeals a duplicate version of that provision passed in 2023. On the ground, school boards statewide gain a choice to put their trustee races on the November ballot, starting right away or on September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 21, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

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 Public Education
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Committee substitute considered in committee
  7. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in public hearing
  10. Committee substitute considered in committee
  11. Reported favorably as substituted
  12. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  13. Committee report distributed
  14. Committee report sent to Calendars
  15. Considered in Calendars
  16. Placed on General State Calendar
  17. Read 2nd time
  18. Passed to engrossment
  19. Record vote RV#1521
  20. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  21. Read 3rd time
  22. Passed
  23. Record vote RV#1598
  24. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  25. Reported engrossed
  26. Received from the House
  27. Read first time
  28. Referred to State Affairs
  29. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  30. Considered in public hearing
  31. Vote taken in committee
  32. Reported favorably w/o amendments
  33. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  34. Committee report printed and distributed
  35. Placed on local & uncontested calendar
  36. Laid before the Senate
  37. Read 2nd time & passed to 3rd reading
  38. Vote recorded in Journal
  39. Three day rule suspended
  40. Record vote
  41. Read 3rd time
  42. Passed
  43. Record vote
  44. Senate passage reported
  45. Reported enrolled
  46. Signed in the House
  47. Signed in the Senate
  48. Sent to the Governor
  49. Signed by the Governor
  50. Effective immediately
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 146 yea · 0 nay

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 7, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · May 28, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

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.

Votes5

Senate May 28, 2025

Final passage

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to third reading, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records final passage. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Sources

HB 3546 (Hughes) Relating to the authority of an independent school district to change the date of the general election for officers. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)

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.

Senate May 28, 2025

Suspension of the three-day rule

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to third reading, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records suspension of the three-day rule. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Sources

HB 3546 (Hughes) Relating to the authority of an independent school district to change the date of the general election for officers. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)

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.

Senate May 28, 2025

Passage to third reading

Yea
Not printed
Nay
Not printed
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to third reading, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records passage to third reading. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

HB 3546 (Hughes) Relating to the authority of an independent school district to change the date of the general election for officers. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)

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

  • Yea: Not printed
  • Nay: Not printed
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

House May 7, 2025

Yea
146
Nay
0
Present, not voting
1
Absent
3
Excused
0
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1598

HB 3546 was passed by (Record 1598): 146 Yeas, 0 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 146 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 1 (published)
  • Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

House May 6, 2025

Yea
142
Nay
0
Present, not voting
2
Absent
4
Excused
2
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1521

CSHB 3546 was passed to engrossment by (Record 1521): 142 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 142 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 2 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses10
For
7
Against
0
On
3
Names

For

  • Common Cause Texas1 registration
  • Self4 registrations
  • Texas Association of School Administrators1 registration
  • TX AFT1 registration

On

  • Secretary of State1 registration
  • TEA1 registration
  • Texas Education Agency1 registration
Sources

10 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.

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

Fiscal

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 21, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

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 Feb 28, 2025

06/20/2025 E Effective immediately

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed · Senate Committee Report · Enrolled

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

Sponsors
Bryan HughesRSenate 1

House committee · Public Education · Committee vote 15 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Senate committee · State Affairs · Committee vote 9 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Subjects

Education--School Districts

Elections--General

Elections--School District

Text

The text as introduced · 296 words

89R9566 AB-D

By: Martinez
H.B. No. 3546

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of an independent school district to

change the date of the general election for officers.

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

SECTION 1. Section 41.0052, Election Code, is amended by

amending Subsection (a-1), as added by Chapter 985 (S.B. 2620),

Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, and adding

Subsection (f) to read as follows:

(a-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a municipality[ ,

independent school district, ] or hospital district wholly or partly

located in a county with a population of more than 19,900 and less

than 20,000 that holds its general election for officers on a date

other than the November uniform election date may change the date on

which it holds its general election for officers to the November

uniform election date.

(f) The governing body of an independent school district

that holds its general election for officers on a date other than

the November uniform election date may change the date on which it

holds its general election for officers to the November uniform

election date.

SECTION 2. Section 41.0052(a-1), Election Code, as added by

Chapter 1160 (S.B. 1131), Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular

Session, 2023, is repealed.

SECTION 3. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails

over another Act of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025,

relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted

codes.

SECTION 4. 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.