HB 3571
bill requiring challenged candidates be party to eligibility suits
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
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 requirements for a judicial action in which a candidate's eligibility is in issue.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Sue over a candidate, include the candidate.
The bill says that in any court case over whether a candidate is eligible to run, the candidate being challenged must be made a party to the case. It touches candidates, the people who sue over candidate eligibility, and the courts that hear those suits. On the ground, a challenger can no longer get a candidate knocked off the ballot in a lawsuit without the candidate being part of the case, starting with suits filed on or after September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 3, 2025 and referred to the House Elections committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB3571 · 2025-03-03
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to requirements for a judicial action in which a candidate's eligibility is in issue.
WHAT IT DOES
Sue over a candidate, include the candidate.
The bill says that in any court case over whether a candidate is eligible to run, the candidate being challenged must be made a party to the case. It touches candidates, the people who sue over candidate eligibility, and the courts that hear those suits. On the ground, a challenger can no longer get a candidate knocked off the ballot in a lawsuit without the candidate being part of the case, starting with suits filed on or after September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Elections
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 Oct 12, 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$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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 1, 2024 to Apr 1, 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: 100986920, 101030360, 101059410.
Houston Federation of Teachers COPE$7,000.00
Houston Federation of Teachers COPE
$7,000.00
- Cash
- $7,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $7,000.00
Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Dec 11, 2024 to Jun 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · on Dec 11, 2024. 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: 100986920.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 1, 2024 to Apr 1, 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: 100986920, 101030360, 101059410.
Houston Federation of Teachers COPE
$7,000.00
- Cash
- $7,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $7,000.00
Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Dec 11, 2024 to Jun 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · on Dec 11, 2024. 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: 100986920.
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 Mar 3, 2025
03/25/2025 H Referred to Elections: Mar 25 2025 3:26PM
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 · Elections · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
Elections--Candidates
Elections--Judicial
Text
The text as introduced · 170 words
89R15628 MPF-D By: Jones of Harris H.B. No. 3571 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to requirements for a judicial action in which a candidate's eligibility is in issue. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 145, Election Code, is amended by adding Section 145.006 to read as follows: Sec. 145.006. CHALLENGED CANDIDATE AS NECESSARY PARTY IN JUDICIAL ACTION ON ELIGIBILITY. In any judicial action in which a candidate's eligibility is in issue, the candidate whose eligibility is in issue is a necessary party to the proceedings. SECTION 2. Section 145.006, Election Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a judicial action instituted on or after the effective date of this Act. A judicial action instituted before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the action was instituted, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.