SB 2540

bill on land swaps between neighboring school districts

Did not pass

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 the terms of certain agreements involving minor boundary adjustments between two contiguous school districts.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

The agreement lists what restrictions follow the land, and who owes what.

The bill says that when two neighboring school districts sign an agreement to shift a small piece of territory from one to the other, the agreement must list any restrictions, covenants or contracts that will keep applying to the land after the transfer, plus a short explanation of each district's rights and duties under those terms. It touches school districts making minor boundary swaps and the owners of land in the transferred territory. Agreements signed on or after January 1, 2025, must carry these terms, and for agreements signed before the law takes effect on September 1, 2025, those terms count as effective from January 1, 2025, or a later date the districts pick.

Labels

Labels: GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on May 1, 2025. Died in the House: voted out of the Public Education committee 13-0, no floor vote.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2540 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Sen. Robert NicholsRSenate 3

ITEM

relating to the terms of certain agreements involving minor boundary adjustments between two contiguous school districts.

WHAT IT DOES

The agreement lists what restrictions follow the land, and who owes what.

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 7, 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

Mar 13, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Mar 13, 2025Filed
Apr 3, 2025Read first time
Apr 3, 2025Referred to Education K-16
Apr 15, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 15, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 15, 2025Testimony taken in committee
Apr 15, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 16, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 16, 2025Vote taken in committee
Apr 22, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendments
Apr 22, 2025Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
Apr 22, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
Apr 24, 2025Placed on intent calendar
May 1, 2025Placed on local & uncontested calendar
Apr 30, 2025Not again placed on intent calendar
May 1, 2025Laid before the Senate
May 1, 2025Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
May 1, 2025Vote recorded in Journal
May 1, 2025Three day rule suspended
May 1, 2025Record vote
May 1, 2025Read 3rd time
May 1, 2025Passed
May 1, 2025Record vote
May 1, 2025Reported engrossed
May 1, 2025Received from the Senate
May 2, 2025Read first time
May 2, 2025Referred to Public Education
May 20, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
May 20, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 20, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
May 20, 2025Left pending in committee
May 21, 2025Considered in formal meeting
May 21, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 22, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 22, 2025Committee report distributed
May 23, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 24, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 26, 2025Placed on General State Calendar

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 30 yea · 1 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · May 1, 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

Robert Nichols

Donors

James I Perkins$25,000Advanced Drainage Systems Inc. PAC$10K Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$10K

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 2, 2024 to Mar 25, 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.

James I Perkins$25,000.00

Advanced Drainage Systems Inc. PAC$10,000.00

Advanced Drainage Systems Inc. PAC

$10,000.00

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

Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 5, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 5, 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: 100965387.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$10,000.00

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$10,000.00

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

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 · on Dec 5, 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: 100965387.

Money

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

Advanced Drainage Systems Inc. PAC

$10,000.00

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

Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 5, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 5, 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: 100965387.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$10,000.00

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

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 · on Dec 5, 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: 100965387.

Votes3

Senate May 1, 2025

Final passage

Yea: 30
Nay: 1
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

SparksNay

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

Senate journal

Names were not printed for yea. Only the named positions are included in member records.

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

Sources

SB 2540 (Nichols) Relating to the terms of certain agreements involving minor boundary adjustments between two contiguous school districts. (viva voce vote) (30-1) "Nay" Sparks (30-1) "Nay" Sparks

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

Yea: 30 (published)
Nay: 1 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

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

Senate May 1, 2025

Suspension of the three-day rule

Yea: 30
Nay: 1
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

SparksNay

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

Senate journal

Names were not printed for yea. Only the named positions are included in member records.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, 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

SB 2540 (Nichols) Relating to the terms of certain agreements involving minor boundary adjustments between two contiguous school districts. (viva voce vote) (30-1) "Nay" Sparks (30-1) "Nay" Sparks

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

Yea: 30 (published)
Nay: 1 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

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

Senate May 1, 2025

Passage to engrossment

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 engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records passage to engrossment. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

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

Sources

SB 2540 (Nichols) Relating to the terms of certain agreements involving minor boundary adjustments between two contiguous school districts. (viva voce vote) (30-1) "Nay" Sparks (30-1) "Nay" Sparks

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.

Witnesses6

For: 3
Against: 0
On: 3

Names

For

Chevron Phillips Chemical1 registration
Chevron Phillips Chemical LP1 registration
Self1 registration

On

Self1 registration
TEA1 registration
Texas Education Agency1 registration

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.

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 7, 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 Senate · Filed Mar 13, 2025

05/26/2025 H Placed on General State Calendar

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

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

Companion

HB 4618 by Phelan (identical)

Subjects

Education--School Districts

Text

The text as introduced · 195 words

By: Nichols
S.B. No. 2540

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the terms of certain agreements involving minor

boundary adjustments between two contiguous school districts.

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

SECTION 1. Section 13.231, Education Code, is amended by

adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows:

(c) An agreement executed under this section on or after

January 1, 2025, must include, if applicable:

(1) any term or terms of the agreement, including

restrictions, covenants, or contracts, that will continue to apply

in force and effect with respect to the real property in the

territory following the transfer of that territory from one school

district to the other; and

(2) a brief explanation of the privileges, rights, and

responsibilities of each school district with respect to a term

described under Subdivision (1).

(d) For an agreement executed under this section on or after

January 1, 2025, but before the effective date of this Act, a term

described under Subsection (c)(1) is effective as of January 1,

2025, or a subsequent date agreed to by the parties.

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