Monitoring the Session

SB 2960

bill changing continuing education for tax appeal arbitrators

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Adam HinojosaRSenate 27

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 continuing education required in order for a person to renew the person's agreement with the comptroller of public accounts to serve as an arbitrator in an appeal through binding arbitration of an appraisal review board order determining a protest.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Applies when arbitrators renew with the comptroller.

The bill changes the continuing education rules for people who renew their agreement with the comptroller to serve as property tax appeal arbitrators. It keeps the eight-hour requirement but lets the hours count if they are part of a continuing legal education course approved by the state bar or the supreme court, in addition to courses offered by universities, colleges, real estate trade associations or legal associations. Arbitrators, many of them lawyers, get another way to meet the requirement starting September 1, 2025.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2960 · 2025-03-14

SOLD BY

Sen. Adam HinojosaRSenate 27

ITEM

relating to the continuing education required in order for a person to renew the person's agreement with the comptroller of public accounts to serve as an arbitrator in an appeal through binding arbitration of an appraisal review board order determining a protest.

WHAT IT DOES

Applies when arbitrators renew with the comptroller.

The bill changes the continuing education rules for people who renew their agreement with the comptroller to serve as property tax appeal arbitrators. It keeps the eight-hour requirement but lets the hours count if they are part of a continuing legal education course approved by the state bar or the supreme court, in addition to courses offered by universities, colleges, real estate trade associations or legal associations. Arbitrators, many of them lawyers, get another way to meet the requirement starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Local Government
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Adam Hinojosa

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$100KMayes Middleton$34,597Greg Abbott Campaign$33K

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 May 5, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$100,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$100,000.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$100,000.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 28, 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: 100989239.

Mayes Middleton$34,596.72
Greg Abbott Campaign$33,489.82

Greg Abbott Campaign

$33,489.82

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$33,489.82
Total
$33,489.82
travel $16,942.43text $12,002.83event $4,544.56

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 29, 2024 to Sep 2, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Nov 12, 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: 100989239.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$100,000.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$100,000.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 28, 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: 100989239.

×

Greg Abbott Campaign

$33,489.82

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$33,489.82
Total
$33,489.82
travel $16,942.43text $12,002.83event $4,544.56

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 29, 2024 to Sep 2, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Nov 12, 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: 100989239.

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 Senate · Filed Mar 14, 2025

04/07/2025 S Referred to Local Government

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

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

Senate committee · Local Government · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

HB 3307 by Noble (identical)

Subjects

Occupational Regulation--Other Trades & Professions

Taxation--Property-Appeal of Tax Decisions

Taxation--Property-Appraisals & Appraisal Districts

Taxation--Property-State Administration

CONTINUING EDUCATION

MEDIATION, DISPUTE RESOLUTION, & ARBITRATION

COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS

Text

The text as introduced · 253 words

89R9366 PRL-F

By: Hinojosa of Nueces
S.B. No. 2960

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the continuing education required in order for a person

to renew the person's agreement with the comptroller of public

accounts to serve as an arbitrator in an appeal through binding

arbitration of an appraisal review board order determining a

protest.

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

SECTION 1. Section 41A.061(b), Tax Code, is amended to read

as follows:

(b) To renew the person's agreement to serve as an

arbitrator, the person must:

(1) file a renewal application with the comptroller at

the time and in the manner prescribed by the comptroller;

(2) continue to meet the requirements provided by

Sections 41A.06(b)(1) and (4);

(3) during the preceding two years have completed at

least eight hours of continuing education in arbitration and

alternative dispute resolution procedures :

(A) offered by a university, college, real estate

trade association, or legal association ; or

(B) included in a continuing legal education

course approved by the state bar or the supreme court ; and

(4) complete a revised training program on property

tax law for the training and education of arbitrators established

under Section 5.043 not later than the 120th day after the date the

program is available to be taken if the comptroller:

(A) revises the program after the person is

included in the registry; and

(B) determines that the program is substantially

revised.

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