SB 452
university boards must approve every department head hire
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 requiring the approval of the governing board of a public institution of higher education for the hiring of certain institution employees.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Boards of regents sign off on each one.
The bill requires the governing board of each Texas public college or university to approve or reject the hiring of every department head. It touches boards of regents, university administrators, and anyone hired to lead an academic or other department. Starting September 1, 2025, a school cannot hire a department head unless its board signs off on that hire.
Labels
Labels: QUICK READ: 135 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 135 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).PENDING FOREVER. Heard by the Senate Education K-16 committee on Mar 20, 2025 and left pending. Never voted out. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB452 · 2024-11-21
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to requiring the approval of the governing board of a public institution of higher education for the hiring of certain institution employees.
WHAT IT DOES
Boards of regents sign off on each one.
The bill requires the governing board of each Texas public college or university to approve or reject the hiring of every department head. It touches boards of regents, university administrators, and anyone hired to lead an academic or other department. Starting September 1, 2025, a school cannot hire a department head unless its board signs off on that hire.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source
Sources
Fiscal note · version I · March 19, 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
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Education K-16
- Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
- Considered in public hearing
- Testimony taken in committee
- Left pending in committee
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 · Jul 6, 2024 to Oct 24, 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$1,140,000.00
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$1,140,000.00
- Cash
- $1,140,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $1,140,000.00
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 21, 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: 101009502, 101012383, 101061137, 101072395, 101072779.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$1,140,000.00
- Cash
- $1,140,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $1,140,000.00
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 21, 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: 101009502, 101012383, 101061137, 101072395, 101072779.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source
Sources
Fiscal note · version I · March 19, 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 Nov 21, 2024
03/20/2025 S Left pending in committee
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 · Education K-16 · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
Education--Higher--Faculty
Education--Higher--Institutions & Programs
Text
The text as introduced · 135 words
89R3207 KJE-D By: Middleton S.B. No. 452 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to requiring the approval of the governing board of a public institution of higher education for the hiring of certain institution employees. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 51, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 51.3522 to read as follows: Sec. 51.3522. HIRING OF DEPARTMENT HEAD. (a) The governing board of an institution of higher education shall approve or disapprove the hiring of the head of each department at the institution. (b) An institution of higher education may not hire a person to act as the head of a department at the institution unless the governing board approves the hire. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.