Monitoring the Session

SB 533

Sparks’s bill moving every bond and tax election to November

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Kevin SparksRSenate 31

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 election date for the authorization of the issuance of bonds or a tax increase.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

No emergency elections for bonds, debt or tax increases.

The bill requires every election to approve bonds, other debt, or a tax increase to be held on the November uniform election date. It touches cities, counties, school districts and other local governments that put bond or tax measures to voters, and it bars them from using emergency elections for these measures. Local authorities must move such elections to November even when another law sets a different date, starting with elections ordered on or after September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R SB 946 (Did not pass) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 946 (Did not pass). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on Apr 1, 2025. Died in the House: never got out of the Pensions, Investments & Financial Services committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB533 · 2024-12-05

SOLD BY

Sen. Kevin SparksRSenate 31

ITEM

relating to the election date for the authorization of the issuance of bonds or a tax increase.

WHAT IT DOES

No emergency elections for bonds, debt or tax increases.

The bill requires every election to approve bonds, other debt, or a tax increase to be held on the November uniform election date. It touches cities, counties, school districts and other local governments that put bond or tax measures to voters, and it bars them from using emergency elections for these measures. Local authorities must move such elections to November even when another law sets a different date, starting with elections ordered on or after September 1, 2025.

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 12, 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. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to State Affairs
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Testimony taken in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in public hearing
  10. Vote taken in committee
  11. Reported favorably w/o amendments
  12. Committee report printed and distributed
  13. Placed on intent calendar
  14. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  15. Record vote
  16. Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
  17. Record vote
  18. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  19. Record vote
  20. Read 3rd time
  21. Passed
  22. Record vote
  23. Reported engrossed
  24. Received from the Senate
  25. Read first time
  26. Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Services
FILED UNDER

DEBT AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS

THE TEXT

“An election for the issuance of bonds or other debt or a tax increase shall be held on the November uniform election date.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill limits when local governments can ask voters to approve new bond debt or tax increases to the November election date.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 22 yea · 9 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · Apr 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

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Kevin Sparks

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$60KKyle & Jamie Stallings$25,000Tim Dunn$25,000

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 25, 2024 to Oct 23, 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$60,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$60,000.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$60,000.00

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 · Oct 15, 2024 to Oct 23, 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: 101012623, 101029380, 101072732.

Kyle & Jamie Stallings$25,000.00
Tim Dunn$25,000.00
Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$60,000.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$60,000.00

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 · Oct 15, 2024 to Oct 23, 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: 101012623, 101029380, 101072732.

Votes4

Senate Apr 1, 2025

Yea
22
Nay
9
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 22, Nays 9. (Same as previous roll call)

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

  • Yea: 22 (published)
  • Nay: 9 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 1, 2025

Yea
22
Nay
9
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Sparks moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration SB 533 at this time on its third reading and final passage: SB 533, Relating to the election date for the authorization of the issuance of bonds or a tax increase. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 22, Nays 9.

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

  • Yea: 22 (published)
  • Nay: 9 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 1, 2025

Yea
22
Nay
9
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment by the following vote: Yeas 22, Nays 9. (Same as previous roll call)

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

  • Yea: 22 (published)
  • Nay: 9 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 1, 2025

Yea
22
Nay
9
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Sparks moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration SB 533 at this time on its second reading: SB 533, Relating to the election date for the authorization of the issuance of bonds or a tax increase. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 22, Nays 9.

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

  • Yea: 22 (published)
  • Nay: 9 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses14
For
4
Against
9
On
1
Names

For

  • Self2 registrations
  • Self; Americans for Prosperity, Texas1 registration
  • Texas public policy foundation1 registration

Against

  • American Council of Engineering Companies of Texas1 registration
  • Bexar County Commissioners Court1 registration
  • City of Garland1 registration
  • City of Georgetown1 registration
  • Conference of Urban Counties1 registration
  • Dallas County1 registration
  • El Paso County1 registration
  • Harris County Commissioners Court1 registration
  • Texas Municipal League1 registration

On

  • Travis County Commissioners Court1 registration
Sources

14 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

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

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · March 12, 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.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R SB 946

by Sen. Sparks, same lead author · Did not pass · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Apr 13, 2023: Not again placed on intent calendar

Relating to the election date for the authorization of the issuance of bonds or a tax increase.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Dec 5, 2024

04/09/2025 H Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Services: Apr 9 2025 11:27AM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed

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

House committee · Pensions, Investments & Financial Services · Final status: Died in committee

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

Companion

HB 1519 by Schofield (identical)

Subjects

City Government--General

Elections--Administration

Elections--General

State Finances--Management & Control

Taxation--General

BONDS

Text

The text as introduced · 212 words

89R1496 MLH-D

By: Sparks
S.B. No. 533

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the election date for the authorization of the issuance

of bonds or a tax increase.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 41, Election Code, is

amended by adding Section 41.0051 to read as follows:

Sec. 41.0051. ELECTION TO ISSUE BONDS OR INCREASE TAXES.

(a) An election for the issuance of bonds or other debt or a tax

increase shall be held on the November uniform election date.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 41.0011, an election described

by Subsection (a) may not be held as an emergency election under

that section.

(c) If a law outside this code requires an election

described by Subsection (a) to be held on a date other than the

November uniform election date, the authority administering the

election shall set the election date to comply with this section.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to an election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act.

An election ordered before the effective date of this Act is

governed by the law in effect when the election was ordered.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.