SB 550

Kolkhorst Bill Posts College Pay Over $100K, Minus The Exempted

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Sen. Lois KolkhorstRSenate 18

Why it's charged

The hole

THE TEXT

“disclosure of the information poses a substantial risk of placing the institution at a serious competitive disadvantage”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The commissioner can pull any name off the list on a vague competitive-disadvantage finding, which could shield the highest-paid hires the report is meant to expose. The exemption is discretionary and person-by-person, so most of the list likely stays covered.

The hole

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 public institutions of higher education to post information regarding the compensation of certain employees and independent contractors on the institution's Internet website.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

The commissioner can pull any name on a “serious competitive disadvantage” finding. Even the highest-paid ones.

Public colleges and universities in Texas must post a yearly report by December 1 listing the name and pay of every employee or independent contractor paid more than $100,000 a year. The report must sit behind a conspicuous link on the school's home page, and the first one is due December 1, 2025. The commissioner of higher education can exempt specific people from the list if their information is confidential by law or if disclosure would put the school at a serious competitive disadvantage.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Dec 6, 2024 and referred to the Senate Education K-16 committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB550 · 2024-12-06

SOLD BY

Sen. Lois KolkhorstRSenate 18

ITEM

relating to requiring public institutions of higher education to post information regarding the compensation of certain employees and independent contractors on the institution's Internet website.

WHAT IT DOES

The commissioner can pull any name on a “serious competitive disadvantage” finding. Even the highest-paid ones.

CHARGES

[x] THE HOLEanalysis confidence 45%

THE TEXT

“disclosure of the information poses a substantial risk of placing the institution at a serious competitive disadvantage”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Dec 6, 2024Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Dec 6, 2024Filed
Feb 3, 2025Read first time
Feb 3, 2025Referred to Education K-16

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Lois Kolkhorst

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$60K Border Health PAC$35K SRR Ranches, LLC$30K

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 11, 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 · Nov 19, 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: 101007416, 101012417, 101070754.

Border Health PAC$35,000.00

Border Health PAC

$35,000.00

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $35,000.00

Also funds 17 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 6, 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: 101012417.

SRR Ranches, LLC$30,000.00

SRR Ranches, LLC

$30,000.00

Cash: $30,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $30,000.00

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 23, 2024 to Oct 8, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 23, 2024 to Oct 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: 101012417, 101070754.

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 · Nov 19, 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: 101007416, 101012417, 101070754.

Border Health PAC

$35,000.00

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $35,000.00

Also funds 17 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 6, 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: 101012417.

SRR Ranches, LLC

$30,000.00

Cash: $30,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $30,000.00

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 23, 2024 to Oct 8, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 23, 2024 to Oct 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: 101012417, 101070754.

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 Dec 6, 2024

02/03/2025 S Referred to Education K-16

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 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

Salaries & Expenses

INTERNET

HIGHER EDUCATION COORDINATING BOARD, TEXAS

Text

The text as introduced · 381 words

89R3019 CXP-D

By: Kolkhorst
S.B. No. 550

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requiring public institutions of higher education to

post information regarding the compensation of certain employees

and independent contractors on the institution's Internet website.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 51.9612 to read as follows:

Sec. 51.9612. REQUIRED POSTING OF CERTAIN EMPLOYEE AND

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR COMPENSATION. (a) In this section,

"institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned by

Section 61.003.

(b) Subject to Subsection (c), not later than December 1 of

each year, each institution of higher education shall post on the

institution's Internet website a report that discloses the name and

compensation of each institution employee or independent

contractor whose combined salary and other compensation, or payment

for services performed for the institution as an independent

contractor, as applicable, exceeds $100,000 per year. The report

must:

(1) present the information in the same format as an

administrative accountability report on compensation provided to

high-ranking administrative employees required to be submitted to

the Legislative Budget Board under the General Appropriations Act,

if any; and

(2) be accessible through a conspicuous link on the

institution's Internet website home page.

(c) The commissioner of higher education may grant an

institution of higher education an exemption from disclosing the

name and compensation of an employee or independent contractor in

the report required under Subsection (b) if the commissioner

determines that:

(1) the information is confidential under applicable

state or federal law; or

(2) disclosure of the information poses a substantial

risk of placing the institution at a serious competitive

disadvantage.

(d) The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board may adopt

rules as necessary to implement this section.

SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2025, each public

institution of higher education shall post on its Internet website

the initial report required by Section 51.9612, Education Code, as

added by this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.