Monitoring the Session

SJR 37

Proposing a constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen.

Passed, sent to the voters

Verdict: not graded

Not graded. The reader grades bills, not resolutions.

Sen. Brian BirdwellRSenate 22
Caption

Proposing a constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen.

Caption from the bill history · Enrolled.

Summary

Not graded. The reader grades bills, not resolutions.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SJR37 · 2025-01-22

SOLD BY

Sen. Brian BirdwellRSenate 22

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

Proposing a constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen.

WHAT IT DOES

Not graded. The reader grades bills, not resolutions.

CHARGES

Not graded

TOTAL

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · March 18, 2025

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated, other than the cost of publication. The cost to the state for publication of the resolution is $191,689.

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. Co-author authorized
  15. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  16. Record vote
  17. Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
  18. Record vote
  19. Three day rule suspended
  20. Record vote
  21. Read 3rd time
  22. Passed
  23. Record vote
  24. Reported engrossed
  25. Received from the Senate
  26. Read first time
  27. Referred to Elections
  28. Considered in formal meeting
  29. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  30. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  31. Committee report distributed
  32. Committee report sent to Calendars
  33. Rules suspended
  34. Additional sponsor(s) authorized
  35. Laid out in lieu of companion HJR 161
  36. Read 2nd time
  37. Point of order withdrawn Rule 4, Section 32(c)(1)
  38. Passed to 3rd reading
  39. Record vote RV#1897
  40. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  41. Read 3rd time
  42. Postponed 5/12/25 11:00 AM
  43. Laid out as postponed business
  44. Postponed 5/12/25 6:00 PM
  45. Laid out as postponed business
  46. Adopted
  47. Record vote RV#2196
  48. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  49. House passage reported
  50. Reported enrolled
  51. Signed in the Senate
  52. Signed in the House
  53. Filed with the Secretary of State
FILED UNDER

Not graded

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 102 yea · 14 nay

Senate · 28 yea · 3 nay

Sources

House: Adoption · May 12, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

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.

Not graded

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Brian Birdwell

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC Austin TX$30,000
Good Government Fund Fort Worth TX$10,000
Texas Oil & Gas Assn. Good Govt. Cmte Austin TX$10,000

Derived from itemized gifts, Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

$353,800 raised since Jul 1, 2024. Derived sum of published report totals. blank in the state's data, consistent with zero. Flow, Jul 1, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026. 4 of 4 filed reports carry a published figure.

$502,039 spent since Jul 1, 2024. Derived sum of published report totals. Flow, Jul 1, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026. 4 of 4 filed reports carry a published figure.

$731,044 cash on hand. Published report total. Stock, as of Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.

$0 loans outstanding. Published report total. Stock, as of Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived sum of itemized contributions in regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Unitemized contributions are not included. Flow, Jul 1, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Money

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

Votes6

House May 12, 2025

Adoption

Yea
102
Nay
14
Present, not voting
22
Absent
8
Excused
4
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2196

SJR 37 was adopted by (Record 2196): 102 Yeas, 14 Nays, 22 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 102 (published)
  • Nay: 14 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 22 (published)
  • Absent: 8 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 4 (derived from named list)

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

House May 9, 2025

Yea
98
Nay
18
Present, not voting
20
Absent
10
Excused
4
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1897

SJR 37 was passed to third reading by (Record 1897): 98 Yeas, 18 Nays, 20 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 98 (published)
  • Nay: 18 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 20 (published)
  • Absent: 10 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 4 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 1, 2025

Yea
28
Nay
3
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 resolution was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 3. (Same as previous roll call)

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

  • Yea: 28 (published)
  • Nay: 3 (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
28
Nay
3
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 Birdwell moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SJR 37 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 3.

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

  • Yea: 28 (published)
  • Nay: 3 (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
28
Nay
3
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 resolution was read second time and was passed to engrossment by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 3. (Same as previous roll call)

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

  • Yea: 28 (published)
  • Nay: 3 (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
28
Nay
3
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 Birdwell moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration SJR 37 at this time on its second reading: SJR 37, Proposing a constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 3.

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

  • Yea: 28 (published)
  • Nay: 3 (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.

Witnesses40
For
18
Against
22
On
0
Names

For

  • Self13 registrations
  • Self; Americans for citizens voting1 registration
  • Self; SREC Committeeman SD31 registration
  • Self; SREC Committeewoman SD31 registration
  • Self; State Republican Executive Committeeman SD24, Self1 registration
  • Texas Public Policy Foundation1 registration

Against

  • ACLU of Texas1 registration
  • Common Cause Texas1 registration
  • Common cause texas1 registration
  • Self15 registrations
  • Self; Texas Democratic Party1 registration
  • Self; The Libertarian Party of Texas1 registration
  • Self; TX Impact1 registration
  • Texas Civil Rights Project1 registration
Sources

40 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 first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · March 18, 2025

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated, other than the cost of publication. The cost to the state for publication of the resolution is $191,689.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

FILED BEFORE

88R SJR 35

by Sen. Birdwell, same lead author · Did not pass · same caption and author, text not compared

Introduced text

Last action, May 24, 2023: Failed of adoption

Proposing a constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Jan 22, 2025

05/15/2025 E Filed with the Secretary of State

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

Data snapshot Oct 21, 2026 at 6:45 PM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors
Mayes MiddletonRSenate 11
Sponsors
Candy NobleRHouse 89 Philip CortezDHouse 117 Matt ShaheenRHouse 66 Todd HunterRHouse 32 Sergio Muñoz Jr.DHouse 36
Cosponsors
Daniel AldersRHouse 6 Brad BuckleyRHouse 54 Benjamin BumgarnerRHouse 63 Tom CraddickRHouse 82 Pat CurryRHouse 56 Mano DeAyalaRHouse 133 Paul DysonRHouse 14 Caroline Harris DavilaRHouse 52 Richard HayesRHouse 57 Hillary HicklandRHouse 55 Andy HopperRHouse 64 Helen KerwinRHouse 58 Marc LaHoodRHouse 121 Terri Leo WilsonRHouse 23 David LoweRHouse 91 J. M. LozanoRHouse 43 John LujanRHouse 118 Armando "Mando" MartinezDHouse 39 John McQueeneyRHouse 97 Will MetcalfRHouse 16 Brent MoneyRHouse 2 Matt MorganRHouse 26 Tom OliversonRHouse 130 Jared PattersonRHouse 106 Katrina PiersonRHouse 33 Alan SchoolcraftRHouse 44 Joanne ShofnerRHouse 11 David SpillerRHouse 68 Carl H. TepperRHouse 84 Ellen TroxclairRHouse 19 Cody VasutRHouse 25 Denise VillalobosRHouse 34 Wes VirdellRHouse 53 Terry M. WilsonRHouse 20

House committee · Elections · Committee vote 7 aye, 2 nay · Out of committee

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

Companion

HJR 161 by Noble (similar)

HJR 197 by Patterson (identical)

Subjects

Aliens

Elections--Registration & Suffrage

Resolutions--Constitutional Amendments