Monitoring the Session

SB 146

bill making your first five transcripts free

Filed

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. José MenéndezDSenate 26

Initial review · graded Nov 9, 2026 · How we grade

Caption

relating to prohibiting a fee for a certain number of official transcripts issued by a public institution of higher education.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Public colleges can’t charge for five official transcripts. Starting 2027.

The bill bars Texas public colleges and universities from charging a fee for a student's first five official transcripts. It touches current and former students and the governing boards of public institutions of higher education. Starting September 1, 2027, students get five free official transcripts, and earlier transcripts count toward the five only if they were already issued free.

Receipt

The receipt

90R-SB146 · 2026-11-09

SOLD BY

ITEM

relating to prohibiting a fee for a certain number of official transcripts issued by a public institution of higher education.

WHAT IT DOES

Public colleges can’t charge for five official transcripts. Starting 2027.

The bill bars Texas public colleges and universities from charging a fee for a student's first five official transcripts. It touches current and former students and the governing boards of public institutions of higher education. Starting September 1, 2027, students get five free official transcripts, and earlier transcripts count toward the five only if they were already issued free.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

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 2, 2024 to Oct 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.

Kickapoo Traditional Tribes of Texas$25,000.00

Kickapoo Traditional Tribes of Texas

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Jan 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Jan 22, 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: 101065471.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$20,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 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.

Report IDs: 101012370, 101032316, 101072614.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$10,000.00

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$10,000.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$10,000.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 2, 2025. 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: 101032316.

Money

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

×

Kickapoo Traditional Tribes of Texas

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Jan 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Jan 22, 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: 101065471.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 12, 2024 to Oct 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.

Report IDs: 101012370, 101032316, 101072614.

×

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$10,000.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$10,000.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 2, 2025. 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: 101032316.

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 a super-expensive superintelligence, Nov 9, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Nov 9, 2026

11/09/2026 S Filed

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Nov 10, 2026 at 2:40 AM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Subjects

Education--Higher--General

Education--Higher--Student Fees

Text

The text as introduced · 185 words

90R5624 GW-D

By: Menéndez
S.B. No. 146

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to prohibiting a fee for a certain number of official

transcripts issued by a public institution of higher education.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 54, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 54.5042 to read as follows:

Sec. 54.5042. TRANSCRIPT FEES. The governing board of an

institution of higher education may not charge a current or former

student a fee for the first five official transcripts requested by

the student.

SECTION 2. Section 54.5042, Education Code, as added by

this Act, applies beginning with requests for an official

transcript submitted to a public institution of higher education on

or after the effective date of this Act. For purposes of that

section, a request for an official transcript submitted to a public

institution of higher education before the effective date of this

Act is counted toward the limit described by that section only if

the transcript was issued at no cost.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.