Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Senate State Affairs Committee Mar 20th, 2025

Meeting Video(s)

TX

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

State Affairs (Part I) Mar 20th, 2025 1 of 2

Senate State Affairs Committee

The meeting of the Senate Committee on State Affairs was marked by significant discussions surrounding several bills, primarily focusing on jurisdictional changes within the Texas Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals. One of the key bills discussed was SB1210, which aims to clarify the roles and jurisdictions of these two courts, ensuring that when constitutional interpretations are at issue, the Supreme Court serves as the final authority. Testimony was provided by various stakeholders including judges and legal experts, who articulated both support for and concerns about the potential implications of these changes. The conversation highlighted the historical context of the dual court system in Texas, outlining its benefits and drawbacks, particularly in ensuring consistency in the application of constitutional law.
TX

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

State Affairs (Part II) Mar 20th, 2025 2 of 2

Senate State Affairs Committee

The meeting focused on significant discussions regarding several bills, particularly SB396 and SB827. Public testimonies were heard against SB396, expressing concerns over government overreach regarding voter registrations. Various witnesses highlighted potential disenfranchisement of eligible voters and the inefficiencies of the proposed residency confirmations. SB827 was another bill of interest, with discussions centered around the methods of election monitoring and concerns regarding the accuracy and cost-effectiveness of hand-counted audits.

Bills on the Agenda

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Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB311

Filed
11/12/24  
Out of Senate Committee
3/26/25  
Voted on by House
 
Governor Action
 
Bill Becomes Law
 
Relating to the writ power of the Texas Supreme Court.
TX

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB310

Filed
11/12/24  
Out of Senate Committee
3/26/25  
Voted on by House
 
Governor Action
 
Bill Becomes Law
 
Relating to the determination of a majority vote in certain elections.
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Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB76

Voted on by Senate
 
Out of House Committee
 
Voted on by House
 
Governor Action
 
Bill Becomes Law
 
Relating to elimination of the countywide polling place program.
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Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB396

Filed
11/20/24  
Out of Senate Committee
3/26/25  
Voted on by House
 
Governor Action
 
Bill Becomes Law
 
Relating to confirmation of a voter's residence by a voter registrar.
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Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB505

Filed
11/25/24  
Out of Senate Committee
3/26/25  
Voted on by House
 
Governor Action
 
Bill Becomes Law
 
Relating to processes to address election irregularities; providing a civil penalty.
TX

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB827

Filed
1/16/25  
Out of Senate Committee
3/26/25  
Voted on by House
 
Governor Action
 
Bill Becomes Law
 
Relating to the audit of an election using an electronic voting system.
TX

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SJR37

Filed
1/22/25  
Out of Senate Committee
3/26/25  
Voted on by House
 
Sent toSOS
 
Proposed Const. Amend.
 
Proposing a constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen.
TX

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB964

Filed
1/29/25  
Out of Senate Committee
3/31/25  
Voted on by House
 
Governor Action
 
Bill Becomes Law
 
Relating to the appearance of a personal identification certificate or driver's license issued to a person who is not a citizen of the United States.
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Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1209

Filed
2/10/25  
Out of Senate Committee
3/26/25  
Voted on by House
 
Governor Action
 
Bill Becomes Law
 
Relating to election dates.
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Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1210

Filed
2/10/25  
Out of Senate Committee
3/26/25  
Voted on by House
 
Governor Action
 
Bill Becomes Law
 
Relating to the jurisdiction of the Texas Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals.
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Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1386

Filed
2/19/25  
Out of Senate Committee
4/1/25  
Voted on by House
 
Governor Action
 
Bill Becomes Law
 
Relating to testimony or the production of evidence before a house of the legislature or a legislative committee.
TX

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1470

Filed
2/20/25  
Out of Senate Committee
3/26/25  
Voted on by House
 
Governor Action
 
Bill Becomes Law
 
Relating to requiring the Department of Public Safety to share data for the purpose of maintaining the statewide voter registration list.
TX

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2035

Voted on by Senate
 
Out of House Committee
 
Voted on by House
 
Governor Action
 
Bill Becomes Law
 
Relating to contributions, expenditures, and related activities for supporting or opposing a ballot measure; creating criminal offenses; providing a civil penalty.
TX

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB16

Filed
3/11/25  
Out of Senate Committee
3/26/25  
Voted on by House
 
Governor Action
 
Bill Becomes Law
 
Relating to requiring a person to submit proof of citizenship to register to vote; creating criminal offenses.