Texans for Fiscal Responsibility has issued the following vote notice for May 19th, 2025

Texas House of Representatives

Subject: Senate Bill 40 (SB 40) –  No taxpayer money for bail. 

• Author: State Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston)
• Caption: Relating to the use by a political subdivision of public funds to pay bail bonds.
• TFR Position:  SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • As proposed, SB 40 prohibits giving taxpayer funds to non-profits who, in turn, use funds to pay for a criminal defendant’s bail bond. Taxpayers should not be subsidizing these non-profit private entities, which should succeed or fail on their own merits. For this reason, TFR supports SB 40.

Subject: Senate Joint Resolution 1 (SJR 1) –  No bail for illegal aliens charged with felonies. 

• Author: State Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston)
• Caption: Proposing a constitutional amendment requiring the denial of bail for an illegal alien charged with an offense punishable as a felony.
• TFR Position:  SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SJR 1 proposes an amendment to the Texas Constitution, requiring that an illegal alien charged with a felony is denied bail, if the judge or magistrate finds probable cause that the person engaged in the conduct constituting the felony. The SJR aims to enhance public safety for citizens at a time when millions of illegal aliens have entered Texas without proper vetting or authorization, further escalating the rates of violent criminal and cartel-related activity. For this reason, TFR supports SJR 1.

Subject:  Senate Bill 27 (SB 27) – Empowers Teachers and Classroom Discipline 

• Author: State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe)
• Caption: Relating to the rights of public school educators and financial and other assistance provided to educators and to public schools by the Texas Education Agency related to public school educators.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 27 supports Texas educators by reducing regulatory burdens and streamlining certification processes for high-need teaching areas. It incentivizes the hiring of retired teachers by reimbursing districts for retirement-related costs, promoting workforce efficiency without long-term pension strain. The bill empowers teachers to maintain discipline and reduces bureaucratic interference with classroom management. Overall, it’s a common sense approach to teacher retention, classroom safety, and workforce development.

Subject: Senate Bill 912 (SB 912) – New mandates and tracking on continuing education

• Author: State Sen. César Blanco (D-El Paso)
• Caption: Relating to the verification of health care practitioner continuing education compliance through the establishment of continuing education tracking systems.
• TFR Position: OPPOSE
• Background: 
  • SB 912 mandates that all state licensing agencies overseeing health care professionals develop or adopt a continuing education tracking system. While intended to streamline license renewals, the bill imposes new regulatory requirements on both agencies and professionals, potentially complicating the licensure process. It adds bureaucratic layers by requiring agencies to verify education compliance through a centralized system. This bill centralizes oversight under the guise of modernization, yet it risks creeping regulatory overreach and eventual costs passed to taxpayers or licensees. From a limited government standpoint, this is a one-size-fits-all mandate that expands administrative control and could create a new and unfunded mandate on licensees and continuing education providers.

Subject: Senate Bill 1662 (SB 1662) – Water testing oversight 

• Author: State Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo)
• Caption: Relating to notice provided to certain public drinking water supply systems before water quality testing.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 1662 improves accountability in water quality oversight by limiting how much advance notice water providers get before state inspectors test their water. Currently, some systems may manipulate water conditions to avoid accurate testing, which undermines transparency and leads to taxpayer-funded services delivering poor-quality water. By limiting notice to just 24 hours, this bill helps ensure water quality tests more accurately reflect conditions experienced by consumers. It increases trust in water safety without growing government or adding bureaucracy. Instead of creating new programs or spending more money, it simply adjusts a process to better serve the public.

Subject: Senate Bill 1951 (SB 1951) – Stops hidden tax penalties

• Author: State Sen. Angela Paxton (R-McKinney)
• Caption: Relating to the imposition of a penalty for failure to timely file a rendition statement or property report with the chief appraiser of an appraisal district.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 1951 aims to strengthen transparency and fairness in how personal property tax penalties are handled by appraisal districts. Currently, taxpayers may unknowingly pay late rendition penalties that were never clearly communicated to them, and appraisal districts have a financial incentive to impose these penalties. This bill fixes those issues by requiring certified notice of penalties, mandating clear disclosure on tax bills, and eliminating the 5% kickback appraisal districts previously received. These reforms protect taxpayers from hidden fees, reduce the potential for abuse by local government entities, and promote clear communication. It’s a taxpayer-first approach that reduces government overreach, discourages revenue-driven penalty practices, and enhances accountability at the local level.

Subject:  Senate Bill 1018 (SB 1018) – Rededicates traffic fine revenue 

• Author: State Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston)
• Caption: Relating to distribution of state traffic fine revenue received by the comptroller.
• TFR Position: OPPOSE
• Background: 
  • SB 1018 would reduce the share of state traffic fine revenue deposited into the General Revenue Fund from 70% to 50%, reallocating more funds toward designated trauma and EMS services. While supporting emergency services is a laudable goal, this reallocation results in an estimated $31 million hit to general revenue over the next biennium. The bill increases a dedicated funding stream that limits legislative flexibility and prioritizes spending outside the regular appropriations process. For these reasons, TFR opposes SB 1018.

Subject:  Senate Bill 920 (SB 920) – Over-the-counter meds in Schools

• Author: State Sen. Kevin Sparks (R-Midland)
• Caption: Relating to the administration of nonprescription medications to certain public and private school students.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT 
• Background: 
  • SB 920 clarifies that school nurses and staff can administer over-the-counter medications to students with parental permission, without requiring a doctor’s note. This cuts unnecessary red tape and alleviates financial and logistical burdens on families who would otherwise need to seek a physician’s order for basic treatments. By codifying immunity protections, the bill also reduces liability concerns for schools, encouraging efficient health care practices.

Texas Senate

Subject: Senate Bill 524 (SB 524) – Veteran business tax relief

• Author: State Sen. Donna Campbell (R-New Braunfels)
• Caption: Relating to the exemption from the franchise tax and certain filing fees for certain businesses owned by veterans.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 524 aims to permanently exempt new businesses owned by honorably discharged veterans from paying the Texas franchise tax and certain state filing fees. By eliminating the 2026 sunset date, the bill ensures this support continues indefinitely. Eligibility is limited to Texas-resident veterans who are not receiving similar benefits elsewhere, keeping the program targeted and preventing duplication. This measure rewards military service while promoting economic opportunity and small business formation without expanding government bureaucracy. From a pro-taxpayer standpoint, the bill avoids ongoing spending while fostering long-term economic productivity and self-reliance.

Subject: Senate Bill 2363 (SB 2363) – Protects voter ballot secrecy

• Author: State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe)
• Caption: Relating to the prosecution of the criminal offense of unlawfully publishing a vote.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 2363 strengthens voter privacy by making it a felony to publish someone’s ballot choices without their permission. It ensures that Texans’ expectation of ballot secrecy is upheld, regardless of how or where the information was obtained. The law clearly defines what qualifies as valid consent and closes existing loopholes that previously only addressed misconduct at polling places. By criminalizing this conduct statewide, the bill discourages election-related intimidation or exposure. From a fiscally conservative perspective, it upholds individual rights, promotes election integrity and protects voter trust at no added cost to taxpayers.

Subject: House Bill 431 (HB 431) – Defends private property energy choice

• Author: State Rep. Philip Cortez (D-San Antonio)
• Caption: Relating to the regulation by a property owners’ association of the installation of solar roof tiles.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • HB 431 strengthens property owners’ rights by ensuring that modern solar roof tiles are protected from unreasonable restrictions by homeowners’ associations. It clarifies that solar roof tiles qualify as “solar energy devices,” guaranteeing homeowners the freedom to invest in cost-saving, energy-efficient technology without bureaucratic interference. By closing a loophole left open when previous laws were written, this bill prevents overreaching property associations from blocking innovation. Supporting this bill promotes private property rights, energy independence, and consumer choice. It limits unnecessary control by quasi-governmental associations that often act without taxpayer accountability. Encouraging solar technology through private initiative—without subsidies or mandates—respects free-market principles. HB 431 is a small but important step to reduce regulatory barriers that stifle homeowner investments and property rights.

Subject: House Bill 3041 (HB 3041) – Fair admissions for nontraditional students

• Author: State Rep. Dennis Paul (R-Houston)
• Caption: Relating to measures to support the enrollment of students with a nontraditional secondary education at public institutions of higher education, including eligibility for certain student financial assistance programs.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • HB 3041 levels the playing field for home-schooled and privately educated students applying to Texas public universities. Instead of relying on a public-school-based class rank, these students can qualify for automatic admission based on a clear benchmark test score. This provides a merit-based, objective standard and reduces bias against nontraditional education. The bill also ensures all students—regardless of school type—receive equal treatment when enrolling in dual credit courses, eliminating bureaucratic barriers. Institutions are required to publicly post admission benchmarks and rank-related test data, promoting transparency and informed decision-making. Importantly, the bill does not create new government programs but instead corrects unfair practices within existing systems. It supports educational freedom and respects parental choice without growing bureaucracy.

Subject: House Bill 3228 (HB 3228) – Renewable waste disposal standards

• Author: State Rep. Stan Lambert (R-Abilene)
• Caption: Relating to the inclusion of recycling or disposal provisions in certain lease agreements of wind or solar power facilities.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • HB 3228 strengthens property rights by requiring wind and solar energy companies to fully account for the cleanup of their facilities when they are no longer in use. This includes not just removing structures but also recycling or safely disposing of all components—hazardous or otherwise—in accordance with the law. Importantly, companies must provide financial guarantees up front to ensure landowners are not left footing the bill. These costs are to be reviewed by an independent engineer every five years, keeping the estimates current and the funds adequate. This approach avoids taxpayer-funded cleanups. It promotes environmental accountability while protecting landowners’ property and reducing future government intervention.

Subject: House Bill 4219 (HB 4219) – Public information enforcement reform

• Author: State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake)
• Caption: Relating to a governmental body’s response to a request for public information.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • HB 4219 ensures greater transparency and accountability by strengthening deadlines and enforcement for government responses to public records requests. It empowers taxpayers to file complaints when government bodies ignore lawful information requests, helping to prevent bureaucratic stonewalling. By requiring timely, written communication and clear legal justifications for withholding records, the bill promotes openness and trust. It creates a straightforward, no-cost remedy for the public without growing government or adding bureaucracy. This is a responsible reform that protects taxpayer rights to know how their government operates.

Subject: House Bill 4238 (HB 4238) – Protects identity theft victims’ credit

• Author: State Sen. Morgan Meyer (R-Dallas)
• Caption: Relating to the collection of consumer debt incurred by certain individuals as a result of identity theft.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • HB 4238 gives victims of identity theft a streamlined process to protect themselves from being hounded for debts they didn’t incur. Under this bill, if a victim can present a valid court order showing they were targeted by identity theft, creditors and collectors must immediately stop trying to collect the debt. Within 7 business days, collectors must not only halt all efforts but also notify any third parties who were told about the debt. The bill also prevents the selling or trading of that debt unless it’s being pursued directly from the real perpetrator. From a fiscally conservative standpoint, this bill protects vulnerable Texans without growing government bureaucracy or creating new entitlements. It promotes responsible lending and collection practices by placing the burden of due diligence on financial actors—not innocent victims.

Reminder: Vote Notices are provided to both Texas state lawmakers and the general public, sharing Texans for Fiscal Responsibility’s position on issues eligible to be rated as a part of the Fiscal Responsibility Index. Notices are provided prior to votes being taken in each legislative chamber.

Disclaimer: We reserve the right to consider amendments to legislation that may be introduced without notice as a part of issues to be rated on the Fiscal Responsibility Index. We will make every effort to provide notice on amendments that are pre-filed.