A new bill authored by State Rep. Swanson in the Texas House seeks to separate federal elections from state and local ones to clarify voting processes and reduce confusion, according to the Texas Legislature website.
The bill on Corrections, Courts, Education, and Family category, introduced as HB 52 during the 89(2) legislative session on Friday, Aug. 15, was formally listed with the short title: ’Relating to the designation and use of certain spaces and facilities according to sex; authorizing a civil penalty and a private civil right of action’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates the separation of federal elections from state and local elections in Texas. It defines federal elections, judges, and offices, and outlines the process of holding these elections separately yet concurrently with state ones using the same precincts and polling locations whenever feasible. This separation includes distinct ballots solely listing federal races. The bill specifies eligibility and voter registration requirements for federal elections, including provisions for military service voters, and mandates that the Texas Secretary of State create rules to minimize voter confusion. It sets new dates for federal elections, with primary elections held on the first Tuesday of March and runoff primaries on the fourth Tuesday of May, both in even-numbered years. The act specifies who may file and certify nominations for various offices, delineating responsibilities for filing fees, applications, and ballot certifications. The bill outlines campaign finance reporting requirements and takes effect 91 days after the session ends.
Valoree Swanson, a member of the House Committee on Elections, proposed no other bills during the 89(2) legislative session. She is also a member of the House Committee on Human Services.
Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
| Legislative Session | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89(1) | HB 107 | 07/17/2025 | Relating to the vote required in an election to approve an ad valorem tax rate that exceeds a taxing unit ‘s voter-approval tax rate; making conforming changes |
| 89(1) | HB 32 | 07/14/2025 | Relating to the designation and use of certain spaces and facilities according to biological sex; authorizing a civil penalty and a private civil right of action |
| 89(R) | HB 5593 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the eligibility of an individual to adopt or foster a child |
| 89(R) | HB 5256 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the number of polling places in certain counties |
| 89(R) | HB 4842 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the conduct and administration of elections |
| 89(R) | HB 4203 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to education requirements for notaries public; providing a civil penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 4202 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to proof of identity of a person making an acknowledgment of a written instrument |
| 89(R) | HB 3661 | 03/04/2025 | Relating to the regulation of certain political communications, a prohibition on electioneering by school district and open-enrollment charter school officials and employees, and actions and other proceedings by a public school challenging the operations of the public school system; authorizing an administrative penalty; creating a criminal offense |
| 89(R) | HB 3392 | 02/26/2025 | Relating to prohibited health care discrimination based on vaccination status; providing a civil penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 3323 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to the responsibilities of the tabulation supervisor of a central counting station; providing a civil penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 3312 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to the preservation and release of video surveillance recordings of special education settings |
| 89(R) | HB 3311 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to priority of claims against a decedent’s estate and to payment of the family allowance from the estate |
| 89(R) | HB 3186 | 02/21/2025 | Relating to intercollegiate athletic competitions based on biological sex |
| 89(R) | HB 2684 | 02/11/2025 | Relating to information regarding perinatal palliative care; creating an administrative penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 1617 | 12/13/2024 | Relating to exempting the intrastate manufacture of a firearm, a firearm accessory, or ammunition from federal regulation |
| 89(R) | HB 1490 | 12/02/2024 | Relating to creating a criminal offense for certain conduct involving the unauthorized use of a vehicle |
| 89(R) | HB 1477 | 11/26/2024 | Relating to preparing and delivering precinct election returns; increasing a criminal penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 1476 | 11/26/2024 | Relating to a ballot option to not vote for any candidate |
| 89(R) | HB 818 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to designating certain substances as Schedule IV controlled substances under the Texas Controlled Substances Act |
| 89(R) | HB 789 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to requiring parental consent for psychological or psychiatric examination, testing, or treatment conducted by school district personnel |
| 89(R) | HB 750 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to changing the eligibility for community supervision and parole for certain repeat intoxication offenders |
| 89(R) | HB 730 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the affidavit form for claiming an exemption from required immunizations |
| 89(R) | HB 703 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the enforcement of laws relating to elections |
| 89(R) | HB 631 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to requirements for certain petitions requesting an election and ballot propositions and to related procedures and provisions |
| 89(R) | HB 602 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the qualifications for serving as a member of the board of directors of a municipal utility district |
| 89(R) | HB 551 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to address information contained on reports of political contributions and expenditures made available on the Internet by the Texas Ethics Commission |
| 89(R) | HB 516 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to notice of a water service interruption provided by public water systems in unincorporated areas of certain counties |
| 89(R) | HB 496 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to a ballot option to not vote for any candidate or not vote for or against a proposition |
| 89(R) | HB 477 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the required inclusion of a person’s sex on a birth certificate and prohibited change of sex on the birth certificate of certain minors |
| 89(R) | HB 439 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to maintaining certain voter registration information and reviewing ballots voted by mail; creating criminal offenses |
| 89(R) | HB 437 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the placement of children in a detention or correctional facility according to biological sex |
| 89(R) | HB 403 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to housing and placement of inmates and children according to biological sex |
| 89(R) | HB 370 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to eligibility of certain events under the Events Trust Fund |
| 89(R) | HB 293 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the requirements for applications for low income housing tax credits for developments financed through the private activity bond program |
| 89(R) | HB 240 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the quorum requirement for a tax levy vote in certain counties |
| 89(R) | HB 239 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to regulations and policies for entering or using certain private spaces; authorizing a civil penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 177 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the purchase of online library resources for primary and secondary schools by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission |
