The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Texas House Bill 31 requires U.S. citizenship for public office and advisory board appointments
Last action · July 14, 2025: FiledSponsor: Carl Tepper
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What This Bill Proposed
Relating to the eligibility of a person who is not a United States citizen to be appointed to or serve in a public office or on an advisory board or task force.
- State and local government appointments in Texas are governed by statutory frameworks outlined in the Texas Government Code. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Non-U.S. citizens serving in public office or advisory boards
State and local government agencies and political subdivisions
They must ensure that all future appointees to public offices, commissions, boards, and task forces meet the new U.S. citizenship requirement.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is affected by this bill?
Are there any exceptions to the citizenship requirement?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · introduced in the House.
Procedural history
1 action- Jul 14, 2025HouseIntroducedFiled
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Mandatory Citizenship Standard for Local and State Boards
The bill shifts policy by imposing a blanket U.S. citizenship requirement across all branches of state government and political subdivision boards and task forces, subject only to constitutional exceptions.
Connected Entities
Sources
capitol.texas.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 65)
- Controversy70Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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