The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Texas HB 1251 exempts school computers and textbooks under $100 and $175 from sales tax
Last action · March 10, 2025: Referred to Ways & MeansSponsor: Martinez Fischer
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What This Bill Proposed
Relating to an exemption from sales and use taxes for certain educational materials.
Lowers purchase costs for students and families buying educational tools by removing state sales tax on qualifying items priced under $100 or $175.
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.
Students in public or private elementary or secondary schools or institutes of higher education
Purchases of qualifying educational materials and school computers under specified price limits are exempt from sales and use taxes.
Retailers
Retailers are relieved from obtaining exemption certificates for student purchases unless quantities indicate non-student use.
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
What items are included under educational materials in HB 1251?
Are retailers required to collect exemption certificates for these tax-free purchases?
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 · in House committee.
Procedural history
3 actions- Mar 10, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to Ways & Means
- Mar 10, 2025HouseIntroducedRead first time
- Nov 12, 2024HouseIntroducedFiled
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
Connected Entities
Sources
capitol.texas.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 45)
- Controversy10Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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