The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Texas House Bill 96 sets November election dates and requires a three-fifths supermajority for bond and property tax rate elections
Last action · July 15, 2025: FiledSponsor: Daniel Alders
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What This Bill Proposed
Texas House Bill 96 requires political subdivisions to hold elections for or property tax rate increases exclusively on the November uniform election date, prohibiting emergency scheduling. It also raises the approval threshold from a simple majority to at least three-fifths of voters for bond issuances and tax rate propositions, taking effect January 1, 2026.
Local governments and taxing units must clear a higher three-fifths voter threshold rather than a simple majority to pass bond debt or tax increases, and must schedule these referendums strictly during November uniform elections.
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.
Political subdivisions
Political subdivisions must schedule bond and tax elections exclusively in November and secure a three-fifths supermajority vote from residents to pass debt or tax increases.
Voters
Voters participate in bond and property tax rate elections under a higher three-fifths approval threshold and vote during November uniform election dates.
Taxing units
Taxing units must update property tax public hearing notices and forms to reflect the new three-fifths approval rules and de minimis rate calculations.
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
When must local bond and tax rate elections be held under this bill?
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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 15, 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.
Supermajority Replacement of Simple Majority
The bill systematically replaces simple majority approval thresholds with a three-fifths supermajority requirement across multiple Texas codes for bond issuances and tax rate propositions.
Connected Entities
Sources
capitol.texas.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 85)
- Controversy75Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz45Current news / social attention level
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