Texans for Fiscal Responsibility has issued the following vote notice for March 26th, 2025 

Texas House of Representatives

None

Texas Senate

Subject:  Senate Joint Resolution 57 (SJR 57) – Ban on local bailout spending

• Author: State Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston)
• Caption: Proposing a constitutional amendment prohibiting the use of state funds to pay for the obligations of a local public retirement system.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SJR 57 would constitutionally bar the Texas Legislature from using state taxpayer dollars to bail out financially troubled local public retirement systems. This ensures that local governments remain solely accountable for their own pension liabilities, discouraging fiscal irresponsibility and poor management at the local level. The amendment protects the state budget from unfunded liabilities and future pension crises driven by local mismanagement. Supporting this measure promotes prudent governance and financial accountability across all levels of government.

Subject:  Senate Bill 8 (SB 8) – Federal-local border enforcement

• Author: State Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown)
• Caption: Relating to agreements between sheriffs and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement to enforce federal immigration law.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 8 ensures local law enforcement in Texas actively supports federal immigration enforcement by mandating 287(g) agreements in larger counties and encouraging them in smaller ones. It establishes a state-administered, fiscally accountable grant program to assist sheriffs with associated costs, reducing reliance on local tax increases. By equipping local departments to detain and transfer criminal aliens more efficiently, the bill aims to lower incarceration and crime-related costs over time. It also protects taxpayer dollars by requiring strict financial reporting and preventing counties from misappropriating state grant funds. The bill enhances public safety and ensures local-federal cooperation on the incredibly important issue of illegal immigration and related crimes.

Subject:  Senate Bill 108 (SB 108) – Strengthen polling place oversight

• Author: State Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood)
• Caption: Relating to the appointment of election clerks.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 108 strengthens election integrity by ensuring bipartisan balance in poll worker appointments through equal authority for both the presiding and alternate judges. By allowing both to appoint clerks and ensuring minority party representation, it protects against single-party control and promotes transparency. The bill provides a low-cost method to bolster public trust in elections, prevents potential litigation over bias or unfairness, and minimizes opportunities for mismanagement or fraud—thus protecting taxpayer confidence and resources.

Subject:  Senate Bill 125 (SB 125) – Protects patient blood choice

• Author: State Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood)
• Caption: Relating to autologous and direct blood donations.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 125 protects patient choice and reduces bureaucratic interference in personal medical decisions by allowing patients to use their own or a known donor’s blood when prescribed by a physician. By doing so, it improves healthcare outcomes—especially for individuals with rare blood disorders—while potentially reducing long-term treatment costs associated with complications from mismatched transfusions. It enhances transparency and accountability in the healthcare system without imposing new regulatory burdens or expanding government power. 

Subject:  Senate Bill 318 (SB 318) – Election Fraud Investigation Unit

• Author: State Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe)
• Caption: Relating to the establishment of the election integrity division in the office of the attorney general.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 318 creates a dedicated Election Integrity Division within the Texas Attorney General’s office to investigate election fraud and violations of election law. This ensures a centralized and accountable mechanism to uphold election laws and deter misconduct. The bill uses existing or appropriated funds, making efficient use of taxpayer resources without creating a new standalone agency. By empowering the AG’s office and coordinating with local prosecutors and law enforcement, it enhances oversight without bloating government bureaucracy. 

Subject:  Senate Bill 689 (SB 689) – Bans DEI offices in Government

• Author: State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola)
• Caption: Relating to employment practices regarding diversity and prohibiting the implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives by certain governmental entities.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 689 bans state and local Texas government entities from maintaining or funding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) offices or initiatives, except as required by federal law. It aims to eliminate race- or identity-based hiring and training programs and instead mandates race- and sex-neutral policies. The bill authorizes the Attorney General to enforce this through citizen complaints and court orders. This legislation safeguards taxpayer dollars from being spent on ideologically driven programs, reduces government bloat, and reaffirms the principle of merit-based governance.

Subject:  Senate Bill 854 (SB 854) – Housing Freedom for Churches

• Author: State Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston)
• Caption: Relating to municipal regulation of multifamily and mixed-use development on religious land.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 854 is a pro-property rights bill that allows religious institutions to build multifamily and mixed-use housing on their land without burdensome zoning hurdles or costly bureaucratic delays. By empowering churches and faith-based organizations to use underutilized property for community-benefiting purposes, it encourages private-sector solutions to Texas’ housing shortage without new government spending. 

Subject:  Senate Bill 925 (SB 925) – Ban Union Contract Mandates

• Author: State Sen. Kelly Hancock (R-North Richland Hills)
• Caption: Relating to certain agreements with collective bargaining organizations related to certain publicly funded public work contracts.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 925 ensures public work contracts are awarded based on merit, cost-efficiency, and competency—not union affiliation. By prohibiting local and state entities from mandating or favoring collective bargaining agreements, the bill levels the playing field for all contractors and promotes fair, competitive bidding. This reduces project costs, avoids unnecessary union-driven expenses, and ensures taxpayer dollars are spent wisely. For these reasons, TFR supports SB 925.

Subject:  Senate Bill 1024 (SB 1024) – Prevents debt circumvention

• Author: State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston)
• Caption: Relating to the issuance of certain anticipation notes and certificates of obligation.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 1024 reinforces the voice of taxpayers by preventing local governments from using debt instruments like certificates of obligation or tax anticipation notes to finance projects that voters have explicitly rejected through bond elections. By extending the prohibition period from three to five years, the bill closes a loophole that allowed governments to sidestep democratic accountability and potentially burden taxpayers with unwanted debt. 

Subject:  Senate Bill 1026 (SB 1026) – Election Enforcement by AG

• Author: State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola)
• Caption: Relating to the duty of the attorney general to prosecute criminal offenses prescribed by the election laws of this state.
• TFR Position: SUPPORT
• Background: 
  • SB 1026 ensures that election law violations are prosecuted even when local prosecutors fail to act, restoring accountability and deterring voter fraud. The bill grants the Attorney General mandatory authority to step in after six months of local inaction, streamlining enforcement and closing loopholes exposed by recent court rulings. The bill defends the integrity of one of our most fundamental civic processes—voting. For these reasons, TFR supports SB 1026.

Subject:  Senate Bill 1498 (SB 1498) – Expands Civil Asset Forfeiture

• Author: State Sen. Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville)
• Caption: Relating to civil asset forfeiture of digital currency or other similar property.
• TFR Position: OPPOSE
• Background: 
  • SB 1498 expands Texas’ civil asset forfeiture laws to include digital currencies, NFTs, and stablecoins, giving law enforcement greater authority to seize these assets during criminal investigations. While aimed at combating crime, the bill widens the scope of civil asset forfeiture. In civil asset forfeiture, the government can seize your property without convicting you of a crime, and incentives policing for profit. This bill increases government overreach, undermines property rights, and creates perverse financial incentives for law enforcement agencies to prioritize asset seizures over due process. For these reasons, TFR opposes SB 1498.

Reminder: Vote Notices are provided to both Texas state lawmakers and the general public, sharing Texans for Fiscal Responsibility’s position on issues 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.