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Signed Into Law
Signed June 20, 2025Effective 2025-06-20
HB3546

Regular Session

Relating to the authority of an independent school district to change the date of the general election for officers.

Government Affairs & Regulatory Compliance Analysis

HB3546: Government Affairs Overview

HB3546 immediately restores the statutory authority for Independent School Districts (ISDs) to move general elections to the November uniform election date and restructure trustee terms to three or four years. This legislation impacts procurement cycles for vendors by shifting political "lame duck" periods from Spring to Autumn and extends the window for governance restructuring through December 31, 2030.

Rep. Armando Martinez·House Bill·Regular Session

Moderate
Low Cost
Effective:2025-06-20
Enforcing Agencies

Independent School District Boards of Trustees • Texas Secretary of State (Elections Division)

Business Impact

Who HB3546 Affects

This legislation has regulatory implications for the following Texas businesses and organizations:

Regulatory Priority: moderate

Notable regulatory updates (effective 2025-06-20). Consider how these changes may affect your operations.

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Education

Affected business types:

  • School districts
  • Charter schools
  • Private schools
  • Education service providers
View all education legislation

Key Operational Considerations

  • 1Joint Election Agreements: ISDs moving to November must renegotiate Joint Election Agreements with County Election Administrators to share ballot space and costs with state/federal elections.
  • 2Trustee Onboarding: Governance teams must adjust orientation schedules. Newly elected trustees in November cycles will typically take office in December or January, rather than May or June.
  • 3The Resolution: Boards must draft a formal resolution that explicitly states the new term length (3 or 4 years) and the new election date.

Estimated Cost Impact

lowMinimal cost impact anticipated.

Enforcing Agencies

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HB3546
Relating to the authority of an independent school district to change the date of the general election for officers.
Moderate Urgency
Unanimous Passage
House Vote146 - 0
YEA
100% in favor146 voting
Senate Vote31 - 0
YEA
100% in favor31 voting
Cost Impact
Low
Effective
2025-06-20
Enforcing Agencies
Independent School District Boar...Texas Secretary of State
Primary Author: Rep. Armando Martinez
89th Texas Legislature
jdkey.com
01

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

  • Effective Date: June 20, 2025 (Immediate effect).
  • Compliance Deadline: Voluntary adoption. ISDs exercising this authority must adopt a resolution no later than December 31, 2030.
  • Agency Rulemaking: No state-level rulemaking required. However, local Boards of Trustees must draft and adopt specific transition plans.

Immediate Action Plan

  • 1. ISD Legal Counsel: Draft a template Resolution and Transition Plan immediately for Board consideration; verify incumbent term expiration dates to calculate necessary extensions.
  • 2. ISD Administrators: Initiate contact with County Election Departments to assess logistical capacity for adding the district to the November ballot.
  • 3. Vendors/Contractors: Review your sales pipeline. If a target district shifts to November elections, accelerate contract closings to Q3 to avoid the Q4 election slowdown.
  • 4. Compliance Officers: Update internal governance calendars to reflect the new expiration date of the authority (Dec 31, 2030) to ensure future boards do not attempt to use this statute after it sunsets.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

  • Joint Election Agreements: ISDs moving to November must renegotiate Joint Election Agreements with County Election Administrators to share ballot space and costs with state/federal elections.
  • Vendor Procurement Cycles: Vendors serving ISDs must audit client governance calendars. A shift from May to November elections moves the "quiet period"—where boards delay major contract approvals due to election uncertainty—from Q2 to Q4.

Hiring/Training

  • Trustee Onboarding: Governance teams must adjust orientation schedules. Newly elected trustees in November cycles will typically take office in December or January, rather than May or June.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

  • The Resolution: Boards must draft a formal resolution that explicitly states the new term length (3 or 4 years) and the new election date.
  • Transition Plan: A written plan detailing the staggering of terms is mandatory. This document serves as the legal basis for extending incumbent terms to bridge the gap between the old and new election dates.

Fees & Costs

  • Election Costs: Moving to November generally reduces standalone election costs for ISDs via cost-sharing with counties.
  • Legal Fees: Budget for legal counsel to draft the transition resolution to ensure compliance with the Texas Election Code and avoid "at-large" vs. "single-member" litigation risks.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

  • County Resource Capacity: While the law authorizes ISDs to move dates, it does not mandate County Election Administrators to prioritize ISD ballots if voting machine capacity is exceeded during high-turnout general elections.
  • Transition Mechanics: The statute grants broad discretion on the "manner of transition." If the resolution fails to clearly define which specific places/seats are extended, the district faces litigation risks regarding the legitimacy of sitting trustees during the gap period.

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Information presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.

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Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

Filed
Feb 28, 2025
Passed House
May 7, 2025
Passed Senate
May 28, 2025
Signed
Jun 20, 2025
Effective
Jun 20, 2025
TopicsEducationEducation--school DistrictsElectionsElections--generalElections--school District
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House Authors

Rep. Armando MartinezDemocrat · Primary Author
Joint Authors

Senate Sponsor

Sen. Bryan HughesRepublican · Primary Sponsor

Bill Text(with markup)

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

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Related by Topic

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Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about HB3546

Q

What does Texas HB3546 do?

HB3546 immediately restores the statutory authority for Independent School Districts (ISDs) to move general elections to the November uniform election date and restructure trustee terms to three or four years. This legislation impacts procurement cycles for vendors by shifting political "lame duck" periods from Spring to Autumn and extends the window for governance restructuring through December 31, 2030.

Q

Who authored HB3546?

HB3546 was authored by Texas Representative Armando Martinez during the Regular Session.

Q

When was HB3546 signed into law?

HB3546 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.

Q

Which agencies enforce HB3546?

HB3546 is enforced by Independent School District Boards of Trustees and Texas Secretary of State (Elections Division).

Q

How significant are the changes in HB3546?

The regulatory priority for HB3546 is rated as "moderate". Businesses and organizations should review the legislation to understand potential impacts.

Q

What is the cost impact of HB3546?

The cost impact of HB3546 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

Q

What topics does HB3546 address?

HB3546 addresses topics including education, education--school districts, elections, elections--general and elections--school district.

Q

What are the key dates for HB3546?

Key dates for HB3546: Effective date is 2025-06-20. Consult with legal counsel regarding applicability.

Need Strategic Guidance on This Legislation?

JD Key Consulting is an Austin, Texas-based government affairs firm led by James Dickey, former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. We specialize in Texas regulatory compliance and legislative strategy for data centers, energy, banking, and manufacturing.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: January 11, 2026