KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Texas

HB3697 • 2025

Relating to the text on an application for a ballot to be voted by mail.

Relating to the text on an application for a ballot to be voted by mail.

Elections
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Cortez | Plesa
Last action
2025-06-20
Official status
06/20/2025 E Effective on 9/1/25
Effective date
2025-06-20

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Relating to the text on an application for a ballot to be voted by mail.

Relating to the text on an application for a ballot to be voted by mail.

What This Bill Does

  • Relating to the text on an application for a ballot to be voted by mail.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-06-20 Texas Legislature Online

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2025-06-20 Texas Legislature Online

    Effective on 9/1/25

  3. 2025-06-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Signed in the Senate

  4. 2025-06-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Sent to the Governor

  5. 2025-05-31 Texas Legislature Online

    Signed in the House

  6. 2025-05-30 Texas Legislature Online

    House concurs in Senate amendment(s)

  7. 2025-05-30 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote. RV#4083

  8. 2025-05-30 Texas Legislature Online

    Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal

  9. 2025-05-30 Texas Legislature Online

    Text of Senate Amendment(s)

  10. 2025-05-30 Texas Legislature Online

    House concurs in Senate amendment(s)-reported

  11. 2025-05-30 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported enrolled

  12. 2025-05-29 Texas Legislature Online

    Senate passage as amended reported

  13. 2025-05-29 Texas Legislature Online

    Senate Amendments distributed

  14. 2025-05-29 Texas Legislature Online

    Senate Amendments Analysis distributed

  15. 2025-05-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Placed on local & uncontested calendar

  16. 2025-05-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Placed on intent calendar

  17. 2025-05-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Rules suspended-Regular order of business

  18. 2025-05-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 2nd time

  19. 2025-05-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Amendment(s) offered. FA1 Zaffirini

  20. 2025-05-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Amended

  21. 2025-05-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Vote recorded in Journal

  22. 2025-05-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Passed to 3rd reading as amended

  23. 2025-05-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Vote recorded in Journal

  24. 2025-05-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Three day rule suspended

  25. 2025-05-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote

  26. 2025-05-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 3rd time

  27. 2025-05-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Passed

  28. 2025-05-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote

  29. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported favorably as substituted

  30. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Recommended for local & uncontested calendar

  31. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Committee report printed and distributed

  32. 2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Scheduled for public hearing on . . .

  33. 2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in public hearing

  34. 2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Vote taken in committee

  35. 2025-05-13 Texas Legislature Online

    Read first time

  36. 2025-05-13 Texas Legislature Online

    Referred to State Affairs

  37. 2025-05-09 Texas Legislature Online

    Received from the House

  38. 2025-05-08 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 3rd time

  39. 2025-05-08 Texas Legislature Online

    Passed

  40. 2025-05-08 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote. RV#1839

  41. 2025-05-08 Texas Legislature Online

    Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal

  42. 2025-05-08 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported engrossed

  43. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Placed on General State Calendar

  44. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 2nd time

  45. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Passed to engrossment

  46. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote. RV#1737

  47. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal

  48. 2025-05-05 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in Calendars

  49. 2025-05-01 Texas Legislature Online

    Committee report sent to Calendars

  50. 2025-04-30 Texas Legislature Online

    Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator

  51. 2025-04-30 Texas Legislature Online

    Committee report distributed

  52. 2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in formal meeting

  53. 2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

  54. 2025-04-24 Texas Legislature Online

    Scheduled for public hearing on . . .

  55. 2025-04-24 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in public hearing

  56. 2025-04-24 Texas Legislature Online

    Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee

  57. 2025-04-24 Texas Legislature Online

    Left pending in committee

  58. 2025-03-25 Texas Legislature Online

    Read first time

  59. 2025-03-25 Texas Legislature Online

    Referred to Elections

  60. 2025-03-04 Texas Legislature Online

    Filed

Official Summary Text

Relating to the text on an application for a ballot to be voted by mail.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
89(R) HB 3697 - Enrolled version - Bill Text

H.B. No. 3697

AN ACT

relating to the text on an application for a ballot to be voted by

mail.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 84.011(b), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(b) The officially prescribed application form for an early

voting ballot to be voted by mail must be
:

(1)
at least eight inches by nine inches in size
;

(2)
[
and be
] printed in at least
10-point
[
six-point
]

type
; and

(3) printed in black text
.

SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to

an election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

______________________________

______________________________

President of the Senate

Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 3697 was passed by the House on May 8,

2025, by the following vote: Yeas 121, Nays 22, 2 present, not

voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.

No. 3697 on May 30, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 106, Nays 30,

2 present, not voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 3697 was passed by the Senate, with

amendments, on May 28, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays

1.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

APPROVED: __________________

Date

__________________

Governor