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SB1539 • 2025

Relating to requirements and procedures in the contest of an election on a proposed constitutional amendment.

Relating to requirements and procedures in the contest of an election on a proposed constitutional amendment.

Elections
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Bettencourt
Last action
2025-05-23
Official status
05/23/2025 H Committee report sent to Calendars
Effective date
Not listed

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 requirements and procedures in the contest of an election on a proposed constitutional amendment.

Relating to requirements and procedures in the contest of an election on a proposed constitutional amendment.

What This Bill Does

  • Relating to requirements and procedures in the contest of an election on a proposed constitutional amendment.

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. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator

  2. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Committee report distributed

  3. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Committee report sent to Calendars

  4. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in public hearing

  5. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Failed to receive affirmative vote in comm.

  6. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Vote reconsidered in committee

  7. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

  8. 2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Read first time

  9. 2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Referred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence

  10. 2025-04-24 Texas Legislature Online

    Received from the Senate

  11. 2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Rules suspended-Regular order of business

  12. 2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Vote recorded in Journal

  13. 2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 2nd time

  14. 2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Amendment(s) offered. FA1 Bettencourt

  15. 2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Amended

  16. 2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Vote recorded in Journal

  17. 2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Passed to engrossment as amended

  18. 2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Vote recorded in Journal

  19. 2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Three day rule suspended

  20. 2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote

  21. 2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 3rd time

  22. 2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Passed

  23. 2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote

  24. 2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported engrossed

  25. 2025-04-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Placed on intent calendar

  26. 2025-03-17 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported favorably w/o amendments

  27. 2025-03-17 Texas Legislature Online

    Recommended for local & uncontested calendar

  28. 2025-03-17 Texas Legislature Online

    Committee report printed and distributed

  29. 2025-03-13 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in public hearing

  30. 2025-03-13 Texas Legislature Online

    Vote taken in committee

  31. 2025-03-10 Texas Legislature Online

    Scheduled for public hearing on . . .

  32. 2025-03-10 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in public hearing

  33. 2025-03-10 Texas Legislature Online

    Testimony taken in committee

  34. 2025-03-10 Texas Legislature Online

    Left pending in committee

  35. 2025-03-06 Texas Legislature Online

    Read first time

  36. 2025-03-06 Texas Legislature Online

    Referred to State Affairs

  37. 2025-02-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Received by the Secretary of the Senate

  38. 2025-02-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Filed

Official Summary Text

Relating to requirements and procedures in the contest of an election on a proposed constitutional amendment.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
89(R) SB 1539 - House Committee Report version - Bill Text

By: Bettencourt

S.B. No. 1539

(Shaheen)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requirements and procedures in the contest of an

election on a proposed constitutional amendment.

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

SECTION 1. Section 233.014, Election Code, is amended by

amending Subsections (c), (d), (f), and (h) and adding Subsection

(c-1) to read as follows:

(c)
The filing of an election contest does not suspend

implementation of a constitutional amendment that was approved by

the majority of the votes cast
[
The declaration of the official

result of a contested election may not be made until the contest is

finally determined. The secretary of state shall tabulate the

county returns and the governor shall announce the final vote

count, as ascertained from the returns, in a written document. The

document announcing the final vote count must state that a contest

of the election has been filed and that the declaration of the

official result will not be made until the contest is finally

determined
].

(c-1)

The trial court must ensure that a written ruling on a

pretrial motion before the court is entered not later than the 30th

day after the date the motion is filed.

(d) The trial date may not be earlier than the 45th day after

the date of the contested election
except
[
nor later than the 180th

day after the date of the contested election.

The trial date may be

earlier than the 45th day after the date of the contested election
]

at the request of the contestant.
The trial court must ensure the

judgment of the court is not filed later than the 180th day after

the date of the contested election.

(f) The court shall include in its judgment in a contest an

order directing the governor to declare the [
official result of the

election or to declare the
] election
valid or
void, as appropriate,

not later than the 10th day after the date the judgment becomes

final.

(h) If a contestant files an appeal of the contest, the

appellate court must ensure that the action is brought to final

disposition not later than the
60th
[
180th
] day after the date the

judgment becomes final.

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

contest of a constitutional amendment election filed on or after

the effective date of this Act. A contest of a constitutional

amendment election filed before the effective date of this Act is

governed by the law in effect on the date that the suit is filed, and

the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

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