A new bill authored by State Rep. Barry in the Texas House seeks to require U.S. citizenship for appointments to public offices and governing bodies within Texas state and local government, according to the Texas Legislature website.
The bill on City Government, County Government, Elections, and Taxation category, introduced as HB 312 during the 89(2) legislative session on Tuesday, Sept. 2, was formally listed with the short title: ’Relating to the authority of a municipality or county to impose a supplemental local sales and use tax to provide additional revenue for property tax relief and general governmental purposes if the tax is approved by the voters; authorizing the imposition of a tax’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, the bill mandates that only United States citizens can be appointed to or serve in public offices, including on governing bodies of commissions, boards, agencies, advisory boards, or task forces within any branch of state government or any political subdivision in Texas. This requirement, however, does not apply to positions where the federal or state constitution specifies exclusive qualification criteria. The bill takes effect immediately with a two-thirds vote from the legislature or otherwise on Sept. 1, 2025. Additionally, the term of any non-citizen holding a position subject to this requirement will end on Sept. 1, 2025, unless they obtain U.S. citizenship by that date.
Jeffrey Barry, a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, proposed no other bills during the 89(2) legislative session. He is also a member of the House Committee on Appropriations – S/C on Article II, a member of the House Committee on Appropriations – S/C on Articles VI, VII, & VIII, a member of the House Committee on Local & Consent Calendars, and a member of the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
| Legislative Session | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89(1) | HB 193 | 07/24/2025 | Relating to the authority of a taxing unit to use or transfer for the repayment of debt an increase in maintenance and operations ad valorem tax revenue attributable to a tax the rate of which is approved at an election |
| 89(R) | HB 5575 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to publication of the Texas Groundwater Protection Committee’s annual report |
| 89(R) | HB 5574 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the membership of the Texas Groundwater Protection Committee |
| 89(R) | HB 5322 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to benefits paid by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas |
| 89(R) | HB 5269 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the authority of the Office of Public Utility Counsel to access certain data |
| 89(R) | HB 4657 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to establishing the Local Government Water Redevelopment Fund |
| 89(R) | HB 3609 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to management plans adopted by groundwater conservation districts |
| 89(R) | HB 3608 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to the eligibility of municipal solid waste personnel for the Homes for Texas Heroes home loan program |
| 89(R) | HB 3595 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to an emergency preparedness and contingency operations plan, including temperature regulation, for assisted living facility residents during an emergency; providing penalties |
| 89(R) | HB 3569 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to certain contract refusals, terminations, and suspensions of licensed insurance agents by a property and casualty insurer |
| 89(R) | HB 3561 | 02/28/2025 | Relating to emergency services requirements for certain plots or tracts of land in the unincorporated area of certain counties |
| 89(R) | HB 2962 | 02/18/2025 | Relating to an exemption from taxes imposed on the gross receipts of electricity sold to political subdivisions |
| 89(R) | HB 2518 | 02/05/2025 | Relating to the use of installment premium payment plans on Texas Windstorm Insurance Association policies |
| 89(R) | HB 2517 | 02/05/2025 | Relating to the applicability of premium and maintenance taxes to the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association and Texas FAIR Plan Association |
| 89(R) | HB 2021 | 01/22/2025 | Relating to certain construction liability claims |
| 89(R) | HB 1622 | 12/16/2024 | Relating to making permanent the limitation on increases in the appraised value of certain real property for ad valorem tax purposes |
