Rep. John Bucy III introduced HB 5258, a bill on Education, Elections, State Agencies, Boards & Commissions, and State Finances, to the Texas House on Friday, March 14 during the 89(R) legislative session, according to the Texas Legislature website.
More specifically, the official text was summarized by the state legislature as ’’relating to racial discrimination in voting’’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
This bill, titled the Barbara Jordan Texas Voting Rights Act, proposes new measures to prevent racial discrimination in voting in Texas. It establishes the Texas Voting Rights Act Commission, an independent agency to enforce the provisions of the act, including creating the Texas Voting and Elections Database and Institute, which will maintain and provide public access to election data. The act prohibits voting practices that lead to voter suppression or vote dilution, ensuring equitable voting access for protected classes. It also introduces a preclearance requirement for changes to voting practices in certain jurisdictions, mandates language assistance for voters with limited English proficiency, and sets up a voter education fund to support outreach efforts. The bill outlines remedies for proven violations and takes effect Sept. 1, 2025.
John Bucy III, the vice chair of the House Committee on Elections and the vice chair of the House Committee on S/C on Disease Prevention & Women’s & Children’s Health, proposed another 88 bills during the 89(R) legislative session. He is also a member of the House Committee on Local & Consent Calendars and a member of the House Committee on Public Health.
IIII graduated from Austin College in 2006 with a BA.
John Bucy IIII is currently serving in the Texas State House, representing the state’s 136th House district. He replaced previous state representative Tony Dale in 2019.
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.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| HB 5382 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the establishment and use of a written electronic communications system accessible to the public by certain municipal entities |
| HB 5352 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the establishment of the State Blockchain Technology Pilot Program by the Department of Information Resources |
| HB 4898 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to early voting ballots voted by mail |
| HB 4599 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to the Health and Human Services Commission’s authority to establish and implement certain public health initiatives |
| HB 4594 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to qualifications and registration of certain voters convicted of a felony |
| HB 4309 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to the filing fee for nomination by convention |
| HB 4165 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to protesting changes to municipal zoning regulations and boundaries |
| HB 4015 | 03/07/2025 | Relating to a prohibition on the required recording of certain tenant admission preferences in a land use restriction agreement for developments that receive financial assistance administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs |
| HB 4014 | 03/07/2025 | Relating to a study on the use of psychedelic therapies in the treatment of certain conditions |
| HB 38 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to improvements to the Texas Information and Referral Network |
| HB 3857 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to cost-of-living adjustments applicable to certain benefits paid by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas and a biennial study on providing additional cost-of-living adjustments based on the effects of increased inflation |
| HB 3786 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to the declaration of a candidate’s ineligibility on the basis of filing an application for a place on the general primary election ballot or for nomination by convention with more than one political party |
| HB 3201 | 02/21/2025 | Relating to the licensing and regulation of lottery couriers by the Texas Lottery Commission; requiring an occupational license; authorizing a fee |
| HB 3116 | 02/20/2025 | Relating to authorizing an optional county fee on vehicle registration in certain counties to be used for transportation projects |
| HB 2975 | 02/18/2025 | Relating to the regulation of the cultivation, manufacture, processing, distribution, sale, testing, transportation, delivery, transfer, possession, use, and taxation of cannabis and cannabis products and local regulation of cannabis establishments; authorizing the imposition of fees; requiring an occupational license or registration; creating a criminal offense; imposing a tax |
| HB 2802 | 02/13/2025 | Relating to the administration of, contributions to, and benefits under retirement systems for firefighters in certain municipalities |
| HB 2528 | 02/06/2025 | Relating to health benefit plan coverage of prescription drugs for opioid and substance use disorders |
| HB 2490 | 02/05/2025 | Relating to student access to certain academic records held by a public institution of higher education or career school or college; authorizing fees |
| HB 2442 | 02/05/2025 | Relating to an application for an early voting ballot by mail |
| HB 2441 | 02/05/2025 | Relating to the delivery and direct shipment of malt beverages to ultimate consumers; creating a criminal offense |
| HB 2412 | 02/04/2025 | Relating to health benefit plan coverage for certain obesity medications |
| HB 2398 | 02/04/2025 | Relating to the governance of property owners’ associations |
| HB 2261 | 01/30/2025 | Relating to the hours for the sale or delivery of certain alcoholic beverages |
| HB 2083 | 01/24/2025 | Relating to the use of automatic license plate reader systems |
| HB 2082 | 01/24/2025 | Relating to ensuring access to the right to vote by all eligible voters |
| HB 2081 | 01/24/2025 | Relating to the establishment of the Building Better Futures Program to support educational and occupational skills training opportunities and support services for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at public and private institutions of higher education |
| HB 2016 | 01/22/2025 | Relating to the establishment of the housing Texas fund to be administered by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs |
| HB 1999 | 01/22/2025 | Relating to the eligibility of certain persons for the supplemental nutrition assistance program and financial assistance benefits |
| HB 1917 | 01/16/2025 | Relating to early voting by mail by any qualified voter, the electronic transmission of a ballot to a voter voting early by mail, and the repeal of certain criminal offenses concerning the solicitation and distribution of an application to vote by mail |
| HB 1813 | 01/10/2025 | Relating to a parental right to information concerning a public school special education program and certain requirements for persons serving as special education representatives and hearing officers at impartial due process hearings; authorizing a fee |
| HB 1797 | 01/09/2025 | Relating to drug testing and prescription drug policies for employees and independent contractors of state agencies and political subdivisions regarding the medical use of low-THC cannabis and hemp |
| HB 1796 | 01/09/2025 | Relating to the expedited credentialing of providers under the Medicaid managed care program |
| HB 1791 | 01/08/2025 | Relating to the duties of a prescriber issuing an opioid prescription to treat acute pain |
| HB 1790 | 01/08/2025 | Relating to criminal penalties and defenses to prosecution for certain drug possession and drug paraphernalia offenses |
| HB 1785 | 01/08/2025 | Relating to the eligibility of a person who is homeless to take the high school equivalency examination |
| HB 1784 | 01/08/2025 | Relating to measures to assist students enrolled at public institutions of higher education who are homeless or who are or were in foster care |
| HB 1780 | 01/08/2025 | Relating to postage for early voting ballots voted by mail |
| HB 1779 | 01/08/2025 | Relating to regulation of accessory dwelling units by political subdivisions |
| HB 1660 | 12/18/2024 | Relating to the licensing of certain education professionals as licensed specialists in school psychology |
| HB 1604 | 12/12/2024 | Relating to public access to criminal proceedings |
| HB 1569 | 12/10/2024 | Relating to the eligibility of certain children of classroom teachers for enrollment in a free prekindergarten program |
| HB 1439 | 11/21/2024 | Relating to early voting by mail |
| HB 1426 | 11/20/2024 | Relating to a prohibition on the issuance or enforcement of a search warrant, subpoena, or other court order for certain menstrual health data |
| HB 1392 | 11/18/2024 | Relating to the postponement of the delinquency date for a payment of ad valorem taxes imposed by a taxing unit if the office of the collector for the taxing unit is closed on the delinquency date |
| HB 1289 | 11/13/2024 | Relating to measures to address student hunger at postsecondary educational institutions |
| HB 744 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to daylight saving time |
| HB 722 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the disclosure of appraisal methods by automobile insurers |
| HB 708 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the sale of distilled spirits to ultimate consumers by the holder of a distiller’s and rectifier’s permit |
| HB 679 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to a local option election on the sale of certain alcoholic beverages on Sunday |
| HB 670 | 11/12/2024 | Relating to the authority of a taxing unit other than a school district to establish a limitation on the amount of ad valorem taxes that the taxing unit may impose on the residence homesteads of individuals who are disabled or elderly and their surviving spouses |
