HB 3475 Texas House · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to the establishment of a public law school in El Paso County.

HB 3475 authorizes a university system in Texas to establish a public law school in El Paso County, directly affecting the university system and future law students in that region. The bill allows governing boards to create the school, design law degree programs, manage it through existing academic institutions, and accept private or public funding - though establishment depends on available funding. It requires a feasibility study for accreditation, coordination with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and limits the law school to one per state. The bill does not create the school immediately but provides the legal framework for its future establishment.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 24, 2025 Last action May 15, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Engrossed · 1 edit · May 15, 2025
MINOR
The bill text was reformatted from a draft version to an engrossed version, with minor spacing and line break adjustments. The substantive policy content remains unchanged, including the establishment of an El Paso law school, bond funding limits of $40 million, and effective dates.
TECHNICAL

Formatting and spacing adjustments were made to convert the bill from a draft version to an official engrossed version, including reformatting of headers and line breaks.

Floor votes · House May 15, 2025

How they voted

8656
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 145
May 15, 2025
D Democratic60
56 Yea 2 Nay 2
93% Yea
R Republican85
30 Yea 54 Nay 1
63% Nay
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
23
Key actions
7
Committee
6
May 15, 2025
Introduced
Received from the House
upper
May 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed
lower
May 14, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed to engrossment
lower
May 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report sent to Calendars
lower
May 6, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report distributed
lower
May 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
lower
Apr 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
Left pending in committee
lower
Apr 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
lower
Mar 24, 2025
Committee
Referred to Higher Education
lower
Mar 24, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
lower
4 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors