Relating to the review and approval of certain proposed municipal initiatives and referenda.

HB 524 requires home-rule cities with charters allowing citizen petitions to submit proposed new ordinances or changes to existing ones to the Texas Attorney General for review before holding elections. The city must submit the measure within five days of receiving the petition, and the Attorney General must review it within 30 days to check for conflicts with state law. If the Attorney General finds a conflict, the city cannot hold the election; if the Attorney General misses the deadline, the city must proceed. Voters may also challenge the Attorney General’s finding in court, which could require the city to hold or cancel the election based on the court’s ruling. The law applies only to measures submitted on or after September 1, 2025.