Public policy in Texas

* Fiscal policy
* Budgets
* Budget and finances by state
* Tax policy by state
* State Budget Terms
* State government tax collections by source
* Total state expenditures
* State spending by function as a percent of total expenditures
* State debt
* Finance
* Financial regulation in the United States
* Dodd-Frank Act
* Federal Reserve
* Pensions
* Pension policy by state
* Public pension health by state
* Pension reform in San Jose and San Diego
* Pension Terms and Definitions
* Public pensions
* Civil liberties
* Affirmative action
* Campaign finance
* Nonprofit regulation
* Education
* Public education by state
* School choice by state
* Charter schools by state
* Higher education by state
* Education policy in the United States
* Public education in the United States
* Education statistics
* Education statistics in the United States
* Education spending per pupil
* Number of schools by school type in the U.S.
* Demographic information for all students in the United States
* Public school system expenditures in the United States
* Public school system revenues in the United States
* Public school teacher salaries in the United States
* Graduation rates by groups in state
* Public high school dropout rates by state
* ACT and SAT scores in the United States
* NAEP scores by state
* Major terms
* Blended learning
* Charter schools
* Common Core
* Dropout rate
* Progressive education
* Regulatory Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate
* School vouchers
* Teacher merit pay
* United States education agencies
* Elections
* Voting policy
* Voter identification laws by state
* Online voter registration
* Early voting
* Ballot access
* Ballot access for presidential candidates
* Ballot access for major and minor party candidates
* List of political parties in the United States
* Political party designation
* Redistricting
* State-by-state redistricting procedures
* Majority-minority districts
* Energy and Environment
* Energy Policy by state
* Fracking
* Fracking information by state
* Fracking
* Fracking in the United States
* Energy policy in the United States
* Energy use in the United States
* Oil and gas on federal lands by state
* Energy terms and definitions
* Agencies and legislation
* Environmental Policy by state
* Endangered Species Policy
* Endangered species policy by state
* Environmental policy in the United States
* Environmental statistics
* Endangered species statistics
* Glossary of environmental terms
* Glossary of endangered species terms
* Healthcare
* Healthcare policy by state
* Medicaid spending by state
* Effect of the Affordable Care Act by state
* Healthcare policy in the United States
* Affordable Care Act
* Immigration
* Immigration in the United States
* Immigration by state
* Index

## Contents

* 1 Budget Policy
* 1.1 Budget and finances
* 1.2 Taxes
* 2 Civil Liberties Policy
* 2.1 Affirmative action
* 2.2 Campaign finance
* 3 Background
* 4 Contribution limits
* 4.1 State comparisons in the 2024 elections
* 5 Candidate reporting requirements
* 5.1 Required reports
* 6 Campaign finance legislation
* 7 Election and campaign ballot measures
* 8 Contact information
* 8.1 Election agencies
* 9 Recent news
* 10 See also
* 11 Footnotes
* 11.1 Nonprofit regulation
* 12 Education Policy
* 12.1 K-12 Public education
* 12.2 Higher education
* 12.3 School choice
* 12.4 Charter schools
* 13 Election Policy
* 13.1 Ballot access requirements
* 13.2 Redistricting
* 13.3 Voting
* 14 Energy Policy
* 14.1 Energy information
* 14.2 Fracking
* 15 Environmental Policy
* 15.1 Environmental information
* 15.2 Endangered species
* 16 Finance Policy
* 16.1 Financial regulation information
* 17 Healthcare Policy
* 17.1 Healthcare information
* 17.2 Medicaid spending
* 17.3 Effect of the Affordable Care Act
* 18 Immigration Policy
* 18.1 Immigration information
* 19 Pension Policy
* 19.1 Public pensions
* 20 Public policy in other states
* 21 Footnotes

* * *

This article does not contain the most recently published data on this subject. If you would like to help our coverage grow, consider donating to Ballotpedia.

* * *

The Public Policy Project on Ballotpedia aims to illuminate major policy issues being discussed and implemented throughout the United States. Public policy can be complicated and controversial; deciding what works best and how to allocate resources to achieve a policy goal can involve multiple trade-offs. Much of the public policy that affects citizens economically, legally and socially, is made at the state level. Below you will find links and introductions to all the Texas public policy articles on Ballotpedia. To see the policy overview of another state click on the map below.

For a list of all public policy articles on Ballotpedia see here.

## Budget Policy[edit]

### Budget and finances[edit]

In Texas, as in other states, lawmakers and public officials are elected in part to manage the state's finances. This includes generating revenues (money coming into the state from various sources) and approving expenditures (the money spent on governmental functions and servicing state debt). State budgets are complex and fluid, as they depend on anticipated revenues and planned expenditures, which may alter over the course of a fiscal year. If revenues do not keep pace with expenditures, states generally have to raise taxes, cut services, borrow money, or a combination of the three. State budget decisions are also influenced by policy decisions at the national level, such as the Affordable Care Act or energy and environmental regulations, and issues at the local level, such as crime and the quality of education.

HIGHLIGHTS

* Between fiscal years 2015 and 2016, total government spending in Texas increased by approximately $8.0 billion—from $119.3 billion in fiscal year 2015 to an estimated $127.3 billion in 2016. This represents a 6.7-percent increase.[1]

* In Texas in fiscal year 2015, 88.9 percent of total tax revenues came from sales taxes and gross receipts. Texas does not collect an income tax.

* Education accounted for 37.5 percent of state expenditures in fiscal year 2015, while 30.6 percent went to Medicaid.

### Taxes[edit]

Texas generates the bulk of its tax revenue by levying a general sales tax and select sales taxes (otherwise known as excise taxes). The state derives its constitutional authority to tax from Article 8 of the state constitution.[2][3]

Tax policy can vary from state to state. States levy taxes to help fund the variety of services provided by state governments. Tax collections comprise approximately 40 percent of the states' total revenues. The rest comes from non-tax sources, such as intergovernmental aid (e.g., federal funds), lottery revenues and fees. The primary types of taxes levied by state governments include personal income tax, general sales tax, excise (or special sales) taxes and corporate income tax.[4]

HIGHLIGHTS

* According to the United States Census Bureau, Texas collected $52.13 billion in tax revenue in 2016. The state's tax revenue per capita was $1,871.

## Civil Liberties Policy[edit]

### Affirmative action[edit]

Affirmative action in Texas refers to the steps taken by employers and universities in Texas to increase the proportions of historically disadvantaged minority groups at those institutions. Historically, affirmative action nationwide has taken many different forms, such as strict quotas, extra outreach efforts, and racial and gender preferences. However, racial quotas in university admissions were banned in a 1978 United States Supreme Court case, Regents of the University of California v. Bakke.[5]

On June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court reversed lower court decisions in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College and Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina, effectively ending the use of affirmative action in college admissions.

As of March 2015, 109 out of 577 public four-year universities across the country reported that they considered race in admissions. This practice has been banned in eight states. Meanwhile, 28 states require affirmative action plans in either public employment or apprenticeships. Affirmative action programs that grant racial preferences have come under scrutiny in the courts for potentially violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.[6][7]

The following information details the use of affirmative action in universities and employment in Texas, as well as notable court cases originating in the state.

HIGHLIGHTS

* In Texas, two public universities reported considering race in admissions as of March 2015.

* Texas has enacted three laws regarding affirmative action in employment.

The effects of affirmative action policies are contested. Proponents argue that affirmative action diversifies selective institutions and provides more opportunities to minorities. Opponents argue that implementing policies that favor some groups requires discrimination against others and that these policiesmay harm individuals they are meant to help.

### Campaign finance[edit]

Campaign finance requirements govern how much money candidates and campaigns may receive from individuals and organizations, how they must report those contributions, and how much individuals, organizations, and political parties may contribute to campaigns. In addition to direct campaign contributions, campaign finance laws also apply to third-party organizations and nonprofit organizations that seek to influence elections through independent expenditures or issue advocacy.

This page provides background on campaign finance regulation, lists contribution limits to state candidates and ballot measures in Texas, compares contribution limits to gubernatorial and state legislative candidates in Texas with those from other states, and details the candidate reporting requirements in Texas.

The information on this page pertains to candidates for state office and state ballot measures. Candidates for federal office are subject to federal campaign finance law. Candidates for local office are subject to all applicable state laws as well as any separate local campaign finance regulations.[8]

As of August 2025:

* Individuals could contribute unlimitedly to candidates for state office in Texas.

* State parties could contribute unlimitedly to gubernatorial candidates, to state senate candidates, and to state house candidates.

* Political committees could contribute unlimitedly to gubernatorial and state legislative candidates.

* Corporations and unions could not contribute directly to candidates for office or party committees, but these groups could make unlimited contributions to ballot measure campaigns.

## Background[edit]

Seal of the United States Federal Election Commission

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is the independent regulatory agency that administers and enforces federal campaign election laws. The FEC is responsible for disclosing campaign finance information, enforcing limits and prohibitions on contributions, and overseeing public funding of presidential elections.[9] According to the FEC, an individual becomes a federal candidate and must begin reporting campaign finances once he or she has either raised or spent $5,000 in his or her campaign. Within fifteen days of this benchmark, the candidate must register with the FEC and designate an official campaign committee, which is responsible for the funds and expenditures of the campaign. This committee must have an official treasurer and cannot support any candidate but the one who registered it. Detailed financial reports are then made to the FEC every financial quarter after the individual is registered. Reports are also made before primaries and before the general election.[10]

The Supreme Court of the United States has issued a number of rulings pertaining to federal election campaign finance regulations. In the 2010 Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision, the court held that corporate funding of independent political broadcasts in candidate elections cannot be limited. The court's decision also overturned the ban on for-profit and not-for-profit corporations and unions broadcasting electioneering communications in the 30 days before a presidential primary and in the 60 days before a general election.[11] In the SpeechNOW.org v. Federal Election Commission decision, the first application of the Citizens United decision, the court held that contribution limits on what individuals could give to independent expenditure-only groups, and the amount these organizations could receive, were unconstitutional. Contribution limits on donations directly to candidates, however, remained unchanged.[12][13] In 2014's McCutcheon v. Federal Election Commission decision, the court overturned biennial aggregate campaign contribution limits, and held that individuals may contribute to as many federal candidates as they want, but may only contribute up to the federal limit in each case.[14]

While the FEC governs federal election campaigns and contribution limits, individual states enforce their own regulation and reporting requirements. Regulations vary by state, as do limits on campaign contributions and third-party activities to influence elections. Candidates for local office must follow any applicable state and local campaign finance regulations.

## Contribution limits[edit]

The table below details contribution limits as they applied to various types of individuals and groups in Texas as of August 2025. The uppermost row of the table indicates the contributor, while the leftmost column indicates the recipient.

Texas contribution limits as of August 2025 | Individuals| Single candidates committees| PACs| Political party | Super PACs| Corporations | Unions

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Statewide Candidate (incl. Governor)| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| $0| $0| $0
Senate| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| $0| $0| $0
House| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| $0| $0| $0
PAC| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| $0| $0| $0
Party committees| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| $0| $0| $0
Ballot measures| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| unlimited| $0| unlimited| unlimited
Sources The Texas Politics Project, "Federal and Texas Campaign Contribution Limits," accessed August 11, 2025
Texas Ethics Commission, "Frequently Asked Questions about the 2024 Elections," accessed August 11, 2025

### State comparisons in the 2024 elections[edit]

See also: State-by-state comparison of campaign finance requirements

Individual contribution limits

Party contribution limits

Political committee contribution limits

Corporation and union contribution limits

As of the 2024 elections, there were no individual contribution limits on contributions to gubernatorial or state legislative candidates in 12 states, including Texas. The remaining 38 states had varying limits.

Texas

Individual contribution limits in Texas:

* Governor: Unlimited
* State Senate: Unlimited
* State House: Unlimited

Comparison to other states

In the 38 states with individual contribution limits:

* Governor
* Minimum: $625 per election (Colorado)
* Maximum: $36,400 per election (California)
* State Senate
* Minimum: $200 per election (Colorado)
* Maximum: $15,499.69 per election (Ohio)
* State House
* Minimum: $200 per election (Colorado)
* Maximum: $15,499.69 per election (Ohio)

As of the 2024 elections, there were no state party contribution limits on contributions to gubernatorial or state legislative candidates in 21 states, including Texas. The remaining 29 states had varying limits.

Texas

State party contribution limits in Texas:

* Governor: Unlimited
* State Senate: Unlimited
* State House: Unlimited

Comparison to other states

In other states with party contribution limits:

* Governor
* Minimum: $1,950 per election (Maine)
* Maximum: $874,182.62 per election (Ohio)
* State Senate
* Minimum: $475 (Maine)
* Maximum: $174,371.53 (Ohio)
* State House
* Minimum: $475 (Maine)
* Maximum: $174,371.53 (Ohio)

As of the 2024 elections, there were no political committee contribution limits on contributions to gubernatorial or state legislative candidates in 12 states, including Texas. The remaining 38 states had varying limits.

Texas

Political committee contribution limits in Texas:

* Governor: Unlimited
* State Senate: Unlimited
* State House: Unlimited

Comparison to other states

In other states with political committee contribution limits:

* Governor
* Minimum: $625 per election (Colorado)
* Maximum: $86,000[15] (Wisconsin)
* State Senate
* Minimum: $200 per election (Colorado)
* Maximum: $68,500 per election cycle (Illinois)
* State House
* Minimum: $200 per election (Colorado)
* Maximum: $68,500 per election cycle (Illinois)

As of the 2024 elections, there were no corporation or union contribution limits on contributions to gubernatorial or state legislative candidates in five states. They were prohibited in 20 states, including Texas. The remaining 25 states had varying limits.

Texas

Corporation/union contribution limits in Texas:

* Governor: Prohibited
* State Senate: Prohibited
* State House: Prohibited

Comparison to other states

In the 25 states with corporation/union contribution limits:

* Governor
* Minimum: $1,200 per election cycle (Delaware)
* Maximum: $36,400 (California)
* State Senate
* Minimum: $600 per election (Delaware)
* Maximum: $28,800 per election cycle (Tennessee)
* State House
* Minimum: $500 per election (Kansas)
* Maximum: $14,400 per election cycle (Tennessee)

## Candidate reporting requirements[edit]

Seal of Texas

See statutes: Title 15 of the Texas Election Code

A candidate for statewide office, the state legislature, state board of education, or district attorney (multi-county district) must file campaign finance reports with the Texas Ethics Commission. The candidate must file an Appointment of a Campaign Treasurer by a Candidate Form (Form CTA) with the Texas Ethics Commission when he or she becomes a candidate even if he or she does not intend to accept campaign contributions or make campaign expenditures.[16]

After a candidate has filed a form appointing a campaign treasurer, the candidate is responsible for filing periodic reports of contributions and expenditures. Filing reports is the responsibility of the candidate, not the campaign treasurer. A candidate may not accept a campaign contribution or make a campaign expenditure unless he or she has a campaign treasurer appointment on file with the Texas Ethics Commission.[16]

A report must disclose all political contributions accepted and expenditures made during the reporting period.[16]

* If a contributor contributes $110 or less during the reporting period, contributions from that contributor may be disclosed as part of a lump sum. For other contributions, the candidate must disclose the name and address of the contributor, the date of the contribution, and, for in-kind contributions, the nature and value of the contribution.[16]
* A candidate must report any campaign expenditure (regardless of whether it is made from political contributions or from personal funds) and any political expenditure (campaign or officeholder) from political contributions (regardless of whether the expenditure is a political expenditure).[16]

### Required reports[edit]

The candidate must file the following reports with the Texas Ethics Commission electronically unless the candidate is entitled to claim the exemption from electronic filing.

* Report After Appointment of a Campaign Treasurer: The candidate must file a report after filing a campaign treasurer appointment. This report of contributions and expenditures is due no later than 15 days after the campaign treasurer appointment was filed. This report is required even if there is no activity to report.[16]
* Personal Financial Statement: A candidate must file a financial statement no later than the 60th day after the date of the regular filing deadline for an application for a place on the ballot in the March primary election or February 12, whichever is later.[16]
* Semiannual Reports: Every candidate and every officeholder is required to file reports of contributions and expenditures by January 15 and July 15 of each year. The candidate must file semiannual reports even if there is no activity to report for the period covered.[16]
* Final Report: If a candidate expects to accept no further political contributions and to make no further political expenditures and if the filer expects to take no further action to get elected to a public office, the candidate may file a final report. Filing a final report terminates a candidate's campaign treasurer appointment and relieves the filer from any additional filing obligations as a candidate.[16]

## Campaign finance legislation[edit]

The table below displays bills related to campaign finance introduced during or carried over to Texas' current legislative session.[17]

## Election and campaign ballot measures[edit]

See also: Elections and campaigns on the ballot and List of Texas ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked 17 statewide ballot measures relating to elections and campaigns.

1. Texas Proposition 15, Elections for County Surveyors Amendment (1993)
2. Texas Proposition 18, Local Elections With Unopposed Candidates Amendment (September 2003)
3. Texas Proposition 9, Legislative Vacancies Amendment (2001)
4. Texas Proposition 6, Appointment of Presidential Electors Amendment (2001)
5. Texas Proposition 8, State and Local Elections with Unopposed Candidates Amendment (September 2003)
6. Texas Proposition 8, Voting Requirements Amendment (1966)
7. Texas Proposition 2, Election of Railroad Commissioners Amendment (1894)
8. Texas Proposition 1, Poll Tax Payment Amendment (1902)
9. Texas Proposition 7, Qualifications to Vote on Bond Issues Amendment (1932)
10. Texas Proposition 1, Military Poll Tax Exemption Amendment (August 1945)
11. Texas Proposition 4, Poll Tax and Voter Registration Amendment (1949)
12. Texas Proposition 1, Poll Tax Repeal Amendment (1963)
13. Texas Proposition 7, Poll Tax Repeal Amendment (1966)
14. Texas Proposition 14, Voting in the Armed Forces Amendment (1966)
15. Texas Proposition 3, Voter and Election Constitutional Provisions Amendment (1975)
16. Texas Proposition 8, State Debt Ballot Questions Amendment (1991)
17. Texas Proposition 1, Voting in Different Precincts Amendment (July 1915)

## Contact information[edit]

### Election agencies[edit]

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in Texas can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

Texas County Clerks

Click here for a list

Texas Secretary of State, Elections Division

Physical Address: James E. Rudder Building
1019 Brazos St.
Austin, Texas 78701
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 12887
Austin, Texas 78711-2887
Phone: 512-463-5650
Toll free: 1-800-252-8683
Fax: 512-475-2811
Email: elections@sos.texas.gov
Website: http://www.sos.state.tx.us/elections/

Texas Ethics Commission

Physical Address: Sam Houston Building
201 East 14th St., 10th Floor
Austin, Texas 78701
Mailing Address: P. O. Box 12070
Austin, Texas 78711-2070
Phone: 512-463-5800
Email: reception@ethics.state.tx.us
Website: https://www.ethics.state.tx.us

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 301-563-3919
Toll free: 1-866-747-1471
Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov
Website: https://www.eac.gov

Federal Election Commission (FEC)

1050 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20463

Telephone: (202)-694-1100

Toll-free: 1-800-424-9530

Email: info@fec.gov

Website: http://www.fec.gov/

## Recent news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Texas campaign finance. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Public policy in Texas - Google News

## See also[edit]

* Campaign finance regulation
* Ballot access requirements for political candidates in Texas
* Texas
* Texas Ethics Commission

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ National Association of State Budget Officers, "State Expenditure Report (Fiscal 2014-2016)," accessed June 26, 2017
2. ↑ Texas Constitution and Statutes, "Texas Constitution," accessed October 17, 2014
3. ↑ Tax Policy Center, "State Tax Collection Shares by Type 2000-2013," June 20, 2014
4. ↑ Brunori, D. (2011). State Tax Policy: A Political Perspective. Washington, D.C.: The Urban Institute Press
5. ↑ Oyez, "Regents of the University of California v. Bakke," accessed February 11, 2015
6. ↑ Miller Center of Public Affairs, "Affirmative Action: Race or Class?" accessed February 10, 2015
7. ↑ Business and Legal Resources, "Affirmative Action," accessed March 31, 2015
8. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Campaign Finance Enforcement," accessed May 28, 2025
9. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "About the FEC," accessed June 27, 2012
10. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Candidate Registration Brochure," accessed December 7, 2012
11. ↑ New York Times, "Justices, 5-4, Reject Corporate Spending Limit," January 21, 2010
12. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Speechnow.org v. FEC," April 7, 2014
13. ↑ OpenSecrets, "Two Federal Court Rulings Could Change Campaign Finance Landscape," March 26, 2010
14. ↑ Federal Election Commission, "Ongoing Litigation," accessed March 18, 2015
15. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "State Limits on Contributions to Candidates 2023-2024 Election Cycle," accessed May 8, 2025
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 16.8 Texas Ethics Commission, "Campaign Finance Guide for Candidates and Officeholders Who File With The Texas Ethics Commission," accessed August 11, 2025
17. ↑ Bills are organized by most recent action. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.

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v • e

State of Texas
Austin (capital)

|

Elections |

What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2026 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures

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Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy

### Nonprofit regulation[edit]

Nonprofit regulation in Texas involves a complex set of rules that govern nonprofit organizations and charitable giving throughout the state. Major issues surrounding nonprofit regulation nationwide include the following:

* contribution limits,
* donor disclosure, and
* the redefinition of issue advocacy.

Texas is one of 11 states that do not require charitable organizations, or those intending to solicit on their behalf, to register with the state in order to solicit contributions, whether they are a Texas organization or based out-of-state.[1]

According to Guidestar, an organization that reports on nonprofit companies, regulation of nonprofit activity protects donors and organizations from potential fraud and helps "to maintain trust in the [nonprofit] sector." According to the London School of Economics, nonprofit disclosure requirements can create privacy concerns among potential donors, thereby having an unintended negative impact on donor participation.[2][3]

## Education Policy[edit]

Charter schools •  Higher education •  Public education •  School choice

### K-12 Public education[edit]

The Texas public school system (prekindergarten through grade 12) operates within districts governed by locally elected school boards and superintendents. In 2022, Texas had 5,156,972 students enrolled in a total of  8,161 schools in 1,022 school districts. There were 344,362 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 15 students, compared to the national average of 1:16. In 2020, Texas spent on average $10,342 per pupil.[4] The state's graduation rate was 90 percent in the 2018-2019 school year.[5]

### Higher education[edit]

Texas' higher education system is composed of 268 colleges and universities. Of these, 107 are public institutions, 73 are nonprofit private schools, and 88 are for-profit private institutions.[6]

HIGHLIGHTS

* At public four-year colleges in Texas, 27.6 percent graduated within four years, while 51.7 percent graduated within six years.

* Hispanic students comprised approximately 34.0 percent of the total postsecondary student population in Texas.

* Texas was one of five states in which the number of teaching and research assistants alone outnumbered full-time faculty.

### School choice[edit]

School choice is a term that refers to programs offering alternatives to assigned local public school options. Public school choice options include open enrollment policies, magnet schools, and charter schools. Other options include school vouchers, scholarship tax credits, and education savings accounts (ESAs).[7][8]

HIGHLIGHTS

* According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, a charter school advocacy group, there were an estimated 723 total charter schools in Texas in the 2015-2016 school year. These schools enrolled approximately 282,900 students.

* In Texas, there were 312,640 students enrolled in 1,740 private schools in fall 2013, accounting for roughly 6.13 percent of the state's total school-age population.

* According to the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, as of June 2016, Texas provided no financial assistance (either in the form of vouchers or tax credits) to parents wishing to send their children to private schools instead of public schools.

Proponents argue that school choice programs improve educational outcomes by expanding opportunity and access for historically disadvantaged students. In addition, advocates claim that school choice programs empower parents and improve traditional public schools through competition. Critics contend that these programs divert funds from traditional public schools, thereby generating unequal outcomes for students. In addition, some critics argue that school voucher programs wrongly direct tax dollars to religious organizations, which operate many private schools.

### Charter schools[edit]

Charter schools in Texas are public schools operated independently of public school systems. Although they are largely publicly funded, charter schools are exempt from many of the requirements imposed by state and local boards of education regarding hiring and curriculum. As public schools, charter schools cannot charge tuition or impose special entrance requirements; students are usually admitted through a lottery process if demand exceeds the number of spaces available in a school. Charter schools generally receive a percentage of the per-pupil funds from the state and local school districts for operational costs based on enrollment. In most states, charter schools do not receive funds for facilities or start-up costs; therefore, they must rely to some extent on private donations. The federal government also provides revenues through special grants. As of March 2017, 44 states and the District of Columbia had approved legislation authorizing the creation of public charter schools. Six states had not.

HIGHLIGHTS

* According to the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, a charter school advocacy group, there were an estimated 723 total charter schools in Texas in the 2015-2016 school year. These schools enrolled approximately 282,900 students.

* Overall, charter school students accounted for 5.39 percent of total public school enrollment in Texas in 2015.

* The Texas State Legislature approved the state's charter school law in 1995.

## Election Policy[edit]

### Ballot access requirements[edit]

In order to get on the ballot in Texas, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in Texas. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

### Redistricting[edit]

Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Each of Texas' 38 United States Representatives and 181 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.[9][10][11][12]

Texas was apportioned 38 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, two more than it received after the 2010 census. Click here for more information about redistricting in Texas after the 2020 census.

HIGHLIGHTS

* Following the 2020 United States Census, Texas was apportioned 38 congressional districts, two more than the number it had after the 2010 census.

* Texas' House of Representatives is made up of 150 districts; Texas' State Senate is made up of 31 districts.

* In Texas, congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn by the state legislature. If the legislature fails to approve a state legislative redistricting plan, a backup commission must draw the lines (the backup commission is not involved in congressional redistricting).

* Texas' congressional and state legislative district maps that were drawn after the 2020 census were subject to litigation. Click here to learn more.

### Voting[edit]

What's on your ballot?

Find out using Ballotpedia’s Sample Ballot Tool

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Election Information
2026 election and voting dates
Voter registration
Early voting
Absentee/mail-in voting
All-mail voting
Voter ID laws
State poll opening and closing times
Time off work for voting

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Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker

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Select a state from the menu below to learn more about its voting policies.

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The policies governing voter participation are enacted and enforced primarily at the state level. These policies, which include voter identification requirements, early voting provisions, online voter registration systems, and more, dictate the conditions under which people cast their ballots in their respective states.

This article includes the following information about voting policies in Texas:

* Voter registration details, including deadlines and eligibility requirements.
* In-person voting details, including identification requirements, poll times, and early voting provisions.
* Absentee/mail-in voting deadlines and rules.
* Details about voting rules for people convicted of a felony.
* Contact information for election agencies.

Click here for more information about election administration in the state, including voter list maintenance policies, provisional ballot rules, post-election auditing practices, and additional election policy context.

For information on elections happening this year, click here.

Do you have questions about your elections? Looking for information about your local election official? Click here to use U.S. Vote Foundation’s election official lookup tool.

## Energy Policy[edit]

### Energy information[edit]

Energy policy involves governmental actions affecting the production, distribution, and consumption of energy in a state. Energy policies are enacted and enforced at the local, state, and federal levels and may change over time. These policies include legislation, regulation, taxes, incentives for energy production or use, standards for energy efficiency, and more. Stakeholders include citizens, politicians, environmental groups, industry groups, and think tanks. A variety of factors can affect the feasibility of federal and state-level energy policies, such as available natural resources, geography, and consumer needs.

### Fracking[edit]

Read about Texas' state energy profile »

Texas overlies portions of the Anadarko Basin, the Palo Duro Basin, the Permian Basin, the Barnett Shale, the Eagle Ford Shale, and the Haynesville-Bossier Shale. As of February 2017, Texas had 279,615 active oil and gas wells. As of May 2017, however, the state did not track the number of wells that were hydraulically fractured. According to the Texas Railroad Commission, fracking began in Texas in the 1950s.[13][14][15][16]

The map to the left shows oil and natural gas fields in Texas as of May 2017. The map in the center shows all oil and gas wells in the state as of January 2016.

Oil and natural gas fields in Texas as of May 2017 (click to enlarge)

Map of oil and gas wells in Texas as of January 2016 (click to enlarge)

Map legend

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## Environmental Policy[edit]

### Environmental information[edit]

Environmental policy aims to conserve natural resources by balancing environmental protection with economic growth, property rights, public health, and energy production. Federal, state, and local government entities develop and implement environmental policies through laws and regulations. This page features information about environmental policy in Texas.

### Endangered species[edit]

Endangered species policy in Texas involves the identification and protection of endangered and threatened animal and plant species. Policies are implemented and enforced by both the state and federal governments.

HIGHLIGHTS

* As of July 2016, Texas had 97 species—78 endangered species and 19 threatened species—listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).

* Of these, 67 were animal species and 30 were plant species.

## Finance Policy[edit]

### Financial regulation information[edit]

The United States financial system is a network that facilitates exchanges between lenders and borrowers. The system, which includes banks and investment firms, is the base for all economic activity in the nation. According to the Federal Reserve, financial regulation has two main intended purposes: to ensure the safety and soundness of the financial system and to provide and enforce rules that aim to protect consumers. The regulatory framework varies across industries, with different regulations applying to different financial services.[17]

Individual federal and state entities have different and sometimes overlapping responsibilities within the regulatory system. For example, individual states and three federal agencies—the Federal Reserve, the Office of Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)—regulate commercial banks. Other sectors of the financial market are regulated by specific entities.[18][19]

HIGHLIGHTS

* In 2015, there were a total of 447 distinct commercial banks in Texas, with total deposits of $730.1 billion.

* The Department of Banking is the primary regulatory body for financial institutions in Texas.

* In 2015, a total of 169,373 financial crimes were reported in Texas according to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FINCEN), an agency of the United States Department of Treasury.

Some, such as the Brookings Institution, argue that expanded governmental regulation of banks and financial products (e.g., mortgages) can prevent large-scale financial crises, protect consumers from abusive practices, and stabilize financial markets. Others, such as the Cato Institute, argue that over-regulation of banks of banks and financial products burdens business, stalls economic growth, and does little, if anything, to stabilize financial markets. Beyond this basic debate about the role of the government in regulating the private financial sector, there are varying opinions about the proper extent of governmental regulation.[20][21]

## Healthcare Policy[edit]

### Healthcare information[edit]

Healthcare policy in Texas involves the creation and implementation of laws, rules, and regulations for managing the state's healthcare system. The healthcare system consists of services provided by medical professionals to diagnose, treat, and prevent mental and physical illness and injury. The system also encompasses a wide range of related sectors, such as insurance, pharmaceuticals and health information technology.

According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, the 50 state legislatures collectively "make thousands of health policy decisions each year," not including the decisions made by local governments, which often oversee hospitals, and private bodies, such as insurers. These decisions can include budget appropriations, requirements for doctors obtaining their licenses, which services are covered by insurance, how personal health information is managed, and which immunizations children must receive, among many others.[22]

Healthcare policy affects not only the cost citizens must pay for care, but also their access to care and the quality of care received, which can influence their overall health. A top concern for policymakers is the rising cost of healthcare, which has placed an increasing strain on the disposable income of consumers as well as on state budgets.

Other issues in healthcare policy include

* state Medicaid expansion,
* health information technology and privacy,
* uninsured and underinsured portions of the population,
* a shortage of primary care physicians, and
* mental healthcare access and coverage.

### Medicaid spending[edit]

Texas' Medicaid program provides medical insurance to groups of low-income people and individuals with disabilities. Medicaid is a nationwide program jointly funded by the federal government and the states. Medicaid eligibility, benefits, and administration are managed by the states within federal guidelines. A program related to Medicaid is the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which covers low-income children above the poverty line and is sometimes operated in conjunction with a state's Medicaid program. Medicaid is a separate program from Medicare, which provides health coverage for the elderly.

### Effect of the Affordable Care Act[edit]

The impact of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ACA), also known as Obamacare, has been debated among politicians, policymakers, and other stakeholders. The ACA was signed into law in 2010 by President Barack Obama (D). The law facilitated the purchase of health insurance through a system of health insurance exchanges, tax credits, and subsidies. Initially, states were required to expand eligibility for Medicaid under the law; a 2012 ruling by the United States Supreme Court made the Medicaid expansion voluntary for states. The law also required insurers to cover healthcare services within a standard set of benefits and prohibited coverage denials based on preexisting conditions. Under the law, all individuals were required to obtain health insurance.

HIGHLIGHTS

* Between 2013 and 2016, the number of uninsured individuals in Texas declined by 20.9%.

* About 963,000 individuals in Texas were enrolled in health plans offered through the health insurance exchange in 2017. Enrollment in Medicaid amounted to about 4.8 million in May 2017.

* The Kaiser Family Foundation found that between 2016 and 2017, average monthly premiums for benchmark plans on Texas's exchange increased by an average of 13% in the Houston market, from $256 to $288.

## Immigration Policy[edit]

### Immigration information[edit]

Immigration policy determines who may become a new citizen of the United States or enter the country as a temporary worker, student, refugee, or permanent resident. The federal government is responsible for setting and enforcing most immigration policy.

Meanwhile, states assume a largely supportive role, enacting their own supplementary laws and setting policies that may, for example, determine which public services immigrants can access, establish employee screening requirements, or guide the interaction between related state agencies and their federal counterparts.

Some jurisdictions, including some states, cities, and counties, have adopted policies of not cooperating with federal immigration enforcement; these jurisdictions have become known as sanctuary jurisdictions.

HIGHLIGHTS

* As of October 2016, Texas allowed lawfully residing immigrant children to enroll in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program.

* In 2014, Texas' population amounted to just over 26 million. Native-born citizens comprised 83.5 percent of the population; 10.9 percent were non-citizens.

* Texas' poverty rate during 2014 was 13.7 percent. Among native-born citizens, 10.8 percent lived below the poverty line, compared to 32.1 percent of non-citizens.

## Pension Policy[edit]

### Public pensions[edit]

Texas public pensions are the state mechanism by which state and many local government employees in Texas receive retirement benefits.

There were 135 public pension systems in Texas as of 2020. Of these, seven were state-level programs while the remaining 128 were administered at the local level. Membership in Texas' various pension systems totaled 2,878,068, as of fiscal year 2020. Of these, 1,429,935 were active members.[23]

HIGHLIGHTS

* Total contributions of $13.6 billion were made to Texas' state and local pension systems, in fiscal year 2020. Of this amount, $5.6 billion came from employees.

* Texas' state and local pension systems made payments totaling $19 billion, in fiscal year 2020.

* Texas' state and local pension systems held $306.6 billion in total cash and investment holdings, as of fiscal year 2020.

## Public policy in other states[edit]

Click your state  for an overview of policy information in your state.

Choose your state...AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWashington, D.C.West VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

http://ballotpedia.org/Public policy in STATE

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Fishman, S. & Barrett, R. (2012). Nonprofit Fundraising Registration: The 50 State Guide. NOLO.
2. ↑ Guidestar, Fundraising: What Laws Apply?" accessed February 18, 2015
3. ↑ London School of Economics, "Campaign finance laws that make small donations public may lead to fewer people contributing and to smaller donations," January 7, 2015
4. ↑ United States Census Bureau, "U.S. School System Current Spending Per Pupil by Region: Fiscal Year 2020," May 18, 2022
5. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Fast Facts: High school graduation rates," accessed September 28, 2022
6. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "College Navigator - Texas," accessed July 12, 2016
7. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "School Choice and Charters," accessed June 18, 2014
8. ↑ Friedman Foundation for School Choice, "What is School Choice?" accessed June 18, 2014
9. ↑ All About Redistricting, "Why does it matter?" accessed April 8, 2015
10. ↑ Indy Week, "Cracked, stacked and packed: Initial redistricting maps met with skepticism and dismay," June 29, 2011
11. ↑ The Atlantic, "How the Voting Rights Act Hurts Democrats and Minorities," June 17, 2013
12. ↑ Redrawing the Lines, "The Role of Section 2 - Majority Minority Districts," accessed April 6, 2015
13. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `TCEQ`
14. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `oil`
15. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `gas`
16. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `FAQ`
17. ↑ Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, "Government Performance and Results Act Annual Performance Report 2011," July 10, 2012
18. ↑ The National Bureau of Economic Research, "A Brief History of Regulations Regarding Financial Markets in the United States: 1789 to 2009," September 2011
19. ↑ Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, "The U.S. Federal Financial Regulatory System: Restructuring Federal Bank Regulation," January 19, 2006
20. ↑ Brookings, "The Origins of the Financial Crisis," November 24, 2008
21. ↑ The Cato Institute, "Did Deregulation Cause the Financial Crisis?" July 2009
22. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Health," accessed July 8, 2015
23. ↑ United States Census Bureau, 2020 Annual Survey of Public Pensions: State & Local Tables accessed February 23, 2022

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