The bill, S.B. No. 525, amends the Government Code by adding Section 601.012, which establishes that only United States citizens are eligible to be appointed to or serve in public offices, including positions on governing bodies of commissions, boards, or other agencies, as well as advisory boards or task forces. This requirement applies to appointments within the executive, legislative, or judicial branches of state government, as well as those of political subdivisions. However, the bill specifies that this citizenship requirement does not apply to offices with exclusive qualification requirements set by the federal or state constitution.

The provisions of this bill will take effect for appointments made on or after September 1, 2025. Additionally, any individual who is not a U.S. citizen and was appointed to a position subject to this new requirement prior to that date will have their term end on September 1, 2025, unless they obtain U.S. citizenship before that deadline. The bill will become effective immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote from both houses of the Texas Legislature; otherwise, it will take effect on the specified date.

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