TX HB5258

Establishes the "Barbara Jordan Texas Voting Rights Act" creating a new Chapter 280 in the Election Code to prohibit racial discrimination in voting at local government elections

Creates the Texas Voting Rights Act Commission, an independent 5-member agency with authority to investigate violations, conduct preclearance reviews of election policy changes, and bring enforcement actions against local governments

Prohibits voter suppression practices that create material disparities in voter participation between protected class members and other voters, and bans vote dilution through election methods that impair minority voting power

Requires local governments with prior voting rights violations, civil rights violations, or significant disparities in voter registration/turnout among protected classes to obtain preclearance before implementing changes to election methods, districting, polling locations, or election dates

Establishes the Texas Voting and Elections Database and Institute at a state university to collect and publicly share election data, voter registration lists, and precinct-level results, with local governments required to submit data within 90 days of elections

Mandates language access assistance in voting for local governments where more than 2% (minimum 200) or more than 4,000 voting-age citizens are limited English proficient, with the TXVRA Commission publishing annual lists of covered jurisdictions