HB1245: HB1245 Walker County; Board of Education; members shall be elected by voters of the respective education districts; provide

This bill amends the 1968 law that governs how Walker County elects its school board. Under the change, the county remains divided into five education districts, and one board member is elected from each district, but now that member must be elected only by the qualified voters living in that specific district rather than by voters countywide. The bill also updates the process for filling board vacancies, keeping the existing rule that vacancies in the first two years of a term are filled temporarily by the remaining board members until the next election, while vacancies in the last two years are filled by board appointment for the rest of the term. The bill repeals any conflicting laws and does not state a separate delayed effective date beyond the general rules for local legislation.

• Requires that each of the five Walker County Board of Education members be elected only by voters residing in that member's specific education district, not by the whole county.
• Keeps the county divided into five education districts as described in an attached district map (Appendix A).
• Retains the existing rule that a board member must reside in the district they represent.
• Preserves the vacancy-filling process: board-appointed successors for vacancies in the first two years serve until the next election, and appointed successors for vacancies in the last two years serve out the remaining term.
• Repeals any prior laws that conflict with these changes.

Registered voters in Walker County, current and future candidates for the Walker County Board of Education, and the board itself, which must follow the new district-based election method rather than countywide voting.

Walker County residents would now vote only for the school board member representing their own district rather than for all five seats, changing how much influence any single voter has over the composition of the board and potentially making campaigns more localized.

• Section 1 revises subsection (a) of the 1968 Act to require election of each board member solely by voters of that member's education district.
• Section 1 references Appendix A, a district map identified as 'WalkerSB-2022 Plan Type: Local', which defines the five education districts.
• Section 2 revises Section 5 of the 1968 Act, restating the vacancy-filling procedures for terms with more or less than two years remaining.
• Section 3 repeals all laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act.

1. 2026-05-11Effective Date 2026-05-11
2. 2026-05-11Act 552
3. 2026-05-11House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2026-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2026-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2026-03-31Senate Third Read (Senate)
7. 2026-03-27Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
8. 2026-03-27Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)

• Mike Cameron (R, HD-001)Primary sponsor
• Steve Tarvin (R, HD-002)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 17, 2026

   163 yea, 1 nay (7 not voting, 4 absent)

   Local Calendar : House Vote #513

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2026

   48 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 4 absent)

   Passage: Senate Vote #884

• Walker County
• school board elections
• local legislation
• education districts
• voting districts