Suleman Lalani is a Democratic state representative from Texas House District 76 who has served since January 10, 2023 and is seeking re-election in the November 3, 2026 general election, where Republican Linda Howell is also on the ballot.[1][2]
Suleman Lalani's career experience includes working as a doctor.[1]In a 2022 Ballotpedia survey, Lalani said his practice was geriatric medicine and that his experience seeing patients with preventable ailments led him to focus on healthcare and its economic impact.[3]
Lalani ran for Texas House District 26 in 2020, advancing from the Democratic primary to a runoff that L. Sarah DeMerchant won.[1]He won the 2022 Democratic primary runoff for District 76 and, according to Ballotpedia, assumed office on January 10, 2023, succeeding Claudia Ordaz.[1]Ballotpedia lists his 2023-2024 committee assignments as Natural Resources, House Higher Education and Resolutions Calendars.[1]He defeated Marie Baptiste in the March 3, 2026 Democratic primary.[1]
In the 2022 survey, Lalani named expanding healthcare as his top goal, along with long-term funding for public education and a $15 minimum wage tied to a cost-of-living index.[3]
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned
›Rights & public safety631 with · 53 against684 votes
Makes an application for an early voting ballot by mail count as an application for any resulting runoff election too, unless the applicant asks not to receive a runoff ballot.
Changes where candidates nominated by convention pay filing fees, from the secretary of state or county judge to the party's state or county chair, and repeals the requirement to deposit those fees in state or county funds.
Directs the governor to seek federal authorization and then allows a memorandum of understanding with a Mexican state for a temporary guest worker program, supplying legal workers on U.S. nonimmigrant visas to Texas businesses in high-need jobs.
On the version voted May 31, 2025: Sets the state budget for the two fiscal years ending August 2026 and August 2027, appropriating about $176 billion for fiscal 2026 and $162 billion for fiscal 2027 from all fund sources to state agencies, courts, schools and universities.
On the version voted May 21, 2025: Requires a two-thirds vote of a local governing body to adopt impact fees on new development, bars raising an impact fee more than once every three years, and requires related plans to be public at least 60 days before hearing notice.
Directs the governor to seek federal authorization and then allows a memorandum of understanding with a Mexican state for a temporary guest worker program, supplying legal workers on U.S. nonimmigrant visas to Texas businesses in high-need jobs.
As reported by the House committee, requires each school district board to adopt and post a policy setting benchmarks for square feet a properly equipped custodian may be assigned per eight-hour shift, by school level, beginning in 2025-26.
On the version voted May 26, 2025: Bars the Texas Education Agency, State Board of Education and other state-funded educational institutions from adopting any rule or policy that regulates a home school's educational program, starting with the 2025-2026 school year.
On the version voted Apr 24, 2025: Creates a state-run education savings account program letting families use public money for private school and other approved education costs, generally about 85% of average per-student school funding, up to $30,000 for students with disabilities and $2,000 for homeschoolers, capped at $1 billion for 2025–2027.
On the version voted May 28, 2025: Requires a health care provider who diagnoses an unborn child with a life-threatening or life-limiting condition to give the pregnant woman state information on perinatal palliative care and a provider list; repeat violations carry a $1,000 administrative penalty.
Requires the Health and Human Services Commission to hire a language access coordinator to assess non-English speakers' access to its programs and 2-1-1 services and report findings within one year; the provisions expire June 1, 2027.
On the version voted May 25, 2025: Requires the state health department to post its school vaccine exemption form online for printing, rather than only mailing it on request, bars requiring personal information to get the form, and stops the department from tracking who obtains it.
Lets the Public Utility Commission use Texas Energy Fund money, without further appropriation, for grants to customers or nonprofits for energy efficiency projects such as weatherization and demand reduction.
Proposes amending the Texas Constitution to let the Texas energy fund also finance energy efficiency projects conducted to benefit retail electric customers.
On the version voted May 26, 2025: Limits extensions of plugging deadlines for oil and gas wells inactive more than 15 years and completed over 25 years earlier, requires annual testing reports on long-inactive wells, and directs the Railroad Commission to set penalties and report yearly to state leaders.
Limits the higher insurance requirements for rideshare drivers on a prearranged ride to times when a rider is in the vehicle, for policies issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.
Requires metropolitan planning organizations to consider the transportation needs of people who receive services from the Health and Human Services Commission or Workforce Commission in 10-year plans, and to show providers considered meeting those needs when requesting state funding.
Allows the Texas Facilities Commission to authorize electric vehicle charging stations in state-owned parking lots and garages built on or after September 1, 2025, considering EV registrations, state employee EVs and lot usage, under guidelines requiring installation at no cost to the state.
On the version voted May 21, 2025: Requires a two-thirds vote of a local governing body to adopt impact fees on new development, bars raising an impact fee more than once every three years, and requires related plans to be public at least 60 days before hearing notice.
As reported by the House committee, requires the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs to study a homelessness model using small dwelling units and partnerships with colleges, private entities and local governments, and report by December 31, 2026.
As reported by the House committee, requires cities and counties to set up complaint processes for public camping ban violations and act on complaints within 90 days, and lets the attorney general and state police enforce the ban and recover costs from local governments that fail to act.
On the version voted May 28, 2025: Requires electronic health records of Texans to be stored in the United States, gives parents full access to their minor children's records, requires records to note biological sex as observed at birth, and lets doctors use artificial intelligence if they review results and tell patients.
On the version voted Apr 16, 2025: Creates a state program that gives grants to Texas-based businesses that win federal small business innovation research or technology transfer awards, matching or supplementing that federal money, limited to one grant per business each year.
Requires the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, with the Texas Homeless Network, to set up a statewide network for sharing real-time homelessness data and to work with health plans to connect homeless individuals to services.
Requires the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, with the Texas Veterans Commission, to develop a training program for county jailers on interacting with veterans, and requires currently licensed jailers to complete it by August 31, 2027.
Requires the comptroller to list restricted Chinese-affiliated entities and bars state retirement systems and the permanent school fund from holding them, with at least half divested within 180 days of notice and all within 360, subject to fiduciary-duty exceptions.
Exempts from the franchise tax a corporation that operates an FAA-authorized spaceport and has a contract with the U.S. Department of Defense for spaceflight or launch services.
May 8, 2025 · Passed 70–69 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Voted against most of their party on 110 of 907 party-divided votes on file.
Most often on: Rights & public safety (43), Jobs & cost of living (28), Education & families (20)
Relating to the requirements regarding notice of certain property tax-related information to be provided by taxing units and appraisal districts
Amends the bill to remove its changes to school district budget and tax rate meeting notices (Education Code 44.004) and to limit the remaining notice section to taxing units other than school districts. (AI-written)
What it does: Requires school districts and other local taxing units to mail notice of proposed property tax rates to each property owner, and requires those notices and appraisal district databases to compare proposed tax collecti…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 4–52, Republicans 81–3
Relating to the retention and preservation of toxicological evidence of certain intoxication offenses
What it does: Requires crime labs holding toxicology evidence from intoxication cases to notify county prosecutors each year, and lets the evidence be destroyed after its retention period ends if prosecutors do not object in writin…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 23–25, Republicans 86–0
Relating to the strong families credit against certain taxes for entities that contribute to certain organizations
What it does: On the version voted May 26, 2025: Creates a franchise tax credit, capped at $5 million a year in total, for contributions to nonprofits certified by the OneStar Foundation that serve at-risk families and do not provi…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 23–27, Republicans 74–0
Relating to requiring notice to the attorney general in an action under the Election Code seeking a temporary restraining order
What it does: Requires courts to notify the attorney general by email before a hearing on a temporary restraining order sought under the Election Code, wait at least one hour unless the attorney general waives it, and allow remote…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 16–36, Republicans 81–1
Relating to the recognition of gold and silver specie as legal tender and the establishment of a transactional currency based on gold and silver; authorizing a fee
What it does: As passed by the Senate, recognizes gold and silver specie marked with its weight and purity as legal tender in Texas to the extent the U.S. Constitution allows, and lets the comptroller authorize electronic payment s…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 20–32, Republicans 81–0
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
HB 1 · TX HOUSE
Relating to youth camp emergency plans and preparedness; authorizing penalties
YesVOTED
Motion: Motion: At 11:23 p.m., Representative Geren moved that, at the conclusion of the receipt of messages, the signing of bills and resolutions, and administrative
Requires licensed youth camps to adopt written emergency plans filed with the state health department, notify parents if any part of a camp is in a floodplain, give campers a safety orientation, and meet state-set minimum camper-to-counselor ratios for overnight stays.
Relating to youth camp emergency plans and preparedness; authorizing penalties
YesVOTED
Motion: Concur in Senate amendments
Requires licensed youth camps to adopt written emergency plans filed with the state health department, notify parents if any part of a camp is in a floodplain, give campers a safety orientation, and meet state-set minimum camper-to-counselor ratios for overnight stays.
Bars licensing youth camps with floodplain cabins, with exceptions; requires campgrounds to put roof-access ladders in floodplain cabins and keep evacuation plans; requires youth camps to follow campground rules plus emergency plans, weather radios and warning systems.
Amending the House Rules of Procedure to authorize additional constitutionally compliant, proportional penalties for members absent without leave for purpose of impeding the action of the House that do not unfairly impair members' representative functions
NoVOTED
Motion: Adopt HR 128
Raises the daily fine for members absent without leave to impede the House from $500 to three times the legislative per diem; adds operating-budget forfeiture, loss of chair posts after two days and seniority cuts after three, unless the House excuses.
Suspending limitations on conference committee jurisdiction, S.B. No. 5
YesVOTED
Motion: Adopt HR 174
Suspends House rules so the conference committee on Senate Bill 5 can add camp-safety funding for the Department of State Health Services, contingent on S.B. 1 ($2.59 million stabilization fund, $2.48 million general revenue), and an immediate effective date.
Bars licensing youth camps with floodplain cabins, with exceptions; requires campgrounds to put roof-access ladders in floodplain cabins and keep evacuation plans; requires youth camps to follow campground rules plus emergency plans, weather radios and warning systems.
Bars licensing youth camps with floodplain cabins, with exceptions; requires campgrounds to put roof-access ladders in floodplain cabins and keep evacuation plans; requires youth camps to follow campground rules plus emergency plans, weather radios and warning systems.
Relating to public school accountability and transparency, including the implementation of an instructionally supportive assessment program and the adoption and administration of assessment instruments in public schools, indicators of achievement, public school performance ratings, and interventions and sanctions under the public school accountability system, a grant program for school district local accountability plans, and actions challenging Texas Education Agency decisions related to public school accountability
Not votingNO VOTE
Motion: Concur in Senate amendments
Replaces STAAR testing with an instructionally supportive assessment program by 2027-2028, changes how school performance ratings are determined, and limits legal challenges to Texas Education Agency accountability decisions, including a nine-month deadline to sue over rules.
Relating to public school accountability and transparency, including the implementation of an instructionally supportive assessment program and the adoption and administration of assessment instruments in public schools, indicators of achievement, public school performance ratings, and interventions and sanctions under the public school accountability system, a grant program for school district local accountability plans, and actions challenging Texas Education Agency decisions related to public school accountability
YesVOTED
Motion: Extend speaking time for Rep. Hinojosa
Replaces STAAR testing with an instructionally supportive assessment program by 2027-2028, changes how school performance ratings are determined, and limits legal challenges to Texas Education Agency accountability decisions, including a nine-month deadline to sue over rules.
Relating to election procedures regarding accepting a voter with a residence address that is not current and the immediate effect of a voter's registration after the registrar's receipt of certain change of address notices
NoVOTED
Motion: Final passage (third reading)
Repeals the rule that an in-county change-of-address notice takes effect immediately, and lets voters who moved within their county vote in the precinct where they are registered without having to ask the registrar to update their registration address.
