HB 1128: Isaac’s bill letting election judges carry at the polls

Caption

relating to the applicability to election judges of a prohibition on the carrying of a concealed handgun at a polling place.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Licensed election judges may carry concealed while on duty.

The bill lets election judges who hold a Texas handgun license carry a concealed handgun at the polling place while they are doing their election duties. It covers election judges and early voting clerks or deputies who serve as election judges at early voting sites. Starting September 1, 2025, those licensed workers can carry concealed at the polls without violating the existing ban on guns at polling places.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 636 by Rep. Patterson (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 636 by Rep. Patterson (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 8, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the State Affairs committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1128 · 2024-11-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Carrie IsaacRHouse 73

Rep. Cole HefnerRHouse 5

Rep. Jared PattersonRHouse 106

+ 16 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the applicability to election judges of a prohibition on the carrying of a concealed handgun at a polling place.

WHAT IT DOES

Licensed election judges may carry concealed while on duty.

The bill lets election judges who hold a Texas handgun license carry a concealed handgun at the polling place while they are doing their election duties. It covers election judges and early voting clerks or deputies who serve as election judges at early voting sites. Starting September 1, 2025, those licensed workers can carry concealed at the polls without violating the existing ban on guns at polling places.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 13, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Nov 12, 2024Filed
Mar 7, 2025Read first time
Mar 7, 2025Referred to Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
Apr 14, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 14, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 14, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 14, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 24, 2025Considered in formal meeting
Apr 24, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 1, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 1, 2025Committee report distributed
May 2, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 5, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 7, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 7, 2025Read 2nd time
May 7, 2025Passed to engrossment
May 7, 2025Record vote RV#1680
May 7, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 8, 2025Read 3rd time
May 8, 2025Point of order withdrawn Rule 8, Section 1(a)(1)
May 8, 2025Passed
May 8, 2025Record vote RV#1792
May 8, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 8, 2025Reported engrossed
May 8, 2025Received from the House
May 13, 2025Read first time
May 13, 2025Referred to State Affairs

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 85 yea · 57 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 8, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Carrie Isaac

Donors

Jared Broderick$26,285American Fireworks$26K Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$20K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Jared Broderick$26,284.58

American Fireworks$26,000.00

American Fireworks

$26,000.00

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $26,000.00
Total: $26,000.00

fundraiser $26,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 4, 2025 to Jul 3, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 4, 2025 to Jul 3, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101062888, 101069223.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$20,083.33

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$20,083.33

Cash: $20,000.00
Paid by others: $83.33
Total: $20,083.33

fundraiser $83.33

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101011492, 101062888, 101070788.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

American Fireworks

$26,000.00

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $26,000.00
Total: $26,000.00

fundraiser $26,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 4, 2025 to Jul 3, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 4, 2025 to Jul 3, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101062888, 101069223.

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$20,083.33

Cash: $20,000.00
Paid by others: $83.33
Total: $20,083.33

fundraiser $83.33

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101011492, 101062888, 101070788.

Votes2

House May 8, 2025

Yea: 85
Nay: 57
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 6
Excused: 0

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 1792

HB 1128 was passed by (Record 1792): 85 Yeas, 57 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 85 (published)
Nay: 57 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 6 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

House May 7, 2025

Yea: 89
Nay: 53
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 3
Excused: 4

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 1680

HB 1128 was passed to engrossment by (Record 1680): 89 Yeas, 53 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 89 (published)
Nay: 53 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
Excused: 4 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses75

For: 13
Against: 62
On: 0

Names

For

National Rifle Association1 registration
Self6 registrations
Self; Executive Director, Texas State Rifle Association1 registration
Self; Gun Owners of America3 registrations
Self; Gun Owners of America - Texas1 registration
Self; Texas Gun Rights1 registration

Against

ACLU of Texas1 registration
Common Cause Texas1 registration
Everytown for gun safety1 registration
Harris County Commissioners Court1 registration
League of Women Voters of Texas1 registration
Self41 registrations
Self; Emgage Action1 registration
Self; GIFFORDS1 registration
Self; Giffords1 registration
Self; GIFFORDS Texas Courage Fellow, Texas Gun Sense Young Rising Leaders (San Antonio Ambassador)1 registration
Self; Mom Demand Action1 registration
Self; Moms Demand Action3 registrations
Self; Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America1 registration
Self; MOVE Texas Civic Fund1 registration
Self; Texas Chapter of Moms Demand Action1 registration
Self; Texas Gun Sense Young Rising Leaders (El Paso Ambassador)1 registration
Texas Civil Rights Project1 registration
Texas Gun Sense1 registration
The Brennan Center for Justice1 registration
Travis County Commissioners Court1 registration

Sources

75 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 13, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 636

by Rep. Patterson, different lead author · Died in committee · reworked

Introduced text

Last action, May 9, 2023: Referred to State Affairs

Relating to the applicability to election judges of a prohibition on the carrying of a concealed handgun at a polling place.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Nov 12, 2024

05/13/2025 S Referred to State Affairs

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors

Keith BellRHouse 4

Briscoe CainRHouse 128

Mark DorazioRHouse 122

Ryan GuillenRHouse 31

Cody HarrisRHouse 8

Hillary HicklandRHouse 55

Janis HoltRHouse 18

Andy HopperRHouse 64

AJ LouderbackRHouse 30

Shelley LutherRHouse 62

Don McLaughlinRHouse 80

Mike OlcottRHouse 60

Katrina PiersonRHouse 33

Shelby SlawsonRHouse 59

Cody VasutRHouse 25

Terry M. WilsonRHouse 20

House committee · Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs · Committee vote 7 aye, 1 nay, 3 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

HB 2366 by Patterson (duplicate)

Subjects

Elections--Early Voting

Elections--Election Officers

Weapons

CONCEALED HANDGUNS

Text

The text as introduced · 242 words

89R591 PRL-D

By: Isaac
H.B. No. 1128

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the applicability to election judges of a prohibition

on the carrying of a concealed handgun at a polling place.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 46.15, Penal Code, is amended by adding

Subsection (s) to read as follows:

(s) Section 46.03(a)(2) does not apply to a person who

carries a concealed handgun if the person:

(1) is licensed to carry a handgun under Subchapter H,

Chapter 411, Government Code; and

(2) is engaged in the performance of the person's

duties as:

(A) an election judge under Chapter 32, Election

Code; or

(B) an early voting clerk or a deputy early

voting clerk who is serving as an election judge at an early voting

polling place under Chapter 83 or 85, Election Code.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.

An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is

governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,

and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For

purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the

effective date of this Act if any element of the offense was

committed before that date.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

American Fireworks

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

American Fireworks

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

House May 8, 2025

House May 7, 2025

For

Against

88R HB 636

Companion