88R HB 2623
by Rep. Hinojosa, same lead author · Died in committee · same text
Introduced textLast action, Mar 13, 2023: Referred to Elections
Relating to postage for early voting ballots voted by mail.
Caption, 88R bill history
HB 1218
bill for postage-paid mail ballot envelopes
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
No flagsInitial review
Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to postage for early voting ballots voted by mail.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Voters mail the ballot back without paying postage.
The bill requires that the official return envelope for a mail-in ballot be prepared so voters can mail it back without paying postage. It affects mail voters, county early voting clerks who send out the envelopes, and the secretary of state, who must write rules to carry it out. Starting with elections ordered on or after September 1, 2025, return envelopes must be printed with a notice that postage is prepaid, and a related subsection of current law is repealed.
Labels
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 2623 (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 2623 (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.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 12, 2024 and referred to the House Elections committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB1218 · 2024-11-12
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to postage for early voting ballots voted by mail.
WHAT IT DOES
Voters mail the ballot back without paying postage.
The bill requires that the official return envelope for a mail-in ballot be prepared so voters can mail it back without paying postage. It affects mail voters, county early voting clerks who send out the envelopes, and the secretary of state, who must write rules to carry it out. Starting with elections ordered on or after September 1, 2025, return envelopes must be printed with a notice that postage is prepaid, and a related subsection of current law is repealed.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Elections
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
No flags
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
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 · Jul 1, 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.
DSCC$1,485,555.60
DSCC
$1,485,555.60
- Cash
- $0.00
- Paid by others
- $1,485,555.60
- Total
- $1,485,555.60
canvassing $1,467,942.00Other filed descriptions $17,613.60
Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Oct 2, 2026 to Oct 19, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · Oct 2, 2026 to Oct 19, 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: 101073400.
Jay Robert Pritzker$1,200,000.00
DGA Action$1,000,000.00
DGA Action
$1,000,000.00
- Cash
- $1,000,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $1,000,000.00
Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · on Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · on 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: 101073400.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
DSCC
$1,485,555.60
- Cash
- $0.00
- Paid by others
- $1,485,555.60
- Total
- $1,485,555.60
canvassing $1,467,942.00Other filed descriptions $17,613.60
Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Oct 2, 2026 to Oct 19, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · Oct 2, 2026 to Oct 19, 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: 101073400.
DGA Action
$1,000,000.00
- Cash
- $1,000,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $1,000,000.00
Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · on Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · on 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: 101073400.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
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.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Nov 12, 2024
03/10/2025 H Referred to Elections: Mar 10 2025 2:24PM
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Elections · Final status: Died in committee
Companion
HB 1780 by Bucy (duplicate)
Subjects
Elections--Early Voting
Elections--Registration & Suffrage
SECRETARY OF STATE
Text
The text as introduced · 234 words
By: Hinojosa H.B. No. 1218 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to postage for early voting ballots voted by mail. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 86.002, Election Code, is amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: (a-1) The officially prescribed carrier envelope shall be prepared so that it can be mailed free of United States postage. The secretary of state shall adopt rules necessary for the administration of this subsection. SECTION 2. Section 86.013(a), Election Code, is amended to read as follows: (a) "Carrier Envelope for Early Voting Ballot," the name and official title of the early voting clerk as addressee, [ and ] the clerk's official mailing address , and an indication that return postage for the envelope and balloting materials is prepaid must be printed on the face of each official carrier envelope for a ballot to be voted by mail. SECTION 3. Section 86.002(e), Election Code, is repealed. SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only to an election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act. An election ordered before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law as it existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.