HB 1471

bill adding Diwali and Dashain as optional state holidays

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 the designation of Diwali and Dashain as optional holidays.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

One day of each festival, employee’s pick.

The bill adds one day of the Diwali festival and one day of the Dashain festival to the state's list of optional holidays. It touches state employees, who may choose which day of each festival to observe. Starting September 1, 2025, state workers gain two more optional holiday choices alongside Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Good Friday.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 1821 (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 1821 (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.QUICK READ: 113 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 113 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 26, 2024 and referred to the House Delivery of Government Efficiency committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1471 · 2024-11-26

SOLD BY

Rep. Terry MezaDHouse 105

ITEM

relating to the designation of Diwali and Dashain as optional holidays.

WHAT IT DOES

One day of each festival, employee’s pick.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Nov 26, 2024Filed
Mar 11, 2025Read first time
Mar 11, 2025Referred to Delivery of Government Efficiency

ALSO NOTED · NOT CHARGED (1)

RENAMING AND CEREMONIAL · analysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

“one day of the Diwali festival selected by the”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill designates festival days as optional state holidays and does little else, so it is tagged as ceremonial designation.

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Terry Meza

Donors

House Democratic Campaign Committee$7K Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$4K Texas Sands PAC$4K

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 · Nov 1, 2024 to Jun 30, 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.

House Democratic Campaign Committee$7,000.00

House Democratic Campaign Committee

$7,000.00

Cash: $7,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $7,000.00

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 3, 2026 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on May 26, 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: 101059960.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$4,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$4,000.00

Cash: $4,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $4,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Oct 1, 2025. 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: 100985189, 101032865.

Texas Sands PAC$4,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$4,000.00

Cash: $4,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $4,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 13, 2024. 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: 100985189.

Money

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

House Democratic Campaign Committee

$7,000.00

Cash: $7,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $7,000.00

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 3, 2026 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on May 26, 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: 101059960.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$4,000.00

Cash: $4,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $4,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Oct 1, 2025. 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: 100985189, 101032865.

Texas Sands PAC

$4,000.00

Cash: $4,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $4,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 13, 2024. 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: 100985189.

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.

88R HB 1821

by Rep. Meza, same lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 7, 2023: Referred to State Affairs

Relating to the designation of Diwali and Dashain as optional holidays.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Nov 26, 2024

03/11/2025 H Referred to Delivery of Government Efficiency: Mar 11 2025 3:26PM

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 · Delivery of Government Efficiency · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

DASHAIN (HZ0N1)

DIWALI (HL90Y)

Holidays

State Agencies, Boards & Commissions

State Employees

Text

The text as introduced · 113 words

89R5192 GP-D

By: Meza
H.B. No. 1471

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the designation of Diwali and Dashain as optional

holidays.

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

SECTION 1. Section 662.003(c), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(c) An "optional holiday" includes only :

(1) the days on which Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, or

Good Friday fall;

(2) one day of the Diwali festival selected by the

state employee observing the optional holiday; and

(3) one day of the Dashain festival selected by the

state employee observing the optional holiday [ falls ].

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.