HB 1477

bill raising a precinct returns offense to Class A

Did not pass

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

Initial review · graded Oct 22, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to preparing and delivering precinct election returns; increasing a criminal penalty.

Caption from analyzed text · version H.

Summary

Class B becomes Class A misdemeanor.

The bill raises the penalty for the existing Election Code offense in Section 65.014(d) from a Class B to a Class A misdemeanor. The committee analysis says that offense covers knowingly failing to include required election records in precinct returns, or failing to finish the returns by the state deadline. When precinct election records miss the delivery deadline, the bill also lets the secretary of state step in to finish the count, prepare the returns and distribute the records, as an option alongside the existing route of a district judge impounding the records.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R SB 1907 by Sen. Bettencourt (Died in committee) and this bill (Did not pass). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 1907 by Sen. Bettencourt (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.STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House Elections committee 9-0 on Mar 27, 2025. Never placed on a calendar. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1477 · 2024-11-26

SOLD BY

Rep. Valoree SwansonRHouse 150

Rep. Carrie IsaacRHouse 73

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to preparing and delivering precinct election returns; increasing a criminal penalty.

WHAT IT DOES

Class B becomes Class A misdemeanor.

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 · March 18, 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 26, 2024Filed
Mar 11, 2025Read first time
Mar 11, 2025Referred to Elections
Mar 20, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Mar 20, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 20, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Mar 20, 2025Left pending in committee
Mar 27, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 27, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
Apr 2, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Apr 2, 2025Committee report distributed
Apr 2, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
Apr 28, 2025Considered in Calendars

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Valoree Swanson

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$314K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$116KKathaleen Wall$11,000

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 27, 2024 to Oct 23, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$314,216.50

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$314,216.50

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $279,216.50
Total: $314,216.50

advertising $251,088.00polling $15,200.00mail $12,928.50

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 27, 2025 to Oct 23, 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: 101029008, 101031437, 101068777, 101071636.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$116,200.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$116,200.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $91,200.00
Total: $116,200.00

canvassing $76,000.00polling $15,200.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 18, 2026 to Oct 23, 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: 101068777, 101071636.

Kathaleen Wall$11,000.00

Money

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

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$314,216.50

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $279,216.50
Total: $314,216.50

advertising $251,088.00polling $15,200.00mail $12,928.50

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 27, 2025 to Oct 23, 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: 101029008, 101031437, 101068777, 101071636.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$116,200.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $91,200.00
Total: $116,200.00

canvassing $76,000.00polling $15,200.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 18, 2026 to Oct 23, 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: 101068777, 101071636.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses24

For: 7
Against: 14
On: 3

Names

For

Self4 registrations
Self; Harris county ballot security1 registration
Self; State Republican Executive Committeeman SD241 registration
True Texas Electionc, LLC1 registration

Against

ACLU of Texas1 registration
Common Cause Texas1 registration
Common cause texas1 registration
Self9 registrations
Self; Texas Democratic Party1 registration
Texas Civil Rights Project1 registration

On

Self1 registration
Texas Secretary of State2 registrations

Sources

24 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 · March 18, 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 H by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

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

88R SB 1907

by Sen. Bettencourt, different lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Apr 18, 2023: Referred to Elections

Relating to preparing and delivering precinct election returns; increasing a criminal penalty.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Nov 26, 2024

04/28/2025 H Considered in Calendars

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

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

Coauthors

Richard HayesRHouse 57

House committee · Elections · Committee vote 9 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Companion

SB 508 by Bettencourt (identical)

Subjects

Elections--Administration

Elections--Election Officers

SECRETARY OF STATE

Text

The text as introduced · 287 words

89R2059 MPF-D

By: Swanson
H.B. No. 1477

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to preparing and delivering precinct election returns;

increasing a criminal penalty.

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

SECTION 1. Section 65.014(e), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(e) An offense under Subsection (d) is a Class A [ B ]

misdemeanor.

SECTION 2. Section 66.055, Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 66.055. FAILURE TO DELIVER [ JUDICIAL IMPOUNDMENT OF ]

ELECTION RECORDS. (a) If the precinct election records are not

delivered by the deadline prescribed by Section 66.053(c) :

(1) the secretary of state may supervise the

activities necessary to complete the count, prepare the precinct

returns, and distribute the records; or

(2) [ , ] on application by a member of the canvassing

authority, a district judge shall order the precinct election

records to be impounded.

(b) If the precinct election records are impounded under

Subsection (a)(2), the [ The ] district judge shall supervise the

activities necessary to complete the count, prepare the precinct

returns, and distribute the records.

SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act in amending

Section 65.014(e), Election Code, 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 occurred before that date.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.