HB 1506: retired county court judges join the judicial handgun license list

Caption

relating to the issuance of a license to carry a handgun to certain retired county court judges.

Summary

Needs at least 48 months on the bench.

The bill adds retired county court judges to the list of retired judicial officers who qualify under the state's special handgun license rules for judges. To qualify, the retired judge must have served at least 48 months on a constitutional county court or statutory county court. Starting September 1, 2025, those retired county judges who apply can use the same license path that visiting, senior and retired federal judges already use.

Labels

Labels: BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 1591 (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.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1506 · 2024-12-04

SOLD BY

Rep. Trent AshbyRHouse 9

+ 3 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the issuance of a license to carry a handgun to certain retired county court judges.

WHAT IT DOES

Needs at least 48 months on the bench.

The bill adds retired county court judges to the list of retired judicial officers who qualify under the state's special handgun license rules for judges. To qualify, the retired judge must have served at least 48 months on a constitutional county court or statutory county court. Starting September 1, 2025, those retired county judges who apply can use the same license path that visiting, senior and retired federal judges already use.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 14, 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

Dec 4, 2024Filed
Mar 12, 2025Read first time
Mar 12, 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)
Apr 28, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Apr 28, 2025Committee report distributed
Apr 29, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 2, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 5, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 6, 2025Read 2nd time
May 6, 2025Passed to engrossment
May 6, 2025Record vote RV#1519
May 7, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 7, 2025Read 3rd time
May 7, 2025Passed
May 7, 2025Record vote RV#1596
May 7, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 7, 2025Reported engrossed
May 7, 2025Received from the House
May 8, 2025Read first time
May 8, 2025Referred to State Affairs
May 15, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
May 15, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 15, 2025Left pending in committee
May 22, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 22, 2025Vote taken in committee
May 23, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendments
May 23, 2025Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
May 23, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
May 27, 2025Placed on intent calendar
May 28, 2025Placed on local & uncontested calendar
May 27, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
May 27, 2025Read 2nd time & passed to 3rd reading
May 27, 2025Vote recorded in Journal
May 27, 2025Three day rule suspended
May 27, 2025Record vote
May 27, 2025Read 3rd time
May 27, 2025Passed
May 27, 2025Record vote
May 28, 2025Senate passage reported
May 28, 2025Reported enrolled
May 28, 2025Signed in the House
May 28, 2025Signed in the Senate
May 30, 2025Sent to the Governor
Jun 20, 2025Signed by the Governor
Jun 20, 2025Effective on 9/1/25

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 133 yea · 12 nay

Senate · 29 yea · 2 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 7, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · May 27, 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

Trent Ashby

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$727K Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$313KJohn Nau III$230,000

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 · Jul 10, 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$726,977.64

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$726,977.64

Cash: $150,000.00
Paid by others: $576,977.64
Total: $726,977.64

advertising $308,379.77grassroots $268,597.87

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 · Oct 1, 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.

Report IDs: 100983424, 101025002, 101034929, 101040023, 101071791.

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$312,806.77

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$312,806.77

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $312,806.77
Total: $312,806.77

mailer $171,341.79television $68,405.00digital $37,095.00text $28,387.48Other filed descriptions $7,577.50

Also funds 20 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 to Feb 10, 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: 101005833, 101025002, 101040023.

John Nau III$230,000.00

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$726,977.64

Cash: $150,000.00
Paid by others: $576,977.64
Total: $726,977.64

advertising $308,379.77grassroots $268,597.87

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 · Oct 1, 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.

Report IDs: 100983424, 101025002, 101034929, 101040023, 101071791.

×

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$312,806.77

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $312,806.77
Total: $312,806.77

mailer $171,341.79television $68,405.00digital $37,095.00text $28,387.48Other filed descriptions $7,577.50

Also funds 20 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 to Feb 10, 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: 101005833, 101025002, 101040023.

Votes5

Senate May 27, 2025

Yea: 29
Nay: 2
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2. (Same as previous roll call)

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

Yea: 29 (published)
Nay: 2 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Senate May 27, 2025

Yea: 29
Nay: 2
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

Senator King moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that HB 1506 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2.

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

Yea: 29 (published)
Nay: 2 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Senate May 27, 2025

Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

CookNay
EckhardtNay

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

Senate journal

Names were not printed for yea. Only the named positions are included in member records.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

Senator King moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration HB 1506 at this time on its second reading: HB 1506, Relating to the issuance of a license to carry a handgun to certain retired county court judges. The motion prevailed. Senators Cook and Eckhardt asked to be recorded as voting "Nay" on suspension of the regular order of business. The bill was read second time and was passed to third reading by a viva voce vote.

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

Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

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

House May 7, 2025

Yea: 133
Nay: 12
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 3
Excused: 0

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1596

HB 1506 was passed by (Record 1596): 133 Yeas, 12 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 133 (published)
Nay: 12 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

House May 6, 2025

Yea: 128
Nay: 14
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 4
Excused: 2

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1519

HB 1506 was passed to engrossment by (Record 1519): 128 Yeas, 14 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 128 (published)
Nay: 14 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
Excused: 2 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses24

For: 7
Against: 16
On: 1

Names

For

Self2 registrations
Self; Gun Owners of America3 registrations
Self; Gun Owners of America - Texas1 registration
Self; Texas Gun Rights1 registration

Against

Self12 registrations
Self; Mom Demand Action1 registration
Self; Moms Demand Action3 registrations

On

Everytown for gun safety1 registration

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.

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

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 14, 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 1591

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

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 3, 2023: Referred to Community Safety, Select

Relating to the issuance of a license to carry a handgun to certain retired county court judges.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Dec 4, 2024

06/20/2025 E Effective on 9/1/25

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed · Senate Committee Report · Enrolled

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

Coauthors

Richard HayesRHouse 57

Hillary HicklandRHouse 55

Alan SchoolcraftRHouse 44

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

Senate May 27, 2025

Senate May 27, 2025

Senate May 27, 2025

House May 7, 2025

House May 6, 2025

For

Against

On

88R HB 1591