Monitoring the Session

HB 2253

bill letting locals cancel elections after a disaster

Became law

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Salman BhojaniDHouse 92

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 authority to cancel certain elections on a measure.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Disaster within 90 days of election day? Cancel, at least 74 days out.

The bill lets a local government that called an election on a measure cancel that election if the governor declares a disaster covering any part of its area within 90 days before election day, as long as it cancels at least 74 days out. If the canceled measure was put on the ballot because voters signed a petition, the local government must reschedule it for the next uniform election day. Voters at the polls must see a posted notice of the cancellation, and county election officers can post one combined notice for all the local governments they serve.

Labels

Labels: NO AUTOGRAPH. Became law without the governor's signature on Jun 20, 2025.INSTANT LAW. Took effect immediately, on Jun 20, 2025. 833 of the 1,185 graded 89R laws took effect Sep 1, 2025 (derived from the bill histories, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 4621 (Did not pass). 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.CROSS-PARTY HANDOFF. Lead author Salman Bhojani (D) in the House. Lead sponsor Angela Paxton (R) in the Senate. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 2 Republicans, 3 Democrats. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2253 · 2025-01-30

SOLD BY

+ 2 more authors, 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to the authority to cancel certain elections on a measure.

WHAT IT DOES

Disaster within 90 days of election day? Cancel, at least 74 days out.

The bill lets a local government that called an election on a measure cancel that election if the governor declares a disaster covering any part of its area within 90 days before election day, as long as it cancels at least 74 days out. If the canceled measure was put on the ballot because voters signed a petition, the local government must reschedule it for the next uniform election day. Voters at the polls must see a posted notice of the cancellation, and county election officers can post one combined notice for all the local governments they serve.

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 21, 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

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Elections
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  7. Left pending in committee
  8. Considered in formal meeting
  9. Committee substitute considered in committee
  10. Reported favorably as substituted
  11. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  12. Committee report distributed
  13. Committee report sent to Calendars
  14. Considered in Calendars
  15. Placed on General State Calendar
  16. Read 2nd time
  17. Passed to engrossment
  18. Record vote RV#2383
  19. Read 3rd time
  20. Passed
  21. Record vote RV#2462
  22. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  23. Reported engrossed
  24. Received from the House
  25. Read first time
  26. Referred to State Affairs
  27. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  28. Considered in public hearing
  29. Vote taken in committee
  30. Reported favorably w/o amendments
  31. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  32. Committee report printed and distributed
  33. Placed on intent calendar
  34. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  35. Read 2nd time & passed to 3rd reading
  36. Vote recorded in Journal
  37. Three day rule suspended
  38. Record vote
  39. Read 3rd time
  40. Passed
  41. Record vote
  42. Senate passage reported
  43. Reported enrolled
  44. Signed in the House
  45. Signed in the Senate
  46. Sent to the Governor
  47. Filed without the Governor's signature
  48. Effective immediately
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 123 yea · 17 nay

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 14, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · May 26, 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

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.

6301 ECC LLC$36,400.00

6301 ECC LLC

$36,400.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$36,400.00
Total
$36,400.00
Other filed descriptions $36,400.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 1, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 1, 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: 100978329, 101005348, 101026340, 101056439, 101069774, 101071921.

Sam Mahrouq$25,000.00
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$21,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$21,000.00

Cash
$21,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$21,000.00

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 · Oct 4, 2024 to Oct 9, 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: 100978329, 101026340, 101056439, 101071921.

Money

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

×

6301 ECC LLC

$36,400.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$36,400.00
Total
$36,400.00
Other filed descriptions $36,400.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 1, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 1, 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: 100978329, 101005348, 101026340, 101056439, 101069774, 101071921.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$21,000.00

Cash
$21,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$21,000.00

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 · Oct 4, 2024 to Oct 9, 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: 100978329, 101026340, 101056439, 101071921.

Votes5

Senate May 26, 2025

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Paxton moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that HB 2253 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate May 26, 2025

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Paxton moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that HB 2253 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate May 26, 2025

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

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

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

Sources

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 14, 2025

Yea
123
Nay
17
Present, not voting
2
Absent
5
Excused
3
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2462

HB 2253 was passed by (Record 2462): 123 Yeas, 17 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 123 (published)
  • Nay: 17 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 5 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

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

House May 13, 2025

Yea
98
Nay
38
Present, not voting
1
Absent
9
Excused
4
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2383

CSHB 2253 was passed to engrossment by (Record 2383): 98 Yeas, 38 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 98 (published)
  • Nay: 38 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 1 (published)
  • Absent: 9 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 4 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses9
For
5
Against
0
On
4
Names

For

  • Common Cause Texas1 registration
  • Self4 registrations

On

  • Secretary of State1 registration
  • Self; County and District Clerk Assoc1 registration
  • Self; Texas Association of County Election Officials1 registration
  • Texas Secretary of State1 registration
Sources

9 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 21, 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 4621

by Rep. Bhojani, same lead author · Did not pass · reworked

Introduced text

Last action, May 24, 2023: Removed from local & uncontested calendar

Relating to the authority to cancel certain elections on a measure.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Jan 30, 2025

06/20/2025 E Effective immediately

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
Sponsors

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

Senate committee · State Affairs · Committee vote 10 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Subjects

Disaster Preparedness & Relief

Elections--General

Governor

Open Meetings

BONDS

PUBLIC NOTICE

Text

The text as introduced · 376 words

89R6115 MPF-D

By: Bhojani
H.B. No. 2253

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority to cancel certain elections on a measure.

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

SECTION 1. The heading to Section 2.081, Election Code, is

amended to read as follows:

Sec. 2.081. CANCELLATION OF [ MOOT ] MEASURE.

SECTION 2. Section 2.081, Election Code, is amended by

adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) and amending Subsections (b) and

(c) to read as follows:

(a-1) Not later than the 74th day before election day, the

authority that ordered an election on a measure may cancel the

election on the measure if not earlier than the 90th day before the

election on the measure, the governor issues a disaster declaration

under Chapter 418, Government Code, covering an area within the

authority's jurisdiction.

(a-2) If an election on a measure required following the

submission of a petition signed by a number of registered voters is

canceled under Subsection (a-1), the authority that ordered the

election shall order a new election on the measure for the first

available uniform election day after the canceled election.

(b) If an election on a measure is canceled or the measure is

removed from the ballot [ declared moot ] under this section [ and is

removed from the ballot ], the authority holding the election shall

post notice of the cancellation or removal [ declaration ] during

early voting by personal appearance and on election day, at each

polling place that would have been used for the election on the

measure.

(c) A county election officer, as defined by Section 31.091,

may use a single combined notice of cancellation under Subsection

(b) for all authorities:

(1) for which the officer provides election services

under contract; and

(2) that cancel an election on a measure or remove a

measure from the ballot [ declare an election moot ] under Subsection

(a) or (a-1) .

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.