HB 2773

bill adding enforcement to the election procedure rule

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 unlawful altering of election procedures; providing a civil penalty.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Officials still can’t change election procedures. Now there’s a civil penalty.

The bill keeps the existing rule that public officials and election officials may not change, waive, or suspend election procedures unless the Election Code expressly allows it, and adds a way to enforce that rule. It tells the secretary of state to investigate reported violations and send a cease order, then refer officials who do not comply within two days to the attorney general, who may sue for a civil penalty of up to $1,000 a day and then up to $5,000 a day. Local election officials who improvise rules would face daily fines paid to the state, and the investigation records stay secret until the case is dropped.

Labels

Labels: PENDING FOREVER. Heard by the House Elections committee on Apr 9, 2025 and left pending. Never voted out. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2773 · 2025-02-13

SOLD BY

Rep. Jeff LeachRHouse 67

+ 15 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the unlawful altering of election procedures; providing a civil penalty.

WHAT IT DOES

Officials still can’t change election procedures. Now there’s a civil penalty.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($373,554)

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version I · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · March 31, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB2773, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($723,153) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

First year · FY 2026 · ($373,554)

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Feb 13, 2025Filed
Mar 19, 2025Read first time
Mar 19, 2025Referred to Elections
Apr 3, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 3, 2025No action taken in committee
Apr 9, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 9, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 9, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 9, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 9, 2025Left pending in committee

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Jeff Leach

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$1.14M Texas Conservative Majority PAC$273K Republican Party of Texas$182K

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 28, 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$1,141,482.69

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$1,141,482.69

Cash: $555,000.00
Paid by others: $586,482.69
Total: $1,141,482.69

digital $316,766.74mail $154,662.95advertising $89,953.00polling $25,100.00

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 25, 2025 to Oct 13, 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: 101004498, 101024562, 101039760, 101044787, 101067510, 101072948.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$273,017.05

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$273,017.05

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $238,017.05
Total: $273,017.05

canvassing $150,000.00digital $70,627.07Other filed descriptions $16,666.67texting $723.31

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 · Feb 9, 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: 101039760, 101044787, 101067510, 101072948.

Republican Party of Texas$182,117.94

Republican Party of Texas

$182,117.94

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $182,117.94
Total: $182,117.94

mail $182,117.94

Also funds 12 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 30, 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: 101072948.

Money

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

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$1,141,482.69

Cash: $555,000.00
Paid by others: $586,482.69
Total: $1,141,482.69

digital $316,766.74mail $154,662.95advertising $89,953.00polling $25,100.00

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 25, 2025 to Oct 13, 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: 101004498, 101024562, 101039760, 101044787, 101067510, 101072948.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$273,017.05

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $238,017.05
Total: $273,017.05

canvassing $150,000.00digital $70,627.07Other filed descriptions $16,666.67texting $723.31

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 · Feb 9, 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: 101039760, 101044787, 101067510, 101072948.

Republican Party of Texas

$182,117.94

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $182,117.94
Total: $182,117.94

mail $182,117.94

Also funds 12 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 30, 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: 101072948.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($373,554)

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version I · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · March 31, 2025

First year · FY 2026 · ($373,554)

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

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.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 13, 2025

04/09/2025 H Left pending in committee

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

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

Coauthors

Daniel AldersRHouse 6

Pat CurryRHouse 56

Cody HarrisRHouse 8

Richard HayesRHouse 57

Hillary HicklandRHouse 55

Lacey HullRHouse 138

Helen KerwinRHouse 58

Mitch LittleRHouse 65

Will MetcalfRHouse 16

Brent MoneyRHouse 2

Keresa RichardsonRHouse 61

Joanne ShofnerRHouse 11

Shelby SlawsonRHouse 59

Ellen TroxclairRHouse 19

Wes VirdellRHouse 53

House committee · Elections · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 618 by Sparks (identical)

Subjects

Elections--Administration

Elections--General

SECRETARY OF STATE

Text

The text as introduced · 491 words

89R4599 JDK-F

By: Leach
H.B. No. 2773

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the unlawful altering of election procedures; providing

a civil penalty.

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

SECTION 1. Section 276.019, Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 276.019. UNLAWFUL ALTERING OF ELECTION PROCEDURES ;

CIVIL PENALTY . (a) A public official or election official may not

create, alter, modify, waive, or suspend any election standard,

practice, or procedure mandated by law or rule in a manner not

expressly authorized by this code.

(b) After the secretary of state receives or discovers

information indicating that a public official or election official

has violated Subsection (a), the secretary of state shall

investigate the standard, practice, or procedure appearing to have

violated Subsection (a). If the secretary of state determines that

a violation of Subsection (a) has occurred, the secretary of state

shall send to the public official or election official determined

to have violated that subsection:

(1) notification of the secretary of state's

determination;

(2) a demand that the official immediately cease the

implementation or enforcement of the standard, practice, or

procedure determined to have violated Subsection (a); and

(3) instructions for the specific actions necessary

for compliance with Subsection (a).

(c) If, more than two days after receiving notification

under Subsection (b), a public official or election official does

not comply with Subsection (a) as instructed under Subsection

(b)(3), the secretary of state shall:

(1) notify the attorney general that the official may

be subject to a civil penalty under Subsection (d); and

(2) forward to the attorney general any documents or

information received, discovered, or created during the secretary

of state's investigation under Subsection (b).

(d) A public official or election official is liable to this

state for a civil penalty for each day that the official fails or

refuses to take an affirmative action to comply with Subsection (a)

in an amount not to exceed:

(1) $1,000 per day for each day after the second day

and on or before the seventh day after receiving a notice under

Subsection (b); or

(2) $5,000 per day for each day after the seventh day

after receiving a notice under Subsection (b).

(e) The attorney general may bring an action to recover a

civil penalty imposed under Subsection (d).

(f) A civil penalty collected by the attorney general under

this section shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit

of the general revenue fund.

(g) Documents or information received, discovered, or

created during the secretary of state's investigation under

Subsection (b) are confidential and not subject to disclosure under

Chapter 552, Government Code, unless the secretary of state or

attorney general has determined that a complaint submitted to the

secretary of state under this section will not be further

investigated or the subject of any further proceedings or actions.

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