Monitoring the Session

HB 2792

Bill pausing executions and ordering a death penalty study

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Lauren Ashley SimmonsDHouse 146

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 a study on capital punishment in this state and to a moratorium on executions.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

No executions from September 1, 2025 until September 1, 2029.

The bill stops Texas from carrying out any execution from September 1, 2025, until September 1, 2029, and orders the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to study the death penalty. The study must compare the cost of a death sentence with life without parole, and look at the effect on different demographic groups and on the families of victims and defendants. Death row inmates would not be executed for four years, a report would go to state leaders and the parole board by December 1, 2028, and the whole law expires in 2029.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 13, 2025 and referred to the House Criminal Jurisprudence committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2792 · 2025-02-13

SOLD BY

Rep. Lauren Ashley SimmonsDHouse 146

ITEM

relating to a study on capital punishment in this state and to a moratorium on executions.

WHAT IT DOES

No executions from September 1, 2025 until September 1, 2029.

The bill stops Texas from carrying out any execution from September 1, 2025, until September 1, 2029, and orders the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to study the death penalty. The study must compare the cost of a death sentence with life without parole, and look at the effect on different demographic groups and on the families of victims and defendants. Death row inmates would not be executed for four years, a report would go to state leaders and the parole board by December 1, 2028, and the whole law expires in 2029.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Lauren Ashley Simmons

Donors

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee$17KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15KTexas Sands PAC$12K

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.

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee$17,454.66

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee

$17,454.66

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$17,454.66
Total
$17,454.66
printing $10,819.39Other filed descriptions $6,635.27

Also funds 4 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 30, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 2, 2026 to Oct 22, 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: 101072739.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash
$15,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$15,000.00

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 10, 2024 to Oct 16, 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: 100986942, 101031959, 101060742, 101072739.

Texas Sands PAC$12,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$12,000.00

Cash
$12,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$12,000.00

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 · Dec 10, 2024 to Oct 20, 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: 100986942, 101060742, 101072739.

Money

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

×

Texas Organizing Project Political Action Committee

$17,454.66

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$17,454.66
Total
$17,454.66
printing $10,819.39Other filed descriptions $6,635.27

Also funds 4 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 30, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 2, 2026 to Oct 22, 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: 101072739.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash
$15,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$15,000.00

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 10, 2024 to Oct 16, 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: 100986942, 101031959, 101060742, 101072739.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$12,000.00

Cash
$12,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$12,000.00

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 · Dec 10, 2024 to Oct 20, 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: 100986942, 101060742, 101072739.

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.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 13, 2025

03/19/2025 H Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence: Mar 19 2025 12:35PM

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 · Criminal Jurisprudence · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Crimes--Capital Punishment

CRIMINAL JUSTICE, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF

Text

The text as introduced · 211 words

89R10922 JDK-D

By: Simmons
H.B. No. 2792

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a study on capital punishment in this state and to a

moratorium on executions.

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

SECTION 1. STUDY. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice

shall conduct a study on capital punishment in this state by

analyzing:

(1) the cost of sentencing a defendant to death

compared to life without parole, including costs related to:

(A) execution;

(B) food;

(C) housing;

(D) medicine;

(E) personnel and security; and

(F) subsequent appeals; and

(2) the impact of capital punishment on:

(A) different demographic groups, including any

disparities; and

(B) the families of the victim and defendant.

SECTION 2. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2028, the

Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall submit a report with the

results of the study conducted under Section 1 of this Act to the

governor, the lieutenant governor, each member of the legislature,

and the Board of Pardons and Paroles.

SECTION 3. MORATORIUM. The state may not execute an inmate

on or after September 1, 2025, and before September 1, 2029.

SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires September 1, 2029.

SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September

1, 2025.