Monitoring the Session

HB 298

Citizen markers on driver’s licenses

Did not pass

Verdict: No flags

No flagsReviewed
Rep. Mano DeAyalaRHouse 133

Editor's call: No flags. On Nov 1, 2026 the editor checked this charge against the bill's caption and removed it.

Corrected Nov 1, 2026

Corrected Nov 1, 2026 · We checked this summary against the bill text and fixed it.

Reviewed · Nov 1, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the content of a driver's license or personal identification certificate.

Caption from analyzed text · version H.

Summary

Citizens’ licenses would identify them as U.S. citizens when issued or renewed.

The bill adds one new item to what a Texas driver's license must show: a mark saying the holder is a U.S. citizen, if the holder is one. It touches every driver who is a citizen and the state agency that prints the cards. Licenses issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026 will carry the citizenship mark, but the amended section covers only driver's licenses, not the separate personal ID card the caption and purpose also name.

Labels

Labels: STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs committee 8-2 on Apr 9, 2025. Never placed on a calendar. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB298 · 2024-11-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Mano DeAyalaRHouse 133 Rep. Benjamin BumgarnerRHouse 63 Rep. Cody HarrisRHouse 8

+ 2 more authors, 52 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the content of a driver's license or personal identification certificate.

WHAT IT DOES

Citizens’ licenses would identify them as U.S. citizens when issued or renewed.

The bill adds one new item to what a Texas driver's license must show: a mark saying the holder is a U.S. citizen, if the holder is one. It touches every driver who is a citizen and the state agency that prints the cards. Licenses issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2026 will carry the citizenship mark, but the amended section covers only driver's licenses, not the separate personal ID card the caption and purpose also name.

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

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
  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 public hearing
  9. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  10. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  11. Committee report distributed
  12. Committee report sent to Calendars
  13. Considered in Calendars
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Mano DeAyala

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$866KTexas Conservative Majority PAC$306KAssociated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$271K

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 17, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$865,510.35

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$865,510.35

Cash
$50,000.00
Paid by others
$815,510.35
Total
$865,510.35
advertising $805,200.00polling $10,310.35

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 23, 2025 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: 101009776, 101017937, 101062872, 101069959, 101072290.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$305,800.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$305,800.00

Cash
$75,000.00
Paid by others
$230,800.00
Total
$305,800.00
canvassing $175,000.00advertising $50,000.00polling $5,800.00

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 8, 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: 101069959, 101072290.

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$271,400.04

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$271,400.04

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$271,400.04
Total
$271,400.04
advertising $136,000.00mailers $70,417.04television $30,000.00polling $16,400.00Other filed descriptions $10,583.00digital $8,000.00

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 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: 101009776, 101069959, 101072290.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$865,510.35

Cash
$50,000.00
Paid by others
$815,510.35
Total
$865,510.35
advertising $805,200.00polling $10,310.35

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 23, 2025 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: 101009776, 101017937, 101062872, 101069959, 101072290.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$305,800.00

Cash
$75,000.00
Paid by others
$230,800.00
Total
$305,800.00
canvassing $175,000.00advertising $50,000.00polling $5,800.00

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 8, 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: 101069959, 101072290.

×

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$271,400.04

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$271,400.04
Total
$271,400.04
advertising $136,000.00mailers $70,417.04television $30,000.00polling $16,400.00Other filed descriptions $10,583.00digital $8,000.00

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 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: 101009776, 101069959, 101072290.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses12
For
7
Against
4
On
1
Names

For

  • Dallas Police Assoc1 registration
  • Harris County Deputies' Organization FOP #391 registration
  • Self1 registration
  • Self; Houston Police Officers’ Union1 registration
  • Self; Sheriffs Association of Texas1 registration
  • Texas Public Policy Foundation1 registration
  • TMPA1 registration

Against

  • ACLU of Texas1 registration
  • Self2 registrations
  • Texas Civil Rights Project1 registration

On

  • Texas Department of Public Safety1 registration
Sources

12 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.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Nov 12, 2024

05/09/2025 H Considered in Calendars

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 10:30 AM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors
Daniel AldersRHouse 6 Jeff BarryRHouse 29 Brad BuckleyRHouse 54 Briscoe CainRHouse 128 Giovanni CapriglioneRHouse 98 David CookRHouse 96 Charles CunninghamRHouse 127 Pat CurryRHouse 56 Jay DeanRHouse 7 Mark DorazioRHouse 122 James FrankRHouse 69 Stan GerdesRHouse 17 Sam HarlessRHouse 126 Caroline Harris DavilaRHouse 52 Richard HayesRHouse 57 Hillary HicklandRHouse 55 Janis HoltRHouse 18 Lacey HullRHouse 138 Carrie IsaacRHouse 73 Helen KerwinRHouse 58 Stan KitzmanRHouse 85 Marc LaHoodRHouse 121 Stan LambertRHouse 71 Brooks LandgrafRHouse 81 Terri Leo WilsonRHouse 23 Mitch LittleRHouse 65 David LoweRHouse 91 Shelley LutherRHouse 62 Don McLaughlinRHouse 80 John McQueeneyRHouse 97 Will MetcalfRHouse 16 Matt MorganRHouse 26 Candy NobleRHouse 89 Mike OlcottRHouse 60 Tom OliversonRHouse 130 Angelia OrrRHouse 13 Jared PattersonRHouse 106 Dennis PaulRHouse 129 Dade PhelanRHouse 21 Katrina PiersonRHouse 33 Keresa RichardsonRHouse 61 Nate SchatzlineRHouse 93 Matt ShaheenRHouse 66 Shelby SlawsonRHouse 59 David SpillerRHouse 68 Carl H. TepperRHouse 84 Tony TinderholtRHouse 94 Steve TothRHouse 15 Ellen TroxclairRHouse 19 Wes VirdellRHouse 53 Trey WhartonRHouse 12 Terry M. WilsonRHouse 20

House committee · Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs · Committee vote 8 aye, 2 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Subjects

Aliens

Vehicles & Traffic--Driver's Licenses

IDENTIFICATION CARDS

Text

The text as introduced · 222 words

89R3110 MZM-D

By: DeAyala
H.B. No. 298

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the content of a driver's license or personal

identification certificate.

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

SECTION 1. Section 521.121(a), Transportation Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(a) The driver's license must include:

(1) a distinguishing number assigned by the department

to the license holder;

(2) a photograph of the entire face of the holder;

(3) the full name and date of birth of the holder;

(4) a brief description of the holder; [ and ]

(5) the license holder's residence address or, for a

license holder using the procedure under Subsection (c), the street

address of the courthouse in which the license holder or license

holder's spouse or parent serves as a federal judge, including a

federal bankruptcy judge, a marshal of the United States Marshals

Service, a United States attorney, or a state judge ; and

(6) if the holder is a citizen of the United States, an

indication that the holder is a citizen of the United States .

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to a driver's license or personal identification certificate issued

or renewed on or after January 1, 2026.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.