HB 2986: bill letting appeals courts lift the automatic stay

Caption

relating to the authority of an appellate court to lift a stay in connection with an interlocutory appeal.

Summary

Only on request, and only to prevent irreparable harm.

The bill lets a Texas appeals court lift the automatic pause on trial court proceedings that kicks in during certain early appeals. A party has to ask, and the court must find that lifting the pause is needed to prevent irreparable harm to a party or the public. Judges and litigants in cases stuck on an interlocutory appeal get a way to restart narrow parts of the trial court case while the appeal runs.

Labels

Labels: ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 1 Republican, 1 Democrat. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.QUICK READ: 113 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 113 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on Apr 24, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the State Affairs committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2986 · 2025-02-18

SOLD BY

Rep. Joe MoodyDHouse 78

Rep. Mike SchofieldRHouse 132

ITEM

relating to the authority of an appellate court to lift a stay in connection with an interlocutory appeal.

WHAT IT DOES

Only on request, and only to prevent irreparable harm.

The bill lets a Texas appeals court lift the automatic pause on trial court proceedings that kicks in during certain early appeals. A party has to ask, and the court must find that lifting the pause is needed to prevent irreparable harm to a party or the public. Judges and litigants in cases stuck on an interlocutory appeal get a way to restart narrow parts of the trial court case while the appeal runs.

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 25, 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

Feb 18, 2025Filed
Mar 20, 2025Read first time
Mar 20, 2025Referred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
Mar 26, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Mar 26, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 26, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Mar 26, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 3, 2025Considered in formal meeting
Apr 3, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
Apr 11, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Apr 14, 2025Committee report distributed
Apr 15, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
Apr 17, 2025Considered in Calendars
Apr 23, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
Apr 23, 2025Read 2nd time
Apr 23, 2025Amended 1-Schofield
Apr 23, 2025Record vote RV#458
Apr 23, 2025Passed to engrossment as amended
Apr 23, 2025Record vote RV#459
Apr 24, 2025Read 3rd time
Apr 24, 2025Passed
Apr 24, 2025Record vote RV#496
Apr 24, 2025Reported engrossed
Apr 24, 2025Received from the House
Apr 28, 2025Read first time
Apr 28, 2025Referred to State Affairs

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 147 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · Apr 24, 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

Joe Moody

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$85K Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC$25K Texas Sands PAC$14K

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 9, 2024 to Jun 29, 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 Trial Lawyers Association PAC$85,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$85,000.00

Cash: $85,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $85,000.00

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 8, 2024 to Jun 17, 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: 100979067, 101003930, 101054759.

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC$25,000.00

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC

$25,000.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $25,000.00

Also funds 44 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jun 24, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Jun 24, 2025. 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: 101003930.

Texas Sands PAC$14,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$14,000.00

Cash: $14,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $14,000.00

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 · Oct 1, 2024 to May 18, 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: 100979067, 101024872, 101054759.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$85,000.00

Cash: $85,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $85,000.00

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 8, 2024 to Jun 17, 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: 100979067, 101003930, 101054759.

×

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC

$25,000.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $25,000.00

Also funds 44 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jun 24, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Jun 24, 2025. 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: 101003930.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$14,000.00

Cash: $14,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $14,000.00

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 · Oct 1, 2024 to May 18, 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: 100979067, 101024872, 101054759.

Votes3

House Apr 24, 2025

Yea: 147
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 0
Excused: 1

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 496

HB 2986 was passed by (Record 496): 147 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 147 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

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

House Apr 23, 2025

Yea: 148
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 1
Excused: 0

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 459

HB 2986, as amended, was passed to engrossment by (Record 459): 148 Yeas, 0 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 148 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 1 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

House Apr 23, 2025

Yea: 147
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 2
Excused: 0

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 458

Amendment No. 1 was adopted by (Record 458): 147 Yeas, 0 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 147 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses8

For: 8
Against: 0
On: 0

Names

For

Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas1 registration
Self1 registration
Self; Statutory Probate Judges of Texas1 registration
Self; Texas Press Association1 registration
Self; Texas Trial Lawyers Association1 registration
Texas Association of Broadcasters1 registration
Texas Press Association1 registration
Texas Watch1 registration

Sources

8 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 25, 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.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 18, 2025

04/28/2025 S Referred to State Affairs

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

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

House committee · Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence · Committee vote 10 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Civil Remedies & Liabilities

Courts--Appellate

Courts--Civil Procedure

Text

The text as introduced · 113 words

89R11890 MZM-F

By: Moody
H.B. No. 2986

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of an appellate court to lift a stay in

connection with an interlocutory appeal.

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

SECTION 1. Section 51.014, Civil Practice and Remedies

Code, is amended by adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:

(b-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), the appellate court

may lift a stay on a party's motion if the appellate court

determines that lifting the stay is necessary for the specific and

limited purpose of preventing irreparable harm to a party or the

public.

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

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC

Texas Sands PAC

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC

Texas Sands PAC

House Apr 24, 2025

House Apr 23, 2025

House Apr 23, 2025

For