Monitoring the Session

HB 3087

bill letting counties keep sex offenders from child safety zones

Did not pass

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Helen KerwinRHouse 58

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 of a county to restrict sex offenders from child safety zones in the unincorporated area of the county; creating a criminal offense.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Risk level two or three offenders, outside city limits.

The bill lets a county commissioners court pass an order keeping higher-risk registered sex offenders (risk level two or three) away from places where children gather, like schools, day-care centers, playgrounds, youth centers, public pools and arcades, in the parts of the county outside city limits. The order can set a buffer of up to 1,000 feet, must let offenders who already live inside the buffer stay in their homes, may set up a process for other exemptions, and gives a defense for legitimate reasons such as work or driving a child the person is allowed to be with. Breaking a county order becomes a Class C misdemeanor offense, so counties gain an enforceable tool in rural and unincorporated areas starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 2110 by Rep. Burns (Died in committee) and this bill (Did not pass). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 2110 by Rep. Burns (Died in committee). 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.CREATES AN OFFENSE. The caption of the graded version (introduced) reads: “relating to the authority of a county to restrict sex offenders from child safety zones in the unincorporated area of the county; creating a criminal offense.”STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House Intergovernmental Affairs committee 10-1 on May 14, 2025. Never placed on a calendar. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3087 · 2025-02-20

SOLD BY

Rep. Helen KerwinRHouse 58 Rep. Angelia OrrRHouse 13 Rep. David LoweRHouse 91

+ 11 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the authority of a county to restrict sex offenders from child safety zones in the unincorporated area of the county; creating a criminal offense.

WHAT IT DOES

Risk level two or three offenders, outside city limits.

The bill lets a county commissioners court pass an order keeping higher-risk registered sex offenders (risk level two or three) away from places where children gather, like schools, day-care centers, playgrounds, youth centers, public pools and arcades, in the parts of the county outside city limits. The order can set a buffer of up to 1,000 feet, must let offenders who already live inside the buffer stay in their homes, may set up a process for other exemptions, and gives a defense for legitimate reasons such as work or driving a child the person is allowed to be with. Breaking a county order becomes a Class C misdemeanor offense, so counties gain an enforceable tool in rural and unincorporated areas starting September 1, 2025.

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 · April 17, 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 s/c on County & Regional Government by Speaker
  4. Scheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
  5. Considered by s/c in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
  7. Left pending in subcommittee
  8. Recalled from subcommittee
  9. Considered in formal meeting
  10. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  11. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  12. Committee report distributed
  13. Committee report sent to Calendars
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Helen Kerwin

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$121KDarwin Deason$20,000Anne Grimes$15,000

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 · Nov 1, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$121,392.42

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$121,392.42

Cash
$75,000.00
Paid by others
$46,392.42
Total
$121,392.42
polling $26,500.00mail $16,892.42Other filed descriptions $3,000.00

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 · Dec 9, 2024 to Sep 12, 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: 100987252, 101031352, 101036067, 101040466, 101069173.

Darwin Deason$20,000.00
Anne Grimes$15,000.00
Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$121,392.42

Cash
$75,000.00
Paid by others
$46,392.42
Total
$121,392.42
polling $26,500.00mail $16,892.42Other filed descriptions $3,000.00

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 · Dec 9, 2024 to Sep 12, 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: 100987252, 101031352, 101036067, 101040466, 101069173.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses27
For
14
Against
12
On
1
Names

For

  • Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT)1 registration
  • County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas1 registration
  • Dallas Police Assoc1 registration
  • Harris County Deputies’ Organization1 registration
  • Self3 registrations
  • Self; Breaking the chains of human trafficking1 registration
  • Self; Houston Police Officers’ Union1 registration
  • Self; Jefferson county and County Judge and Commissioner Ass.1 registration
  • Self; Johnson County and County Judges & Commissioners Association of Texas1 registration
  • Sheriffs’ Association of Texas (SAT)1 registration
  • TexProtects1 registration
  • TMPA1 registration

Against

  • Self7 registrations
  • Self; Forgiven Felons2 registrations
  • Self; Latino Justice PRLDEF1 registration
  • Self; Paul’s Perseverance Intercession Ministries1 registration
  • Self; Texas Voices for Reason and Justice1 registration

On

  • Self; Council on Sex Offender Treatment1 registration
Sources

27 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 · April 17, 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 2110

by Rep. Burns, different lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 9, 2023: Referred to County Affairs

Relating to the authority of a county to restrict sex offenders from child safety zones in the unincorporated area of the county; creating a criminal offense.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 20, 2025

05/21/2025 H Committee report sent to Calendars

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

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

Coauthors
Daniel AldersRHouse 6 Stan GerdesRHouse 17 Andy HopperRHouse 64 Carrie IsaacRHouse 73 Mitch LittleRHouse 65 Brent MoneyRHouse 2 Keresa RichardsonRHouse 61 Joanne ShofnerRHouse 11 Ellen TroxclairRHouse 19 Cody VasutRHouse 25 Wes VirdellRHouse 53

House committee · Intergovernmental Affairs · Committee vote 10 aye, 1 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

County Government--General

Crimes--Against Persons--Sexual

Minors--Crimes Against

Minors--Health & Safety

CHILD SAFETY ZONES

PLAYGROUNDS & PLAYGROUND SAFETY

SEXUAL OFFENDERS

Text

The text as introduced · 455 words

89R11178 MP-D

By: Kerwin
H.B. No. 3087

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of a county to restrict sex offenders from

child safety zones in the unincorporated area of the county;

creating a criminal offense.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 351, Local Government

Code, is amended by adding Section 351.905 to read as follows:

Sec. 351.905. LIMITATIONS ON REGISTERED SEX OFFENDERS IN

UNINCORPORATED AREA OF COUNTIES. (a) In this section:

(1) "Child safety zone" means premises where children

commonly gather. The term includes a school, day-care facility,

playground, public or private youth center, public swimming pool,

video arcade facility, or other facility that regularly holds

events primarily for children. The term does not include a church,

as defined by Section 544.251, Insurance Code.

(2) "Playground," "premises," "school," "video arcade

facility," and "youth center" have the meanings assigned by Section

481.134, Health and Safety Code.

(3) "Registered sex offender" means an individual who

is subject to the registration requirements of Chapter 62, Code of

Criminal Procedure.

(b) To provide for the public safety, the commissioners

court of a county by order may restrict a registered sex offender

assigned to numeric risk level two or three using the sex offender

screening tool developed or selected under Article 62.007, Code of

Criminal Procedure, from going in, on, or within a specified

distance of a child safety zone located in the unincorporated area

of the county.

(c) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution of an

offense under the order that the registered sex offender was in, on,

or within a specified distance of a child safety zone for a

legitimate purpose, including transportation of a child that the

registered sex offender is legally permitted to be with,

transportation to and from work, and other work-related purposes.

(d) The order may establish a distance requirement

described by Subsection (b) at any distance of not more than 1,000

feet.

(e) The order may establish procedures for a registered sex

offender to apply for and receive an exemption from the order.

(f) The order must exempt a registered sex offender who

established residency in a residence located within the specified

distance of a child safety zone before the date the order is

adopted. The exemption must apply only to:

(1) areas necessary for the registered sex offender to

have access to and to live in the residence; and

(2) the period the registered sex offender maintains

residency in the residence.

(g) A person commits an offense if the person violates an

order adopted under this section. An offense under this subsection

is a Class C misdemeanor.

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