Monitoring the Session

HB 3146

bill cleaning up laws on administrative hearings

Became law, effective Sep 1, 2025

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Benjamin BumgarnerRHouse 63

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 certain hearings conducted by the State Office of Administrative Hearings.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Agencies get tidier rules for working with the hearings office.

The bill cleans up several state laws that tell agencies how to work with the State Office of Administrative Hearings, the office that runs contested-case hearings. It touches the Agriculture Department, the Department of Family and Protective Services, the Insurance Department, the workers' compensation division and the driver's license suspension hearing process, mostly by renaming section headings and repealing old cooperation and memorandum-of-understanding provisions. On the ground, hearings still go to the same office, judges keep the same final-decision or proposal-for-decision roles, and the change takes effect September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: CROSS-PARTY HANDOFF. Lead author Benjamin Bumgarner (R) in the House. Lead sponsor Judith Zaffirini (D) in the Senate. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3146 · 2025-02-21

SOLD BY

ITEM

relating to certain hearings conducted by the State Office of Administrative Hearings.

WHAT IT DOES

Agencies get tidier rules for working with the hearings office.

The bill cleans up several state laws that tell agencies how to work with the State Office of Administrative Hearings, the office that runs contested-case hearings. It touches the Agriculture Department, the Department of Family and Protective Services, the Insurance Department, the workers' compensation division and the driver's license suspension hearing process, mostly by renaming section headings and repealing old cooperation and memorandum-of-understanding provisions. On the ground, hearings still go to the same office, judges keep the same final-decision or proposal-for-decision roles, and the change takes effect September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 9, 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 Delivery of Government Efficiency
  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 formal meeting
  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
  14. Placed on General State Calendar
  15. Read 2nd time
  16. Passed to engrossment
  17. Read 3rd time
  18. Passed
  19. Record vote RV#1440
  20. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  21. Reported engrossed
  22. Received from the House
  23. Read first time
  24. Referred to Economic Development
  25. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  26. Considered in public hearing
  27. Left pending in committee
  28. Considered in public hearing
  29. Vote taken in committee
  30. Reported favorably w/o amendments
  31. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  32. Committee report printed and distributed
  33. Placed on intent calendar
  34. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  35. Read 2nd time & passed to 3rd reading
  36. Vote recorded in Journal
  37. Three day rule suspended
  38. Record vote
  39. Read 3rd time
  40. Passed
  41. Record vote
  42. Senate passage reported
  43. Reported enrolled
  44. Signed in the House
  45. Signed in the Senate
  46. Sent to the Governor
  47. Signed by the Governor
  48. Effective on 9/1/25
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 131 yea · 14 nay

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 6, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · May 22, 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

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Donors

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 29, 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$684,547.30

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$684,547.30

Cash
$45,000.00
Paid by others
$639,547.30
Total
$684,547.30
advertising $362,314.98grassroots $175,000.00mail $73,471.97polling $28,760.35

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 · Nov 4, 2024 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: 100977031, 101011438, 101032753, 101060419, 101068130, 101070151.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$443,776.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$443,776.00

Cash
$125,000.00
Paid by others
$318,776.00
Total
$443,776.00
canvassing $294,526.00polling $24,250.00

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 · Aug 12, 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: 101068130, 101070151.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$124,437.26

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$124,437.26

Cash
$30,000.00
Paid by others
$94,437.26
Total
$124,437.26
mail $85,600.30text $8,736.96event $100.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 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.

Report IDs: 100977031, 101032753, 101068130, 101070151.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$684,547.30

Cash
$45,000.00
Paid by others
$639,547.30
Total
$684,547.30
advertising $362,314.98grassroots $175,000.00mail $73,471.97polling $28,760.35

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 · Nov 4, 2024 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: 100977031, 101011438, 101032753, 101060419, 101068130, 101070151.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$443,776.00

Cash
$125,000.00
Paid by others
$318,776.00
Total
$443,776.00
canvassing $294,526.00polling $24,250.00

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 · Aug 12, 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: 101068130, 101070151.

×

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$124,437.26

Cash
$30,000.00
Paid by others
$94,437.26
Total
$124,437.26
mail $85,600.30text $8,736.96event $100.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 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.

Report IDs: 100977031, 101032753, 101068130, 101070151.

Votes4

Senate May 22, 2025

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Zaffirini moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that HB 3146 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate May 22, 2025

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Zaffirini moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that HB 3146 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate May 22, 2025

Yea
Not printed
Nay
Not printed
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

The bill was read second time and was passed to third reading by a viva voce vote.

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

  • Yea: Not printed
  • Nay: Not printed
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

House May 6, 2025

Yea
131
Nay
14
Present, not voting
2
Absent
3
Excused
0
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1440

HB 3146 was passed by (Record 1440): 131 Yeas, 14 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 131 (published)
  • Nay: 14 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses3
For
1
Against
0
On
2
Names

For

  • Self1 registration

On

  • State Office of Administrative Hearings1 registration
  • State office of administrative hearings1 registration
Sources

3 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.

Senate witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 9, 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 21, 2025

06/20/2025 E Effective on 9/1/25

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed · Senate Committee Report · Enrolled

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

Sponsors

House committee · Delivery of Government Efficiency · Committee vote 8 aye, 1 nay, 4 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Economic Development · Committee vote 5 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

State Agencies, Boards & Commissions

State Agencies, Boards & Commissions--Admin. Procedure

ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS, STATE OFFICE OF

Text

The text as introduced · 427 words

89R11695 JON-F

By: Bumgarner
H.B. No. 3146

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to certain hearings conducted by the State Office of

Administrative Hearings.

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

SECTION 1. The heading to Section 12.032, Agriculture Code,

is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 12.032. HEARINGS CONDUCTED BY [ COOPERATION WITH ] STATE

OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS.

SECTION 2. The heading to Section 40.066, Human Resources

Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 40.066. HEARINGS CONDUCTED BY [ COOPERATION WITH ] STATE

OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS.

SECTION 3. Section 40.066(c), Human Resources Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(c) If the State Office of Administrative Hearings conducts

a contested case hearing for the department under Chapter 2001,

Government Code, the [ The ] administrative law judge who conducts

the [ a contested case ] hearing [ for the State Office of

Administrative Hearings on behalf of the department ] shall enter

the final decision in the case after completion of the hearing.

SECTION 4. The heading to Section 402.073, Labor Code, is

amended to read as follows:

Sec. 402.073. HEARINGS CONDUCTED BY [ COOPERATION WITH ]

STATE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS.

SECTION 5. Section 402.073(c), Labor Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(c) In a case in which a hearing is conducted in conjunction

with Section [ 402.072, ] 407.046, 408.023, or 415.034, and in other

cases under this subtitle that are not subject to Subsection (b),

the administrative law judge who conducts the hearing for the State

Office of Administrative Hearings shall propose a decision to the

commissioner for final consideration and decision by the

commissioner.

SECTION 6. Section 524.032(b), Transportation Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(b) A hearing shall be rescheduled if, before the fifth day

before the date scheduled for the hearing, a request for a

continuance from the person who requested the hearing is received

by the State Office of Administrative Hearings [ in accordance with

the memorandum of understanding adopted under Section 524.033(c) ].

Unless both parties agree otherwise, the hearing shall be

rescheduled for a date not earlier than the fifth day after the date

the request for continuance is received.

SECTION 7. The following provisions are repealed:

(1) Sections 12.032(a) and (e), Agriculture Code;

(2) Section 22.018, Human Resources Code;

(3) Sections 40.066(a), (b), and (d), Human Resources

Code;

(4) Section 40.004, Insurance Code;

(5) Section 402.073(a), Labor Code; and

(6) Sections 524.033(c) and (d), Transportation Code.

SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.