Monitoring the Session

HB 3409

Ashby Bill’s New District Attorney Office Waits Until 2029

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Rep. Trent AshbyRHouse 9
Both charges, and why
New fee, fund, board or appointees

THE TEXT

…“273rd Judicial District is created on the effective date of this”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill creates a new elected district attorney office for the 273rd Judicial District, to be filled by Sabine County voters. The caption openly says the bill creates this office, so this is more government but not hidden government.

New fee, fund, board or appointees
Delayed start

THE TEXT

“This Act takes effect January 1, 2029.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill does not take effect until January 1, 2029, well after the next general election and more than two sessions out. The date lines up with the new office first appearing on the ballot in the 2028 primary and general elections.

Delayed start

Initial review · graded Oct 21, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the duties of the district attorney for the 1st Judicial District and the creation of the office of district attorney for the 273rd Judicial District.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Sabine County voters get their own district attorney, effective January 1, 2029. First on the 2028 ballot.

The bill splits the district attorney office that now serves both Sabine and San Augustine counties into two offices. San Augustine County voters keep electing the district attorney for the 1st Judicial District, and Sabine County voters elect a new district attorney for the 273rd Judicial District, who is added to the list of state prosecutors covered by Chapter 46 of the Government Code. The new office goes on the ballot in the 2028 primary and general elections, and the law takes effect January 1, 2029.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 26, 2025 and referred to the House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3409 · 2025-02-26

SOLD BY

ITEM

relating to the duties of the district attorney for the 1st Judicial District and the creation of the office of district attorney for the 273rd Judicial District.

WHAT IT DOES

Sabine County voters get their own district attorney, effective January 1, 2029. First on the 2028 ballot.

The bill splits the district attorney office that now serves both Sabine and San Augustine counties into two offices. San Augustine County voters keep electing the district attorney for the 1st Judicial District, and Sabine County voters elect a new district attorney for the 273rd Judicial District, who is added to the list of state prosecutors covered by Chapter 46 of the Government Code. The new office goes on the ballot in the 2028 primary and general elections, and the law takes effect January 1, 2029.

CHARGES

[x] NEW FEE, FUND, BOARD OR APPOINTEESanalysis confidence 60%

THE TEXT

…“273rd Judicial District is created on the effective date of this”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill creates a new elected district attorney office for the 273rd Judicial District, to be filled by Sabine County voters. The caption openly says the bill creates this office, so this is more government but not hidden government.

[x] DELAYED STARTanalysis confidence 75%

THE TEXT

“This Act takes effect January 1, 2029.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill does not take effect until January 1, 2029, well after the next general election and more than two sessions out. The date lines up with the new office first appearing on the ballot in the 2028 primary and general elections.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
FILED UNDER

GOVERNMENT GROWTH UNDER A CONSERVATIVE BANNER

THE TEXT

…“273rd Judicial District is created on the effective date of this”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill creates a new elected government position, a district attorney for the 273rd Judicial District, where one office previously covered both counties.

Smells

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 · Jul 10, 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$726,977.64

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$726,977.64

Cash
$150,000.00
Paid by others
$576,977.64
Total
$726,977.64
advertising $308,379.77grassroots $268,597.87

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 · Oct 1, 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: 100983424, 101025002, 101034929, 101040023, 101071791.

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$312,806.77

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$312,806.77

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$312,806.77
Total
$312,806.77
mailer $171,341.79television $68,405.00digital $37,095.00text $28,387.48Other filed descriptions $7,577.50

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 Feb 10, 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: 101005833, 101025002, 101040023.

John Nau III$230,000.00
Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$726,977.64

Cash
$150,000.00
Paid by others
$576,977.64
Total
$726,977.64
advertising $308,379.77grassroots $268,597.87

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 · Oct 1, 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: 100983424, 101025002, 101034929, 101040023, 101071791.

×

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$312,806.77

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$312,806.77
Total
$312,806.77
mailer $171,341.79television $68,405.00digital $37,095.00text $28,387.48Other filed descriptions $7,577.50

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 Feb 10, 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: 101005833, 101025002, 101040023.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Adversarial review by claude-fable-5-1 at high effort: Smells.

Analysis of text version I by claude-fable-5-1, Oct 21, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 26, 2025

03/21/2025 H Referred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence: Mar 21 2025 9:52AM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 997 by Nichols (identical)

Subjects

SABINE COUNTY (GA4RY)

SAN AUGUSTINE, COUNTY OF (G260E)

Courts--County & Statutory

Courts--District

Text

The text as introduced · 454 words

89R5982 AMF-D

By: Ashby
H.B. No. 3409

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the duties of the district attorney for the 1st Judicial

District and the creation of the office of district attorney for the

273rd Judicial District.

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

SECTION 1. Section 43.101, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 43.101. 1ST JUDICIAL DISTRICT. The voters of [ Sabine

and ] San Augustine County [ counties ] elect a district attorney for

the 1st Judicial District who represents the state in the [ that ]

district courts in that county [ court only in those counties ].

SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 43, Government Code, is

amended by adding Section 43.1742 to read as follows:

Sec. 43.1742. 273RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT. The voters of

Sabine County elect a district attorney for the 273rd Judicial

District who represents the state in the district courts in that

county.

SECTION 3. Section 46.002, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 46.002. PROSECUTORS SUBJECT TO CHAPTER. This chapter

applies to the state prosecuting attorney, all county prosecutors,

and the following state prosecutors:

(1) the district attorneys for Kenedy and Kleberg

Counties and for the 1st, 2nd, 8th, 9th, 18th, 21st, 23rd, 24th,

26th, 27th, 29th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 34th, 35th, 36th, 38th, 39th,

42nd, 43rd, 46th, 47th, 49th, 50th, 51st, 52nd, 53rd, 63rd, 64th,

66th, 69th, 70th, 76th, 79th, 81st, 83rd, 84th, 85th, 88th, 90th,

97th, 100th, 105th, 106th, 109th, 110th, 112th, 118th, 119th,

123rd, 132nd, 142nd, 143rd, 145th, 156th, 159th, 173rd, 196th,

198th, 216th, 220th, 229th, 235th, 253rd, 258th, 259th, 266th,

268th, 271st, 273rd, 286th, 287th, 329th, 344th, 349th, 355th,

369th, 452nd, and 506th judicial districts;

(2) the criminal district attorneys for the counties

of Anderson, Austin, Bastrop, Bexar, Bowie, Brazoria, Caldwell,

Calhoun, Cass, Collin, Comal, Dallas, Deaf Smith, Denton, Eastland,

Fannin, Galveston, Grayson, Gregg, Harrison, Hays, Hidalgo,

Jasper, Jefferson, Kaufman, Kendall, Lubbock, McLennan, Madison,

Medina, Navarro, Newton, Panola, Polk, Randall, Rockwall, San

Jacinto, Smith, Tarrant, Taylor, Tyler, Upshur, Van Zandt,

Victoria, Walker, Waller, Wichita, Wood, and Yoakum; and

(3) the county attorneys performing the duties of

district attorneys in the counties of Andrews, Aransas, Burleson,

Callahan, Cameron, Castro, Colorado, Crosby, Ellis, Falls,

Freestone, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Lamar, Lamb, Lampasas, Lavaca,

Lee, Limestone, Marion, Milam, Morris, Ochiltree, Oldham, Orange,

Rains, Red River, Robertson, Rusk, Swisher, Terry, Webb, and

Willacy.

SECTION 4. (a) The office of district attorney for the

273rd Judicial District is created on the effective date of this

Act.

(b) The office of district attorney for the 273rd Judicial

District exists for purposes of the primary and general elections

in 2028.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect January 1, 2029.