Monitoring the Session

HB 3632

bill moving the mail ballot arrival deadline to midnight

Did not pass

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Richard HayesRHouse 57

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 timely return of a ballot by mail.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

From 5 p.m. the next day to 12 a.m. A few hours.

The bill moves the deadline for a mailed ballot postmarked by 7 p.m. on election day from 5 p.m. on the day after election day to 12 a.m. on the day after election day, which cuts the late-arrival window to a few hours. It touches mail voters, county election officials, and early voting ballot boards. On the ground, mail ballots arriving the next day would no longer count, and mail ballot materials must reach the ballot board by that same 12 a.m. deadline instead of at whatever time the board's presiding judge sets after the polls close.

Labels

Labels: STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House Elections committee 5-3 on May 1, 2025. Never placed on a calendar. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3632 · 2025-03-03

SOLD BY

Rep. Richard HayesRHouse 57

ITEM

relating to the timely return of a ballot by mail.

WHAT IT DOES

From 5 p.m. the next day to 12 a.m. A few hours.

The bill moves the deadline for a mailed ballot postmarked by 7 p.m. on election day from 5 p.m. on the day after election day to 12 a.m. on the day after election day, which cuts the late-arrival window to a few hours. It touches mail voters, county election officials, and early voting ballot boards. On the ground, mail ballots arriving the next day would no longer count, and mail ballot materials must reach the ballot board by that same 12 a.m. deadline instead of at whatever time the board's presiding judge sets after the polls close.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 28, 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 Elections
  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
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Richard Hayes

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$205KTexas Conservative Majority PAC$40KMichael Tenny$20,000

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 · Oct 28, 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$204,650.12

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$204,650.12

Cash
$85,000.00
Paid by others
$119,650.12
Total
$204,650.12
mail $104,250.12polling $15,400.00

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 · Jun 27, 2025 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.

Report IDs: 101010307, 101032268, 101069605, 101071583.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$40,400.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$40,400.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$15,400.00
Total
$40,400.00
polling $15,400.00

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 22, 2026 to Oct 13, 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: 101069605, 101071583.

Michael Tenny$20,000.00
Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$204,650.12

Cash
$85,000.00
Paid by others
$119,650.12
Total
$204,650.12
mail $104,250.12polling $15,400.00

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 · Jun 27, 2025 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.

Report IDs: 101010307, 101032268, 101069605, 101071583.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$40,400.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$15,400.00
Total
$40,400.00
polling $15,400.00

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 22, 2026 to Oct 13, 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: 101069605, 101071583.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses14
For
4
Against
6
On
4
Names

For

  • El Paso County1 registration
  • Self2 registrations
  • Self; SREC EI Committee and Secure Texas Elections LP Subcommittee, Self1 registration

Against

  • ACLU of Texas1 registration
  • Common Cause Texas1 registration
  • Self2 registrations
  • Self; Texas Democratic Party1 registration
  • Texas Civil Rights Project1 registration

On

  • Self1 registration
  • Self; County and District Clerk Assoc1 registration
  • Self; Texas Association of County Election Officials1 registration
  • Texas Secretary of State1 registration
Sources

14 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 fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 28, 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 Mar 3, 2025

05/05/2025 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.

House committee · Elections · Committee vote 5 aye, 3 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Subjects

Elections--Administration

Elections--Early Voting

Text

The text as introduced · 453 words

89R6580 LRM-D

By: Hayes
H.B. No. 3632

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the timely return of a ballot by mail.

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

SECTION 1. Section 86.007(a), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (d), a marked ballot

voted by mail must arrive at the address on the carrier envelope:

(1) before the time the polls are required to close on

election day; or

(2) not later than 12 a.m. [ 5 p.m. ] on the day after

election day, if the carrier envelope was placed for delivery by

mail or common or contract carrier before election day and bears a

cancellation mark of a common or contract carrier or a courier

indicating a time not later than 7 p.m. at the location of the

election on election day.

SECTION 2. Section 87.022, Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 87.022. TIME OF DELIVERY: GENERAL RULE. Except as

provided by Section 87.0221, 87.0222, 87.023, or 87.024, the

materials shall be delivered to the early voting ballot board under

this subchapter during the time the polls are open on election day,

or by 12 a.m. on the day after election day [ as soon after the polls

close as practicable, at the time or times specified by the

presiding judge of the board ].

SECTION 3. Section 87.0222(a-1), Election Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(a-1) Any jacket envelopes of early voting ballots voted by

mail returned after delivery of the ballots under Subsection (a)

may be delivered to the presiding judge of the early voting ballot

board between the end of the ninth day before election day and 12

a.m. on the day after election day [ the closing of the polls on

election day, or as soon after closing as practicable, at the time

or times specified by the presiding judge ].

SECTION 4. Section 87.023(a), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) In an election in which early voting ballots are to be

counted by automatic tabulating equipment at a central counting

station, the ballots voted by mail to be automatically counted may

be delivered to the board between the end of the period for early

voting by personal appearance and 12 a.m. on the day after the

election [ the closing of the polls on election day, or as soon after

closing as practicable, at intervals specified by the presiding

judge of the board ].

SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply to an

election ordered after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.