Monitoring the Session

HB 3819

bill lets uncontested probate parties attend by phone or video

Did not pass

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Ann JohnsonDHouse 134

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 use of remote technology when conducting uncontested probate proceedings.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Nobody fighting over the will? Nobody has to show up.

The bill requires Texas probate courts to let every party in an uncontested probate case attend by phone or video if they choose. It touches people handling wills and estates that no one is fighting over, plus the courts that hear those cases. Remote hearings, testimony and rulings count as if done in open court, and courts must keep the public able to watch and must post rules for how remote hearings work.

Labels

Labels: STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence committee 11-0 on Apr 28, 2025. Never placed on a calendar. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3819 · 2025-03-05

SOLD BY

Rep. Ann JohnsonDHouse 134

ITEM

relating to the use of remote technology when conducting uncontested probate proceedings.

WHAT IT DOES

Nobody fighting over the will? Nobody has to show up.

The bill requires Texas probate courts to let every party in an uncontested probate case attend by phone or video if they choose. It touches people handling wills and estates that no one is fighting over, plus the courts that hear those cases. Remote hearings, testimony and rulings count as if done in open court, and courts must keep the public able to watch and must post rules for how remote hearings work.

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 19, 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 Family & Fiduciary Relationships 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

Ann Johnson

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$73KTexans for Truth and Liberty PAC$65KAgave Democratic Infrastructure Fund$55K

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 27, 2024 to Oct 24, 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$72,500.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$72,500.00

Cash
$72,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$72,500.00

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 · Dec 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.

Report IDs: 100987008, 101008094, 101030169, 101058089, 101072095.

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC$65,000.00

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC

$65,000.00

Cash
$65,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$65,000.00

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 · Jun 26, 2025 to Oct 15, 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: 101008094, 101072095.

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund$54,875.00

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund

$54,875.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$29,875.00
Total
$54,875.00
consulting $29,875.00

Also funds 5 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 22, 2024 to Oct 12, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 22, 2024 to Oct 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: 100987008, 101058089, 101068643, 101072095.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$72,500.00

Cash
$72,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$72,500.00

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 · Dec 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.

Report IDs: 100987008, 101008094, 101030169, 101058089, 101072095.

×

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC

$65,000.00

Cash
$65,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$65,000.00

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 · Jun 26, 2025 to Oct 15, 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: 101008094, 101072095.

×

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund

$54,875.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$29,875.00
Total
$54,875.00
consulting $29,875.00

Also funds 5 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Nov 22, 2024 to Oct 12, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 22, 2024 to Oct 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: 100987008, 101058089, 101068643, 101072095.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses9
For
8
Against
1
On
0
Names

For

  • Bexar County Commissioners Court1 registration
  • County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas1 registration
  • Dallas County1 registration
  • Harris County Commissioners Court1 registration
  • Self3 registrations
  • Travis County Commissioners Court1 registration

Against

  • Self; Statutory Probate Courts of Texas1 registration
Sources

9 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 19, 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 5, 2025

05/06/2025 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 · Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

Courts--Administration

Open Meetings

Probate--Wills & Admin of Estates

TELECONFERENCING

VIDEOCONFERENCING

Text

The text as introduced · 243 words

89R8833 EAS-D

By: Johnson
H.B. No. 3819

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the use of remote technology when conducting

uncontested probate proceedings.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 53, Estates Code, is

amended by adding Section 53.108 to read as follows:

Sec. 53.108. USE OF REMOTE TECHNOLOGY IN UNCONTESTED

PROBATE PROCEEDINGS. (a) In this section, "remote technology"

includes teleconference and videoconference technology.

(b) A court shall give each party to an uncontested probate

proceeding the option and ability to attend the proceeding through

remote technology.

(c) An uncontested probate proceeding conducted through

remote technology is considered to be conducted in open court.

Testimony provided through remote technology in an uncontested

probate proceeding is considered to be taken in open court. A

decision, order, decree, or judgment rendered through remote

technology in an uncontested probate proceeding is considered to be

rendered in open court.

(d) A court that conducts an uncontested probate proceeding

through remote technology must:

(1) ensure that the public maintains access to the

proceeding; and

(2) establish and make readily available to the

parties and the public guidelines regarding the conduct of

uncontested probate proceedings through remote technology.

SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a

probate proceeding that is pending on, or commenced on or after, the

effective date of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.