Monitoring the Session

HB 4327

siblings could file wrongful death lawsuits

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Joe MoodyDHouse 78

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 wrongful death actions by siblings of a decedent.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Brothers and sisters join the list.

The bill adds siblings to the list of family members who can file a wrongful death lawsuit when someone is killed by another's wrongful act. It touches surviving brothers and sisters of a person who died, and the people and businesses they could sue. Starting September 1, 2025, siblings can bring a wrongful death case themselves or have it brought on their behalf, for cases filed on or after that date.

Labels

Labels: QUICK READ: 146 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 146 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 15, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the State Affairs committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4327 · 2025-03-11

SOLD BY

Rep. Joe MoodyDHouse 78

ITEM

relating to wrongful death actions by siblings of a decedent.

WHAT IT DOES

Brothers and sisters join the list.

The bill adds siblings to the list of family members who can file a wrongful death lawsuit when someone is killed by another's wrongful act. It touches surviving brothers and sisters of a person who died, and the people and businesses they could sue. Starting September 1, 2025, siblings can bring a wrongful death case themselves or have it brought on their behalf, for cases filed on or after that date.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · 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 Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Committee substitute considered in committee
  7. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in formal meeting
  10. Committee substitute considered in committee
  11. Reported favorably as substituted
  12. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  13. Committee report distributed
  14. Committee report sent to Calendars
  15. Considered in Calendars
  16. Placed on General State Calendar
  17. Read 2nd time
  18. Postponed 5/9/25 9:00 AM
  19. Laid out as postponed business
  20. Postponed 5/12/25 8:00 AM
  21. Laid out as postponed business
  22. Postponed 5/14/25 8:00 AM
  23. Laid out as postponed business
  24. Postponed 5/14/25 2:30 PM
  25. Laid out as postponed business
  26. Passed to engrossment
  27. Record vote RV#2501
  28. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  29. Read 3rd time
  30. Passed
  31. Record vote RV#2618
  32. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  33. Reported engrossed
  34. Received from the House
  35. Read first time
  36. Referred to State Affairs
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 98 yea · 42 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 15, 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

Joe Moody

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$85KTexans for Truth and Liberty PAC$25KTexas Sands PAC$14K

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 9, 2024 to Jun 29, 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$85,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$85,000.00

Cash
$85,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$85,000.00

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 · Oct 8, 2024 to Jun 17, 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: 100979067, 101003930, 101054759.

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC$25,000.00

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

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 · on Jun 24, 2025. 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: 101003930.

Texas Sands PAC$14,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$14,000.00

Cash
$14,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$14,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 1, 2024 to May 18, 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: 100979067, 101024872, 101054759.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$85,000.00

Cash
$85,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$85,000.00

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 · Oct 8, 2024 to Jun 17, 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: 100979067, 101003930, 101054759.

×

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

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 · on Jun 24, 2025. 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: 101003930.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$14,000.00

Cash
$14,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$14,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 1, 2024 to May 18, 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: 100979067, 101024872, 101054759.

Votes2

House May 15, 2025

Yea
98
Nay
42
Present, not voting
2
Absent
3
Excused
5
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2618

HB 4327 was passed by (Record 2618): 98 Yeas, 42 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 98 (published)
  • Nay: 42 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 5 (derived from named list)

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

House May 14, 2025

Yea
101
Nay
35
Present, not voting
2
Absent
6
Excused
6
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2501

CSHB 4327 was passed to engrossment by (Record 2501): 101 Yeas, 35 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 101 (published)
  • Nay: 35 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 6 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 6 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses6
For
3
Against
3
On
0
Names

For

  • Self3 registrations

Against

  • Texans for Lawsuit Reform1 registration
  • Texas Alliance for Patient Access1 registration
  • Texas Medical Liabilty Trust1 registration
Sources

6 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 H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · 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.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 11, 2025

05/21/2025 S Referred to State Affairs

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

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

Senate committee · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Civil Remedies & Liabilities

Text

The text as introduced · 146 words

By: Moody
H.B. No. 4327

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to wrongful death actions by siblings of a decedent.

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

SECTION 1. Section 71.004(b), Civil Practice & Remedies

Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) The surviving spouse, children, siblings, and parents

of the deceased may bring the action or one or more of those

individuals may bring the action for the benefit of all.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to a

cause of action filed on or after the effective date. An action

filed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law

in effect on the date the action was filed, and the former law is

continued in effect for that purpose.

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