HB 4621: bill letting judges e-file marriage licenses

Caption

relating to the electronic return of a completed marriage license to a county clerk by a federal or state judge who conducted the marriage ceremony.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Scan it, submit it. No trip to the clerk.

The bill lets a sitting federal or state judge who performs a wedding send the completed marriage license back to the county clerk by scanning it and submitting the image electronically. It touches judges who officiate weddings, county clerks, and newly married couples. When a license comes back electronically, the clerk records it and mails the couple a certified copy instead of the original.

Labels

Labels: 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-HB4621 · 2025-03-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Ana HernandezDHouse 143

ITEM

relating to the electronic return of a completed marriage license to a county clerk by a federal or state judge who conducted the marriage ceremony.

WHAT IT DOES

Scan it, submit it. No trip to the clerk.

The bill lets a sitting federal or state judge who performs a wedding send the completed marriage license back to the county clerk by scanning it and submitting the image electronically. It touches judges who officiate weddings, county clerks, and newly married couples. When a license comes back electronically, the clerk records it and mails the couple a certified copy instead of the original.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 30, 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

Mar 12, 2025Filed
Apr 3, 2025Read first time
Apr 3, 2025Referred to s/c on Family & Fiduciary Relationships by Speaker
Apr 14, 2025Scheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
Apr 14, 2025Considered by s/c in public hearing
Apr 14, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
Apr 14, 2025Left pending in subcommittee
Apr 28, 2025Recalled from subcommittee
Apr 28, 2025Considered in formal meeting
Apr 28, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 28, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
May 7, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 8, 2025Committee report distributed
May 8, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 9, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 11, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 14, 2025Read 2nd time
May 14, 2025Amended 1-Hernandez
May 14, 2025Passed to engrossment as amended
May 14, 2025Record vote RV#2516
May 14, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 15, 2025Read 3rd time
May 15, 2025Passed
May 15, 2025Record vote RV#2631
May 15, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 15, 2025Reported engrossed
May 15, 2025Received from the House
May 16, 2025Read first time
May 16, 2025Referred to State Affairs

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 124 yea · 17 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

Ana Hernandez

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$35K Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$15K Border Health PAC$10K

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 1, 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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$35,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$35,000.00

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $35,000.00

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 · Dec 10, 2024 to Sep 21, 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: 100987003, 101013859, 101020093, 101059809, 101070083.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$15,000.00

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$15,000.00

Cash: $15,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $15,000.00

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 · Nov 1, 2024 to Sep 25, 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: 100987003, 101072690.

Border Health PAC$10,000.00

Border Health PAC

$10,000.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $10,000.00

Also funds 17 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 26, 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: 101020093.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$35,000.00

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $35,000.00

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 · Dec 10, 2024 to Sep 21, 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: 100987003, 101013859, 101020093, 101059809, 101070083.

×

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$15,000.00

Cash: $15,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $15,000.00

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 · Nov 1, 2024 to Sep 25, 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: 100987003, 101072690.

×

Border Health PAC

$10,000.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $10,000.00

Also funds 17 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Aug 26, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 26, 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: 101020093.

Votes2

House May 15, 2025

Yea: 124
Nay: 17
Present, not voting: 3
Absent: 2
Excused: 4

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2631

HB 4621 was passed by (Record 2631): 124 Yeas, 17 Nays, 3 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 124 (published)
Nay: 17 (published)
Present, not voting: 3 (published)
Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
Excused: 4 (derived from named list)

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

House May 14, 2025

Yea: 112
Nay: 26
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 4
Excused: 6

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2516

CSHB 4621, as amended, was passed to engrossment by (Record 2516): 112 Yeas, 26 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 112 (published)
Nay: 26 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
Excused: 6 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses6

For: 1
Against: 1
On: 4

Names

For

Self1 registration

Against

Bexar County Commissioners Court1 registration

On

Dallas County1 registration
Self; Harris County Clerk1 registration
Self; Victoria County Clerk1 registration
Tarrant County Government Affairs Director on behalf of the Tarrant County Clerk.1 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 fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 30, 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 12, 2025

05/16/2025 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

Electronic Information Systems

Family--Marriage Relationship

MARRIAGE LICENSES

Text

The text as introduced · 238 words

89R16144 KRM-D

By: Hernandez
H.B. No. 4621

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the electronic return of a completed marriage license

to a county clerk by a federal or state judge who conducted the

marriage ceremony.

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

SECTION 1. Section 2.206, Family Code, is amended by adding

Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:

(a-1) A current federal judge or state judge, as defined by

Section 2.202, who conducts a marriage ceremony may return the

license as required by Subsection (a) electronically by

electronically scanning the completed license and electronically

submitting the scanned image of the license to the county clerk who

issued the license.

SECTION 2. Section 2.208, Family Code, is amended by

amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as

follows:

(a) The county clerk shall record a returned marriage

license and , except as provided by Subsection (a-1), mail the

license to the address indicated on the application. On request by

the applicants, the county clerk may e-mail the marriage license to

an e-mail address provided to the county clerk by the applicants in

addition to mailing the license.

(a-1) If the county clerk received the returned marriage

license by electronic submission under Section 2.206(a-1), the

clerk shall mail a certified copy of the license to the address

indicated on the application.

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

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

Border Health PAC

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

Border Health PAC

House May 15, 2025

House May 14, 2025

For

Against

On