Monitoring the Session

HB 4802

Retired judges’ annuities get a new calculation

Did not pass

Verdict: No flags

No flagsReviewed
Rep. David CookRHouse 96

Editor's call: No flags. On Nov 1, 2026 the editor checked this charge against the bill's caption and removed it.

Corrected Nov 1, 2026

Corrected Nov 1, 2026 · We checked this summary against the bill text and fixed it.

Reviewed · Nov 1, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to certain benefits payable by the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan One and the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan Two.

Caption from analyzed text · version H.

Summary

The text directs multiplication by 7.5 percent in consecutive years.

The bill orders the Employees Retirement System of Texas to recompute the monthly retirement, disability and death benefit annuities paid to retired judges and their survivors in the two judicial retirement plans, once on September 1, 2025 and again on September 1, 2026. It covers people whose retirement or qualifying death happened on or before September 1, 2024. The stated goal is a raise for these retirees, but the text as written tells the agency to multiply each monthly annuity 'by 7.5 percent' rather than to increase it by 7.5 percent.

Labels

Labels: ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 4 Republicans, 1 Democrat. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 10, 2025. Died in the Senate: received, never referred to a committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4802 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Rep. David CookRHouse 96 Rep. Oscar LongoriaDHouse 35 Rep. John T. SmitheeRHouse 86

+ 2 more authors, 2 coauthors

ITEM

relating to certain benefits payable by the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan One and the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan Two.

WHAT IT DOES

The text directs multiplication by 7.5 percent in consecutive years.

The bill orders the Employees Retirement System of Texas to recompute the monthly retirement, disability and death benefit annuities paid to retired judges and their survivors in the two judicial retirement plans, once on September 1, 2025 and again on September 1, 2026. It covers people whose retirement or qualifying death happened on or before September 1, 2024. The stated goal is a raise for these retirees, but the text as written tells the agency to multiply each monthly annuity 'by 7.5 percent' rather than to increase it by 7.5 percent.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($61,221,950)

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version I · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 22, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB4802, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($62,407,841) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

First year · FY 2026 · ($61,221,950)

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

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 Pensions, Investments & Financial Services
  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
  13. Considered in Calendars
  14. Placed on General State Calendar
  15. Read 2nd time
  16. Amended 1-Cook
  17. Passed to engrossment as amended
  18. Record vote RV#1923
  19. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  20. Read 3rd time
  21. Passed
  22. Record vote RV#2006
  23. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  24. Reported engrossed
  25. Received from the House
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 113 yea · 16 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 10, 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

David Cook

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$350KGOPAC Election Fund$115KTexas REALTORS Political Action Committee$60K

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 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$350,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$350,000.00

Cash
$350,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$350,000.00

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 24, 2025 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: 101012315, 101037124, 101037559, 101066332, 101070691.

GOPAC Election Fund$115,000.00

GOPAC Election Fund

$115,000.00

Cash
$115,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$115,000.00

Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 17, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Sep 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: 101066332.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$60,000.00

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$60,000.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$60,000.00

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 · Sep 12, 2025 to Jul 16, 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: 101037124, 101037559, 101066332.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$350,000.00

Cash
$350,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$350,000.00

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 24, 2025 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: 101012315, 101037124, 101037559, 101066332, 101070691.

×

GOPAC Election Fund

$115,000.00

Cash
$115,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$115,000.00

Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 17, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Sep 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: 101066332.

×

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$60,000.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$60,000.00

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 · Sep 12, 2025 to Jul 16, 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: 101037124, 101037559, 101066332.

Votes2

House May 10, 2025

Yea
113
Nay
16
Present, not voting
2
Absent
5
Excused
14
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2006

HB 4802 was passed by (Record 2006): 113 Yeas, 16 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 113 (published)
  • Nay: 16 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 5 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 14 (derived from named list)

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

House May 9, 2025

Yea
115
Nay
8
Present, not voting
2
Absent
5
Excused
20
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1923

HB 4802, as amended, was passed to engrossment by (Record 1923): 115 Yeas, 8 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 115 (published)
  • Nay: 8 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 5 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 20 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses5
For
3
Against
1
On
1
Names

For

  • Self1 registration
  • Self; Texas association of senior retired and former judges1 registration
  • Self; TX Assoc of Senior, Retired and Former Judges, Inc (TASRFJ)1 registration

Against

  • Self1 registration

On

  • Employees Retirement System of Texas1 registration
Sources

5 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
Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($61,221,950)

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version I · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 22, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB4802, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($62,407,841) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

First year · FY 2026 · ($61,221,950)

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version H by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 13, 2025

05/12/2025 S Received from the House

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 6:27 PM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors
Richard HayesRHouse 57 Stan LambertRHouse 71

House committee · Pensions, Investments & Financial Services · Committee vote 5 aye, 0 nay, 4 absent · Out of committee

Subjects

Retirement Systems--Judicial

Retirement Systems--State Employees

Text

The text as introduced · 287 words

89R16036 RDR-F

By: Cook
H.B. No. 4802

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to certain benefits payable by the Judicial Retirement

System of Texas Plan One and the Judicial Retirement System of Texas

Plan Two.

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

SECTION 1. (a) This section applies to an annuitant under

the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan One or the Judicial

Retirement System of Texas Plan Two who is eligible to receive:

(1) a service or disability retirement annuity under

Section 834.102, 834.103, 834.203, 839.102, 839.103, or 839.203,

Government Code, that is based on an effective date of retirement

that occurred on or before September 1, 2024; or

(2) a death benefit annuity under Section 834.301,

834.302, 839.301, or 839.302, Government Code, that is based on a

death that occurred on or before September 1, 2024.

(b) Notwithstanding any other law:

(1) on September 1, 2025, the Employees Retirement

System of Texas shall recompute each annuity being paid an

annuitant under Section 834.102, 834.103, 834.203, 834.301,

834.302, 839.102, 839.103, 839.203, 839.301, or 839.302,

Government Code, by multiplying the amount of the monthly annuity

being paid under those sections by 7.5 percent; and

(2) on September 1, 2026, the Employees Retirement

System of Texas shall recompute each annuity being paid an

annuitant under the sections of law described in Subdivision (1) of

this subsection, by multiplying the amount of the monthly annuity

being paid under those sections by 7.5 percent.

SECTION 2. The adjustment of benefits required under

Section 1 of this Act applies only to an annuity payment that

becomes payable on or after the effective date of this Act.

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