HB 5066
State Pays Back Forensic Costs When Felony Defendants Stay Jailed
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
Why it's charged
Caption mismatch
THE TEXT
…“to compensation to a county for the cost of a defendant's”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The caption and the new article cover forensic science expenses, but the applicability section ties the change to compensation for a defendant's confinement. That leaves unclear which forensic costs the new rule actually reaches.
Caption mismatchInitial 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 reimbursement to a county for forensic science expenses associated with certain crimes.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Caption: forensic costs. Timing clause: a defendant’s confinement. Which costs it reaches is unclear.
The bill requires the state to pay a county back for forensic science costs tied to a felony case when the defendant is held in jail and not released on bail before trial. It touches county budgets, the state treasury, and felony defendants who stay jailed pending trial. Counties would bill the state for lab and forensic work in those cases instead of covering it themselves, though the bill's timing clause refers to confinement costs rather than forensic costs.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 13, 2025 and referred to the House Criminal Jurisprudence committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB5066 · 2025-03-13
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the reimbursement to a county for forensic science expenses associated with certain crimes.
WHAT IT DOES
Caption: forensic costs. Timing clause: a defendant’s confinement. Which costs it reaches is unclear.
The bill requires the state to pay a county back for forensic science costs tied to a felony case when the defendant is held in jail and not released on bail before trial. It touches county budgets, the state treasury, and felony defendants who stay jailed pending trial. Counties would bill the state for lab and forensic work in those cases instead of covering it themselves, though the bill's timing clause refers to confinement costs rather than forensic costs.
CHARGES
[x] CAPTION MISMATCHanalysis confidence 45%
THE TEXT
…“to compensation to a county for the cost of a defendant's”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The caption and the new article cover forensic science expenses, but the applicability section ties the change to compensation for a defendant's confinement. That leaves unclear which forensic costs the new rule actually reaches.
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
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.
TeamSources
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.
TeamSources
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
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.
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.
TeamSources
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.
TeamSources
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
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.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
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 13, 2025
04/07/2025 H Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence: Apr 7 2025 5:28PM
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 6:51 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Criminal Jurisprudence · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
County Government--Finance
Criminal Procedure--Bail & Pretrial Release
Text
The text as introduced · 198 words
By: Johnson H.B. No. 5066 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the reimbursement to a county for forensic science expenses associated with certain crimes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 17, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended by adding Article 17.54 to read as follows: Art. 17.54. REIMBURSEMENT TO A COUNTY FOR FORENSIC SCIENCE ON CERTAIN FELONIES. If a defendant charged with an offense punishable as a felony is not released on bail pending trial, the state shall compensate the county for the cost of forensic science expenses associated with the offense. SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to compensation to a county for the cost of a defendant's confinement that occurs on or after January 1, 2026, regardless of whether the defendant is confined before, on, or after that date. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.