Monitoring the Session

HB 5085

Seed Bank Study Covers Only Counties Over 2M People

Did not pass

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Rep. Barbara Gervin-HawkinsDHouse 120
Both charges, and why
Study, task force, commission, report

THE TEXT

“Not later than December 1, 2026, the”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill's only duties are a study and a report with recommendations due December 1, 2026. Any action on seed banks waits for a later legislature.

Study, task force, commission, report
Bracket bill

THE TEXT

“(1) with a population of more than 2,000,000; and”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

A population floor of more than 2,000,000, paired with a requirement that the county have a conservation facility, limits the study to a few large counties. The caption says only "certain seed banks" and names no place.

Bracket bill

Initial review · graded Oct 21, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to a study on the impact of certain seed banks and seed preservation on access to food and the environment.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Plus a conservation facility. Report due December 1, 2026. Act expires January 1, 2027.

The bill tells the Department of Agriculture to study how seed banks and seed preservation affect food access and the environment. The study covers only counties with a population of more than 2,000,000 that also have a conservation facility in the county. The department must send a report with recommendations to state leaders by December 1, 2026, and the Act expires January 1, 2027, so no rule changes for anyone outside the department.

Labels

Labels: ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 2 Republicans, 1 Democrat. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 6, 2025. Died in the Senate: received, never referred to a committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB5085 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Rep. Barbara Gervin-HawkinsDHouse 120 Rep. Briscoe CainRHouse 128 Rep. Carrie IsaacRHouse 73

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to a study on the impact of certain seed banks and seed preservation on access to food and the environment.

WHAT IT DOES

Plus a conservation facility. Report due December 1, 2026. Act expires January 1, 2027.

The bill tells the Department of Agriculture to study how seed banks and seed preservation affect food access and the environment. The study covers only counties with a population of more than 2,000,000 that also have a conservation facility in the county. The department must send a report with recommendations to state leaders by December 1, 2026, and the Act expires January 1, 2027, so no rule changes for anyone outside the department.

CHARGES

[x] STUDY, TASK FORCE, COMMISSION, REPORTanalysis confidence 85%

THE TEXT

“Not later than December 1, 2026, the”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill's only duties are a study and a report with recommendations due December 1, 2026. Any action on seed banks waits for a later legislature.

[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

“(1) with a population of more than 2,000,000; and”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

A population floor of more than 2,000,000, paired with a requirement that the county have a conservation facility, limits the study to a few large counties. The caption says only "certain seed banks" and names no place.

TOTAL

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($150,000)

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

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 21, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB5085, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($150,000) 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 · ($150,000)

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 Agriculture & Livestock
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  7. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  8. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  9. Committee report distributed
  10. Committee report sent to Calendars
  11. Considered in Calendars
  12. Placed on General State Calendar
  13. Read 2nd time
  14. Amended 1-Cain and Isaac
  15. Passed to engrossment as amended
  16. Record vote RV#1390
  17. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  18. Read 3rd time
  19. Passed
  20. Record vote RV#1432
  21. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  22. Reported engrossed
  23. Received from the House
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 107 yea · 37 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 6, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Barbara Gervin-Hawkins

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$36KTexas Sands PAC$34KLegacy 44$17K

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 · Aug 6, 2024 to Feb 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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$36,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$36,000.00

Cash
$36,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$36,000.00

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 · Sep 20, 2024 to Feb 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: 100981675, 101026167, 101035798, 101038806.

Texas Sands PAC$34,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$34,000.00

Cash
$34,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$34,000.00

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 Feb 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: 100981675, 101038806.

Legacy 44$17,000.00

Legacy 44

$17,000.00

Cash
$1,000.00
Paid by others
$16,000.00
Total
$17,000.00
digital $16,000.00

Also funds 33 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 21, 2024 to Oct 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 18, 2024 to Feb 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: 100981675, 101038806.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$36,000.00

Cash
$36,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$36,000.00

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 · Sep 20, 2024 to Feb 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: 100981675, 101026167, 101035798, 101038806.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$34,000.00

Cash
$34,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$34,000.00

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 Feb 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: 100981675, 101038806.

×

Legacy 44

$17,000.00

Cash
$1,000.00
Paid by others
$16,000.00
Total
$17,000.00
digital $16,000.00

Also funds 33 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 21, 2024 to Oct 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 18, 2024 to Feb 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: 100981675, 101038806.

Votes2

House May 6, 2025

Yea
107
Nay
37
Present, not voting
1
Absent
5
Excused
0
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1432

HB 5085 was passed by (Record 1432): 107 Yeas, 37 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 107 (published)
  • Nay: 37 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 1 (published)
  • Absent: 5 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

House May 5, 2025

Yea
94
Nay
45
Present, not voting
2
Absent
3
Excused
6
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1390

HB 5085, as amended, was passed to engrossment by (Record 1390): 94 Yeas, 45 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 94 (published)
  • Nay: 45 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 6 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses3
For
2
Against
0
On
1
Names

For

  • Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club1 registration
  • Self1 registration

On

  • Texas Department of Agriculture1 registration
Sources

3 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($150,000)

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

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 21, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB5085, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($150,000) 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 · ($150,000)

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

Adversarial review by claude-fable-5-1 at high effort: Smells.

Analysis of text version I by claude-fable-5-1, Oct 21, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 13, 2025

05/06/2025 S Received from the House

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors
Joanne ShofnerRHouse 11

House committee · Agriculture & Livestock · Committee vote 6 aye, 3 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

Agriculture

Disaster Preparedness & Relief

Interim Studies

FOOD

AGRICULTURE, DEPARTMENT OF

Text

The text as introduced · 292 words

89R18484 SCF-D

By: Gervin-Hawkins
H.B. No. 5085

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a study on the impact of certain seed banks and seed

preservation on access to food and the environment.

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

SECTION 1. DEFINITION. In this Act, "department" means the

Department of Agriculture.

SECTION 2. STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF SEED BANKS AND SEED

PRESERVATION. (a) The department shall conduct a study on the

impact of seed banks and seed preservation in each county:

(1) with a population of more than 2,000,000; and

(2) that has a conservation facility located in the

county.

(b) The department shall collaborate with any state agency,

political subdivision, or other organization the department

determines relevant to the study.

(c) In conducting the study, the department shall assess the

impact a seed bank or seed preservation may have on:

(1) access to food, including:

(A) the number of people a seed bank can generate

food for; and

(B) the limitations of a seed bank in generating

food or feeding people; and

(2) the environment, including:

(A) ecosystem restoration and biodiversity

recovery following a natural disaster, including a hurricane, fire,

or flood; and

(B) climate change mitigation.

SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2026, the

department shall prepare and submit a report to the governor,

lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and

appropriate standing committees of the legislature on the results

of the study conducted under Section 2 of this Act and

recommendations for legislative or other action on seed banks, seed

preservation, and seed germination and propagation.

SECTION 4. EXPIRATION DATE. This Act expires January 1,

2027.

SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September

1, 2025.