Monitoring the Session

HB 509

Bucy Bill Opens HOA Neighborhoods And Gated Subdivisions To Canvassers

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. John H. Bucy IIIDHouse 136

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 the authority of certain entities and individuals to prevent individuals from accessing private property for the purpose of registering voters or communicating political messages.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Door knocks and fliers for voter registration or candidates. Reasonable time, place and manner limits still allowed.

The bill bars cities, counties, homeowners' associations, property owners' associations and property managers from adopting or enforcing rules that stop people from knocking on doors, ringing doorbells or leaving fliers at homes and apartments to help residents register to vote or to support or oppose candidates, parties or ballot measures. These groups may still set reasonable limits on the time, place and manner of that activity, and police or private parties may step in only if they reasonably believe the activity threatens people or property or breaks a statute, ordinance, order, rule or policy. On the ground, canvassers and voter registration volunteers would get a state-law right to reach front doors in gated subdivisions, HOA neighborhoods and apartment complexes starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 378 (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 378 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 12, 2024 and referred to the House Elections committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB509 · 2024-11-12

SOLD BY

Rep. John H. Bucy IIIDHouse 136

ITEM

relating to the authority of certain entities and individuals to prevent individuals from accessing private property for the purpose of registering voters or communicating political messages.

WHAT IT DOES

Door knocks and fliers for voter registration or candidates. Reasonable time, place and manner limits still allowed.

The bill bars cities, counties, homeowners' associations, property owners' associations and property managers from adopting or enforcing rules that stop people from knocking on doors, ringing doorbells or leaving fliers at homes and apartments to help residents register to vote or to support or oppose candidates, parties or ballot measures. These groups may still set reasonable limits on the time, place and manner of that activity, and police or private parties may step in only if they reasonably believe the activity threatens people or property or breaks a statute, ordinance, order, rule or policy. On the ground, canvassers and voter registration volunteers would get a state-law right to reach front doors in gated subdivisions, HOA neighborhoods and apartment complexes starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Elections
FILED UNDER

SPEECH AND LAWFARE

THE TEXT

…“may not adopt or enforce a rule, order, ordinance, or policy that prevents an individual from knocking on the front door of a residential unit”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill overrides local and HOA rules to protect door-to-door political speech and voter registration at private homes and apartments.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

John H. Bucy III

Donors

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund$56KAdam Loewy$20,000Texas Sands PAC$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 · Oct 28, 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.

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund$56,000.00

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund

$56,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$31,000.00
Total
$56,000.00
consulting $31,000.00

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: 100986907, 101059773, 101069326, 101072293.

Adam Loewy$20,000.00
Texas Sands PAC$17,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$17,000.00

Cash
$17,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$17,000.00

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 · Dec 9, 2024 to Sep 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.

Report IDs: 100986907, 101032801, 101059773, 101072293.

Money

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

×

Agave Democratic Infrastructure Fund

$56,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$31,000.00
Total
$56,000.00
consulting $31,000.00

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: 100986907, 101059773, 101069326, 101072293.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$17,000.00

Cash
$17,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$17,000.00

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 · Dec 9, 2024 to Sep 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.

Report IDs: 100986907, 101032801, 101059773, 101072293.

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.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 378

by Rep. Bucy, same lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Feb 23, 2023: Referred to Elections

Relating to the authority of certain entities and individuals to prevent individuals from accessing private property for the purpose of registering voters or communicating political messages.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Nov 12, 2024

03/03/2025 H Referred to Elections: Mar 3 2025 2:24PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

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

House committee · Elections · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Elections--Candidates

Elections--Political Parties

Political Subdivisions

Property Interests--General

Property Interests--Property Owners Association

PEACE OFFICERS

Text

The text as introduced · 332 words

89R1517 PRL-D

By: Bucy
H.B. No. 509

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of certain entities and individuals to

prevent individuals from accessing private property for the purpose

of registering voters or communicating political messages.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 276, Election Code, is amended by adding

Section 276.020 to read as follows:

Sec. 276.020. DOOR-TO-DOOR VOTER REGISTRATION AND

POLITICAL MESSAGING. (a) In this section, "residential unit"

includes a single-family house, a single-family house located in a

residential subdivision or housing development, an apartment, a

condominium, or another unit in a multifamily residential

structure.

(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a political

subdivision, property owners' association, homeowners'

association, or property manager may not adopt or enforce a rule,

order, ordinance, or policy that prevents an individual from

knocking on the front door of a residential unit, ringing the

doorbell of the unit, or leaving a pamphlet, flier, or other form of

written communication at the unit for the purpose of:

(1) assisting an occupant of the unit with registering

to vote; or

(2) communicating to an occupant of the unit support

or opposition for:

(A) a candidate for nomination or election to

public office or office of a political party;

(B) a political party; or

(C) a measure, as defined by Section 251.001.

(c) A political subdivision, property owners' association,

homeowners' association, or property manager may adopt and enforce

a reasonable restriction on the time, place, or manner of an

activity described by Subsection (b).

(d) A peace officer, as that term is described by Article

2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, or private party may not

prevent an individual from engaging in an activity described by

Subsection (b) unless the officer or party reasonably believes that

the activity poses a threat to a person or property or is in

violation of a statute, ordinance, order, rule, or policy.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.