HB 5386

bill letting pregnant voters vote by mail

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

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 allowing pregnant individuals to vote by mail if they will be in the second or third trimester on election day.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Second or third trimester on election day. Childbirth window grows to four weeks.

The bill lets a pregnant voter vote by mail if she will be in the second or third trimester of pregnancy on election day. It also widens the existing childbirth window for mail voting from three weeks to four weeks before or after election day. Pregnant Texas voters gain a new path to a mail ballot starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 14, 2025 and referred to the House Elections committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB5386 · 2025-03-14

SOLD BY

Rep. Mihaela PlesaDHouse 70

ITEM

relating to allowing pregnant individuals to vote by mail if they will be in the second or third trimester on election day.

WHAT IT DOES

Second or third trimester on election day. Childbirth window grows to four weeks.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Mar 14, 2025Filed
Apr 7, 2025Read first time
Apr 7, 2025Referred to Elections

ALSO NOTED · NOT CHARGED (1)

CAPTION MISMATCH · analysis confidence 30%

THE TEXT

“is expecting to give birth within four [ three ]”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption mentions only the trimester rule. The body also stretches the childbirth window from three to four weeks, including the weeks after birth, which the caption does not mention. The change is small and closely related.

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Mihaela Plesa

Donors

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$79K Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$55K TexBlue Media PAC$33K

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 REALTORS Political Action Committee$79,480.35

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$79,480.35

Cash: $37,500.00
Paid by others: $41,980.35
Total: $79,480.35

mail $33,992.76digital $4,945.63text $2,016.96advertising $525.00fundraiser $500.00

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 · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 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: 101012300, 101032600, 101059513, 101069108, 101072533.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$55,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$55,000.00

Cash: $55,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $55,000.00

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 11, 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: 101012300, 101032600, 101059513, 101069108.

TexBlue Media PAC$32,511.00

TexBlue Media PAC

$32,511.00

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $32,511.00
Total: $32,511.00

advertising $32,511.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 25, 2026 to Sep 27, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 25, 2026 to Sep 27, 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: 101072533.

Money

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

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$79,480.35

Cash: $37,500.00
Paid by others: $41,980.35
Total: $79,480.35

mail $33,992.76digital $4,945.63text $2,016.96advertising $525.00fundraiser $500.00

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 · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 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: 101012300, 101032600, 101059513, 101069108, 101072533.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$55,000.00

Cash: $55,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $55,000.00

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 11, 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: 101012300, 101032600, 101059513, 101069108.

TexBlue Media PAC

$32,511.00

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $32,511.00
Total: $32,511.00

advertising $32,511.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 25, 2026 to Sep 27, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 25, 2026 to Sep 27, 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: 101072533.

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 14, 2025

04/07/2025 H Referred to Elections: Apr 7 2025 5:28PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Elections · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 1072 by Eckhardt (identical)

Subjects

Elections--Early Voting

Women

PREGNANCY & CHILDBIRTH

Text

The text as introduced · 179 words

89R11402 LRM-D

By: Plesa
H.B. No. 5386

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to allowing pregnant individuals to vote by mail if they

will be in the second or third trimester on election day.

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

SECTION 1. The heading to Section 82.002, Election Code, is

amended to read as follows:

Sec. 82.002. DISABILITY OR OTHER PHYSICAL CONDITION

[ CONFINEMENT FOR CHILDBIRTH ].

SECTION 2. Section 82.002(a), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) A qualified voter is eligible for early voting by mail

if the voter:

(1) has a sickness or physical condition that prevents

the voter from appearing at the polling place on election day

without a likelihood of needing personal assistance or of injuring

the voter's health; [ or ]

(2) is expecting to give birth within four [ three ]

weeks before or after election day ; or

(3) will be in the second or third trimester of

pregnancy on election day .

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