Monitoring the Session

HB 565

bill putting cost estimates on constitutional amendment ballots

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Carl H. TepperRHouse 84

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 a requirement that the ballot for an election to amend the state constitution include an estimate of the cost to the state of the proposed amendment.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

The secretary of state writes the price tag next to the proposition.

The bill requires the secretary of state to write an estimate of what each proposed constitutional amendment would cost the state in the budget period when it takes effect, and to put that estimate on the ballot next to the proposition. It touches the secretary of state, who may ask the Legislative Budget Board for help, and every Texas voter who sees a constitutional amendment election ballot. Starting with amendment elections ordered on or after September 1, 2025, voters would see a state cost figure printed with each proposed amendment.

Labels

Labels: GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 10, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the State Affairs committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB565 · 2024-11-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Carl H. TepperRHouse 84 Rep. Terri Leo WilsonRHouse 23

ITEM

relating to a requirement that the ballot for an election to amend the state constitution include an estimate of the cost to the state of the proposed amendment.

WHAT IT DOES

The secretary of state writes the price tag next to the proposition.

The bill requires the secretary of state to write an estimate of what each proposed constitutional amendment would cost the state in the budget period when it takes effect, and to put that estimate on the ballot next to the proposition. It touches the secretary of state, who may ask the Legislative Budget Board for help, and every Texas voter who sees a constitutional amendment election ballot. Starting with amendment elections ordered on or after September 1, 2025, voters would see a state cost figure printed with each proposed amendment.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 5, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

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 Delivery of Government Efficiency
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Committee substitute considered in committee
  7. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in formal meeting
  10. Committee substitute considered in committee
  11. Reported favorably as substituted
  12. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  13. Committee report distributed
  14. Committee report sent to Calendars
  15. Considered in Calendars
  16. Placed on General State Calendar
  17. Read 2nd time
  18. Amended 1-Tepper
  19. Passed to engrossment as amended
  20. Record vote RV#1974
  21. Read 3rd time
  22. Passed
  23. Record vote RV#2053
  24. Reported engrossed
  25. Received from the House
  26. Read first time
  27. Referred to State Affairs
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 123 yea · 5 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

Carl H. Tepper

Donors

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$100KTexans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$25KBeef PAC$8K

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 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.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$100,000.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$100,000.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$100,000.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 22, 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: 101072176.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$25,083.33

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$25,083.33

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$83.33
Total
$25,083.33
fundraiser $83.33

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 25, 2025 to Oct 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: 101009037, 101027338, 101072176.

Beef PAC$8,000.00

Beef PAC

$8,000.00

Cash
$8,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$8,000.00

Also funds 80 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 23, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 30, 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: 101012320, 101057498, 101072176.

Money

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

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$100,000.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$100,000.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 22, 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: 101072176.

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$25,083.33

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$83.33
Total
$25,083.33
fundraiser $83.33

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 25, 2025 to Oct 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: 101009037, 101027338, 101072176.

×

Beef PAC

$8,000.00

Cash
$8,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$8,000.00

Also funds 80 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 23, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 30, 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: 101012320, 101057498, 101072176.

Votes2

House May 10, 2025

Yea
123
Nay
5
Present, not voting
3
Absent
2
Excused
17
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2053

HB 565 was passed by (Record 2053): 123 Yeas, 5 Nays, 3 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 123 (published)
  • Nay: 5 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 3 (published)
  • Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 17 (derived from named list)

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

House May 9, 2025

Yea
133
Nay
1
Present, not voting
2
Absent
8
Excused
6
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1974

CSHB 565, as amended, was passed to engrossment by (Record 1974): 133 Yeas, 1 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 133 (published)
  • Nay: 1 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 8 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 6 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses4
For
2
Against
1
On
1
Names

For

  • Texas Civil Rights Project1 registration
  • Texas Public Policy Foundation1 registration

Against

  • Self1 registration

On

  • Secretary of State1 registration
Sources

4 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

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 5, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

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 Nov 12, 2024

05/12/2025 S Referred to State Affairs

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

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

House committee · Delivery of Government Efficiency · Committee vote 10 aye, 2 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 1192 by Kolkhorst (identical)

Subjects

Elections--General

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

SECRETARY OF STATE

Text

The text as introduced · 332 words

89R498 PRL-D

By: Tepper
H.B. No. 565

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a requirement that the ballot for an election to amend

the state constitution include an estimate of the cost to the state

of the proposed amendment.

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

SECTION 1. The heading to Section 274.001, Election Code,

is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 274.001. FORM OF AMENDMENT ON BALLOT ; COST ESTIMATE .

SECTION 2. Section 274.001, Election Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:

(d) For each proposition submitting a proposed

constitutional amendment, the secretary of state shall prepare for

placement on the ballot an estimate of the anticipated cost to the

state of the proposed amendment during the state fiscal biennium in

which the proposed amendment takes effect should the proposition be

approved at the election. The secretary of state may request the

assistance of the Legislative Budget Board in preparing the

estimate required by this subsection.

SECTION 3. Section 274.003(a), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) For each proposed constitutional amendment, the

secretary of state shall certify in writing for placement on the

ballot:

(1) the wording of the proposition submitting the

amendment; [ and ]

(2) the cost estimate prepared for the proposition

under Section 274.001(d); and

(3) the proposition's number.

SECTION 4. The secretary of state may adopt rules as

necessary to implement and administer Section 274.001(d), Election

Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to

a ballot for an election on a proposed constitutional amendment

ordered on or after the effective date of this Act. An election on a

proposed constitutional amendment ordered before the effective

date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when the election

was ordered, and the former law is continued in effect for that

purpose.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.