HB 809: bill allowing digitized signatures on divorce citation waivers

Caption

relating to the execution of a waiver of citation by digitized signature in a suit for the dissolution of a marriage.

Summary

The current law says no. The bill says yes.

The bill lets a spouse sign a waiver of citation in a divorce case with a digitized signature, where current law says they may not. It touches divorcing spouses, family lawyers, notaries and the trial courts that handle divorce filings. On the ground, a spouse can waive formal service of the divorce papers electronically, and electronic notarization applies to signatures in family law cases, including both pending and new divorce suits starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 2, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the State Affairs committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB809 · 2024-11-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Senfronia ThompsonDHouse 141

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to the execution of a waiver of citation by digitized signature in a suit for the dissolution of a marriage.

WHAT IT DOES

The current law says no. The bill says yes.

The bill lets a spouse sign a waiver of citation in a divorce case with a digitized signature, where current law says they may not. It touches divorcing spouses, family lawyers, notaries and the trial courts that handle divorce filings. On the ground, a spouse can waive formal service of the divorce papers electronically, and electronic notarization applies to signatures in family law cases, including both pending and new divorce suits starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · March 20, 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

Nov 12, 2024Filed
Mar 5, 2025Read first time
Mar 5, 2025Referred to s/c on Family & Fiduciary Relationships by Speaker
Mar 24, 2025Scheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
Mar 24, 2025Considered by s/c in public hearing
Mar 24, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
Mar 24, 2025Left pending in subcommittee
Apr 8, 2025Recalled from subcommittee
Apr 8, 2025Considered in formal meeting
Apr 8, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
Apr 23, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Apr 23, 2025Committee report distributed
Apr 25, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
Apr 28, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 1, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 1, 2025Read 2nd time
May 1, 2025Passed to engrossment
May 1, 2025Record vote RV#1189
May 1, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 2, 2025Read 3rd time
May 2, 2025Passed
May 2, 2025Record vote RV#1295
May 2, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 2, 2025Reported engrossed
May 5, 2025Received from the House
May 5, 2025Read first time
May 5, 2025Referred to State Affairs

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 110 yea · 24 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 2, 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

Senfronia Thompson

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$40K Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$23K Texas Sands PAC$14K

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 · Jul 18, 2024 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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$40,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$40,000.00

Cash: $40,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $40,000.00

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 · Oct 16, 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: 100991261, 101012357, 101035257, 101068783.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$22,500.00

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$22,500.00

Cash: $22,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $22,500.00

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 7, 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: 100991261, 101012357, 101035257, 101068783.

Texas Sands PAC$14,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$14,000.00

Cash: $14,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $14,000.00

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 4, 2024 to Jun 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: 101011899, 101012357, 101035257.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$40,000.00

Cash: $40,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $40,000.00

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 · Oct 16, 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: 100991261, 101012357, 101035257, 101068783.

×

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$22,500.00

Cash: $22,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $22,500.00

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 7, 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: 100991261, 101012357, 101035257, 101068783.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$14,000.00

Cash: $14,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $14,000.00

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 4, 2024 to Jun 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: 101011899, 101012357, 101035257.

Votes2

House May 2, 2025

Yea: 110
Nay: 24
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 4
Excused: 11

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1295

HB 809 was passed by (Record 1295): 110 Yeas, 24 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 110 (published)
Nay: 24 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
Excused: 11 (derived from named list)

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

House May 1, 2025

Yea: 124
Nay: 17
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 4
Excused: 3

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1189

HB 809 was passed to engrossment by (Record 1189): 124 Yeas, 17 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 124 (published)
Nay: 17 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses5

For: 5
Against: 0
On: 0

Names

For

Harris County Commissioners Court1 registration
Self1 registration
Self; Texas Advocacy Project1 registration
Self; Texas family law foundation1 registration
Texas Family Law Foundation1 registration

Sources

5 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 I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · March 20, 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

05/05/2025 S Referred to State Affairs

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 6:51 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors

Penny Morales ShawDHouse 148

House committee · Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence · Committee vote 10 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

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

Subjects

Electronic Information Systems

Family--General

Family--Marriage Relationship

DIGITAL SIGNATURES

DIVORCE

Text

The text as introduced · 222 words

89R1612 AMF-F

By: Thompson
H.B. No. 809

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the execution of a waiver of citation by digitized

signature in a suit for the dissolution of a marriage.

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

SECTION 1. Section 6.4035(e), Family Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(e) The party executing the waiver may [ not ] sign the waiver

using a digitized signature.

SECTION 2. Section 406.026, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 406.026. ELECTRONIC NOTARIZATION. In a proceeding

filed under Title 1 or 5, Family Code, if a signature is required to

be notarized, acknowledged, verified, or made under oath, the

requirement may be satisfied if the electronic signature of the

person authorized to perform that act, together with all other

information required to be included by other applicable law, is

attached to or logically associated with the signature required to

be notarized, acknowledged, verified, or made under oath.

SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies to a

waiver of citation executed in a suit for dissolution of a marriage

that is pending in a trial court on the effective date of this Act or

that is filed on or after that date.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

Texas Sands PAC

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

Texas Sands PAC

House May 2, 2025

House May 1, 2025

For