Monitoring the Session

HB 952

bill putting a machine-readable code on every mail ballot

Did not pass

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Steve TothRHouse 15

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 identification of early voting ballots voted by mail by electronic code.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

The secretary of state sets the code rules.

The bill requires every mail-in ballot to carry a unique code that an electronic device can read, with rules from the secretary of state on how the codes are designed and handed out. It touches county early voting clerks, who must scan and record each code before mailing a ballot, and early voting ballot boards, which must scan returned ballots and match them to the clerk's record. A returned mail ballot whose code does not match a recorded code cannot be counted and is set aside like a rejected ballot, and no record may link a voter to a ballot code.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 161 (Died in committee) and this bill (Did not pass). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 161 (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.STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House Elections committee 5-4 on Apr 3, 2025. Never placed on a calendar. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB952 · 2024-11-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Steve TothRHouse 15

+ 7 coauthors

ITEM

relating to identification of early voting ballots voted by mail by electronic code.

WHAT IT DOES

The secretary of state sets the code rules.

The bill requires every mail-in ballot to carry a unique code that an electronic device can read, with rules from the secretary of state on how the codes are designed and handed out. It touches county early voting clerks, who must scan and record each code before mailing a ballot, and early voting ballot boards, which must scan returned ballots and match them to the clerk's record. A returned mail ballot whose code does not match a recorded code cannot be counted and is set aside like a rejected ballot, and no record may link a voter to a ballot code.

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 · April 6, 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 Elections
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  7. Left pending in committee
  8. Considered in public hearing
  9. Committee substitute considered in committee
  10. Reported favorably as substituted
  11. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  12. Committee report distributed
  13. Committee report sent to Calendars
  14. Corrected com rept filed w/ Comte Coordinator
  15. Corrected comm. report distributed
  16. Corrected committee report sent to Calendars
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Steve Toth

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$33KMichael Till$20,000Don Dyer$10,000

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 1, 2024 to Mar 25, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$32,500.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$32,500.00

Cash
$32,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$32,500.00

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 · Jul 10, 2024 to Jun 27, 2025. 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: 101005773, 101012329.

Michael Till$20,000.00
Don Dyer$10,000.00
Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$32,500.00

Cash
$32,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$32,500.00

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 · Jul 10, 2024 to Jun 27, 2025. 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: 101005773, 101012329.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses10
For
2
Against
7
On
1
Names

For

  • Self; Texas eagle forum1 registration
  • Self; The Libertarian Party of Texas1 registration

Against

  • Common Cause Texas1 registration
  • Self4 registrations
  • Self; Texas Democratic Party1 registration
  • True Texas Elections1 registration

On

  • Texas Secretary of State1 registration
Sources

10 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 · April 6, 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.

FILED BEFORE

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

88R HB 161

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

Introduced text

Last action, Feb 23, 2023: Referred to Elections

Relating to identification of early voting ballots voted by mail by electronic code.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Nov 12, 2024

05/05/2025 H Corrected committee report sent to Calendars

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

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

Coauthors
Cody HarrisRHouse 8 Richard HayesRHouse 57 Janis HoltRHouse 18 Andy HopperRHouse 64 J. M. LozanoRHouse 43 Will MetcalfRHouse 16 Joanne ShofnerRHouse 11

House committee · Elections · Committee vote 5 aye, 4 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

Elections--Early Voting

SECRETARY OF STATE

Text

The text as introduced · 390 words

By: Toth
H.B. No. 952

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to identification of early voting ballots voted by mail by

electronic code.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 52, Election Code, is

amended by adding Section 52.076 to read as follows:

Sec. 52.076. IDENTIFYING CODE FOR MAIL-IN BALLOTS. (a)

Each early voting ballot voted by mail must include a unique code

readable by an electronic device that may be used to verify the

authenticity of the ballot.

(b) No record associating an individual voter with a code

assigned to a ballot under this section may be created.

(c) The secretary of state by rule shall provide for the

design and distribution of a unique code system in a manner that, to

the greatest extent possible, prevents the unauthorized

reproduction or misuse of mail ballots.

SECTION 2. Section 86.001, Election Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (h) to read as follows:

(h) Before the clerk provides a ballot to an applicant, the

clerk shall identify the unique code included on each ballot with an

electronic device and make a record indicating that a ballot with

the unique code was issued.

SECTION 3. Section 87.062, Election Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:

(a-1) The early voting ballot board shall identify the

unique code included on each ballot with an electronic device and

compare the code on the ballot to the codes recorded by the early

voting clerk under Section 86.001(h). If the code does not match a

recorded code, the early voting ballot board may not count the

ballot. Ballots not counted under this section shall be placed in

an envelope and treated in the same manner as rejected ballots under

Section 87.043.

SECTION 4. Section 87.103, Election Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:

(a-1) The unique code included on each ballot must be

identified by an electronic device and if the code on the ballot

does not match a code recorded by the early voting clerk under

Section 86.001(h), the ballot may not be counted. Ballots not

counted under this section shall be placed in an envelope and

treated in the same manner as rejected ballots under Section

87.043.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.