Monitoring the Session

SB 1072

Eckhardt’s bill lets pregnant voters vote by mail

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Sarah EckhardtDSenate 14

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 qualifies.

The bill lets a registered 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 voters gain a new path to a mail ballot starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 3, 2025 and referred to the Senate State Affairs committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB1072 · 2025-02-03

SOLD BY

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 qualifies.

The bill lets a registered 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 voters gain a new path to a mail ballot starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to State Affairs
ALSO NOTED · NOT CHARGED (1)

CAPTION MISMATCH · analysis confidence 40%

THE TEXT

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

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption mentions only the second and third trimester change, but the body also widens the childbirth window from three to four weeks. The extra change is small and in the same lane.

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Donors

Donald Henley$117,500Dale Linebarger$38,769Stephen McNally$24,000

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 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.

Donald Henley$117,500.00
Dale Linebarger$38,769.25
Stephen McNally$24,000.00
Money

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

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 Senate · Filed Feb 3, 2025

02/24/2025 S Referred to State Affairs

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

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

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

Companion

HB 5386 by Plesa (identical)

Subjects

Elections--Early Voting

Women

PREGNANCY & CHILDBIRTH

Text

The text as introduced · 179 words

89R11402 LRM-D

By: Eckhardt
S.B. No. 1072

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.