Monitoring the Session

SB 1271

Texas can share jurisdiction over military bases

Became law

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Kelly HancockRSenate 9

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 the concurrent jurisdiction of this state over United States military installations with respect to certain subject matters.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

If the United States asks in writing.

The bill lets the governor accept a written request from the United States to share legal authority with Texas over military bases and other federal military land in the state. It sets out what the federal request must contain, such as the land boundaries and the subjects covered, including youth offenses, and it requires the governor's written acceptance to be filed with the secretary of state and county clerks. Once filed, Texas and federal authorities share jurisdiction over that land, state and local agencies may sign coordination agreements with federal officers, and the state is not liable for acts or omissions on that land.

Labels

Labels: INSTANT LAW. Took effect immediately, on May 27, 2025. 833 of the 1,185 graded 89R laws took effect Sep 1, 2025 (derived from the bill histories, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB1271 · 2025-02-13

SOLD BY

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to the concurrent jurisdiction of this state over United States military installations with respect to certain subject matters.

WHAT IT DOES

If the United States asks in writing.

The bill lets the governor accept a written request from the United States to share legal authority with Texas over military bases and other federal military land in the state. It sets out what the federal request must contain, such as the land boundaries and the subjects covered, including youth offenses, and it requires the governor's written acceptance to be filed with the secretary of state and county clerks. Once filed, Texas and federal authorities share jurisdiction over that land, state and local agencies may sign coordination agreements with federal officers, and the state is not liable for acts or omissions on that land.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version F · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version F · April 30, 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. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Vet Affairs
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Failed to receive affirmative vote in comm.
  8. Considered in public hearing
  9. Vote reconsidered in committee
  10. Vote taken in committee
  11. Reported favorably as substituted
  12. Committee report printed and distributed
  13. Co-author authorized
  14. Placed on intent calendar
  15. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  16. Record vote
  17. Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
  18. Record vote
  19. Three day rule suspended
  20. Record vote
  21. Read 3rd time
  22. Passed
  23. Record vote
  24. Reported engrossed
  25. Received from the Senate
  26. Read first time
  27. Referred to s/c on Defense & Veterans' Affairs by Speaker
  28. Recalled from subcommittee
  29. Considered in public hearing
  30. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  31. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  32. Committee report distributed
  33. Laid out in lieu of companion CSHB 2337
  34. Read 2nd time
  35. Amended 1-Buckley and Frank
  36. Passed to 3rd reading as amended
  37. Record vote RV#804
  38. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  39. Committee report sent to Calendars
  40. Read 3rd time
  41. Passed
  42. Record vote RV#941
  43. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  44. House passage as amended reported
  45. House amendment(s) laid before the Senate
  46. Read
  47. Senate concurs in House amendment(s)
  48. Record vote
  49. Senate concurs in House amendment(s)-reported
  50. Reported enrolled
  51. Signed in the Senate
  52. Signed in the House
  53. Sent to the Governor
  54. Signed by the Governor
  55. Effective immediately
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 134 yea · 8 nay

Senate · 28 yea · 2 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · Apr 30, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · Apr 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

Donors

Stephen Brauer JR$57,791
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$14,750
Q Political Action Committee$12,500

Top donors to Texans for Kelly Hancock SPAC during his Senate service. Not tied to this bill.

Sources

Gifts to Texans for Kelly Hancock SPAC dated July 1, 2024 to June 18, 2025, while he served in the Senate.

Derived from itemized gifts. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Money

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

Votes7

Senate May 12, 2025

Yea
28
Nay
2
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
1
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Hancock moved to concur in the House amendment to SB 1271. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2.

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

  • Yea: 28 (published)
  • Nay: 2 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

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

House Apr 30, 2025

Yea
134
Nay
8
Present, not voting
2
Absent
2
Excused
4
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 941

SB 1271 was passed by (Record 941): 134 Yeas, 8 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 134 (published)
  • Nay: 8 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 4 (derived from named list)

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

House Apr 29, 2025

Yea
136
Nay
9
Present, not voting
2
Absent
2
Excused
1
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 804

SB 1271, as amended, was passed to third reading by (Record 804): 136 Yeas, 9 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 136 (published)
  • Nay: 9 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 10, 2025

Yea
28
Nay
2
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
1
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2. (Same as previous roll call)

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

  • Yea: 28 (published)
  • Nay: 2 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 10, 2025

Yea
28
Nay
2
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
1
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Hancock moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 1271 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2.

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

  • Yea: 28 (published)
  • Nay: 2 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 10, 2025

Yea
28
Nay
2
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
1
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2. (Same as previous roll call)

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

  • Yea: 28 (published)
  • Nay: 2 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 10, 2025

Yea
28
Nay
2
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
1
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Hancock moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 1271 at this time on its second reading: CSSB 1271, Relating to the concurrent jurisdiction of this state over United States military installations with respect to certain subject matters. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2.

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

  • Yea: 28 (published)
  • Nay: 2 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses1
For
1
Against
0
On
0
Names

For

  • Self; VFW Dept of Texas1 registration
Sources

1 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

Senate witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version F · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version F · April 30, 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 Senate · Filed Feb 13, 2025

05/27/2025 E Effective immediately

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed · House Committee Report · Enrolled

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

Coauthors
Sponsors

House committee · Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs · Committee vote 9 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Veteran Affairs · Committee vote 5 aye, 1 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Companion

HB 2337 by Frank (identical)

Subjects

Crimes--Juvenile

Criminal Procedure--General

Family--Juvenile Delinquency

Governor

Military & Veterans

FEDERAL RELATIONS

SECRETARY OF STATE

Text

The text as introduced · 826 words

89R3091 JCG-F

By: Hancock
S.B. No. 1271

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the concurrent jurisdiction of this state over United

States military installations with respect to certain subject

matters.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 2204, Government Code, is

amended by adding Section 2204.104 to read as follows:

Sec. 2204.104. AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT CONCURRENT JURISDICTION

OF THIS STATE OVER UNITED STATES MILITARY INSTALLATIONS. (a) In

this section:

(1) "Political subdivision" includes a municipality,

county, or any special-purpose district or authority.

(2) "State agency" means a state agency in any branch

of state government.

(3) "Status offense" means conduct that a child

commits that would not, under state law, be an offense if committed

by an adult.

(b) On written application of an authorized representative

of the United States to the governor, the governor, in the name and

on behalf of this state, may accept the establishment of concurrent

jurisdiction of this state with the United States over land in this

state owned or acquired by the United States under this subchapter

for a military purpose authorized by Section 2204.101. An

application may seek full or partial concurrent jurisdiction, and

the proposal may include land where no federal jurisdiction exists

or land where this state previously ceded jurisdiction to the

United States.

(c) The application under Subsection (b) must:

(1) state the name and position of the authorized

representative and identify the federal law authorizing the

representative to bind the United States in transactions involving

the jurisdiction of the United States;

(2) subject to Subdivision (3), state the subject

matter over which concurrent jurisdiction is being established;

(3) if the application is submitted for the purpose of

establishing concurrent jurisdiction over juvenile delinquency and

status offenses, expressly state that purpose;

(4) be accompanied by proper evidence of the ownership

or acquisition of the land;

(5) include or have attached an accurate description

by metes and bounds of the land that is the subject of the

application; and

(6) state whether the United States is applying for

the inclusion of, under the same terms of concurrent jurisdiction

sought in the application, any future acquisition of land

contiguous with land for which concurrent jurisdiction is

established or is proposed to be established under this section.

(d) The governor's acceptance under this section must:

(1) be written; and

(2) specify each element of the application that the

governor accepts, including:

(A) each subject matter over which concurrent

jurisdiction is being established; and

(B) whether the governor accepts the inclusion of

future acquisitions of land as described by Subsection (c)(6).

(e) Except as provided by Subsection (f), the establishment

of concurrent jurisdiction under this section takes effect on the

date on which the governor files the following documents for

recording with the secretary of state:

(1) the application received under Subsection (b),

including the metes and bounds of the land; and

(2) the governor's written acceptance under Subsection

(d).

(f) If the governor accepts concurrent jurisdiction for

future acquisitions of land as described by Subsection (c)(6), the

concurrent jurisdiction over the acquired land:

(1) takes effect only if:

(A) notice of the inclusion is provided to the

governor, including an accurate description by metes and bounds of

the acquired land; and

(B) the governor files for recording with the

secretary of state the documents described by Paragraph (A); and

(2) takes effect on the date the governor files the

documents under Subdivision (1)(B).

(g) After recording the documents filed under Subsection

(e) or (f)(1)(B), the secretary of state shall:

(1) provide a certified copy of the documents to the

authorized representative who applied under Subsection (b) or

otherwise the person who provided notice under Subsection (f); and

(2) file the documents for recording with each county

clerk of the county in which the land that is the subject of the

application or notice is located.

(h) On the establishment of concurrent jurisdiction over

land under this section, a state agency or political subdivision

may enter into a memorandum of understanding with any officer or

agency of the United States for the purpose of coordinating and

assigning duties with respect to the concurrent jurisdiction.

(i) Any establishment of concurrent jurisdiction under this

section must include, at minimum, the concurrent jurisdiction

retained under Section 2204.103.

(j) This state is not liable for acts or omissions occurring

on land over which concurrent jurisdiction is established under

this section.

SECTION 2. The heading to Section 2204.103, Government

Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 2204.103. CESSION OF JURISDICTION TO UNITED STATES ;

RETENTION OF AUTHORITY TO EXECUTE LEGAL PROCESS .

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.