Monitoring the Session

SB 1620

apprenticeship pilot to grow the number of forensic scientists

Became law, effective Sep 1, 2025

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Joan HuffmanRSenate 17

Initial review · graded Oct 22, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the establishment of the Texas forensic analyst apprenticeship pilot program.

Caption from analyzed text · version H.

Summary

Accredited labs sponsor apprentices. Pilot shuts off September 1, 2030.

The bill creates a forensic analyst apprenticeship pilot program, run by the state court administration office with the Texas Forensic Science Commission, to grow the number of forensic scientists in Texas. It touches public universities and medical units that train forensic workers, publicly funded accredited crime labs that sponsor apprentices, and people who apply to be apprentices. The commission writes eligibility rules, awards apprentice slots and signs contracts with the labs, and the program shuts off on September 1, 2030.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB1620 · 2025-02-25

SOLD BY

Sen. Joan HuffmanRSenate 17

+ 4 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the establishment of the Texas forensic analyst apprenticeship pilot program.

WHAT IT DOES

Accredited labs sponsor apprentices. Pilot shuts off September 1, 2030.

The bill creates a forensic analyst apprenticeship pilot program, run by the state court administration office with the Texas Forensic Science Commission, to grow the number of forensic scientists in Texas. It touches public universities and medical units that train forensic workers, publicly funded accredited crime labs that sponsor apprentices, and people who apply to be apprentices. The commission writes eligibility rules, awards apprentice slots and signs contracts with the labs, and the program shuts off on September 1, 2030.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($2,416,073)

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version S · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · April 4, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1620, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($4,832,146) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

First year · FY 2026 · ($2,416,073)

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

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 Finance
  5. Co-author authorized
  6. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  7. Considered in public hearing
  8. Vote taken in committee
  9. Reported favorably as substituted
  10. Committee report printed and distributed
  11. Co-author authorized
  12. Placed on intent calendar
  13. Co-author authorized
  14. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  15. Vote recorded in Journal
  16. Read 2nd time
  17. Amendment(s) offered FA1 Huffman
  18. Amended
  19. Vote recorded in Journal
  20. Passed to engrossment as amended
  21. Vote recorded in Journal
  22. Three day rule suspended
  23. Record vote
  24. Read 3rd time
  25. Passed
  26. Record vote
  27. Reported engrossed
  28. Received from the Senate
  29. Read first time
  30. Referred to Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
  31. Considered in formal meeting
  32. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  33. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  34. Committee report distributed
  35. Committee report sent to Calendars
  36. Considered in Calendars
  37. Placed on General State Calendar
  38. Read 2nd time
  39. Passed to 3rd reading
  40. Record vote RV#2941
  41. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  42. Read 3rd time
  43. Passed
  44. Record vote RV#3011
  45. House passage reported
  46. Reported enrolled
  47. Signed in the Senate
  48. Signed in the House
  49. Sent to the Governor
  50. Signed by the Governor
  51. Effective on 9/1/25
FILED UNDER

GOVERNMENT GROWTH UNDER A CONSERVATIVE BANNER

THE TEXT

“The commission shall award apprentice positions to”…

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

The bill sets up a new state program that places and pays for apprentice positions at publicly funded crime labs through state contracts.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 107 yea · 39 nay

Senate · 29 yea · 2 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 20, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · Apr 22, 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

Joan Huffman

Donors

Donors report through Texans for Joan Huffman.

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 Jun 30, 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.

Money

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

Votes5

House May 20, 2025

Yea
107
Nay
39
Present, not voting
2
Absent
1
Excused
1
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3011

SB 1620 was passed by (Record 3011): 107 Yeas, 39 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 107 (published)
  • Nay: 39 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 1 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

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

House May 19, 2025

Yea
103
Nay
38
Present, not voting
2
Absent
3
Excused
4
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2941

SB 1620 was passed to third reading by (Record 2941): 103 Yeas, 38 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 103 (published)
  • Nay: 38 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 4 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Yea
29
Nay
2
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
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 29, Nays 2. (Same as previous roll call)

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

  • Yea: 29 (published)
  • Nay: 2 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Yea
29
Nay
2
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
0
Excused
0
Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Huffman moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 1620 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2.

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

  • Yea: 29 (published)
  • Nay: 2 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Yea
Not printed
Nay
Not printed
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

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

Senate journal

Names were not printed for yea. Only the named positions are included in member records.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

CSSB 1620 as amended was passed to engrossment by a viva voce vote.

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

  • Yea: Not printed
  • Nay: Not printed
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Witnesses10
For
7
Against
0
On
3
Names

For

  • City of Austin1 registration
  • City of Fort Worth1 registration
  • City of Houston1 registration
  • City of San Antonio1 registration
  • Dallas County1 registration
  • Harris County Commissioners Court1 registration
  • Houston Police Department1 registration

On

  • Forensic Science Commissiom/Office of Court Administration1 registration
  • Self; Houston Forensic Science Center Texas Association Of Crime Lab Directors1 registration
  • Texas DPS Crime Lab1 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.

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

Fiscal
Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($2,416,073)

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version S · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · April 4, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB1620, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: a negative impact of ($4,832,146) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

First year · FY 2026 · ($2,416,073)

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version H by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Feb 25, 2025

05/30/2025 E Effective on 9/1/25

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
César BlancoDSenate 29 Sarah EckhardtDSenate 14 Juan "Chuy" HinojosaDSenate 20 Royce WestDSenate 23
Sponsors
Greg BonnenRHouse 24

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

Senate committee · Finance · Committee vote 15 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Companion

HB 5293 by Bonnen (identical)

Subjects

Criminal Procedure--General

Education--Higher--Institutions & Programs

Labor--Workforce Development

Salaries & Expenses

Science & Technology

FORENSIC TESTING

STAFF DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING

SAM HOUSTON STATE UNIVERSITY

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS HEALTH SCIENCE CENTER AT FT. WORTH

COURT ADMINISTRATION, OFFICE OF

FORENSIC SCIENCE COMMISSION, TEXAS

Text

The text as introduced · 464 words

89R15785 AJZ-F

By: Huffman
S.B. No. 1620

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the establishment of the Texas forensic analyst

apprenticeship pilot program.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 72, Government Code, is amended by

adding Subchapter H to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER H. TEXAS FORENSIC ANALYST APPRENTICESHIP PILOT PROGRAM

Sec. 72.201. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "Accredited crime laboratory" means a crime

laboratory, as that term is defined by Article 38.35, Code of

Criminal Procedure, that has been accredited under Article 38.01 of

that code.

(2) "Commission" means the Texas Forensic Science

Commission.

(3) "Pilot program" means the Texas forensic analyst

apprenticeship pilot program established under this subchapter.

Sec. 72.202. TEXAS FORENSIC ANALYST APPRENTICESHIP PILOT

PROGRAM. (a) The office shall establish the Texas forensic analyst

apprenticeship pilot program to increase the forensic science

workforce capacity in this state. The office shall collaborate with

the commission as necessary to administer the pilot program.

(b) To implement the pilot program, the office shall enter

into contracts with:

(1) the Center for Human Identification at the

University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth for

the purpose of creating a unified forensic biology (DNA) training

program;

(2) the Institute for Forensic Research, Training, and

Innovation at Sam Houston State University for the purpose of

creating a unified drug chemistry and toxicology training program;

(3) the Department of Statistics at Texas A&M

University for the purpose of creating a unified firearms

comparison training program; and

(4) each publicly funded accredited crime laboratory

that is awarded an apprentice position by the commission under

Section 72.203.

Sec. 72.203. FORENSIC ANALYST APPRENTICE POSITIONS; RULES.

(a) In consultation with the office, the commission by rule shall

adopt eligibility requirements for:

(1) individuals who may apply for an apprentice

position under the pilot program; and

(2) publicly funded accredited crime laboratories

that may apply to sponsor an apprentice under the pilot program.

(b) In establishing the eligibility requirements under

Subsection (a), the commission shall prioritize the long-term

retention of forensic analysts in accredited crime laboratories in

this state.

(c) The commission shall award apprentice positions to

individuals and accredited crime laboratories that meet the

eligibility requirements established under Subsection (a). The

commission shall enter into contracts with the laboratories

selected to sponsor apprentices under the pilot program.

(d) The commission shall:

(1) consult with the Texas Association of Crime Lab

Directors to determine the current need for forensic analyst

apprentices in each forensic discipline; and

(2) in consultation with the office, adopt rules

regarding the required training curricula for the forensic science

training programs described by Sections 72.202(b)(1), (2), and (3).

Sec. 72.204. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires September

1, 2030.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.