SB 1813
Middleton Bill’s 350K To 370K Bracket Reads As One Gulf County
Died in committee
Verdict: Smells
Why it's charged
Bracket bill
The new bracket requires a population between 350,000 and 370,000, a Gulf coast location, and a border with a county of at least 3.3 million, which aims the change at what reads as a single county. The caption admits the bill covers only "certain counties," so it is narrow but not hidden.
Bracket billInitial 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 delegation of certain authority of a county judge in certain counties.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Must also border a 3.3M-plus county. Its judge gets the big-county power to delegate.
This bill widens an existing state law that lets a county judge hand off certain duties, which until now applied only to counties with more than 1.5 million people. It adds a second kind of county: one with 350,000 to 370,000 people that sits on the Gulf of Mexico and borders a county of at least 3.3 million. On September 1, 2025, the county judge in a county that fits that narrow description gains the same power to delegate duties that big-county judges already have.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB1813 · 2025-03-03
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the delegation of certain authority of a county judge in certain counties.
WHAT IT DOES
Must also border a 3.3M-plus county. Its judge gets the big-county power to delegate.
This bill widens an existing state law that lets a county judge hand off certain duties, which until now applied only to counties with more than 1.5 million people. It adds a second kind of county: one with 350,000 to 370,000 people that sits on the Gulf of Mexico and borders a county of at least 3.3 million. On September 1, 2025, the county judge in a county that fits that narrow description gains the same power to delegate duties that big-county judges already have.
CHARGES
[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 60%
The new bracket requires a population between 350,000 and 370,000, a Gulf coast location, and a border with a county of at least 3.3 million, which aims the change at what reads as a single county. The caption admits the bill covers only "certain counties," so it is narrow but not hidden.
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Local Government
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
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 6, 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.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$1,140,000.00
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$1,140,000.00
- Cash
- $1,140,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $1,140,000.00
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 12, 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.
Report IDs: 101009502, 101012383, 101061137, 101072395, 101072779.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$1,140,000.00
- Cash
- $1,140,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $1,140,000.00
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Dec 12, 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.
Report IDs: 101009502, 101012383, 101061137, 101072395, 101072779.
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 Mar 3, 2025
03/13/2025 S Referred to Local Government
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 · Local Government · Final status: Died in committee
Companion
HB 2273 by Bonnen (identical)
Subjects
County Government--Employees/Officers
County Government--General
Courts--County & Statutory
Courts--Judges
Text
The text as introduced · 195 words
89R10183 AMF-D By: Middleton S.B. No. 1813 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the delegation of certain authority of a county judge in certain counties. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. The heading to Section 81.028, Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 81.028. DELEGATION OF DUTIES OF [ A ] COUNTY JUDGE IN CERTAIN COUNTIES [ WITH POPULATION OF MORE THAN 1.5 MILLION ]. SECTION 2. Section 81.028(a), Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows: (a) This section applies only [ exclusively ] to a county judge in a county : (1) with a population of more than 1.5 million ; or (2) with a population of at least 350,000 and not more than 370,000 that is adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent to a county with a population of at least 3.3 million . SECTION 3. The heading to Section 81.029, Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 81.029. DELEGATION OF DUTIES OF [ A ] COUNTY JUDGE TO COUNTY COMMISSIONER IN CERTAIN COUNTIES. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.