Monitoring the Session

SB 2151

something about countywide polling places

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Paul BettencourtRSenate 7

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 countywide polling places.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Changes the program that lets any voter vote at any county site.

The bill changes the state program that lets counties use countywide polling places, where any county voter can vote at any site. Counties in the program could previously close precinct polling places; under this bill they must instead set up a countywide polling place at each county election precinct, and each site must have a poll list for the whole county. The bill also repeals five subsections of the current program law, and it takes effect September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 4392 by Rep. Paul (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 4392 by Rep. Paul (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.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 10, 2025 and referred to the Senate State Affairs committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2151 · 2025-03-10

SOLD BY

Sen. Paul BettencourtRSenate 7

ITEM

relating to countywide polling places.

WHAT IT DOES

Changes the program that lets any voter vote at any county site.

The bill changes the state program that lets counties use countywide polling places, where any county voter can vote at any site. Counties in the program could previously close precinct polling places; under this bill they must instead set up a countywide polling place at each county election precinct, and each site must have a poll list for the whole county. The bill also repeals five subsections of the current program law, and it takes effect 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
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Paul Bettencourt

Donors

Donors report through Friends of Paul Bettencourt.

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.

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.

FILED BEFORE

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

88R HB 4392

by Rep. Paul, different lead author · Died in committee · reworked

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 21, 2023: Referred to Elections

Relating to election precinct boundaries and the establishment of polling places.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Mar 10, 2025

03/24/2025 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 4275 by Paul (identical)

Subjects

County Government--General

Elections--Administration

Elections--General

Text

The text as introduced · 261 words

89R15028 MPF-D

By: Bettencourt
S.B. No. 2151

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to countywide polling places.

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

SECTION 1. Section 43.007, Election Code, is amended by

amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (q) to read as

follows:

(a) The secretary of state shall implement a program to

allow each commissioners court participating in the program to

[ eliminate county election precinct polling places and ] establish

countywide polling places at each county election precinct for:

(1) any election required to be conducted by the

county;

(2) any election held as part of a joint election

agreement with a county under Chapter 271;

(3) any election held under contract for election

services with a county under Subchapter D, Chapter 31;

(4) each primary election and runoff primary election

if:

(A) the county chair or county executive

committee of each political party participating in a joint primary

election under Section 172.126 agrees to the use of countywide

polling places; or

(B) the county chair or county executive

committee of each political party required to nominate candidates

by primary election agrees to use the same countywide polling

places; and

(5) each election of a political subdivision located

in the county that is held jointly with an election described by

Subdivision (3) or (4).

(q) Each countywide polling place must be provided with a

poll list for the entire county.

SECTION 2. Sections 43.007(f), (g), (h), (m), and (n),

Election Code, are repealed.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.