Monitoring the Session

SB 2201

Gang Database Bill Lets A Family Member’s Word Count

Did not pass

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Sen. Brian BirdwellRSenate 22
Both charges, and why
Pitch: Surveillance state

ACTUALLY

…“physical, digital, or online locations”…

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

The bill widens what puts a person into a police intelligence database: being at a gang-linked online or digital location, a family member's identification, or communicating with a jailed member now count.

Pitch: Surveillance state
Delayed start

THE TEXT

…“is not required to take the minimum training course”…

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

Officers already using the database before 2026 do not have to complete the new training until January 1, 2027, which falls after the November 2026 election. The new inclusion criteria, by contrast, take effect September 1, 2025.

Delayed start

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 intelligence databases for combinations, criminal street gangs, and foreign terrorist organizations.

Caption from analyzed text · version H.

Summary

The committee analysis promises to “dismantle cartels.” Being at gang-linked “online locations” now counts.

The bill loosens the rules for putting people into Texas gang and terrorist-group intelligence databases while adding a training requirement, a yearly state audit, and a rule that the submitting officer's name be recorded. It reaches anyone police suspect of gang ties, including children: a self-admission no longer has to be made in court, a family member's word can count, and being at a gang-linked 'online location' or messaging a jailed member now counts toward inclusion. On the ground, more people can be entered on weaker evidence, and their records are kept past the five-year (adult) or two-year (child) removal date whenever new qualifying information is submitted.

Labels

Labels: ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 1 Republican, 1 Democrat. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on May 5, 2025. Died in the House: voted out of the Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs committee 6-0, no floor vote.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2201 · 2025-03-11

SOLD BY

ITEM

relating to intelligence databases for combinations, criminal street gangs, and foreign terrorist organizations.

WHAT IT DOES

The committee analysis promises to “dismantle cartels.” Being at gang-linked “online locations” now counts.

The bill loosens the rules for putting people into Texas gang and terrorist-group intelligence databases while adding a training requirement, a yearly state audit, and a rule that the submitting officer's name be recorded. It reaches anyone police suspect of gang ties, including children: a self-admission no longer has to be made in court, a family member's word can count, and being at a gang-linked 'online location' or messaging a jailed member now counts toward inclusion. On the ground, more people can be entered on weaker evidence, and their records are kept past the five-year (adult) or two-year (child) removal date whenever new qualifying information is submitted.

CHARGES

[x] PITCH: SURVEILLANCE STATE

ACTUALLY

…“physical, digital, or online locations”…

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

The bill widens what puts a person into a police intelligence database: being at a gang-linked online or digital location, a family member's identification, or communicating with a jailed member now count.

[x] DELAYED STARTanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

…“is not required to take the minimum training course”…

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

Officers already using the database before 2026 do not have to complete the new training until January 1, 2027, which falls after the November 2026 election. The new inclusion criteria, by contrast, take effect September 1, 2025.

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 13, 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 Border Security
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Testimony taken in committee
  8. Vote taken in committee
  9. Reported favorably as substituted
  10. Committee report printed and distributed
  11. Placed on intent calendar
  12. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  13. Vote recorded in Journal
  14. Read 2nd time
  15. Amendment(s) offered FA1 Birdwell
  16. Amended
  17. Vote recorded in Journal
  18. Amendment(s) offered FA2 Blanco
  19. Amended
  20. Vote recorded in Journal
  21. Passed to engrossment as amended
  22. Vote recorded in Journal
  23. Three day rule suspended
  24. Record vote
  25. Read 3rd time
  26. Amendment(s) offered FA1 Eckhardt
  27. Amended
  28. Vote recorded in Journal
  29. Passed as amended
  30. Record vote
  31. Reported engrossed
  32. Received from the Senate
  33. Read first time
  34. Referred to Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
  35. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  36. Considered in public hearing
  37. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  38. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  39. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  40. Committee report distributed
  41. Committee report sent to Calendars
FILED UNDER

SURVEILLANCE STATE

THE TEXT

…“physical, digital, or online locations”…

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

The bill widens what puts a person into a police intelligence database: being at a gang-linked online or digital location, a family member's identification, or communicating with a jailed member now count.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 30 yea · 1 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · May 5, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC Austin TX$30,000
Good Government Fund Fort Worth TX$10,000
Texas Oil & Gas Assn. Good Govt. Cmte Austin TX$10,000

Derived from itemized gifts, Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

$353,800 raised since Jul 1, 2024. Derived sum of published report totals. blank in the state's data, consistent with zero. Flow, Jul 1, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026. 4 of 4 filed reports carry a published figure.

$502,039 spent since Jul 1, 2024. Derived sum of published report totals. Flow, Jul 1, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026. 4 of 4 filed reports carry a published figure.

$731,044 cash on hand. Published report total. Stock, as of Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.

$0 loans outstanding. Published report total. Stock, as of Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived sum of itemized contributions in regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Unitemized contributions are not included. Flow, Jul 1, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Money

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

Votes3

Senate May 5, 2025

Yea
30
Nay
1
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.

Sources

CSSB 2201 as again amended was finally passed by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.

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

  • Yea: 30 (published)
  • Nay: 1 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate May 5, 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 Birdwell moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 2201 be placed on its third reading and final passage: CSSB 2201, Relating to intelligence databases for combinations, criminal street gangs, and foreign terrorist organizations. 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 May 5, 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 2201 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.

Witnesses18
For
6
Against
6
On
6
Names

For

  • Center for Security Policy1 registration
  • Self; Houston Police Officers’ Union1 registration
  • Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA)1 registration
  • Texas Public Policy Foundation2 registrations
  • TMPA1 registration

Against

  • ACLU of Texas1 registration
  • Self3 registrations
  • Texas Civil Rights Project2 registrations

On

  • Border Prosecution Unit1 registration
  • Self; San antonio texas anti gang center1 registration
  • Self; Texas Anti-Gang Center - Harris County Sheriff Office1 registration
  • Self; West Texas Anti- Gang Center1 registration
  • Texas Department of Public Safety1 registration
  • Texas DPS1 registration
Sources

18 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

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

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

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 E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 13, 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

Adversarial review by claude-opus-5-5 at high effort: sent to the editor.

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

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Mar 11, 2025

05/19/2025 H Committee report sent to Calendars

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

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

Sponsors

House committee · Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs · Committee vote 6 aye, 0 nay, 5 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Border Security · Committee vote 4 aye, 1 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

Criminal Procedure--General

Electronic Information Systems

Law Enforcement

GANGS

STAFF DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING

TERRORISM & INTERNAL SECURITY

AUDITOR, STATE

PUBLIC SAFETY, DEPARTMENT OF

Text

The text as introduced · 910 words

89R8698 JSC-D

By: Birdwell, Blanco
S.B. No. 2201

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to intelligence databases for combinations, criminal

street gangs, and foreign terrorist organizations.

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

SECTION 1. Article 67.054, Code of Criminal Procedure, is

amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to

read as follows:

(b) Criminal information collected under this chapter

relating to a criminal street gang or foreign terrorist

organization must:

(1) be relevant to the identification of an

organization that is reasonably suspected of involvement in

criminal activity; and

(2) consist of:

(A) a judgment under any law that includes, as a

finding or as an element of a criminal offense, participation in a

criminal street gang or foreign terrorist organization;

(B) a self-admission , which may be implied or

demonstrated, by an individual of membership in a criminal street

gang or foreign terrorist organization , including the use of the

Internet or other electronic format or medium to post photographs

or other documentation identifying the individual as a member of a

criminal street gang or foreign terrorist organization [ that is

made during a judicial proceeding ]; or

(C) [ except as provided by Subsection (c), ] any

two of the following:

(i) [ a self-admission by the individual of

membership in a criminal street gang or foreign terrorist

organization that is not made during a judicial proceeding,

including the use of the Internet or other electronic format or

medium to post photographs or other documentation identifying the

individual as a member of a criminal street gang or foreign

terrorist organization;

[ (ii) ] an identification of the individual

as a member of a criminal street gang or foreign terrorist

organization by a documented criminal street gang member or foreign

terrorist organization member or a family member [ reliable

informant or other individual;

[ (iii) a corroborated identification of the

individual as a member of a criminal street gang or foreign

terrorist organization by an informant or other individual of

unknown reliability ];

(ii) [ (iv) ] evidence that the individual

frequents or is located at a previously documented area of a

criminal street gang or foreign terrorist organization , including

physical, digital, or online locations [ and associates with known

members of a criminal street gang or foreign terrorist

organization ];

(iii) [ (v) ] evidence that the individual

uses, in more than an incidental manner, criminal street gang or

foreign terrorist organization dress, hand signals, tattoos, or

symbols, including expressions of letters, numbers, words, or

marks, regardless of how or the means by which the symbols are

displayed, that are associated with a criminal street gang or

foreign terrorist organization [ that operates in an area frequented

by the individual and described by Subparagraph (iv) ];

(iv) [ (vi) ] evidence that the individual

has been arrested , detained, or taken into custody with known

members of a criminal street gang or foreign terrorist organization

for an offense or conduct consistent with gang activity as defined

by Section 125.061, Civil Practice and Remedies Code;

(v) [ (vii) ] evidence that the individual

communicates, whether in person, in writing, or electronically,

with [ has visited ] a known member of a criminal street gang or

foreign terrorist organization[ , other than a family member of the

individual, ] while the member is confined in or committed to a penal

institution; or

(vi) [ (viii) ] evidence of the individual's

use of technology, including the Internet and social media , to

advertise the criminal street gang or foreign terrorist

organization or recruit new members of a criminal street gang or

foreign terrorist organization.

(b-1) If a law enforcement officer has reasonable suspicion

that an individual meets the criteria to be included in the

intelligence database, the officer's name and department must be

included in the database with the individual's submitted

information.

SECTION 2. Article 67.151(b), Code of Criminal Procedure,

is amended to read as follows:

(b) Information [ Subject to Subsection (c), information ]

collected under this chapter relating to a criminal street gang

must be removed after five years from an intelligence database

established under Article 67.051 and the intelligence database

maintained by the department under Article 67.052 if:

(1) the information relates to the investigation or

prosecution of criminal activity engaged in by an individual other

than a child; and

(2) the individual who is the subject of the

information has not been arrested for criminal activity reported to

the department under Chapter 66.

SECTION 3. Article 67.152(b), Code of Criminal Procedure,

is amended to read as follows:

(b) Information [ Subject to Subsection (c), information ]

collected under this chapter relating to a criminal street gang

must be removed after two years from an intelligence database

established under Article 67.051 and the intelligence database

maintained by the department under Article 67.052 if:

(1) the information relates to the investigation or

prosecution of criminal activity engaged in by a child; and

(2) the child who is the subject of the information has

not been:

(A) arrested for criminal activity reported to

the department under Chapter 66; or

(B) taken into custody for delinquent conduct

reported to the department under Chapter 58, Family Code.

SECTION 4. The following provisions of the Code of Criminal

Procedure are repealed:

(1) Article 67.054(a)(1);

(2) Article 67.054(c);

(3) Article 67.151(c); and

(4) Article 67.152(c).

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.