SB 2230: counties must clear the launch hazard area

Caption

relating to the closure of beaches for space flight activities; creating a criminal offense.

Summary

Space launch day. Unauthorized people out.

The bill requires a county commissioners court to order unauthorized people out of the Federal Aviation Administration's calculated hazard area on a space launch date, while keeping the court's existing option to temporarily close nearby beaches. It touches beachgoers, residents and anyone else near a launch site, and the county officials who issue the orders. Breaking an evacuation order becomes a Class B misdemeanor offense, rising to a Class A misdemeanor for a repeat conviction.

Labels

Labels: CREATES AN OFFENSE. The caption of the graded version (introduced) reads: “relating to the closure of beaches for space flight activities; creating a criminal offense.”GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on Apr 3, 2025. Died in the House: voted out of the Intergovernmental Affairs committee 6-4, no floor vote.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2230 · 2025-03-11

SOLD BY

Sen. Adam HinojosaRSenate 27

ITEM

relating to the closure of beaches for space flight activities; creating a criminal offense.

WHAT IT DOES

Space launch day. Unauthorized people out.

The bill requires a county commissioners court to order unauthorized people out of the Federal Aviation Administration's calculated hazard area on a space launch date, while keeping the court's existing option to temporarily close nearby beaches. It touches beachgoers, residents and anyone else near a launch site, and the county officials who issue the orders. Breaking an evacuation order becomes a Class B misdemeanor offense, rising to a Class A misdemeanor for a repeat conviction.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · March 27, 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

Mar 11, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Mar 11, 2025Filed
Mar 13, 2025Read first time
Mar 13, 2025Referred to Natural Resources
Mar 19, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Mar 19, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 19, 2025Testimony taken in committee
Mar 19, 2025Left pending in committee
Mar 26, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 26, 2025Vote taken in committee
Mar 31, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
Mar 31, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
Apr 2, 2025Placed on intent calendar
Apr 3, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
Apr 3, 2025Record vote
Apr 3, 2025Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
Apr 3, 2025Record vote
Apr 3, 2025Three day rule suspended
Apr 3, 2025Record vote
Apr 3, 2025Read 3rd time
Apr 3, 2025Passed
Apr 3, 2025Record vote
Apr 3, 2025Reported engrossed
Apr 7, 2025Received from the Senate
Apr 17, 2025Read first time
Apr 17, 2025Referred to s/c on County & Regional Government by Speaker
May 10, 2025Recalled from subcommittee
May 10, 2025Considered in formal meeting
May 10, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 14, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 14, 2025Committee report distributed
May 14, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 24 yea · 7 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · Apr 3, 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

Adam Hinojosa

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$100KMayes Middleton$34,597Greg Abbott Campaign$33K

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 28, 2024 to May 5, 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$100,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$100,000.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $100,000.00

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.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 28, 2024. 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: 100989239.

Mayes Middleton$34,596.72

Greg Abbott Campaign$33,489.82

Greg Abbott Campaign

$33,489.82

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $33,489.82
Total: $33,489.82

travel $16,942.43text $12,002.83event $4,544.56

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 29, 2024 to Sep 2, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Nov 12, 2024. 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: 100989239.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$100,000.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $100,000.00

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.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 28, 2024. 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: 100989239.

×

Greg Abbott Campaign

$33,489.82

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $33,489.82
Total: $33,489.82

travel $16,942.43text $12,002.83event $4,544.56

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 29, 2024 to Sep 2, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Nov 12, 2024. 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: 100989239.

Votes4

Senate Apr 3, 2025

Yea: 24
Nay: 7
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 24, Nays 7.

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

Yea: 24 (published)
Nay: 7 (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 3, 2025

Yea: 25
Nay: 6
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 A. Hinojosa moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSSB 2230 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 25, Nays 6.

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

Yea: 25 (published)
Nay: 6 (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 3, 2025

Yea: 24
Nay: 7
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 second time and was passed to engrossment by the following vote: Yeas 24, Nays 7. (Same as previous roll call)

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

Yea: 24 (published)
Nay: 7 (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 3, 2025

Yea: 24
Nay: 7
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 A. Hinojosa moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 2230 at this time on its second reading: CSSB 2230, Relating to the evacuation of unauthorized persons from a hazard area in connection with space flight activities; creating a criminal offense. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 24, Nays 7.

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

Yea: 24 (published)
Nay: 7 (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.

Witnesses5

For: 3
Against: 1
On: 1

Names

For

Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT)1 registration
Self; Houston Police Officers’ Union1 registration
SpaceX1 registration

Against

Self; Sierra Club1 registration

On

Texas General Land Office1 registration

Sources

5 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 S · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version S · March 27, 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 Mar 11, 2025

05/14/2025 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.

Companion

HB 4661 by Lopez, Janie (identical)

Subjects

Aeronautics

City Government--General

Coastal Affairs & Beaches

County Government--General

Crimes--Miscellaneous

Safety

Text

The text as introduced · 238 words

89R10615 ANG-F

By: Hinojosa of Nueces
S.B. No. 2230

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the closure of beaches for space flight activities;

creating a criminal offense.

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

SECTION 1. Section 61.132, Natural Resources Code, is

amended by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (g) to

read as follows:

(c) To protect the public health, safety, and welfare, the

commissioners court by order :

(1) shall compel the evacuation of any unauthorized

person from a hazard area, as calculated by the Federal Aviation

Administration under 14 C.F.R. Section 450.133(c), on a launch

date; and

(2) may temporarily close a beach in reasonable

proximity to the launch site or access points to the beach in the

county on a primary or backup launch date, subject to Subsection

(d).

(g) A person commits an offense if the person violates an

order adopted under Subsection (c)(1). An offense under this

subsection is a Class B misdemeanor, except that the offense is a

Class A misdemeanor if the actor has previously been convicted of an

offense under this subsection.

SECTION 2. 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.

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Greg Abbott Campaign

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Greg Abbott Campaign

Senate Apr 3, 2025

Senate Apr 3, 2025

Senate Apr 3, 2025

Senate Apr 3, 2025

For

Against

On

Companion