Monitoring the Session

SB 2633

Johnson Bill Widens Alcohol Zones To Cities On A 20,000-Acre Lake

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Sen. Nathan JohnsonDSenate 16
Why it's charged
Bracket bill

THE TEXT

“borders a man-made lake that has a surface”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

Stacking a 240,000 population floor, a multi-county location, and a border on a man-made lake of at least 20,000 acres narrows this statewide-looking change to one or a handful of cities. The caption says only "certain areas of a municipality" and never names the place.

Bracket bill

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 a local option election on the sale of alcoholic beverages in certain areas of a municipality and the local regulation of premises in those areas.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Caption: “certain areas of a municipality.” Bill: 240K-plus people in two-plus counties.

The bill widens an existing state law on local alcohol-sale elections in special zones of a city so it also covers a city of 240,000 or more people that sits in two or more counties and borders a man-made lake of at least 20,000 acres. It touches that city, its voters, and businesses that sell alcohol inside any zone the city sets up under this law. The covered city's council may also adopt zoning and land-use rules for alcohol-selling premises inside those zones, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 1694 by Rep. Button (Did not pass) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 1694 by Rep. Button (Did not pass). 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.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on May 8, 2025. Died in the House: never got out of the Licensing & Administrative Procedures committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2633 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Sen. Nathan JohnsonDSenate 16

ITEM

relating to a local option election on the sale of alcoholic beverages in certain areas of a municipality and the local regulation of premises in those areas.

WHAT IT DOES

Caption: “certain areas of a municipality.” Bill: 240K-plus people in two-plus counties.

The bill widens an existing state law on local alcohol-sale elections in special zones of a city so it also covers a city of 240,000 or more people that sits in two or more counties and borders a man-made lake of at least 20,000 acres. It touches that city, its voters, and businesses that sell alcohol inside any zone the city sets up under this law. The covered city's council may also adopt zoning and land-use rules for alcohol-selling premises inside those zones, starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 85%

THE TEXT

“borders a man-made lake that has a surface”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

Stacking a 240,000 population floor, a multi-county location, and a border on a man-made lake of at least 20,000 acres narrows this statewide-looking change to one or a handful of cities. The caption says only "certain areas of a municipality" and never names the place.

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 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

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to State Affairs
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Testimony taken in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in public hearing
  10. Vote taken in committee
  11. Reported favorably w/o amendments
  12. Committee report printed and distributed
  13. Placed on intent calendar
  14. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  15. Record vote
  16. Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
  17. Record vote
  18. Three day rule suspended
  19. Record vote
  20. Read 3rd time
  21. Passed
  22. Record vote
  23. Reported engrossed
  24. Received from the Senate
  25. Read first time
  26. Referred to Licensing & Administrative Procedures
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 28 yea · 3 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · May 8, 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

Nathan Johnson

Donors

Daniel Cocanougher$250,000Texas Sands PAC$130KMarguerite Hoffman$125,000

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 1, 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.

Daniel Cocanougher$250,000.00
Texas Sands PAC$129,500.00

Texas Sands PAC

$129,500.00

Cash
$129,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$129,500.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 27, 2024 to May 12, 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: 100990378, 101033698, 101040111, 101052272.

Marguerite Hoffman$125,000.00
Money

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

×

Texas Sands PAC

$129,500.00

Cash
$129,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$129,500.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 27, 2024 to May 12, 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: 100990378, 101033698, 101040111, 101052272.

Votes4

Senate May 8, 2025

Yea
28
Nay
3
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 28, Nays 3. (Same as previous roll call)

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

  • Yea: 28 (published)
  • Nay: 3 (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 8, 2025

Yea
28
Nay
3
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 Johnson moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 2633 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 3.

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

  • Yea: 28 (published)
  • Nay: 3 (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 8, 2025

Yea
28
Nay
3
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 28, Nays 3. (Same as previous roll call)

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

  • Yea: 28 (published)
  • Nay: 3 (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 8, 2025

Yea
28
Nay
3
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 Johnson moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration SB 2633 at this time on its second reading: SB 2633, Relating to a local option election on the sale of alcoholic beverages in certain areas of a municipality and the local regulation of premises in those areas. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 3.

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

  • Yea: 28 (published)
  • Nay: 3 (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
2
Against
2
On
1
Names

For

  • Self1 registration
  • Self; City of Garland1 registration

Against

  • Self1 registration
  • Texas Package Stores Association1 registration

On

  • TABC1 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 I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 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.

FILED BEFORE

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

88R HB 1694

by Rep. Button, different lead author · Did not pass · same text

Introduced text

Last action, May 9, 2023: Postponed

Relating to a local option election on the sale of alcoholic beverages in certain areas of a municipality and the local regulation of premises in those areas.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Mar 13, 2025

05/12/2025 H Referred to Licensing & Administrative Procedures: May 12 2025 10:52PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed

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

House committee · Licensing & Administrative Procedures · Final status: Died in committee

Senate committee · State Affairs · Committee vote 9 aye, 1 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Companion

HB 3085 by Bowers (very similar)

Subjects

GARLAND, CITY OF (GW1M8)

Alcoholic Beverage Regulation

City Government--Land Use & Zoning

Elections--Initiative, Referendum & Recall

Text

The text as introduced · 218 words

89R4641 SCF-F

By: Johnson
S.B. No. 2633

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a local option election on the sale of alcoholic

beverages in certain areas of a municipality and the local

regulation of premises in those areas.

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

SECTION 1. Section 251.742, Alcoholic Beverage Code, is

amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (i) to

read as follows:

(b) This section applies only to a municipality that:

(1) has a population of 15,000 or more[ ; ] and

[ (2) ] is located in two counties one of which:

(A) has a population of 340,000 or more;

(B) contains a municipality in which at least 85

percent of the county's population resides; and

(C) borders the Gulf of Mexico ; or

(2) has a population of 240,000 or more and:

(A) is located in two or more counties; and

(B) borders a man-made lake that has a surface

area of at least 20,000 acres .

(i) Subject to Chapter 211, Local Government Code, the

governing body of the municipality may adopt zoning and land use

regulations applicable to a premises that sells alcoholic beverages

in the boundaries of a zone designated under this section.

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