SB 2645
bill puts a dollar ceiling on volunteer firefighter pay
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
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 volunteer firefighter compensation limits.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
20 percent of full-time pay in the adjacent area, benefits included.
The bill rewrites the rule on how much a fire department can pay its volunteer or auxiliary firefighters. Instead of barring pay that would make a volunteer count as fully paid personnel, it caps a volunteer's yearly pay, reimbursement and benefits at 20 percent of the total compensation paid to full-time fire protection personnel in the adjacent area. Fire departments and their volunteers would work under this new dollar-based ceiling starting September 1, 2026.
Labels
Labels: QUICK READ: 126 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 126 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB2645 · 2025-03-13
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to volunteer firefighter compensation limits.
WHAT IT DOES
20 percent of full-time pay in the adjacent area, benefits included.
The bill rewrites the rule on how much a fire department can pay its volunteer or auxiliary firefighters. Instead of barring pay that would make a volunteer count as fully paid personnel, it caps a volunteer's yearly pay, reimbursement and benefits at 20 percent of the total compensation paid to full-time fire protection personnel in the adjacent area. Fire departments and their volunteers would work under this new dollar-based ceiling starting September 1, 2026.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
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
GOVERNMENT GROWTH UNDER A CONSERVATIVE BANNER
THE TEXT
…“compensate, reimburse, or provide benefits exceeding 20 percent of”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill changes the pay ceiling that fire departments may give volunteer and auxiliary firefighters.
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 13, 2025
04/03/2025 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 5424 by Bonnen (identical)
Subjects
Fire Fighters & Police--Volunteer
Salaries & Expenses
Text
The text as introduced · 126 words
2025S0209-T 03/10/25 By: Middleton S.B. No. 2645 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to volunteer firefighter compensation limits. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 419.0322(c), Government Code, is amended to read as follows: (c) A fire department may not , in a calendar year, compensate, reimburse, or provide benefits exceeding 20 percent of the total compensation paid to full-time fire protection personnel in the adjacent area to any individual designated as a volunteer or auxiliary firefighter [ to a person the department has designated as a volunteer or other auxiliary fire fighter to the extent that the person would be considered fully paid fire protection personnel ]. SECTION 2. This Act is effective September 1, 2026.