Monitoring the Session

SB 2740

bill adding languages to big-county election materials

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Molly CookDSenate 15

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 the inclusion of additional printed languages for election materials in certain political subdivisions.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Vietnamese, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic and French, in counties over 2,500,000 people.

The bill requires every Texas county with more than 2,500,000 people to print election materials in Vietnamese, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, and French, on top of English, Spanish, and any language federal census rules already require. It also gives election administrators in those large counties discretion to print materials in still more languages, and it keeps the existing duty of the secretary of state to translate the standard state voter forms. Voters in the largest counties would see election forms, posters, and mail ballot materials in four more languages starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 13, 2025 and referred to the Senate State Affairs committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2740 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Sen. Molly CookDSenate 15

ITEM

relating to the inclusion of additional printed languages for election materials in certain political subdivisions.

WHAT IT DOES

Vietnamese, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic and French, in counties over 2,500,000 people.

The bill requires every Texas county with more than 2,500,000 people to print election materials in Vietnamese, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, and French, on top of English, Spanish, and any language federal census rules already require. It also gives election administrators in those large counties discretion to print materials in still more languages, and it keeps the existing duty of the secretary of state to translate the standard state voter forms. Voters in the largest counties would see election forms, posters, and mail ballot materials in four more languages starting 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

Molly Cook

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15KGregory Stocks$10,000Amber Alonso$6,500

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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash
$15,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$15,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Jun 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.

Report IDs: 100987960, 101029944, 101057026.

Gregory Stocks$10,000.00
Amber Alonso$6,500.00
Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$15,000.00

Cash
$15,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$15,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Jun 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.

Report IDs: 100987960, 101029944, 101057026.

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 State Affairs

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 6:51 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Senate committee · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Elections--General

SECRETARY OF STATE

Text

The text as introduced · 355 words

By: Cook
S.B. No. 2740

A BILL TO BE ENACTED

AN ACT

relating to the inclusion of additional printed languages

for election materials in certain political subdivisions.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF

TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 272.011, Election Code, is

amended to read as follows:

Sec. 272.011. BILINGUAL ELECTION MATERIALS REQUIRED IN

CERTAIN POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS.

(a) If the director of the census determines under 42

U.S.C. Section 1973aa-1a that a political subdivision must 12 provide

election materials in a language other than English or Spanish, the

political subdivision shall provide election materials in that

language in the same manner in 15 which the political subdivision

would be required to provide materials in Spanish under this chapter,

to the

extent applicable.

(b) In addition to any and all languages included by Sec.

272.011(a), all counties with a population more than

2,500,000 persons shall provide election materials printed

in Vietnamese, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, and French.

(c) The election administrator of all counties with a

population of more than 2,500,000 persons shall also have

discretion to provide election materials printed in

additional languages.

( b ) (d) The secretary of state shall prepare the

translation for election materials required to be provided

in a language other than English or Spanish for the

following state prescribed voter forms:

(1) voter registration application form required by

Section 13.002 ;

(2) the confirmation form required by Section

15.051 ;

(3) the voting instruction poster required by

Section 62.011 ;

(4) the reasonable impediment declaration required

by Section 63.001 (b);

(5) the statement of residence form required by

Section 63.0011 ;

(6) the provisional ballot affidavit required by

Section 63.011 ;

(7) the application for a ballot by mail required 18

by Section 84.011 ;

(8) the carrier envelope and voting instructions

required by Section 86.013 ; and

(9) any other voter forms that the secretary of

state identifies as frequently used and for which

state resources are otherwise available.

SECTION 2. Nothing in this Act shall be construed to

contradict or constrict any aspect of federal law.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1,

2025.