SB 510: late voter registrars can lose state election funds

Caption

relating to the failure of a voter registrar to comply with voter registration laws.

Summary

Covers voter-roll jobs anywhere in the Election Code.

The bill lets the Secretary of State hold back certain state election funds from a county voter registrar who fails to do key voter-roll jobs on time anywhere in the Election Code, not just in one narrow subchapter. It covers registrars who are late in approving, changing, or canceling registrations, scheduling hearings, deciding voter challenges, or sending required notices. If the registrar catches up within 30 days of the funds being held back, the state must release the money.

Labels

Labels: BUZZER BEATER. Final vote May 30, 2025: the Senate concurred in the House amendments. 3 days before the session ended Jun 2, 2025.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R SB 1938 (Died in committee). 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.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB510 · 2024-11-25

SOLD BY

Sen. Paul BettencourtRSenate 7

Sen. Brandon CreightonRSenate 4

Sen. Lois KolkhorstRSenate 18

+ 4 more authors, 2 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the failure of a voter registrar to comply with voter registration laws.

WHAT IT DOES

Covers voter-roll jobs anywhere in the Election Code.

The bill lets the Secretary of State hold back certain state election funds from a county voter registrar who fails to do key voter-roll jobs on time anywhere in the Election Code, not just in one narrow subchapter. It covers registrars who are late in approving, changing, or canceling registrations, scheduling hearings, deciding voter challenges, or sending required notices. If the registrar catches up within 30 days of the funds being held back, the state must release the money.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version F · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version F · May 28, 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

Nov 25, 2024Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Nov 25, 2024Filed
Feb 3, 2025Read first time
Feb 3, 2025Referred to State Affairs
Feb 5, 2025Co-author authorized
Mar 27, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Mar 27, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 27, 2025Testimony taken in committee
Mar 27, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 3, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 3, 2025Vote taken in committee
Apr 7, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendments
Apr 7, 2025Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
Apr 7, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
Apr 8, 2025Co-author authorized
May 9, 2025Placed on intent calendar
May 12, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
May 12, 2025Record vote
May 12, 2025Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
May 12, 2025Record vote
May 13, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
May 13, 2025Record vote
May 13, 2025Read 3rd time
May 13, 2025Passed
May 13, 2025Record vote
May 13, 2025Reported engrossed
May 13, 2025Received from the Senate
May 14, 2025Read first time
May 14, 2025Referred to Elections
May 16, 2025Considered in formal meeting
May 16, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 20, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 20, 2025Committee report distributed
May 21, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 23, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 25, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 27, 2025Read 2nd time
May 27, 2025Amended 1-Bucy
May 27, 2025Passed to 3rd reading as amended
May 27, 2025Record vote RV#3780
May 27, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 28, 2025Read 3rd time
May 28, 2025Passed
May 28, 2025Record vote RV#3885
May 28, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 28, 2025House passage as amended reported
May 30, 2025House amendment(s) laid before the Senate
May 30, 2025Read
May 30, 2025Senate concurs in House amendment(s)
May 30, 2025Record vote
May 31, 2025Senate concurs in House amendment(s)-reported
May 31, 2025Reported enrolled
May 31, 2025Signed in the Senate
Jun 1, 2025Signed in the House
Jun 1, 2025Sent to the Governor
Jun 20, 2025Signed by the Governor
Jun 20, 2025Effective on 9/1/25

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 109 yea · 33 nay

Senate · 20 yea · 11 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 28, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · May 13, 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

Paul Bettencourt

Donors

Donors report through Friends of Paul Bettencourt.

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.

Money

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

Votes7

Senate May 30, 2025

Yea: 20
Nay: 11
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 Bettencourt moved to concur in the House amendment to SB 510. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 20, Nays 11.

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

Yea: 20 (published)
Nay: 11 (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.

House May 28, 2025

Yea: 109
Nay: 33
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 0
Excused: 7

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 3885

SB 510 was passed by (Record 3885): 109 Yeas, 33 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 109 (published)
Nay: 33 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 7 (derived from named list)

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

House May 27, 2025

Yea: 113
Nay: 21
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 11
Excused: 3

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 3780

SB 510, as amended, was passed to third reading by (Record 3780): 113 Yeas, 21 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 113 (published)
Nay: 21 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 11 (derived from named list)
Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

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

Senate May 13, 2025

Yea: 20
Nay: 11
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 20, Nays 11. (Same as previous roll call)

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

Yea: 20 (published)
Nay: 11 (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 13, 2025

Yea: 20
Nay: 11
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 Bettencourt moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration SB 510 at this time on its third reading and final passage: SB 510, Relating to the failure of a voter registrar to comply with voter registration laws. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 20, Nays 11.

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

Yea: 20 (published)
Nay: 11 (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 12, 2025

Yea: 20
Nay: 10
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 1

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 20, Nays 10. (Same as previous roll call)

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

Yea: 20 (published)
Nay: 10 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

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

Senate May 12, 2025

Yea: 20
Nay: 10
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 1

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Sources

Senator Bettencourt moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration SB 510 at this time on its second reading: SB 510, Relating to the failure of a voter registrar to comply with voter registration laws. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 20, Nays 10.

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

Yea: 20 (published)
Nay: 10 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 1 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses30

For: 11
Against: 18
On: 1

Names

For

Self8 registrations
Self; San Antonio Family Associatiom1 registration
Self; San Antonio Family Association1 registration
Self; State Republican Executive Committeeman SD24, Self1 registration

Against

ACLU of Texas1 registration
Common Cause Texas1 registration
Every Texan1 registration
Self13 registrations
Self; Indivisible 14311 registration
Texas Civil Rights Project1 registration

On

Texas Secretary of State1 registration

Sources

30 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 F · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version F · May 28, 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 SB 1938

by Sen. Bettencourt, same lead author · Died in committee · same text

Introduced text

Last action, Apr 28, 2023: Referred to Elections

Relating to the failure of a voter registrar to comply with voter registration laws.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Nov 25, 2024

06/20/2025 E Effective on 9/1/25

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

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

Coauthors

Bob HallRSenate 2

Adam HinojosaRSenate 27

Companion

HB 1478 by Cain (identical)

Subjects

Elections--Administration

Elections--Election Officers

Elections--Registration & Suffrage

State Finances--Management & Control

SECRETARY OF STATE

Text

The text as introduced · 238 words

89R2064 LRM-F

By: Bettencourt, et al.
S.B. No. 510

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the failure of a voter registrar to comply with voter

registration laws.

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

SECTION 1. Section 16.039, Election Code, is transferred to

Subchapter A, Chapter 12, Election Code, redesignated as Section

12.007, Election Code, and amended to read as follows:

Sec. 12.007 [ 16.039 ]. FAILURE BY REGISTRAR TO TIMELY

PERFORM DUTY. (a) The secretary of state may withhold funds

administered and distributed by the secretary under Chapter 19 or

Section 31.009 from a registrar if the [ If a ] registrar fails to

timely perform a duty imposed on the registrar under this code

[ subchapter ] requiring :

(1) the approval, change, or cancellation of a voter's

registration ;

(2) the scheduling of a hearing under Section 16.064

or 16.093;

(3) the determination of a challenge under Section

16.066 or 16.095; or

(4) the delivery of notice under Section 16.0921 [ , the

secretary of state may withhold funds administered and distributed

by the secretary under Chapter 19 or Section 31.009 from the

registrar ].

(b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the secretary of state

shall distribute funds under Chapter 19 or Section 31.009 if the

registrar performs the registrar's duty not later than 30 days

after the funds are withheld.

SECTION 2. 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

Senate May 30, 2025

House May 28, 2025

House May 27, 2025

Senate May 13, 2025

Senate May 13, 2025

Senate May 12, 2025

Senate May 12, 2025

For

Against

On

88R SB 1938

Companion