SB 618: bill adding enforcement to the election procedure rule

Caption

relating to the unlawful altering of election procedures; providing a civil penalty.

Summary

Officials still can’t change election rules the Election Code doesn’t allow.

The bill keeps the existing rule that public and election officials may not change, waive, or suspend election procedures unless the Election Code expressly allows it, and adds a way to enforce that rule. The Secretary of State must investigate reports of violations, order the official to stop, and refer anyone who does not comply within two days to the Attorney General. Officials who keep defying the order face civil penalties of up to $1,000 a day, then up to $5,000 a day after the first week, and the investigation files stay confidential until the case is dropped.

Labels

Labels: GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on Apr 24, 2025. Died in the House: never got out of the Elections committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB618 · 2024-12-13

SOLD BY

Sen. Kevin SparksRSenate 31

+ 4 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the unlawful altering of election procedures; providing a civil penalty.

WHAT IT DOES

Officials still can’t change election rules the Election Code doesn’t allow.

The bill keeps the existing rule that public and election officials may not change, waive, or suspend election procedures unless the Election Code expressly allows it, and adds a way to enforce that rule. The Secretary of State must investigate reports of violations, order the official to stop, and refer anyone who does not comply within two days to the Attorney General. Officials who keep defying the order face civil penalties of up to $1,000 a day, then up to $5,000 a day after the first week, and the investigation files stay confidential until the case is dropped.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($373,554)

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version E · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · April 30, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB618, As Engrossed: a negative impact of ($723,153) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

First year · FY 2026 · ($373,554)

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Dec 13, 2024Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Dec 13, 2024Filed
Feb 3, 2025Read first time
Feb 3, 2025Referred to State Affairs
Mar 4, 2025Co-author authorized
Mar 12, 2025Co-author authorized
Mar 24, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Mar 24, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 24, 2025Testimony taken in committee
Mar 24, 2025Left pending in committee
Mar 27, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 27, 2025Vote taken in committee
Apr 1, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
Apr 1, 2025Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
Apr 1, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
Apr 10, 2025Co-author authorized
Apr 10, 2025Placed on intent calendar
Apr 23, 2025Co-author authorized
Apr 23, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
Apr 23, 2025Record vote
Apr 23, 2025Read 2nd time
Apr 23, 2025Amendment(s) offered FA1 Sparks
Apr 23, 2025Amended
Apr 23, 2025Vote recorded in Journal
Apr 23, 2025Passed to engrossment as amended
Apr 23, 2025Record vote
Apr 24, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
Apr 24, 2025Record vote
Apr 24, 2025Read 3rd time
Apr 24, 2025Passed
Apr 24, 2025Record vote
Apr 24, 2025Reported engrossed
Apr 25, 2025Received from the Senate
Apr 28, 2025Read first time
Apr 28, 2025Referred to Elections
May 20, 2025Considered in formal meeting
May 20, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 23, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 23, 2025Committee report distributed
May 23, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 24, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 26, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 28, 2025Read 2nd time
May 28, 2025Point of order sustained
May 28, 2025Returned to committee

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 21 yea · 10 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · Apr 24, 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

Kevin Sparks

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$60KKyle & Jamie Stallings$25,000Tim Dunn$25,000

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 25, 2024 to Oct 23, 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$60,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$60,000.00

Cash: $60,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $60,000.00

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 · Oct 15, 2024 to Oct 23, 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: 101012623, 101029380, 101072732.

Kyle & Jamie Stallings$25,000.00

Tim Dunn$25,000.00

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$60,000.00

Cash: $60,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $60,000.00

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 · Oct 15, 2024 to Oct 23, 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: 101012623, 101029380, 101072732.

Votes5

Senate Apr 24, 2025

Yea: 21
Nay: 10
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 21, Nays 10. (Same as previous roll call)

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

Yea: 21 (published)
Nay: 10 (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 24, 2025

Yea: 21
Nay: 10
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 Sparks moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 618 at this time on its third reading and final passage: CSSB 618, Relating to the unlawful altering of election procedures; providing a civil penalty. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 21, Nays 10.

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

Yea: 21 (published)
Nay: 10 (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 23, 2025

Yea: 21
Nay: 10
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: 0
Excused: 0

Names

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

Senate journal

Sources

CSSB 618 as amended was passed to engrossment by the following vote: Yeas 21, Nays 10.

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

Yea: 21 (published)
Nay: 10 (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 23, 2025

Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

HallNay
MiddletonNay

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

Senate journal

Names were not printed for yea. Only the named positions are included in member records.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

The amendment to CSSB 618 was read and was adopted by a viva voce vote.

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

Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

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

Senate Apr 23, 2025

Yea: 21
Nay: 10
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 Sparks moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration CSSB 618 at this time on its second reading: CSSB 618, Relating to the unlawful altering of election procedures; providing a civil penalty. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 21, Nays 10.

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

Yea: 21 (published)
Nay: 10 (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.

Witnesses39

For: 15
Against: 23
On: 1

Names

For

Self7 registrations
Self; Citizens Defending Freedom1 registration
Self; Grassroots America We The People1 registration
Self; Harris county ballot security1 registration
Self; Texas Eagle Forum1 registration
Self; Texas Right To Know1 registration
Self; Williamson County Republican Party1 registration
Texas Public Policy Foundation1 registration
True Texas Elections, LLC1 registration

Against

ACLU of Texas2 registrations
Common Cause Texas1 registration
Self18 registrations
Texas Civil Rights Project1 registration
Texas Democratic Party1 registration

On

Texas Secretary of State1 registration

Sources

39 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

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($373,554)

LBB estimate, flow · fiscal note version E · ( ) = negative · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · April 30, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB618, As Engrossed: a negative impact of ($723,153) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

First year · FY 2026 · ($373,554)

Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds

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 Dec 13, 2024

05/28/2025 H Returned to committee: May 28 2025 12:00AM

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.

Coauthors

Brandon CreightonRSenate 4

Brent HagenbuchRSenate 30

Lois KolkhorstRSenate 18

Mayes MiddletonRSenate 11

Companion

HB 2773 by Leach (identical)

Subjects

Civil Remedies & Liabilities

Elections--Administration

Elections--Election Officers

Elections--General

SECRETARY OF STATE

Text

The text as introduced · 491 words

89R4599 JDK-F

By: Sparks
S.B. No. 618

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the unlawful altering of election procedures; providing

a civil penalty.

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

SECTION 1. Section 276.019, Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 276.019. UNLAWFUL ALTERING OF ELECTION PROCEDURES ;

CIVIL PENALTY . (a) A public official or election official may not

create, alter, modify, waive, or suspend any election standard,

practice, or procedure mandated by law or rule in a manner not

expressly authorized by this code.

(b) After the secretary of state receives or discovers

information indicating that a public official or election official

has violated Subsection (a), the secretary of state shall

investigate the standard, practice, or procedure appearing to have

violated Subsection (a). If the secretary of state determines that

a violation of Subsection (a) has occurred, the secretary of state

shall send to the public official or election official determined

to have violated that subsection:

(1) notification of the secretary of state's

determination;

(2) a demand that the official immediately cease the

implementation or enforcement of the standard, practice, or

procedure determined to have violated Subsection (a); and

(3) instructions for the specific actions necessary

for compliance with Subsection (a).

(c) If, more than two days after receiving notification

under Subsection (b), a public official or election official does

not comply with Subsection (a) as instructed under Subsection

(b)(3), the secretary of state shall:

(1) notify the attorney general that the official may

be subject to a civil penalty under Subsection (d); and

(2) forward to the attorney general any documents or

information received, discovered, or created during the secretary

of state's investigation under Subsection (b).

(d) A public official or election official is liable to this

state for a civil penalty for each day that the official fails or

refuses to take an affirmative action to comply with Subsection (a)

in an amount not to exceed:

(1) $1,000 per day for each day after the second day

and on or before the seventh day after receiving a notice under

Subsection (b); or

(2) $5,000 per day for each day after the seventh day

after receiving a notice under Subsection (b).

(e) The attorney general may bring an action to recover a

civil penalty imposed under Subsection (d).

(f) A civil penalty collected by the attorney general under

this section shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit

of the general revenue fund.

(g) Documents or information received, discovered, or

created during the secretary of state's investigation under

Subsection (b) are confidential and not subject to disclosure under

Chapter 552, Government Code, unless the secretary of state or

attorney general has determined that a complaint submitted to the

secretary of state under this section will not be further

investigated or the subject of any further proceedings or actions.

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

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Senate Apr 24, 2025

Senate Apr 24, 2025

Senate Apr 23, 2025

Senate Apr 23, 2025

Senate Apr 23, 2025

For

Against

On

Companion