SB 621: bill banning public banks · Monitoring the Session

Caption

relating to a prohibition on the establishment, operation, or ownership of a public bank by a political subdivision.

Summary

No city or county may set up, run or own a bank.

The bill bars any Texas political subdivision, such as a city or county, from setting up, running, or owning a bank. It touches local governments that might want to create a public bank. On September 1, 2025, local governments lose any ability to start or own an entity organized to do banking under the Finance Code definition.

Labels

Labels: QUICK READ: 109 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 109 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).GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on Apr 1, 2025. Died in the House: voted out of the Pensions, Investments & Financial Services committee 6-2, no floor vote.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB621 · 2024-12-13

SOLD BY

Sen. Kevin SparksRSenate 31

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to a prohibition on the establishment, operation, or ownership of a public bank by a political subdivision.

WHAT IT DOES

No city or county may set up, run or own a bank.

The bill bars any Texas political subdivision, such as a city or county, from setting up, running, or owning a bank. It touches local governments that might want to create a public bank. On September 1, 2025, local governments lose any ability to start or own an entity organized to do banking under the Finance Code definition.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 16, 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

Dec 13, 2024Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Dec 13, 2024Filed
Feb 3, 2025Read first time
Feb 3, 2025Referred to Local Government
Mar 10, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Mar 10, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 10, 2025Testimony taken in committee
Mar 10, 2025Left pending in committee
Mar 13, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 13, 2025Vote taken in committee
Mar 17, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendments
Mar 17, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
Mar 19, 2025Co-author authorized
Mar 19, 2025Placed on intent calendar
Mar 24, 2025Not again placed on intent calendar
Mar 25, 2025Placed on intent calendar
Mar 27, 2025Not again placed on intent calendar
Apr 1, 2025Placed on intent calendar
Apr 1, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
Apr 1, 2025Record vote
Apr 1, 2025Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
Apr 1, 2025Record vote
Apr 1, 2025Three day rule suspended
Apr 1, 2025Record vote
Apr 1, 2025Read 3rd time
Apr 1, 2025Passed
Apr 1, 2025Record vote
Apr 1, 2025Reported engrossed
Apr 2, 2025Received from the Senate
Apr 9, 2025Read first time
Apr 9, 2025Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Services
May 19, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
May 19, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 19, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
May 19, 2025Left pending in committee
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 24, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 26 yea · 5 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · Apr 1, 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.

Votes4

Senate Apr 1, 2025

Yea: 26
Nay: 5
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 26, Nays 5. (Same as previous roll call)

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

Yea: 26 (published)
Nay: 5 (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 1, 2025

Yea: 26
Nay: 5
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 that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 621 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 26, Nays 5.

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

Yea: 26 (published)
Nay: 5 (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 1, 2025

Yea: 26
Nay: 5
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 26, Nays 5. (Same as previous roll call)

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

Yea: 26 (published)
Nay: 5 (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 1, 2025

Yea: 26
Nay: 5
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 SB 621 at this time on its second reading: SB 621, Relating to a prohibition on the establishment, operation, or ownership of a public bank by a political subdivision. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 26, Nays 5.

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

Yea: 26 (published)
Nay: 5 (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.

Witnesses4

For: 4
Against: 0
On: 0

Names

For

Self2 registrations
Texas Public Policy Foundation2 registrations

Sources

4 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Senate witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 16, 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.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Dec 13, 2024

05/24/2025 H Committee report sent to Calendars

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

Royce WestDSenate 23

Companion

HB 2367 by Troxclair (identical)

Subjects

City Government--General

County Government--General

Financial--Banks

Political Subdivisions

Text

The text as introduced · 109 words

89R4477 DRS-D

By: Sparks
S.B. No. 621

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a prohibition on the establishment, operation, or

ownership of a public bank by a political subdivision.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 140, Local Government Code, is amended

by adding Section 140.014 to read as follows:

Sec. 140.014. PROHIBITION ON PUBLIC BANK. Notwithstanding

any other law, a political subdivision may not establish, operate,

or own an organization or entity that is organized for the purpose

of engaging in banking as defined by Section 31.002, Finance Code.

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 1, 2025

Senate Apr 1, 2025

Senate Apr 1, 2025

Senate Apr 1, 2025

For

Companion