SB 702

Hughes Epilepsy Bill Runs Entirely On ‘May’

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Sen. Bryan HughesRSenate 1

Why it's charged

List of feelings

THE TEXT

“A medical examiner or justice of the peace may order”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill's operative verbs are all "may": the autopsy is optional, reporting to the registry is optional, and listing epilepsy on the death certificate is optional. No duty, penalty, deadline or appropriation appears anywhere in the text.

List of feelings

Initial review · graded Oct 21, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the performance of autopsies on individuals with a history of epilepsy.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Autopsy, registry report, death certificate listing. All optional. No duty, no deadline.

The bill lets a medical examiner or justice of the peace order an autopsy on a person who died with a medical history of epilepsy to find the cause of death. If the autopsy finds the death was related to epilepsy, the person who did it may report that to the North American SUDEP Registry and may list epilepsy as a cause of death on the death certificate. Every step uses "may," so no one is required to do anything and nothing changes unless these officials choose to act.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Jan 3, 2025 and referred to the Senate Criminal Justice committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB702 · 2025-01-03

SOLD BY

Sen. Bryan HughesRSenate 1

ITEM

relating to the performance of autopsies on individuals with a history of epilepsy.

WHAT IT DOES

Autopsy, registry report, death certificate listing. All optional. No duty, no deadline.

CHARGES

[x] LIST OF FEELINGSanalysis confidence 80%

THE TEXT

“A medical examiner or justice of the peace may order”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Jan 3, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Jan 3, 2025Filed
Feb 7, 2025Read first time
Feb 7, 2025Referred to Criminal Justice

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Bryan Hughes

Donors

GOPAC Election Fund$250K CRAFTPAC (Court Reform Action for Texas Families)$100KCourt Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$100K

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 1, 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.

GOPAC Election Fund$250,000.00

GOPAC Election Fund

$250,000.00

Cash: $250,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $250,000.00

Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 17, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 17, 2025 to Oct 15, 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: 101028838, 101071548.

CRAFTPAC (Court Reform Action for Texas Families)$100,000.00

CRAFTPAC (Court Reform Action for Texas Families)

$100,000.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $100,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Sep 4, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Sep 4, 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: 101067724.

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$100,000.00

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC

$100,000.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $100,000.00

Also funds 32 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 20, 2026 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 13, 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: 101071548.

Money

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

GOPAC Election Fund

$250,000.00

Cash: $250,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $250,000.00

Also funds 2 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 17, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 17, 2025 to Oct 15, 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: 101028838, 101071548.

CRAFTPAC (Court Reform Action for Texas Families)

$100,000.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $100,000.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Sep 4, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Sep 4, 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: 101067724.

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC

$100,000.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $100,000.00

Also funds 32 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 20, 2026 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 13, 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: 101071548.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Adversarial review by claude-fable-5-1 at high effort: Smells.

Analysis of text version I by claude-fable-5-1, Oct 21, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Jan 3, 2025

02/07/2025 S Referred to Criminal Justice

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Senate committee · Criminal Justice · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

HB 4064 by Alders (identical)

Subjects

Health--Other Diseases & Medical Conditions

AUTOPSIES

Text

The text as introduced · 175 words

89R1022 LRM-D

By: Hughes
S.B. No. 702

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the performance of autopsies on individuals with a

history of epilepsy.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 49, Code of Criminal Procedure, is

amended by adding Subchapter E to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER E. PERFORMANCE OF AUTOPSY ON CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS

Art. 49.101. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "epilepsy"

has the meaning assigned by Section 40.001, Health and Safety Code.

Art. 49.102. AUTOPSY ON INDIVIDUALS WITH HISTORY OF

EPILEPSY. (a) A medical examiner or justice of the peace may order

an autopsy on the body of a deceased individual with a medical

history of epilepsy to determine the individual's cause of death.

(b) If the person performing the autopsy determines the

individual's death was related to epilepsy, the person may:

(1) report the information to the North American SUDEP

Registry; and

(2) indicate epilepsy as a cause of death on the

individual's death certificate.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.