SB 826: intoxicated driving in a school crossing zone becomes a felony

Caption

relating to the operation of a motor vehicle in a school crossing zone while intoxicated; increasing a criminal penalty.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Class B misdemeanor to state jail felony, while the school speed limit applies.

The bill raises the penalty for driving while intoxicated from a Class B misdemeanor to a state jail felony when the driver is in a school crossing zone while the reduced school speed limit is in effect. It touches drivers charged under the existing intoxicated-driving offense and the courts and prosecutors who handle those cases. Starting September 1, 2025, a first intoxicated-driving case in an active school crossing zone can be tried as a felony instead of a misdemeanor.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB826 · 2025-01-16

SOLD BY

Sen. Tan ParkerRSenate 12

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to the operation of a motor vehicle in a school crossing zone while intoxicated; increasing a criminal penalty.

WHAT IT DOES

Class B misdemeanor to state jail felony, while the school speed limit applies.

The bill raises the penalty for driving while intoxicated from a Class B misdemeanor to a state jail felony when the driver is in a school crossing zone while the reduced school speed limit is in effect. It touches drivers charged under the existing intoxicated-driving offense and the courts and prosecutors who handle those cases. Starting September 1, 2025, a first intoxicated-driving case in an active school crossing zone can be tried as a felony instead of a misdemeanor.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · March 30, 2025

Increasing the penalty for an existing criminal offense may result in increased demands upon state correctional resources due to a possible increase in the number of individuals placed under supervision in the community or sentenced to a term of confinement. The impact on state correctional populations or on the demand for state correctional resources cannot be determined due to the lack of data to identify the number of cases that occurred in a school crossing zone.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Jan 16, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Jan 16, 2025Filed
Feb 13, 2025Read first time
Feb 13, 2025Referred to Criminal Justice
Apr 1, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 1, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 1, 2025Vote taken in committee
Apr 3, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendments
Apr 3, 2025Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
Apr 3, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
Apr 22, 2025Placed on intent calendar
Apr 23, 2025Co-author authorized
Apr 23, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
Apr 23, 2025Vote recorded in Journal
Apr 23, 2025Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
Apr 23, 2025Vote recorded in Journal
Apr 23, 2025Three day rule suspended
Apr 23, 2025Record vote
Apr 23, 2025Read 3rd time
Apr 23, 2025Passed
Apr 23, 2025Record vote
Apr 23, 2025Reported engrossed
Apr 24, 2025Received from the Senate
Apr 28, 2025Read first time
Apr 28, 2025Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence
May 1, 2025Referred directly to subcommittee by chair
May 20, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
May 20, 2025Recalled from subcommittee
May 20, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 20, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
May 20, 2025Left pending in committee
May 21, 2025Considered in formal meeting
May 21, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 22, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 22, 2025Committee report distributed
May 23, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 23, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 25, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 27, 2025Read 2nd time
May 27, 2025Passed to 3rd reading
May 27, 2025Record vote RV#3808
May 27, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 28, 2025Read 3rd time
May 28, 2025Passed
May 28, 2025Record vote RV#3906
May 28, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 28, 2025House passage reported
May 28, 2025Reported enrolled
May 30, 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 · 129 yea · 5 nay

Senate · 30 yea · 1 nay

Sources

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

Senate: Final passage · Apr 23, 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

Tan Parker

Donors

Texas Stock Exchange | TXSE Group PAC$40K Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$25K The Peck Family Trust$25K

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 28, 2024 to Jun 29, 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 Stock Exchange | TXSE Group PAC$40,000.00

Texas Stock Exchange | TXSE Group PAC

$40,000.00

Cash: $40,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $40,000.00

Also funds 10 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 17, 2026 to Oct 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Feb 17, 2026 to Jun 25, 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: 101060289.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$25,250.00

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$25,250.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $250.00
Total: $25,250.00

fundraiser $250.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 4, 2024 to Oct 9, 2025. 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: 100986801, 101009904, 101031351.

The Peck Family Trust$25,000.00

The Peck Family Trust

$25,000.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $25,000.00

Also funds 1 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 14, 2024 to Sep 18, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 14, 2024. 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: 100986801.

Money

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

×

Texas Stock Exchange | TXSE Group PAC

$40,000.00

Cash: $40,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $40,000.00

Also funds 10 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 17, 2026 to Oct 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Feb 17, 2026 to Jun 25, 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: 101060289.

×

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$25,250.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $250.00
Total: $25,250.00

fundraiser $250.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 4, 2024 to Oct 9, 2025. 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: 100986801, 101009904, 101031351.

×

The Peck Family Trust

$25,000.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $25,000.00

Also funds 1 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 14, 2024 to Sep 18, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 14, 2024. 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: 100986801.

Votes5

House May 28, 2025

Yea: 129
Nay: 5
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 7
Excused: 7

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3906

SB 826 was passed by (Record 3906): 129 Yeas, 5 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 129 (published)
Nay: 5 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 7 (derived from named list)
Excused: 7 (derived from named list)

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

House May 27, 2025

Yea: 133
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 13
Excused: 3

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3808

SB 826 was passed to third reading by (Record 3808): 133 Yeas, 0 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 133 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 13 (derived from named list)
Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 23, 2025

Yea: 30
Nay: 1
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

EckhardtNay

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.

Sources

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1. (Same as previous roll call)

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

Yea: 30 (published)
Nay: 1 (published)
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: 30
Nay: 1
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

EckhardtNay

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.

Sources

Senator Parker moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 826 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.

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

Yea: 30 (published)
Nay: 1 (published)
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: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

EckhardtNay

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

Senator Parker moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration SB 826 at this time on its second reading: SB 826, Relating to the operation of a motor vehicle in a school crossing zone while intoxicated; increasing a criminal penalty. The motion prevailed. Senator Eckhardt asked to be recorded as voting "Nay" on suspension of the regular order of business. The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment 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.

Witnesses28

For: 28
Against: 0
On: 0

Names

For

Be A Blake Foundation2 registrations
Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT)2 registrations
Dallas Police Assoc1 registration
Game Warden Peace Officers Association1 registration
Harris County Deputies Organization FOP #391 registration
Harris County Deputies' Organization FOP #391 registration
Harris County District Attorney1 registration
Houston Police Department2 registrations
Self4 registrations
Self; Harris County Sheriff’s Office1 registration
Self; Houston Police Officers’ Union2 registrations
Self; Prosper ISD Police Department1 registration
Self; Sheriffs Association of Texas1 registration
Self; Sheriffs’ Association of Texas1 registration
Self; Texas ISD School District Police Chiefs Association1 registration
Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA)2 registrations
Texas Police Chiefs Association2 registrations
Texas PTA2 registrations

Sources

28 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 first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · March 30, 2025

Increasing the penalty for an existing criminal offense may result in increased demands upon state correctional resources due to a possible increase in the number of individuals placed under supervision in the community or sentenced to a term of confinement. The impact on state correctional populations or on the demand for state correctional resources cannot be determined due to the lack of data to identify the number of cases that occurred in a school crossing zone.

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 Jan 16, 2025

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

José MenéndezDSenate 26

Companion

HB 3236 by Little (very similar)

Subjects

Crimes--Miscellaneous

Criminal Procedure--Sentencing & Punishment

Vehicles & Traffic--DWI & DUID

SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS & CROSSING ZONES

Text

The text as introduced · 262 words

89R8227 RDR-D

By: Parker
S.B. No. 826

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the operation of a motor vehicle in a school crossing

zone while intoxicated; increasing a criminal penalty.

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

SECTION 1. Section 49.04, Penal Code, is amended by

amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (e) to read as

follows:

(b) Except as provided by Subsections (c) , [ and ] (d) , and

(e) and Section 49.09, an offense under this section is a Class B

misdemeanor, with a minimum term of confinement of 72 hours.

(e) If it is shown on the trial of an offense under this

section that at the time of the offense the person was operating the

motor vehicle in a school crossing zone during the time the reduced

speed limit applies to the zone, the offense is a state jail felony.

In this subsection, "school crossing zone" has the meaning assigned

by Section 541.302, Transportation Code.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.

An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is

governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,

and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For

purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the

effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred

before that date.

SECTION 3. 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

Texas Stock Exchange | TXSE Group PAC

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

The Peck Family Trust

Texas Stock Exchange | TXSE Group PAC

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

The Peck Family Trust

House May 28, 2025

House May 27, 2025

Senate Apr 23, 2025

Senate Apr 23, 2025

Senate Apr 23, 2025

For

Companion