Monitoring the Session

SB 869

Ethics Commission deadline pauses only for a lawsuit

Became law, effective Sep 1, 2025

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Brian BirdwellRSenate 22

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the deadline for the Texas Ethics Commission to resolve certain complaints.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

No pausing or extending it by its own rules.

The bill tightens the deadline the Texas Ethics Commission has to resolve certain complaints. It says the deadline pauses only while a lawsuit over the complaint is pending, and it bars the commission from pausing or extending the deadline any other way, including by its own rules. This touches people who file ethics complaints, the officials and candidates named in them, and the commission, and it applies to complaints filed on or after September 1, 2025.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB869 · 2025-01-22

SOLD BY

Sen. Brian BirdwellRSenate 22

+ 3 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the deadline for the Texas Ethics Commission to resolve certain complaints.

WHAT IT DOES

No pausing or extending it by its own rules.

The bill tightens the deadline the Texas Ethics Commission has to resolve certain complaints. It says the deadline pauses only while a lawsuit over the complaint is pending, and it bars the commission from pausing or extending the deadline any other way, including by its own rules. This touches people who file ethics complaints, the officials and candidates named in them, and the commission, and it applies to complaints filed on or after September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($300,430)

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

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · February 21, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB869, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($595,240) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027.

First year · FY 2026 · ($300,430)

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

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to State Affairs
  5. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  6. Considered in public hearing
  7. Left pending in committee
  8. Considered in public hearing
  9. Vote taken in committee
  10. Reported favorably w/o amendments
  11. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  12. Committee report printed and distributed
  13. Placed on intent calendar
  14. Co-author authorized
  15. Rules suspended-Constitutional 60-Day
  16. Rules suspended-Regular order of business
  17. Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
  18. Vote recorded in Journal
  19. Three day rule suspended
  20. Record vote
  21. Read 3rd time
  22. Passed
  23. Record vote
  24. Reported engrossed
  25. Received from the Senate
  26. Read first time
  27. Referred to State Affairs
  28. Considered in formal meeting
  29. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  30. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  31. Committee report distributed
  32. Committee report sent to Calendars
  33. Considered in Calendars
  34. Placed on General State Calendar
  35. Read 2nd time
  36. Passed to 3rd reading
  37. Record vote RV#3731
  38. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  39. Read 3rd time
  40. Passed
  41. Record vote RV#3860
  42. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  43. House passage reported
  44. Reported enrolled
  45. Signed in the Senate
  46. Signed in the House
  47. Sent to the Governor
  48. Signed by the Governor
  49. Effective on 9/1/25
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 128 yea · 8 nay

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

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

Senate: Final passage · Mar 12, 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

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Brian Birdwell

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC Austin TX$30,000
Good Government Fund Fort Worth TX$10,000
Texas Oil & Gas Assn. Good Govt. Cmte Austin TX$10,000

Derived from itemized gifts, Jul 1, 2024 to Jun 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

$353,800 raised since Jul 1, 2024. Derived sum of published report totals. blank in the state's data, consistent with zero. Flow, Jul 1, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026. 4 of 4 filed reports carry a published figure.

$502,039 spent since Jul 1, 2024. Derived sum of published report totals. Flow, Jul 1, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026. 4 of 4 filed reports carry a published figure.

$731,044 cash on hand. Published report total. Stock, as of Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.

$0 loans outstanding. Published report total. Stock, as of Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived sum of itemized contributions in regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Unitemized contributions are not included. Flow, Jul 1, 2024 through Jun 30, 2026. State filing data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Money

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

Votes5

House May 28, 2025

Yea
128
Nay
8
Present, not voting
2
Absent
6
Excused
6
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3860

SB 869 was passed by (Record 3860): 128 Yeas, 8 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 128 (published)
  • Nay: 8 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 6 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 6 (derived from named list)

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

House May 27, 2025

Yea
119
Nay
6
Present, not voting
2
Absent
19
Excused
4
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3731

SB 869 was passed to third reading by (Record 3731): 119 Yeas, 6 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 119 (published)
  • Nay: 6 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 19 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 4 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Mar 12, 2025

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Birdwell moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 869 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate Mar 12, 2025

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Birdwell moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 869 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate Mar 12, 2025

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

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

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

Sources

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.

Witnesses4
For
3
Against
0
On
1
Names

For

  • Self3 registrations

On

  • Texas Ethics Commission1 registration
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.

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

Fiscal
Net to General Revenue · FY 2026($300,430)

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

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · February 21, 2025

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for SB869, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($595,240) through the biennium ending August 31, 2027.

First year · FY 2026 · ($300,430)

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 Jan 22, 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
Paul BettencourtRSenate 7 Bob HallRSenate 2 Royce WestDSenate 23
Sponsors
Matt ShaheenRHouse 66

House committee · State Affairs · Committee vote 13 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · State Affairs · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

Elections--Candidates

Ethics

ETHICS COMMISSION, TEXAS

Text

The text as introduced · 228 words

89R5446 MZM-D

By: Birdwell
S.B. No. 869

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the deadline for the Texas Ethics Commission to resolve

certain complaints.

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

SECTION 1. Section 571.1242(h), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(h) Notwithstanding any other law, including Sections

571.1244 and 571.136:

(1) the [ The ] deadline under Subsection (g) is tolled

only for the duration of any litigation brought by the respondent or

the commission regarding the complaint at issue ; and

(2) the commission may not toll or extend the deadline

under Subsection (g) for a duration other than the duration

described by Subdivision (1) or adopt or enforce a rule to toll or

extend the deadline for a duration other than the duration

described by that subdivision .

SECTION 2. Section 571.1242(h), Government Code, as amended

by this Act, applies only to a complaint filed with the Texas Ethics

Commission under Chapter 571, Government Code, on or after the

effective date of this Act. A complaint filed with the Texas Ethics

Commission under that chapter before the effective date of this Act

is governed by the law in effect on the date the complaint was

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

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.