SB 987: criminal courts need no civil process first

Caption

relating to the subject matter jurisdiction of the criminal trial courts of this state over certain criminal actions.

Summary

One subsection added to Section 571.171 of the Government Code.

This bill adds one subsection to Section 571.171 of the Government Code saying that section does not make people finish civil or administrative processes before a criminal trial court gets jurisdiction over a criminal case. It touches prosecutors, defendants and criminal trial courts handling cases tied to that section. On the ground, a criminal case can go forward in a court that otherwise has jurisdiction without first waiting on an administrative remedy, and this applies to cases already filed as well as new ones.

Labels

Labels: QUICK READ: 131 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 131 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 Mar 26, 2025. Died in the House: never got out of the State Affairs committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB987 · 2025-01-29

SOLD BY

Sen. Paul BettencourtRSenate 7

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to the subject matter jurisdiction of the criminal trial courts of this state over certain criminal actions.

WHAT IT DOES

One subsection added to Section 571.171 of the Government Code.

This bill adds one subsection to Section 571.171 of the Government Code saying that section does not make people finish civil or administrative processes before a criminal trial court gets jurisdiction over a criminal case. It touches prosecutors, defendants and criminal trial courts handling cases tied to that section. On the ground, a criminal case can go forward in a court that otherwise has jurisdiction without first waiting on an administrative remedy, and this applies to cases already filed as well as new ones.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 23, 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

Jan 29, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Jan 29, 2025Filed
Feb 13, 2025Read first time
Feb 13, 2025Referred to State Affairs
Mar 5, 2025Posting rule suspended
Mar 6, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Mar 6, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 6, 2025Testimony taken in committee
Mar 6, 2025Left pending in committee
Mar 12, 2025Co-author authorized
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 24, 2025Placed on intent calendar
Mar 26, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
Mar 26, 2025Record vote
Mar 26, 2025Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
Mar 26, 2025Record vote
Mar 26, 2025Three day rule suspended
Mar 26, 2025Record vote
Mar 26, 2025Read 3rd time
Mar 26, 2025Passed
Mar 26, 2025Record vote
Mar 26, 2025Reported engrossed
Mar 27, 2025Received from the Senate
Apr 22, 2025Read first time
Apr 22, 2025Referred to State Affairs
May 15, 2025Considered in formal meeting
May 15, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 19, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 19, 2025Committee report distributed
May 19, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 20, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 22, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 22, 2025Read 2nd time
May 22, 2025Point of order withdrawn Rule 8, Section 1(a)(1)
May 22, 2025Recommitted to committee
May 23, 2025Considered in formal meeting
May 23, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
May 23, 2025Reported favorably as substituted

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 28 yea · 3 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · Mar 26, 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

Paul Bettencourt

Donors

Donors report through Friends of Paul Bettencourt.

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 27, 2024 to Jun 30, 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.

Money

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

Votes4

Senate Mar 26, 2025

Yea: 28
Nay: 3
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 28, Nays 3. (Same as previous roll call)

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

Yea: 28 (published)
Nay: 3 (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 Mar 26, 2025

Yea: 28
Nay: 3
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 Bettencourt moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 987 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 3.

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

Yea: 28 (published)
Nay: 3 (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 Mar 26, 2025

Yea: 28
Nay: 3
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 28, Nays 3. (Same as previous roll call)

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

Yea: 28 (published)
Nay: 3 (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 Mar 26, 2025

Yea: 28
Nay: 3
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 Bettencourt moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration SB 987 at this time on its second reading: SB 987, Relating to the subject matter jurisdiction of the criminal trial courts of this state over certain criminal actions. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 3.

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

Yea: 28 (published)
Nay: 3 (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.

Witnesses7

For: 6
Against: 0
On: 1

Names

For

Dallas County Criminal District Attorney John Creuzot1 registration
Fort Bend County District Attorney1 registration
Self4 registrations

On

Office of State Prosecuting Attorney1 registration

Sources

7 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

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 23, 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 Jan 29, 2025

05/23/2025 H Reported favorably as substituted

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

Brian BirdwellRSenate 22

Companion

SB 873 by Birdwell (duplicate)

Subjects

Courts--Prosecuting Attorneys

Criminal Procedure--General

Criminal Procedure--Trial

Elections--General

Text

The text as introduced · 131 words

89R4340 CJD-D

By: Bettencourt
S.B. No. 987

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the subject matter jurisdiction of the criminal trial

courts of this state over certain criminal actions.

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

SECTION 1. Section 571.171, Government Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:

(d) This section does not require the exhaustion of civil,

including administrative, remedies as a prerequisite to the vesting

in a trial court of subject matter jurisdiction over a criminal

action for which the trial court would otherwise have jurisdiction

under other law.

SECTION 2. This Act applies to a criminal action commenced

before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.

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

Senate Mar 26, 2025

Senate Mar 26, 2025

Senate Mar 26, 2025

Senate Mar 26, 2025

For

On

Companion