HB 169
Olcott Bill Makes Every Texas Local Government Use E-verify
Filed
Verdict: No flags
Initial review · graded Nov 9, 2026 · How we grade
Caption
relating to participation of political subdivisions and contractors and subcontractors of political subdivisions in the federal electronic verification of employment authorization program, or E-verify.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Cities, counties, school districts and their contractors must check new hires. Skip it, lose the contract.
This bill makes every Texas county, city, school district, junior college district and other local government sign up for and use the federal E-verify system to check the work eligibility of all new hires. It also bars those local governments from awarding a contract for goods or services unless the contractor and its subcontractors use E-verify for the life of the contract, and it requires termination of the contract if they do not. A local employee in charge of checking new hires can be fired on the spot for failing to use E-verify, and contractors are excused only in a year when the federal government has not funded the program.
Receipt
The receipt
90R-HB169 · 2026-11-09
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to participation of political subdivisions and contractors and subcontractors of political subdivisions in the federal electronic verification of employment authorization program, or E-verify.
WHAT IT DOES
Cities, counties, school districts and their contractors must check new hires. Skip it, lose the contract.
This bill makes every Texas county, city, school district, junior college district and other local government sign up for and use the federal E-verify system to check the work eligibility of all new hires. It also bars those local governments from awarding a contract for goods or services unless the contractor and its subcontractors use E-verify for the life of the contract, and it requires termination of the contract if they do not. A local employee in charge of checking new hires can be fired on the spot for failing to use E-verify, and contractors are excused only in a year when the federal government has not funded the program.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
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 10, 2024 to Oct 24, 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.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
How this was graded
Analysis of text version I by a super-expensive superintelligence, Nov 9, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Nov 9, 2026
11/09/2026 H Filed
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Nov 10, 2026 at 2:31 AM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
Subjects
Aliens
Labor--General
Political Subdivisions
Text
The text as introduced · 434 words
90R1538 RDS-D By: Olcott H.B. No. 169 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to participation of political subdivisions and contractors and subcontractors of political subdivisions in the federal electronic verification of employment authorization program, or E-verify. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 180, Local Government Code, is amended by adding Section 180.015 to read as follows: Sec. 180.015. VERIFICATION OF EMPLOYEE INFORMATION BY POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS. (a) In this section: (1) "E-verify program" has the meaning assigned by Section 673.001, Government Code. (2) "Political subdivision" means a county, municipality, school district, junior college district, other special district, or other subdivision of state government. (b) A political subdivision shall register and participate in the E-verify program to verify information of all new employees. (c) A political subdivision employee who is responsible for verifying information of new employees of the political subdivision as required by Subsection (b) is subject to immediate termination of employment if the employee fails to comply with that subsection. SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 271, Local Government Code, is amended by adding Section 271.909 to read as follows: Sec. 271.909. VERIFICATION OF EMPLOYEE INFORMATION BY CONTRACTORS. (a) In this section: (1) "E-verify program" has the meaning assigned by Section 673.001, Government Code. (2) "Political subdivision" means a county, municipality, school district, junior college district, other special district, or other subdivision of state government. (b) A political subdivision may not award a contract for goods or services to a contractor unless the contractor and any subcontractor of the contractor register with and participate in the E-verify program to verify employee information. The contractor and subcontractor must continue to participate in the E-verify program during the term of the contract. (c) Except as provided by Subsection (d), if a political subdivision determines that a contractor was ineligible to have a contract awarded under Subsection (b), that a contractor has ceased participation in the E-verify program during the term of the contract, or that a subcontractor of the contractor is not registered with or is not participating in the E-verify program, the political subdivision shall terminate the contract. (d) Notwithstanding Subsection (b) or (c), a contractor or subcontractor is not required to verify employee information through the E-verify program during any year for which the federal government has not funded the E-verify program. SECTION 3. The change in law made by Section 271.909, Local Government Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a contract entered into on or after the effective date of this Act. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.