SB 178
Hagenbuch Bill Makes Officiating Any Void Marriage A Felony
Filed
Verdict: No flags
Initial review · graded Nov 9, 2026 · How we grade
Caption
relating to the criminal offense of conducting a marriage ceremony for a void marriage.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Clergy, judges and officiants take note. Every void-marriage ceremony becomes a third-degree felony, starting 2027.
This bill makes it a third-degree felony offense to knowingly conduct a marriage ceremony for any marriage that the Family Code already declares void. It touches anyone who performs weddings, including clergy, judges and other officiants. Before this bill, the felony covered only ceremonies for barred minors and for people entering a bigamous marriage; now it covers every void-marriage category, starting September 1, 2027.
Receipt
The receipt
90R-SB178 · 2026-11-09
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the criminal offense of conducting a marriage ceremony for a void marriage.
WHAT IT DOES
Clergy, judges and officiants take note. Every void-marriage ceremony becomes a third-degree felony, starting 2027.
This bill makes it a third-degree felony offense to knowingly conduct a marriage ceremony for any marriage that the Family Code already declares void. It touches anyone who performs weddings, including clergy, judges and other officiants. Before this bill, the felony covered only ceremonies for barred minors and for people entering a bigamous marriage; now it covers every void-marriage category, starting September 1, 2027.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- 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 · Oct 27, 2024 to Jun 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.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$50,000.00
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$50,000.00
- Cash
- $50,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $50,000.00
Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Sep 8, 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: 101010787, 101032653.
Denton County Republican Lincoln Cabinet PAC$25,000.00
Denton County Republican Lincoln Cabinet PAC
$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 · Apr 8, 2026 to Apr 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · on Apr 21, 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: 101058859.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$50,000.00
- Cash
- $50,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $50,000.00
Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Sep 8, 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: 101010787, 101032653.
Denton County Republican Lincoln Cabinet PAC
$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 · Apr 8, 2026 to Apr 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · on Apr 21, 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: 101058859.
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 Senate · Filed Nov 9, 2026
11/09/2026 S Filed
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Nov 10, 2026 at 2:40 AM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
Subjects
Civil Remedies & Liabilities
Crimes--Miscellaneous
Family--Marriage Relationship
Text
The text as introduced · 280 words
90R4266 MLH-D By: Hagenbuch S.B. No. 178 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the criminal offense of conducting a marriage ceremony for a void marriage. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 2.202, Family Code, is amended by amending Subsections (c) and (d) and by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: (c) Except as provided by Subsection (d), a person commits an offense if the person knowingly conducts a marriage ceremony without authorization under this section. [ An offense under this subsection is a Class A misdemeanor. ] (d) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly conducts a marriage ceremony : (1) of a minor whose marriage is prohibited by law ; (2) [ or ] of a person who by marrying commits an offense under Section 25.01, Penal Code ; or (3) for a marriage that is void under Subchapter C, Chapter 6 . (e) An offense under Subsection (c) is a Class A misdemeanor. An offense under Subsection (d) [ this subsection ] is a felony of the third degree. 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, 2027.