Monitoring the Session

SB 270

bill letting some local courts skip certified interpreters

Filed

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Sen. Charles PerryRSenate 28

Initial review · graded Nov 9, 2026 · How we grade

Caption

relating to the appointment of spoken language interpreters for certain court proceedings.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Counties of 50,000 to under 250,000. Interpreter must be at least 18.

The bill lets justice courts and municipal courts in counties with 50,000 to under 250,000 people use a spoken language interpreter who is not a certified or licensed court interpreter. It does not reach jury trials in Class C misdemeanor cases, or any Class A, Class B or felony case, and the interpreter must still be qualified by the court as an expert, be at least 18, and not be a party. Starting September 1, 2027, smaller local courts in mid-sized counties can fill interpreter needs in low-level proceedings without a certified interpreter.

Receipt

The receipt

90R-SB270 · 2026-11-09

SOLD BY

Sen. Charles PerryRSenate 28

ITEM

relating to the appointment of spoken language interpreters for certain court proceedings.

WHAT IT DOES

Counties of 50,000 to under 250,000. Interpreter must be at least 18.

The bill lets justice courts and municipal courts in counties with 50,000 to under 250,000 people use a spoken language interpreter who is not a certified or licensed court interpreter. It does not reach jury trials in Class C misdemeanor cases, or any Class A, Class B or felony case, and the interpreter must still be qualified by the court as an expert, be at least 18, and not be a party. Starting September 1, 2027, smaller local courts in mid-sized counties can fill interpreter needs in low-level proceedings without a certified interpreter.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Charles Perry

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$60KRyan Texas PAC$35KFort Stockton Holdings LP$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 · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 23, 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$60,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$60,000.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$60,000.00

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.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 13, 2024 to Oct 23, 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: 100983698, 101007598, 101030579, 101072377.

Ryan Texas PAC$35,000.00

Ryan Texas PAC

$35,000.00

Cash
$35,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$35,000.00

Also funds 25 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 23, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Mar 12, 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: 100983698, 101057700.

Fort Stockton Holdings LP$25,000.00

Fort Stockton Holdings LP

$25,000.00

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

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Nov 23, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 23, 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: 100983698.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$60,000.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$60,000.00

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.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 13, 2024 to Oct 23, 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: 100983698, 101007598, 101030579, 101072377.

×

Ryan Texas PAC

$35,000.00

Cash
$35,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$35,000.00

Also funds 25 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 23, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Mar 12, 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: 100983698, 101057700.

×

Fort Stockton Holdings LP

$25,000.00

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

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · on Nov 23, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 23, 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: 100983698.

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 2:41 AM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Subjects

Courts--Personnel

Courts--Reporters

SIGN LANGUAGE & SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS

Text

The text as introduced · 198 words

90R3620 EMS-F

By: Perry
S.B. No. 270

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the appointment of spoken language interpreters for

certain court proceedings.

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

SECTION 1. Section 57.002, Government Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (d-2) and amending Subsection (e) to read as

follows:

(d-2) Subject to Subsection (e), in a county with a

population of 50,000 or more but less than 250,000, a justice court,

municipal court, or municipal court of record may appoint a spoken

language interpreter who is not a certified or licensed court

interpreter when conducting a proceeding other than:

(1) a jury trial in a Class C misdemeanor case;

(2) any proceeding in a Class A or Class B misdemeanor

case; or

(3) any proceeding in a felony case.

(e) A person appointed under Subsection (c) , [ or ] (d) ,

(d-1), or (d-2) :

(1) must be qualified by the court as an expert under

the Texas Rules of Evidence;

(2) must be at least 18 years of age; and

(3) may not be a party to the proceeding.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.