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Texas Restructures Judicial Districts, Court Jurisdiction, and Operations Statewide
Original title: Relating to the operation and administration of and practices and procedures related to proceedings in the judicial branch of state government, including court security, court documents and arrest warrants, document delivery, juvenile boards, constitutional amendment election challenges, record retention, youth diversion, court-ordered mental health services, the powers of the Texas Supreme Court, jurors, and the special prosecution unit; increasing a criminal penalty; authorizing fees.
Last action · September 17, 2025: See remarks for effective dateSponsors: Jeff Leach and 18 others
Companion · SB 17same policy, Senate version
Bill progressHistory & official text ↓
Introduced
Committee
Floor Vote
Passed
Law
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Public stanceCommunity reactions are separate from the official record and reporting.
What This Bill Does
Texas enacted House Bill 16 to overhaul state judicial branch operations, creating several new district and s, adjusting district boundaries, modifying court filing fees and juror exemptions, and establishing security committees and criminal associate judge positions.
Why it matters
Residents across multiple Texas counties will experience changes in where lawsuits, family matters, and criminal cases are filed, alongside altered filing fee structures and new court security and emergency planning protocols.
Background
- House Bill 16 is an omnibus legislative measure enacted during the 89th Texas Legislature addressing numerous administrative, operational, and procedural aspects of the state's judicial system. context
- The Texas Government Code and Code of Criminal Procedure govern the creation, jurisdiction, and operational procedures of state district courts, county courts at law, and municipal courts. context
Who It Affects
Groups the bill's text affects, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Directly affected
Litigants and Residents
Individuals filing lawsuits, facing criminal charges, or participating in family law proceedings will encounter revised jurisdictional thresholds, new filing locations, and updated fee structures.
Directly affected
District and County Court Judges
Judges are subject to new administrative mandates, mandatory court security committee leadership, expanded training requirements, and revised assignment rules.
Directly affected
Court Clerks
County and district clerks must implement new standardized certified copy formats, establish separate dockets for new courts, and handle requests for redacting personal information from public websites.
Directly affected
County Governments
County commissioners courts must provide necessary personnel, funding support for new court operations, and review recommendations from newly established court security committees.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What changes are happening to judicial districts in Texas?
The Act creates multiple new judicial districts across various counties (such as Brazoria, Fort Bend, Harris, and others), adjusts county compositions for existing districts like the 522nd and 274th judicial districts, and sets specific legal preferences for civil or criminal matters in those courts.
How are court filing fees and costs affected?
The Act establishes new filing fees for criminal record s, alters local consolidated filing fees for civil cases, and increases the credit rate for defendants working off fines or community service to $150 per day or eight hours.
What are the new requirements for court security?
Local administrative judges and municipal judges must establish court security committees that meet at least annually, make recommendations on security expenditures, and develop court emergency management plans.
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Current status: Signed into law.
Procedural history
52 actions- Sep 17, 2025Governor of TexasEnrolledSee remarks for effective date
- Sep 17, 2025Governor of TexasEnrolledSigned by the Governor
- Aug 28, 2025Governor of TexasEnrolledSent to the Governor
- Aug 28, 2025SenateSigned in the Senate
- Aug 28, 2025HouseSigned in the House
- Aug 27, 2025HouseReported enrolled
Show 46 earlier actions
- Aug 27, 2025HouseSenate passage reported
- Aug 26, 2025SenateFloorRecord vote
- Aug 26, 2025SenateFloorPassed
- Aug 26, 2025SenateFloorRead 3rd time
- Aug 26, 2025SenateFloorRecord vote
- Aug 26, 2025SenateThree day rule suspended
- Aug 26, 2025SenateVote recorded in Journal
- Aug 26, 2025SenateFloorRead 2nd time & passed to 3rd reading
- Aug 26, 2025SenateRules suspended-Regular order of business
- Aug 26, 2025SenateOrdered not printed
- Aug 26, 2025SenatePrinting rule suspended
- Aug 26, 2025SenateCommitteeReported favorably w/o amendments
- Aug 26, 2025SenateVote taken in committee
- Aug 26, 2025SenateConsidered in public hearing
- Aug 26, 2025SenateScheduled for public hearing on . . .
- Aug 26, 2025SenateCommitteeReferred to State Affairs
- Aug 26, 2025SenateIntroducedRead first time
- Aug 26, 2025SenateReceived from the House
- Aug 26, 2025SenateCo-sponsor authorized
- Aug 25, 2025HouseReported engrossed
- Aug 25, 2025HouseReason for vote recorded in Journal
- Aug 25, 2025HouseStatement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
- Aug 25, 2025HouseFloorRecord vote (RV#67)
- Aug 25, 2025HouseFloorPassed
- Aug 25, 2025HouseFloorRead 3rd time
- Aug 25, 2025HouseFloorPassed to engrossment as amended
- Aug 25, 2025HouseAmended (2-Leach)
- Aug 25, 2025HouseLaid out as postponed business
- Aug 25, 2025HousePostponed (8/25/25 2:30 PM)
- Aug 25, 2025HouseAmendment withdrawn (1-Leach)
- Aug 25, 2025HouseLaid out as postponed business
- Aug 25, 2025HousePostponed (8/25/25 1:00 PM)
- Aug 25, 2025HouseFloorRead 2nd time
- Aug 25, 2025HousePlaced on Major State Calendar
- Aug 24, 2025HouseConsidered in Calendars
- Aug 24, 2025HouseCommittee report sent to Calendars
- Aug 24, 2025HouseCommittee report distributed
- Aug 22, 2025HouseComte report filed with Committee Coordinator
- Aug 20, 2025HouseCommitteeReported favorably as substituted
- Aug 20, 2025HouseTestimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
- Aug 20, 2025HouseCommittee substitute considered in committee
- Aug 20, 2025HouseConsidered in public hearing
- Aug 20, 2025HouseScheduled for public hearing on . . .
- Aug 18, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
- Aug 18, 2025HouseIntroducedRead first time
- Aug 15, 2025HouseIntroducedFiled
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Voting Record
HB 16 was passed
Total
144
- Yes
- 125
- No
- 1
- Present
- 0
- Not voting
- 5
- Abstain
- 0
- Other positions
- 13
How they voted (144)
David SpillerParty not recordedyes
Vince PerezParty not recordedyes
Christina MoralesParty not recordedabsent
Martinez FischerParty not recordedyes
Gina HinojosaParty not recordedyes
Carrie IsaacParty not recordedyes
Steve TothParty not recordedexcused
Ken KingParty not recordedyes
Tony TinderholtParty not recordedyes
Venton JonesParty not recordedexcused
Carl TepperParty not recordedyes
Gene WuParty not recordedexcused
Cole HefnerParty not recordedyes
Brooks LandgrafParty not recordedyes
Ray LopezParty not recordedyes
Keith BellParty not recordedyes
Stan LambertParty not recordedexcused
Dennis PaulParty not recordedyes
Charles CunninghamParty not recordedyes
Linda GarciaParty not recordedyes
Joe MoodyParty not recordedyes
Stan GerdesParty not recordedyes
Brian HarrisonParty not recordedyes
Mark DorazioParty not recordedyes
120 more members
Ben BumgarnerParty not recordedyes
Will MetcalfParty not recordedyes
Charlie GerenParty not recordedexcused
Jo JonesParty not recordedyes
Giovanni CapriglioneParty not recordedyes
Mike SchofieldParty not recordedyes
Terry WilsonParty not recordedyes
Tom OliversonParty not recordedyes
Daniel AldersParty not recordedyes
Hillary HicklandParty not recordedyes
Matt MorganParty not recordedyes
Josey GarciaParty not recordedabsent
Morgan MeyerParty not recordedyes
Nicole CollierParty not recordedyes
John McQueeneyParty not recordedyes
Lauren SimmonsParty not recordedyes
Aicha DavisParty not recordedyes
Rodríguez RamosParty not recordedabsent
Sheryl ColeParty not recordedyes
Rhetta BowersParty not recordedyes
Alan SchoolcraftParty not recordedyes
Ryan GuillenParty not recordedyes
Richard HayesParty not recordedyes
Jeff BarryParty not recordedyes
Jeff LeachParty not recordedyes
Lacey HullParty not recordedyes
Mary Ann PerezParty not recordedyes
Jon RosenthalParty not recordedyes
Don McLaughlinParty not recordedyes
Ellen TroxclairParty not recordedyes
Bobby GuerraParty not recordedyes
Alma AllenParty not recordedyes
Katrina PiersonParty not recordedyes
Drew DarbyParty not recordedyes
Richard RaymondParty not recordedyes
Janie LopezParty not recordedyes
Christian ManuelParty not recordedyes
Jessica GonzálezParty not recordedyes
Keresa RichardsonParty not recordedyes
Cecil BellParty not recordedyes
John SmitheeParty not recordedyes
Janis HoltParty not recordedyes
Vikki GoodwinParty not recordedyes
Candy NobleParty not recordedexcused
Terry CanalesParty not recordedexcused
Cody HarrisParty not recordedyes
John BucyParty not recordedyes
Matt ShaheenParty not recordedyes
Lulu FloresParty not recordedexcused
Marc LaHoodParty not recordedyes
Mano DeAyalaParty not recordedyes
Oscar LongoriaParty not recordedabsent
Tom CraddickParty not recordedyes
Donna HowardParty not recordedyes
Shelby SlawsonParty not recordedyes
Todd HunterParty not recordedyes
Claudia OrdazParty not recordedyes
Sam HarlessParty not recordedyes
Harold DuttonParty not recordedexcused
James FrankParty not recordedyes
Wes VirdellParty not recordedyes
John BryantParty not recordedyes
Diego BernalParty not recordedabsent
A.J. LouderbackParty not recordedyes
Ron ReynoldsParty not recordedexcused
Cody VasutParty not recordedyes
J.M. LozanoParty not recordedexcused
Joanne ShofnerParty not recordedyes
Mihaela PleșaParty not recordedyes
Cas Garcia HernandezParty not recordedyes
David LoweParty not recordedyes
Brent MoneyParty not recordedyes
Angie ButtonParty not recordedyes
Mike OlcottParty not recordedyes
Hubert VoParty not recordedyes
Senfronia ThompsonParty not recordedyes
Andy HopperParty not recordedyes
Armando WalleParty not recordedyes
Pat CurryParty not recordedyes
Trey WhartonParty not recordedyes
Mary GonzálezParty not recordedyes
Helen KerwinParty not recordedyes
Sergio MuñozParty not recordedyes
Denise VillalobosParty not recordedyes
Terry MezaParty not recordedyes
Leo WilsonParty not recordedyes
Ramon RomeroParty not recordedyes
Jay DeanParty not recordedyes
Suleman LalaniParty not recordedyes
Salman BhojaniParty not recordedyes
Briscoe CainParty not recordedyes
Toni RoseParty not recordedyes
Yvonne DavisParty not recordedyes
Erin GámezParty not recordedyes
David CookParty not recordedyes
Valoree SwansonParty not recordedyes
Rafael AnchíaParty not recordedyes
Jared PattersonParty not recordedyes
Philip CortezParty not recordedyes
James TalaricoParty not recordedyes
Barbara Gervin-HawkinsParty not recordedyes
Gary GatesParty not recordedyes
John LujanParty not recordedyes
Stan KitzmanParty not recordedyes
Trent AshbyParty not recordedyes
Brad BuckleyParty not recordedyes
Dade PhelanParty not recordedexcused
Shelley LutherParty not recordedyes
Ward JohnsonParty not recordedyes
Harris DavilaParty not recordedyes
Mitch LittleParty not recordedyes
Chris TurnerParty not recordedyes
Erin ZwienerParty not recordedno
Mando MartinezParty not recordedyes
Liz CamposParty not recordedyes
Morales ShawParty not recordedexcused
Greg BonnenParty not recordedyes
Eddie MoralesParty not recordedyes
Angelia OrrParty not recordedyes
Paul DysonParty not recordedyes
Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Show 14 more sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
policy shift98% confidence
Comprehensive Judicial Expansion
The bill coordinates a simultaneous expansion of judicial districts and county court jurisdictions across diverse geographical areas of Texas, reflecting rising caseload demands in fast-growing counties.
Connected Entities
OrganizationOffice of Court Administration of the Texas Judicial System“Tasked with conducting a study on digital court recording, holding leadership co”Map →
OrganizationDepartment of Public Safety“Required to review processes for implementing address confidentiality and driver”Map →
OrganizationTexas Judicial Council“Prescribes information and reporting forms for prosecuting attorneys.”Map →
OrganizationState Commission on Judicial Conduct“Involved in judicial conduct investigations and privacy protections for judicial”Map →
OrganizationComptroller“Responsible for determining amounts deposited in the judicial fund and remitting”Map →
Sources
Open source document
capitol.texas.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance90How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy15Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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