HB2715

Signed by Governor
Authored by Pat Curry (R)
View at Source

Caption: Relating to the suspension and removal from office of certain elected officials of this state or a political subdivision of this state.
Initially Referred to House State Affairs Committee, chaired by a Republican
Last Referred to Senate Local Government Committee, chaired by a Republican
HB 2715 allows the governor to suspend and seek the removal of an elected official for failing to follow or execute state laws. The bill applies to state and local elected officials covered under Section 7, Article XV, of the Texas Constitution. If the governor determines that an official has violated their oath of office by refusing to enforce state law, they may suspend the official and file a removal petition in the appropriate district court. The suspension takes effect upon filing, and the governor must appoint a temporary replacement. Removal can only occur after a jury trial, and if the jury finds the allegations to be true, the suspended official is permanently removed from office. If the jury does not find grounds for removal, the suspension is lifted, and the official is reinstated. The attorney general will represent the state in removal trials for state officials, while county attorneys will handle cases for local officials. The bill applies to conduct occurring on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025.

Joint authors: Cook (R)
Sponsors: Middleton (R)
Co-sponsors: Kolkhorst (R)

Feb 12, 2025


(H) Curry signed onto the bill as Author
(H) Filed
 

Mar 18, 2025


(H) Read first time
(H) Referred to the House State Affairs, chaired by a Republican
 

Apr 9, 2025


(H) Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
(H) Considered in public hearing
(H) Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
(H) Left pending in committee
 

Apr 11, 2025


(H) Cook signed onto the bill as Joint Author
 

Apr 16, 2025


(H) House State Affairs met.
(H) Considered in formal meeting
(H) Committee substitute considered in committee
(H) Reported favorably as substituted
 

Apr 23, 2025


(H) Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
(H) Committee report distributed
 

Apr 25, 2025


(H) Committee report sent to Calendars
 

May 2, 2025


(H) Considered in Calendars
 

May 5, 2025


(H) Placed on General State Calendar
(H) Read 2nd time
(H) Passed to engrossment
 

May 6, 2025


(H) Read 3rd time
(H) Passed
(H) Record vote

RV#1451: Yea 110 (R 85, D 25) - Nay 37 (R 1, D 36)
View Source

Yea - Alders; Allen; Ashby; Barry; Bell, C.; Bell, K.; Bernal; Bhojani; Bonnen; Bowers; Buckley; Bumgarner; Button; Cain; Campos; Canales; Capriglione; Cook; Cortez; Craddick; Cunningham; Curry; Darby; Davis, A.; Dean; DeAyala; Dorazio; Dyson; Fairly; Frank; Garcia, J.; Gates; Gerdes; Geren; Gervin-Hawkins; Guerra; Guillen; Harless; Harris; Harris Davila; Harrison; Hayes; Hefner; Hickland; Holt; Hopper; Howard; Hull; Hunter; Isaac; King; Kitzman; LaHood; Lalani; Lambert; Landgraf; Leach; Leo Wilson; Little; Longoria; Lopez, J.; Lowe; Lozano; Lujan; Luther; Martinez; McLaughlin; McQueeney; Metcalf; Meyer; Money; Morales, E.; Morgan; Munoz; Noble; Olcott; Oliverson; Ordaz; Orr; Patterson; Paul; Perez, M.; Phelan; Pierson; Raymond; Richardson; Rosenthal; Schatzline; Schofield; Schoolcraft; Shaheen; Shofner; Slawson; Smithee; Spiller; Swanson; Tepper; Thompson; Tinderholt; Toth; Troxclair; VanDeaver; Vasut; Villalobos; Virdell; Vo; Ward Johnson; Wharton; Wilson; Zwiener

Nay - Anchia; Bryant; Bucy; Cole; Collier; Davis, Y.; Dutton; Flores; Gamez; Garcia Hernandez; Garcia, L.; Gonzalez, J.; Gonzalez, M.; Goodwin; Hernandez; Hinojosa; Johnson; Jones, J.; Jones, V.; Kerwin; Lopez, R.; Manuel; Martinez Fischer; Meza; Morales, C.; Morales Shaw; Perez, V.; Plesa; Reynolds; Rodriguez Ramos; Romero; Rose; Simmons; Talarico; Turner; Walle; Wu

Absent - Louderback; Moody

Present, Not Voting - Burrows

Please note: the following statements by legislators do not affect the vote count that was recorded.

AJ Louderback: "When Record No. 1451 was taken, my vote failed to register. I would have voted yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Claudia Ordaz: "When Record No. 1451 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Diego Bernal: "When Record No. 1451 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Erin Zwiener: "When Record No. 1451 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Helen Kerwin: "When Record No. 1451 was taken, I was shown voting no. I intended to vote yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Jon Rosenthal: "When Record No. 1451 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Rhetta Bowers: "When Record No. 1451 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

Senfronia Thompson: "When Record No. 1451 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)

You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:


(H) Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
(H) Reported engrossed
(S) Received from the House
 

May 7, 2025


(S) Read first time
(S) Referred to the Senate Local Government, chaired by a Republican
 

May 12, 2025


(S) Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
(S) Considered in public hearing
(S) Left pending in committee
 

May 19, 2025


(S) Considered in public hearing
(S) Vote taken in committee
 

May 20, 2025


(S) Reported favorably w/o amendments
(S) Committee report printed and distributed
 

May 21, 2025


(S) Co-sponsor authorized
(S) Placed on intent calendar
 

May 26, 2025


(H) Senate passage reported
(H) Reported enrolled
 

May 27, 2025


(H) Signed in the House
 

May 28, 2025


(E) Sent to the Governor
 


(H) Middleton signed onto the bill as Sponsor
(H) Kolkhorst signed onto the bill as Cosponsor

Lobbying Against/For/On This Bill

Against

(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Adam Haynes for Conference of Urban Counties
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Alycia Castillo for Texas Civil Rights Project (TCRP)
(Mon 5/12/2025) Registering before S Local Government as Bryan Mitchell for Dallas County District Attorney
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Christine Wright for City of San Antonio
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Cicely Kay for Travis County Commissioners Court
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Elisa Tamayo for El Paso County
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Jacob Putman for self (with Smith County District Attorney)
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Josie Castro Garcia for Dallas County
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Katelyn Caldwell for Harris County Commissioners Court
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Leann Monk for self (with County Treasurers' Association of Texas (CTATX))
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Leigh Joseph for self
(Mon 5/12/2025) Registering before S Local Government as Luis Figueroa for Every Texan
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Melissa Shannon for Bexar County Commissioners Court
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as M Williams for Dallas County District Attorney
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Rick Thompson for County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas (CJCAT)
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Ron Cunningham for self (with Llano County, County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas (CJCAT))
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Stephanie Gharakhanian for Travis County District Attorney
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Steven Deline for self
(Mon 5/12/2025) Registering before S Local Government as Steven Deline for self
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Thomas Parkinson for self
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Thomas Wilson for self (with Smith County District Attorney)
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Tracy Soldan for self (with County Treasurers' Association of Texas (CTATX))
 

For

(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Bryan Flatt for Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA)
(Mon 5/12/2025) Registering before S Local Government as Judge Shepard for Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF)
(Mon 5/12/2025) Registering before S Local Government as Michael Bullock for Austin Police Association
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Michael Bullock for self (with Austin Police Association)
(Wed 4/9/2025) Registering before H State Affairs as Tom Glass for self



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