SB 2309 Texas Senate · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to election integrity and security of ballot boxes, including by preventing fraud in the conduct of elections in this state; authorizing a penalty.

SB 2309 requires counties with populations over 100,000 to install video surveillance systems in all areas storing voted ballots, from delivery until final canvass, with public livestreams showing visible clocks. It also expands election watcher access to observe ballot box sealing, transfer, and processing at all handling locations. The bill directly affects large-county election offices and their ballot processing procedures. Key mechanisms include mandatory video monitoring of ballot storage areas and formalizing observer rights during ballot transport. These provisions aim to increase transparency during election processing without specifying new penalties or fraud prevention measures beyond the stated requirements.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
Senate Passage
May 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 11, 2025 Last action May 22, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Engrossed · 3 edits · May 19, 2025
MINOR
The bill text was reformatted from a draft introduction to a final engrossed version with minor formatting adjustments and a single substantive addition. The most notable policy change is the insertion of a bracketed phrase '[at the count and]' in Section 127.201, which clarifies that candidates and political action committee treasurers must be present at the count to qualify for watcher and representative privileges.
Scope change
The bill's scope remains focused on election integrity, ballot box security, and transparency, with no changes to its fundamental applicability across Texas elections.
REQUIREMENT

Added bracketed text '[at the count and]' to clarify that candidates and political action committee treasurers must be involved in the election count to be entitled to have watchers and representatives present during partial counts of electronic voting system ballots.

TECHNICAL

Converted the bill text from draft introduction format to final engrossed version with standardized formatting, spacing, and section numbering.

Removed draft metadata including bill number formatting, page numbers, and internal tracking codes from the original introduction version.

Floor votes · Senate May 19, 2025

How they voted

2010
Passed
Total votes 30
May 19, 2025
D Democratic10
10 Nay
100% Nay
R Republican20
20 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
28
Key actions
7
Committee
8
May 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
lower
May 21, 2025
Committee
Referred to Elections
lower
May 21, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
lower
May 20, 2025
Introduced
Received from the Senate
lower
May 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report printed and distributed
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably w/o amendments
upper
Apr 3, 2025
Upper · Passed
Vote taken in committee
upper
Mar 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Left pending in committee
upper
Mar 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Testimony taken in committee
upper
Mar 25, 2025
Committee
Referred to State Affairs
upper
Mar 25, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
upper
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors