SB 2878 Texas Senate · 89th Legislature (2025)

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, mandatory expunction for certain persons, record retention, and youth diversion; increasing a criminal penalty; authorizing fees.

SB 2878 creates new judicial districts in Texas, including the 490th and 491st districts for Brazoria County and the 501st and 502nd districts for Fort Bend County, effective September 1, 2025. It also amends existing district boundaries, such as updating the 522nd Judicial District to cover Colorado, Gonzales, Guadalupe, and Lavaca counties, and adjusting the jurisdiction of the 274th Judicial District in Comal, Guadalupe, and Hays counties. These changes reorganize court operations, directly affecting case handling and administrative procedures in the specified counties. The bill was passed by the legislature but vetoed by the governor in June 2025.
Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
Jun 2025
Senate Passage
Jun 2025
House Passage
Jun 2025
Vetoed
Jun 2025
Introduced Mar 14, 2025 Vetoed Jun 22, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossed Enrolled · 5 edits · Jun 2, 2025
MODERATE
This bill reorganizes Texas judicial districts and updates court jurisdiction rules to improve efficiency and accessibility. It creates new judicial districts, adjusts jurisdictional limits for county courts, and clarifies clerk responsibilities to better distribute caseloads.
Scope change
The bill expands the scope of judicial districts by creating new numbered districts and modifies the jurisdictional thresholds for county courts, affecting which courts hear civil and criminal cases.
TIMELINE

Establishes new judicial districts effective dates ranging from September 2025 to January 2029

ELIGIBILITY

Updates jurisdictional limits for county courts, changing civil case thresholds from $250,000 to $325,000 in several counties

REQUIREMENT

Requires district courts to give preference to specific case types like civil, criminal, or family law matters

Adds new clerk duties for handling concurrent jurisdiction cases between county and district courts

DEFINITION

Redesignates and renumbers multiple judicial districts with updated county compositions

Floor votes · House Jun 1, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
77
Key actions
23
Committee
14
Amendments
10
Jun 22, 2025
Vetoed
Vetoed by the Governor
executive
Jun 2, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed in the House
lower
Jun 2, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed in the Senate
upper
Jun 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
House adopts conference committee report
lower
Jun 1, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (134-1-5)
house
May 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate adopts conference committee report
upper
May 29, 2025
Lower · Passed
House grants request for conference committee
lower
May 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate requests conference committee-reported
lower
May 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate requests conference committee
upper
May 28, 2025
Introduced
House amendment(s) laid before the Senate
upper
May 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
House passage as amended reported
upper
May 27, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed as amended
lower
May 27, 2025
Lower · Passed
Amended
lower
May 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed to 3rd reading as amended
lower
May 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
Amended
lower
May 26, 2025
Amended
Amendment withdrawn
lower
May 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report sent to Calendars
lower
May 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report distributed
lower
May 21, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably as substituted
lower
May 14, 2025
Committee
Referred to Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence
lower
May 14, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
lower
May 12, 2025
Introduced
Received from the Senate
lower
May 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed
upper
May 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed to engrossment as amended
upper
May 12, 2025
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
May 12, 2025
Introduced
Amendment(s) offered
upper
May 8, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report printed and distributed
upper
May 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably as substituted
upper
Apr 29, 2025
Upper · Passed
Vote taken in committee
upper
Apr 16, 2025
Upper · Passed
Left pending in committee
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Committee
Referred to Jurisprudence
upper
Apr 7, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
upper
3 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors