Texas HB298: Relating to a vacancy in the office of senator or representative due to excessive absence.

What the bill says

An act relating to a vacancy in the office of senator or representative due to excessive absence.

From the introduced text, August 25, 2025:

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to a vacancy in the office of senator or representative due to excessive absence. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 201, Election Code, is amended by adding Section 201.031 to read as follows: [ADDED: Sec.][ADDED: ][ADDED: 201.031.][ADDED: ][ADDED: ][ADDED: FORFEITURE RESULTING FROM EXCESSIVE ABSENCE. ] [ADDED: If a member of the legislature fails to attend legislative floor ] [ADDED: sessions called to transact business, without a leave granted by a ] [ADDED: majority the of the house of which the legislator is a member, a ] [ADDED: vacancy occurs on:] (a)[ADDED: the date of the member's fourteenth such failure to ] [ or] (b)[ADDED: the date of the member's third such failure to attend, ] [ADDED: during a Special Session.] SECTION 2. Section 201.031, Election Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a failure to attend that occurs on or after the effective date of this Act. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect on the 91st day after the …

Sponsors

• Briscoe Cain (R, HD-128) · primary sponsor
• Cody Harris (R, HD-008)
• Stan Gerdes (R, HD-017)
• John McQueeney (R, HD-097)
• Terri Leo-Wilson (R, HD-023)
• Daniel Alders (R, HD-006)
• Trent Ashby (R, HD-057)
• Jeff Barry (R, HD-029)
• Cecil Bell (R, HD-003)
• Keith Bell (R, HD-004)
• Brad Buckley (R, HD-054)
• Ben Bumgarner (R, HD-063)

Latest actions

1. August 26, 2025: Referred to State Affairs
2. August 26, 2025: Read first time
3. August 25, 2025: Filed

Common questions

What is HB298?

HB298 is a bill in the Texas Legislature (89th Legislature 2nd Special Session): Relating to a vacancy in the office of senator or representative due to excessive absence.

What does HB298 do?

In its own words: An act relating to a vacancy in the office of senator or representative due to excessive absence.

What is the status of HB298?

In committee as of August 26, 2025. Latest action: Referred to State Affairs (August 26, 2025).

Who sponsored HB298?

Briscoe Cain (R, HD-128), with 11 co-sponsors.

Where is the official record for HB298?

On the Texas Legislature website: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=892&Bill=HB00298