HB933
Penalties for failure to appear; contempt, mitigating circumstances.
Status:
In Senate
Latest Action:
Feb. 20, 2026
Senate: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Chief Patron:
Marcus Simon (D)
Session:
2026 Regular Session
Summary
As Passed House of Origin. Penalties for failure to appear; contempt.
Provides that any person (i) charged with a felony offense or misdemeanor offense or (ii) convicted of a felony offense or misdemeanor offense and execution of sentence is suspended who willfully fails to appear before any court or judicial officer as required is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by no ... (More) more than 30 days in jail. Under current law, such person is guilty of a Class 6 felony, if charged with a felony, or a Class 1 misdemeanor, if charged with a misdemeanor, for such a violation. The bill also provides that in determining whether a person willfully fails to appear, the court shall consider mitigating circumstances, including (i) an illness, an injury, or any other unforeseen medical condition; (ii) unforeseen transportation problems; (iii) an inability to obtain adequate dependent care; and (iv) any affirmative steps taken by a person to communicate or remedy his failure to appear before any court or judicial officer as required. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/13/2026 - House: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101390D
- 01/13/2026 - House: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
- 01/23/2026 - House: Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal
- 01/26/2026 - House: Placed on Courts of Justice Agenda
- 01/28/2026 - House: House subcommittee offered
- 01/28/2026 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 2-N)
- 02/03/2026 - House: Placed on Courts of Justice Agenda
- 02/04/2026 - House: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (15-Y 7-N)
- 02/04/2026 - House: Committee substitute printed 26106485D-H1
- 02/06/2026 - House: Read first time
- 02/09/2026 - House: Read second time
- 02/09/2026 - House: committee substitute agreed to
- 02/09/2026 - House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute
- 02/10/2026 - House: Read third time and passed House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 02/11/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- 02/11/2026 - Senate: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
- 02/18/2026 - Senate: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (9-Y 5-N)
- 02/19/2026 - Senate: Committee substitute printed 26108204D-S1
- 02/20/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 02/20/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 02/20/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
