Regular Session
Government Affairs & Regulatory Compliance Analysis
HB2273 authorizes the Galveston County Judge to delegate signature and administrative authority to county commissioners or staff, effective June 20, 2025. This impacts all entities contracting with or seeking permits from Galveston County by altering the legal counterparty required for valid execution of documents.
Rep. Greg Bonnen·House Bill·Regular Session
Galveston County Commissioners Court • Galveston County Judge
JD Key Consulting provides strategic guidance on Texas regulatory compliance and legislative impact for your business.
Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation
Update standard templates for Galveston County projects. Replace signature blocks reading "County Judge" with "County Judge or Authorized Designee." Insert recitals referencing Texas Local Government Code Section 81.028 to establish the statutory basis for the designee's authority.
Train procurement officers and project managers to stop demanding the County Judge's personal signature. Instruct teams to accept delegated signatures *only* when accompanied by a certified copy of the active Delegation Order.
Mandate the attachment of the specific Order of Delegation to every executed contract, variance, or permit in your internal due diligence files. In the event of a dispute, this document is your primary evidence that the contract was validly executed.
No new statutory fees or direct cost increases.
The statute broadly allows delegation of "duties" without explicitly excluding high-stakes powers, such as declaring local disasters or executing high-value financial instruments. Businesses must watch the initial Delegation Order to see if the Judge retains exclusive authority over contracts exceeding specific dollar thresholds or if these are also delegated to staff.
JD Key Consulting specializes in Texas regulatory compliance strategy. Work directly with James Dickey—former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas—to understand this bill's impact on your operations and develop an actionable compliance plan.
Schedule a ConsultationInformation presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.
This bill's path through the Texas Legislature
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Common questions about HB2273
HB2273 authorizes the Galveston County Judge to delegate signature and administrative authority to county commissioners or staff, effective June 20, 2025. This impacts all entities contracting with or seeking permits from Galveston County by altering the legal counterparty required for valid execution of documents.
HB2273 was authored by Texas Representative Greg Bonnen during the Regular Session.
HB2273 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.
HB2273 is enforced by Galveston County Commissioners Court and Galveston County Judge.
The regulatory priority for HB2273 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the legislation to understand potential impacts.
The cost impact of HB2273 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.
HB2273 addresses topics including county government, county government--employees/officers, county government--general, courts and courts--county & statutory.
Key dates for HB2273: Effective date is 2025-06-20. Consult with legal counsel regarding applicability.
JD Key Consulting is an Austin, Texas-based government affairs firm led by James Dickey, former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. We specialize in Texas regulatory compliance and legislative strategy for data centers, energy, banking, and manufacturing.
