HR 625: LACA of 2026

HR 625 in plain English: This bill would add two new cities — College Station, Texas, and El Centro, California — to the official locations where federal courts must hold sessions in their respective districts.

Stated purpose

To add College Station, Texas and El Centro, California as official locations where federal district courts must hold proceedings, expanding local access to federal courts in those areas.

Key points

• Adds College Station, Texas as a required court location in the Galveston Division of the Southern District of Texas.
• Adds El Centro, California as a required court location in the Southern District of California.

Arguments supporters make

• People who live far from existing court locations face real hardships traveling long distances for hearings, and adding local courthouses makes justice more accessible and fair
• Holding court closer to where cases arise can reduce costs and burdens for ordinary people, witnesses, and local attorneys
• This is a straightforward, noncontroversial change that simply updates the law to reflect communities that have grown and need local court access

Arguments opponents make

• Adding new required court locations could strain federal judicial resources, requiring additional staff, facilities, and funding that may not be available
• Courts already serve these regions from existing locations, so the added cost and administrative complexity may not be justified by the actual need
• Spreading court sessions across more locations could make scheduling and case management less efficient for already-busy federal judges

Tradeoffs

Expanding court locations improves access and convenience for local residents and litigants but may require additional federal resources and could complicate court scheduling and administration.

Current status in Congress: In committee.

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