HB 3483 Texas House · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to the authority of a special utility district to issue a public security.

HB 3483 amends the definition of "Issuer" in Texas law to expand which entities can issue public securities (like bonds). It specifically adds qualifying home-rule municipalities, conservation districts, transit authorities, hospital authorities in large counties, and counties meeting population or debt thresholds to the list of eligible issuers. This change directly affects these local government entities by clarifying their authority to borrow funds through public securities. The bill does not create new powers but updates existing definitions to include these additional organizations under current securities law.

Issues: ✓ Transportation

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

House Passage

May 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Mar 24, 2025 Last action May 28, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Engrossed · 10 edits · May 8, 2025

MAJOR

This bill expands the definition of eligible issuers who can issue public securities under Texas law, adding new categories of districts and agencies that qualify. It also clarifies the purposes for which special utility districts can issue bonds and maintains the effective date of September 1, 2025.

Scope change

The bill broadens the scope of eligible entities by adding new categories of issuers under Section 1371.001(4) of the Government Code, including special utility districts, hospital authorities, and other entities not previously explicitly listed.

ELIGIBILITY

Added special utility districts organized under Section 59, Article XVI, Texas Constitution and Chapter 65, Water Code as eligible issuers

Added hospital authorities in counties with populations over 3.3 million or in standard metropolitan statistical areas with counties over 2.5 million

Added hospital districts in counties with populations over 2.5 million

Added nonprofit corporations exercising powers of higher education loan authorities

Added municipalities and counties operating under Chapter 334, Local Government Code

Added districts created under Chapter 335, Local Government Code

Added junior college districts with 40,000 or more headcount enrollment

DEFINITION

Expanded the definition of 'Issuer' in Government Code Section 1371.001(4) to include multiple new entity types

REQUIREMENT

Amended Water Code Section 65.501 to clarify purposes for which special utility districts may issue bonds

TIMELINE

Effective date remains September 1, 2025

Floor votes · House May 7, 2025

How they voted

106–30

Passed · 9 other

Total votes 145

May 7, 2025

D Democratic59

57 Yea 2

96% Yea

R Republican86

49 Yea 30 Nay 7

56% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee report printed and distributed

upper

May 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably as substituted

upper

May 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

Vote taken in committee

upper

May 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

Testimony taken in committee

upper

May 20, 2025

Committee

Referred to Local Government

upper

May 20, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

upper

May 9, 2025

Introduced

Received from the House

upper

May 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed

lower

May 7, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed to engrossment

lower

May 2, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report sent to Calendars

lower

May 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report distributed

lower

Apr 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably as substituted

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Lower · Passed

Left pending in committee

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Lower · Passed

Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee

lower

Mar 24, 2025

Committee

Referred to Natural Resources

lower

Mar 24, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

lower

3 primary · 0 co-sponsors