HB 391 Texas House · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to board of directors meeting locations of certain special districts.

HB 391 requires rural area water districts to hold at least one quarterly board meeting within the district or within 10 miles of its boundary, unless meeting in the same county is deemed practical. It defines "rural area districts" as those with over half their water connections active and located outside high-population counties (over 800,000 people as of 2010). The bill allows meetings via phone or video conference for regular sessions, but mandates in-person meetings specifically for tax rate discussions. This applies directly to rural water districts meeting the defined population and connection criteria.

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Governor

Introduced Feb 28, 2025 Last action Apr 24, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Engrossed · 5 edits · Apr 24, 2025

MODERATE

This bill updates Texas water district meeting rules to allow more flexible meeting locations and modernize the definition of rural area districts. It expands where boards can hold meetings to include locations within 10 miles of district boundaries and adds options for remote participation via phone or video. The bill also adjusts the population threshold for defining rural area districts from 800,000 to 325,000 and clarifies requirements for public hearings on tax rates.

Scope change

The bill expands applicability to allow water district meetings to be held outside traditional district boundaries and introduces new provisions for remote participation in meetings and tax rate hearings.

DEFINITION

Changed the population threshold for defining a 'rural area district' from 800,000 to 325,000, making more districts eligible for special meeting provisions.

REQUIREMENT

Added new meeting location options allowing boards to meet within 10 miles of district boundaries or use telephone/video conference calls with at least one member physically present.

Added new Section 54.6015 requiring public tax rate hearings to follow the same flexible location options as regular board meetings.

Modified Section 49.064 to clarify that remote meeting participation is allowed if at least one board member is physically present at a public location during open portions of the meeting.

TIMELINE

Added effective date of September 1, 2025 for the new provisions.

Floor votes · House Apr 24, 2025

How they voted

144–0

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 146

Apr 24, 2025

D Democratic60

58 Yea 2

96% Yea

R Republican86

86 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 24, 2025

Introduced

Received from the House

upper

Apr 24, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed to engrossment

lower

Apr 1, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report sent to Calendars

lower

Mar 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report distributed

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably as substituted

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Left pending in committee

lower

Mar 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee

lower

Feb 28, 2025

Committee

Referred to Natural Resources

lower

Feb 28, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

lower

5 primary · 1 co-sponsor