SB 1756 Texas Senate · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to the authority of certain municipalities to use certain tax revenue for hotel and convention center projects and other qualified projects.

SB 1756 limits Texas municipalities to using certain tax revenues for only one qualified project, such as a hotel, convention center, or historic hotel renovation. It prohibits municipalities from pledging or committing revenue for additional projects after the first qualified project is selected. The bill includes a grandfather clause allowing municipalities that already committed to multiple hotel projects before January 1, 2025, to maintain those commitments but prevents new pledges for additional projects after that date. This bill directly affects cities and local government corporations seeking to fund tourism infrastructure through tax revenue.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Feb 28, 2025 Last action Apr 30, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Engrossed · 5 edits · Apr 28, 2025
MODERATE
The bill was reformatted from a draft version to an official engrossed version, with significant policy updates including new exceptions for municipalities with populations over 1.5 million, revised effective dates (January 1, 2026), and expanded language allowing future legislative authorization for additional projects. The changes clarify that municipalities can pledge revenue for only one project unless future legislation specifically authorizes additional projects.
Scope change
The bill's scope was expanded to include exceptions for large municipalities (over 1.5 million population) and added provisions allowing future legislative acts to authorize additional projects beyond the one-project limit.
ELIGIBILITY

Added exception for municipalities with population over 1.5 million from pledging revenue for bond payments

TIMELINE

Changed effective date from September 1, 2025 to January 1, 2026

Added grandfather clause for municipalities that pledged revenue before January 1, 2025 for multiple projects

REQUIREMENT

Added language allowing municipalities to pledge additional projects if authorized by future legislation enacted on or after January 1, 2026

TECHNICAL

Removed draft formatting markers and placeholder text from the original bill introduction

Floor votes · Senate Apr 28, 2025

How they voted

282
Passed
Total votes 30
Apr 28, 2025
D Democratic10
8 Yea 2 Nay
80% Yea
R Republican20
20 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
27
Key actions
8
Committee
7
Amendments
3
Apr 30, 2025
Committee
Referred to Ways & Means
lower
Apr 30, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
lower
Apr 29, 2025
Introduced
Received from the Senate
lower
Apr 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed
upper
Apr 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed to engrossment as amended
upper
Apr 28, 2025
Upper · Passed
Amended
upper
Apr 28, 2025
Introduced
Amendment(s) offered
upper
Apr 16, 2025
Upper · Passed
Committee report printed and distributed
upper
Apr 16, 2025
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably w/o amendments
upper
Apr 15, 2025
Upper · Passed
Vote taken in committee
upper
Apr 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Left pending in committee
upper
Apr 14, 2025
Upper · Passed
Testimony taken in committee
upper
Mar 13, 2025
Committee
Referred to Economic Development
upper
Mar 13, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Brian Birdwell
Brian Birdwell
RRepublican
TX
22