Texas Bills

in committee · Texas · House May 9, 2025

HB 3076: Relating to the authority of certain municipalities to use certain tax revenue for certain qualified projects.

HB 3076 amends Texas Tax Code Section 351.1015 to expand which municipalities can use specific tax revenue for qualified projects. It applies to cities meeting one of six population-based criteria, including cities with populations between 700,000-950,000, cities covering 70%+ of a county with 1.5 million+ residents, or cities with populations of 2 million+. The bill updates eligibility rules for using certain tax revenues on qualifying infrastructure or development projects. It takes effect September 1, 2025, and supersedes conflicting 2025 legislation.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Texas · House May 9, 2025

HB 2964: Relating to the provision of broadband service in certain rural counties.

HB 2964 allocates up to $750 million from the state's broadband infrastructure fund to provide grants, low-interest loans, and financial incentives for building fiber-optic broadband networks in specific rural Texas counties. It targets counties with 5,000-25,000 residents that lack existing broadband infrastructure and have unserved locations according to FCC data. The bill prioritizes projects expanding service to residential/commercial addresses not yet covered by fiber, as well as to schools and colleges. This directly affects eligible rural communities and their residents by funding infrastructure development to address broadband gaps.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Technology

in committee · Texas · House May 9, 2025

HB 2811: Relating to the date of the meeting of presidential electors of this state.

HB 2811 changes the date when Texas presidential electors must meet from the first Tuesday to the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December. This procedural bill directly affects Texas's presidential electors by adjusting their meeting schedule under state election law. The amendment modifies Section 192.006(a) of the Election Code to specify the new Monday meeting date, while keeping the underlying December timeframe unchanged. The bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and does not alter voting procedures or voter eligibility.

in committee · Texas · House May 9, 2025

HB 933: Relating to the jurisdiction of the Texas Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals.

HB 933 amends Texas law to clarify that the Texas Supreme Court has jurisdiction in specific criminal cases involving conflicts between courts, as defined by Section 22.001(a-1) of the Government Code. This change directly affects the Texas Supreme Court and the Court of Criminal Appeals by establishing when the Supreme Court may review criminal matters. The bill adjusts Article 4.01 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to explicitly include the Supreme Court in the list of courts with criminal jurisdiction under these conflict circumstances. It does not alter the Court of Criminal Appeals' primary role in handling death penalty appeals or most criminal appeals.

in committee · Texas · House May 9, 2025

HB 5447: Relating to the calculation of certain ad valorem tax rates.

HB 5447 requires local taxing units (like cities and counties) to use electronic forms for calculating property tax rates. The bill mandates that these forms must be fillable, verify calculations against official appraisal rolls or value estimates, integrate with state property tax databases, and include hyperlinks to documents supporting non-mathematical entries. It applies to tax rate calculations for tax years starting January 1, 2026, and affects how local officials determine "no-new-revenue" and voter-approved tax rates. The changes aim to standardize and verify tax calculations through digital processes.

in committee · Texas · House May 9, 2025

HB 3323: Relating to the responsibilities of the tabulation supervisor of a central counting station; providing a civil penalty

HB 3323 requires tabulation supervisors at Texas central counting stations to be trained on ballot-tabulating equipment and either registered voters in the area or employees of the local political subdivision. It mandates continuous ballot counting until all ballots are processed and imposes a $500 civil penalty for supervisors who fail to comply with these requirements. The bill directly affects individuals appointed as tabulation supervisors at central counting stations, making them personally liable for the penalty. This amendment to the Election Code creates a specific enforcement mechanism for election administration procedures without changing broader voting rules.

in committee · Texas · House May 9, 2025

HB 1663: Relating to a credit or refund for diesel fuel taxes paid on diesel fuel used in this state by auxiliary power units or power take-off equipment.

HB 1663 would allow businesses and individuals in Texas to claim a credit or refund for diesel fuel taxes paid on diesel used specifically for auxiliary power units (APUs, like those powering air conditioning without running the main engine) or power take-off (PTO) equipment on motor vehicles. The credit applies only to fuel used for these auxiliary purposes, not for climate control systems (e.g., passenger comfort) or idling. Claimants can use a separate meter to measure fuel usage or, if no meter exists, a percentage of total fuel consumption (determined by the state comptroller) to calculate the refund amount. The bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Texas · House May 9, 2025

HB 3797: Relating to the terminology used to refer to certain assessment instruments administered to public school students.

HB 3797 updates terminology and rules for standardized assessments in Texas public schools. It allows students to use scores from AP, IB, SAT, ACT, or similar nationally recognized tests to satisfy end-of-course assessment requirements instead of taking the standard exams. Students who fail the PSAT or PreACT must take the required end-of-course exam, while others may retake the test or take the standard exam. The bill also establishes new academic distinction designations for school districts based on student performance on these assessments. This directly affects Texas public school students and districts in determining course credit and academic recognition.

Topics ✓ Education

in committee · Texas · House May 9, 2025

HB 1937: Relating to certain tax and fee collection procedures and taxpayer suits.

HB 1937 amends Texas tax code provisions to clarify record-keeping requirements for taxpayers disputing assessments and adjust penalty rules for unpaid taxes. It requires taxpayers to provide specific records (like invoices, contracts, or electronic documents) to support claims in tax disputes, and waives penalties for disputed amounts if a lawsuit is filed within deadlines. The bill also creates a new process allowing taxpayers to bypass standard redetermination hearings for "managed audits" by filing a detailed notice within 60 days of receiving audit results, enabling direct court challenges. This directly affects taxpayers contesting tax assessments from managed audits and the Texas comptroller’s office handling these cases.

in committee · Texas · House May 9, 2025

HB 4272: Relating to the relocation or adjustment of certain facilities for certain municipal projects.

HB 4272 amends Texas Utilities Code to change how municipalities can require utility relocations for street projects. It allows cities to mandate telecom utilities and franchise holders (like cable companies) to move facilities in public right-of-ways at the municipality's expense, rather than the utility's, when widening streets or accommodating other municipal projects. The bill requires municipalities to give 30 days' notice and specify the new facility location. This applies to projects like road widening and takes effect September 1, 2025. The bill directly affects municipal infrastructure planning and utility companies operating in Texas.

Topics ✓ Transportation

in committee · Texas · House May 9, 2025

HB 4097: Relating to the penalty for noncompliance with certain audit requirements by a municipality.

HB 4097 requires Texas municipalities to complete annual financial audits and file the results by the 180th day after their fiscal year ends. If a municipality misses this deadline, it cannot adopt a property tax rate higher than its "no-new-revenue tax rate" for the current and subsequent tax years until it complies. This applies to all cities and towns required to conduct audits under state law. The bill imposes a direct financial penalty by restricting tax increases for noncompliant municipalities, effective September 1, 2025. It does not create new audit requirements but adds enforcement for existing obligations under Local Government Code Section 103.001.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

in committee · Texas · House May 9, 2025

HB 1787: Relating to the establishment of a higher education plan for human papillomavirus education and prevention.

HB 1787 requires the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to create a state plan and educational program focused on human papillomavirus (HPV) prevention, education, and treatment for students at Texas colleges and universities. The plan must address disproportionate impacts on specific demographic groups, incorporate input from health advocates and agencies, and be updated every five years. The program will include campus health education, public awareness campaigns, and online resources detailing HPV prevention, detection, treatment options, risk factors, and transmission methods. This bill directly affects all students enrolled in Texas institutions of higher education by promoting targeted health information and services.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Bill results