BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 3371 By: Metcalf State Affairs Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill author has informed the committee that, while securing the southern border is a constitutional responsibility of the federal government, Texas taxpayers have borne the costs of doing so in recent years through state enforcement programs. In a letter sent to congressional leaders in January 2025, the governor stated that Texas has spent more than $11 billion to secure the border. To address this issue, H.B. 3371 authorizes the governor to submit an application for reimbursement to the U.S. Congress for expenses the state has incurred for activities related to border security. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 3371 amends the Government Code to authorize the governor to submit to the U.S. Congress an application for reimbursement requesting payment for expenses incurred by the state during a period specified in the application for activities related to securing the U.S. southern international border. The bill requires the application for reimbursement to include the amount of expenses incurred by the state during the specified period for which the state seeks reimbursement and to clearly provide that payment in full is due from the federal government as soon as practicable. The bill authorizes the attorney general, if the total amount requested in the submitted application is not paid within a reasonable period, to bring an action in the name of the state against the appropriate agency of the federal government to recover the amount due as stated in the application or any part of that amount that remains unpaid. Any amount received from the federal government under the bill's provisions must be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the general revenue fund. H.B. 3371 requires the initial application for reimbursement submitted by the governor to include a request for payment of at least the following amounts: $4,720,000,000 for the 2022-2023 state fiscal biennium; and $6,540,000,000 for the 2024-2025 state fiscal biennium. These provisions regarding minimum request amounts expire August 31, 2026. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 3371
By: Metcalf
State Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 3371
By: Metcalf
State Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill author has informed the committee that, while securing the southern border is a constitutional responsibility of the federal government, Texas taxpayers have borne the costs of doing so in recent years through state enforcement programs. In a letter sent to congressional leaders in January 2025, the governor stated that Texas has spent more than $11 billion to secure the border. To address this issue, H.B. 3371 authorizes the governor to submit an application for reimbursement to the U.S. Congress for expenses the state has incurred for activities related to border security.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 3371 amends the Government Code to authorize the governor to submit to the U.S. Congress an application for reimbursement requesting payment for expenses incurred by the state during a period specified in the application for activities related to securing the U.S. southern international border. The bill requires the application for reimbursement to include the amount of expenses incurred by the state during the specified period for which the state seeks reimbursement and to clearly provide that payment in full is due from the federal government as soon as practicable. The bill authorizes the attorney general, if the total amount requested in the submitted application is not paid within a reasonable period, to bring an action in the name of the state against the appropriate agency of the federal government to recover the amount due as stated in the application or any part of that amount that remains unpaid. Any amount received from the federal government under the bill's provisions must be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the general revenue fund. H.B. 3371 requires the initial application for reimbursement submitted by the governor to include a request for payment of at least the following amounts: $4,720,000,000 for the 2022-2023 state fiscal biennium; and $6,540,000,000 for the 2024-2025 state fiscal biennium. These provisions regarding minimum request amounts expire August 31, 2026.
EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The bill author has informed the committee that, while securing the southern border is a constitutional responsibility of the federal government, Texas taxpayers have borne the costs of doing so in recent years through state enforcement programs. In a letter sent to congressional leaders in January 2025, the governor stated that Texas has spent more than $11 billion to secure the border. To address this issue, H.B. 3371 authorizes the governor to submit an application for reimbursement to the U.S. Congress for expenses the state has incurred for activities related to border security.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 3371 amends the Government Code to authorize the governor to submit to the U.S. Congress an application for reimbursement requesting payment for expenses incurred by the state during a period specified in the application for activities related to securing the U.S. southern international border. The bill requires the application for reimbursement to include the amount of expenses incurred by the state during the specified period for which the state seeks reimbursement and to clearly provide that payment in full is due from the federal government as soon as practicable. The bill authorizes the attorney general, if the total amount requested in the submitted application is not paid within a reasonable period, to bring an action in the name of the state against the appropriate agency of the federal government to recover the amount due as stated in the application or any part of that amount that remains unpaid. Any amount received from the federal government under the bill's provisions must be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the general revenue fund.
H.B. 3371 requires the initial application for reimbursement submitted by the governor to include a request for payment of at least the following amounts:
$4,720,000,000 for the 2022-2023 state fiscal biennium; and
$6,540,000,000 for the 2024-2025 state fiscal biennium.
These provisions regarding minimum request amounts expire August 31, 2026.
EFFECTIVE DATE
On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.