Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB5303 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R12983 DRS-D
2	2	By: Troxclair H.B. No. 5303
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the vote required by the governing body of a taxing unit
10	10	to adopt an ad valorem tax rate that exceeds the voter-approval tax
11	11	rate or authorize the issuance of tax bonds.
12	12	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	13	SECTION 1. Chapter 1253, Government Code, is amended by
14	14	adding Section 1253.004 to read as follows:
15	15	Sec. 1253.004. SUPERMAJORITY VOTE OF GOVERNING BODY
16	16	REQUIRED TO APPROVE GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS. Notwithstanding any
17	17	other law, a political subdivision may not issue general obligation
18	18	bonds unless at least 60 percent of the members of the governing
19	19	body of the political subdivision vote in favor of issuing the bonds
20	20	in the manner prescribed by law for official action by the governing
21	21	body.
22	22	SECTION 2. Chapter 26, Tax Code, is amended by adding
23	23	Section 26.0502 to read as follows:
24	24	Sec. 26.0502. ADOPTION OF PROPOSED TAX RATE THAT EXCEEDS
25	25	VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE FOLLOWING ELECTION. (a) This section
26	26	applies only to the adoption of an annual tax rate that exceeds the
27	27	voter-approval rate by a taxing unit for the tax year following a
28	28	tax year in which a proposition to approve a tax rate that exceeds
29	29	the voter-approval rate was not approved by the voters in an
30	30	election required by Section 26.07 or Section 26.08.
31	31	(b) Notwithstanding any other law, a taxing unit may not
32	32	adopt an annual tax rate that exceeds the voter-approval tax rate
33	33	unless at least 80 percent of the members of the governing body of
34	34	the taxing unit by record vote approve the ordinance, resolution,
35	35	or order setting the tax rate.
36	36	SECTION 3. Subchapter H, Chapter 49, Water Code, is amended
37	37	by adding Section 49.23604 to read as follows:
38	38	Sec. 49.23604. ADOPTION OF PROPOSED TAX RATE THAT EXCEEDS
39	39	VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE FOLLOWING ELECTION. (a) This section
40	40	applies only to the adoption of an ad valorem tax rate for a
41	41	district for the tax year following a tax year in which a
42	42	proposition to approve a tax rate for the district was not approved
43	43	by the voters in an election required by Section 49.23601,
44	44	49.23602, or 49.23603.
45	45	(b) Notwithstanding any other law, unless at least 80
46	46	percent of the members of the board of a district vote in favor of
47	47	adopting the tax rate, the board of a district may not adopt a
48	48	combined debt service, contract, and operation and maintenance tax
49	49	rate that exceeds:
50	50	(1) the voter-approval tax rate as determined under
51	51	Section 49.23601(a), for a district described by Section
52	52	49.23601(b);
53	53	(2) the mandatory tax election rate as determined
54	54	under Section 49.23602(a), for a district described by Section
55	55	49.23602(b); or
56	56	(3) the voter-approval tax rate as determined under
57	57	Section 49.23603(a), for a district described by Section
58	58	49.23603(b).
59	59	SECTION 4. Section 1253.004, Government Code, as added by
60	60	this Act, applies only to general obligation bonds authorized to be
61	61	issued by the governing body of a political subdivision on or after
62	62	the effective date of this Act.
63	63	SECTION 5. Section 26.0502, Tax Code, and Section 49.23604,
64	64	Water Code, as added by this Act, apply only to a tax year that
65	65	begins on or after the effective date of this Act.
66	66	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.