All Roll Calls
Yes: 282 • No: 145
TexasHB 3089th Legislature Regular SessionHouseWALLET
Relating to the effect of a disaster and associated costs on the calculation of certain tax rates and the procedure for adoption of a tax rate by a taxing unit.
Sponsored By: Paul Bettencourt (Republican), Morgan Meyer, Candy Noble, Tom Oliverson, Carl H. Tepper, Ellen Troxclair
Signed by Governor
Disaster Preparedness & ReliefTaxation--Property-Assessment & CollectionTaxation--Property-Tax Rate
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Taxpayers keep a tax election safeguard
Beginning with property-tax years starting January 1, 2026, the law removes one route for adopting higher taxes without an election. It repeals the former disaster rule allowing a taxing unit to exceed its voter-approval rate without an election. This preserves an election safeguard for affected taxpayers. The repeal does not itself set a tax rate or change a household’s tax bill.
Disaster tax increases face recovery limits
Beginning with property-tax years starting January 1, 2026, eligible Texas local governments can use a disaster-related tax-rate calculation. School districts and special taxing units are excluded. Part of the taxing unit must have a governor- or president-declared disaster during the current tax year. At least one property owner there must receive a Section 11.35 disaster property-tax exemption. The calculation changes the tax-rate threshold for voter approval, not the actual rate, and can allow higher household tax bills. The threshold is the lower of the rate calculated for a special taxing unit or this sum: 103.5% of the no-new-revenue operating rate, plus debt, unused-increment, and disaster-relief rates. The disaster-relief rate equals the unit’s disaster costs divided by current taxable value minus new property value, expressed per $100. Covered costs include the unit’s share of debris removal and emergency help, such as shelter, rescue, medical care, and emergency-worker overtime. Governments must use federal cost-estimation methods when practical and available, and promptly send locally prepared estimates to the Texas Division of Emergency Management. The method ends at the earlier of tax-base recovery above its January 1 disaster-year value or the third tax year after the disaster. A rate adopted under the covered disaster rules cannot carry its excess over that year’s voter-approval rate into next year’s calculation. Governments using the covered disaster options must identify the disaster declaration supporting their action. They cannot reuse that declaration in a later year after relying on a different declaration.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Paul Bettencourt
Republican • Senate
Morgan Meyer
House
Candy Noble
House
Tom Oliverson
House
Carl H. Tepper
House
Ellen Troxclair
House
Cosponsors
Daniel Alders
House
Greg Bonnen
House
David Cook
House
Creighton
Affiliation unavailable
Mano DeAyala
House
Caroline Harris Davila
House
Carrie Isaac
House
Helen Kerwin
House
Joanne Shofner
House
Steve Toth
House
Cody Vasut
House
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 5/15/2025
Record vote
Yes: 22 • No: 9
Senate vote • 5/15/2025
Record vote
Yes: 25 • No: 6
Senate vote • 5/15/2025
Record vote
Yes: 22 • No: 9
Senate vote • 5/15/2025
Record vote
Yes: 22 • No: 9
House vote • 5/8/2025
Record vote
Yes: 95 • No: 51
House vote • 5/7/2025
Record vote
Yes: 83 • No: 55
Senate vote • Unknown
Committee vote: Local Government
Yes: 5 • No: 1
House vote • Unknown
Committee vote: Ways & Means
Yes: 8 • No: 5
Bill Text
Engrossed
Enrolled
House Committee Report
Introduced
Senate Committee Report
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