The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Texas Bill Requires Voter Approval for Disaster-Related Local Property Tax Increases
Last action · August 20, 2025: Referred to Ways & MeansSponsor: Jay Dean
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What This Bill Proposed
Local s other than school districts that adopted certain disaster-related tax rate increases between May 28, 2025, and December 31, 2025, must secure voter approval within 30 days to continue imposing the rate. If voters reject the rate or no election is held, the tax rate automatically reverts to the level in effect prior to the disaster-related increase.
Property owners in affected local jurisdictions face automatic tax rate rollbacks unless a public election is successfully held within a tight 30-day window following the initial rate adoption.
- House Bill 101 was introduced during the 89th legislative session in Texas to address local government property tax increases adopted under disaster declarations. context
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
taxing units other than school districts
Local governments that adopted disaster-related tax increases must hold a public election within 30 days or face an automatic rate rollback.
local property taxpayers
Taxpayers receive the right to vote on disaster-related tax rate increases and benefit from automatic rate reversions if approval is not obtained.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which local entities are covered by this requirement?
What happens if a local government does not hold an election within 30 days?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
3 actions- Aug 20, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to Ways & Means
- Aug 20, 2025HouseIntroducedRead first time
- Aug 15, 2025HouseIntroducedFiled
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Mandatory Voter Referendums for Disaster Tax Rates
The bill introduces a strict 30-day timeline for local taxing units to validate disaster-related property tax increases through public elections.
Sources
capitol.texas.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy60Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz35Current news / social attention level
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