The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Texas bans local agencies from using non-objective criteria in contractor selections
Last action · August 15, 2025: FiledSponsor: Cecil Bell
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What This Bill Proposed
Local government agencies in Texas are prohibited from considering factors outside of legal requirements or objective measures related to cost, quality, reliability, or legal compliance when procuring goods or services. The measure bans giving bid preferences based on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria unless directly related to the contract. The attorney general is empowered to investigate complaints, direct agencies to remove prohibited criteria or terminate violating contracts, and seek .
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.
local governmental agencies
Local agencies must restrict their contractor selection criteria to objective factors, publish selection criteria in public bid documents, and comply with attorney general directives regarding contract termination.
contractors
Contractors bidding on local government projects are evaluated under newly standardized objective criteria without non-statutory environmental, social, or governance preferences.
attorney general
The attorney general is assigned authority to review reported violations, direct agencies to remove criteria or terminate contracts, and bring enforcement actions in court.
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
What kind of criteria can local agencies use to select contractors under this bill?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · introduced in the House.
Procedural history
1 action- 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
Connected Entities
Sources
capitol.texas.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy65Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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