The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Texas HB 105 restricts local government debt issuance by excluding hospital districts, limiting public works definitions, and shortening certificate maturity periods
Last action · July 17, 2025: FiledSponsor: Carl Tepper
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What This Bill Proposed
Texas HB 105 narrows the definition of local governments permitted to issue by removing hospital districts, scales back eligible projects, and prohibits the issuance of certificates for historic structure restoration or hotel facilities. The measure also shortens the maximum maturity period for these certificates from 40 to 30 years and lowers the voter petition threshold required to trigger a mandatory bond election from five percent to two percent of registered voters.
Local municipalities and counties face stricter statutory boundaries and shorter repayment timelines when financing public projects through debt certificates, while local residents gain a lower signature threshold to force public referendums on proposed debt issuances.
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.
Municipalities and Counties
Local governments face stricter limitations on project types, shorter repayment periods, and lower voter petition thresholds for issuing debt certificates.
Hospital Districts
Hospital districts are completely removed from the legal definition of issuers, stripping them of the authority to issue certificates of obligation.
Registered Voters and Local Taxpayers
Residents gain an easier pathway to challenge local debt issuances by lowering the required petition signature threshold from five percent to two percent.
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 governments are affected by this bill?
How does the bill change the rules for public voter petitions?
Can certificates of obligation still be used to build or renovate sports stadiums or hotels?
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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- Jul 17, 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.
Restriction of Local Debt Scope
The legislation systematically narrows the types of facilities local governments can build using certificates of obligation by removing administrative buildings, recreational spaces, and commercial venues.
Connected Entities
Sources
capitol.texas.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy45Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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