Monitoring the SessionHB 1286
Died in committee
Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
relating to the award of attorney's fees to a prevailing property owner in a judicial appeal of certain ad valorem tax determinations.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Up from $15,000 or 20 percent. Some homestead wins get fees with no cap at all!
The bill lets property owners who win a court appeal of any appraisal motion or protest ask for attorney's fees, not just the few kinds of appeals listed in current law. It raises the fee cap from the greater of $15,000 or 20 percent of the tax savings to the greater of $25,000 or 50 percent, and drops the $100,000 ceiling while keeping a cap equal to the total tax savings. Homeowners who win an appeal under Section 42.25 or 42.26 on their residence homestead get fees with no cap at all, for appeals filed after the bill takes effect.
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 1956 (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 1956 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 13, 2024 and referred to the House Ways & Means subcommittee on Property Tax Appraisals. No public hearing. The bill died.
89R-HB1286 · 2024-11-13
+ 1 coauthor
relating to the award of attorney's fees to a prevailing property owner in a judicial appeal of certain ad valorem tax determinations.
Up from $15,000 or 20 percent. Some homestead wins get fees with no cap at all!
The bill lets property owners who win a court appeal of any appraisal motion or protest ask for attorney's fees, not just the few kinds of appeals listed in current law. It raises the fee cap from the greater of $15,000 or 20 percent of the tax savings to the greater of $25,000 or 50 percent, and drops the $100,000 ceiling while keeping a cap equal to the total tax savings. Homeowners who win an appeal under Section 42.25 or 42.26 on their residence homestead get fees with no cap at all, for appeals filed after the bill takes effect.
[ ] NONE FOUND
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
PROPERTY TAX RELIEF THAT ISN'T
THE TEXT
“the property owner qualifies the property as the owner's residence homestead.”
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill makes it cheaper for property owners, and fully fee-free for homestead owners in certain appeals, to fight appraisal values in court.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Not tied to this bill.
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Nov 5, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
$100,000.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamDerived itemized flow · Jun 26, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101004598, 101020024, 101055554, 101067438, 101071413.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
$100,000.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamDerived itemized flow · Jun 26, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101004598, 101020024, 101055554, 101067438, 101071413.
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.
by Rep. Geren, same lead author · Died in committee · same text
Introduced textLast action, May 9, 2023: Referred to Local Government
Relating to the award of attorney's fees to a prevailing property owner in a judicial appeal of certain ad valorem tax determinations.
Caption, 88R bill history
Texas House · Filed Nov 13, 2024
03/10/2025 H Referred to s/c on Property Tax Appraisals by Speaker: Mar 10 2025 2:24PM
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Ways & Means · Final status: Died in committee
Property Interests--Homestead
Taxation--Property-Appeal of Tax Decisions
ATTORNEY'S FEES
The text as introduced · 446 words
By: Geren H.B. No. 1286 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the award of attorney's fees to a prevailing property owner in a judicial appeal of certain ad valorem tax determinations. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 42.29, Tax Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 42.29. ATTORNEY'S FEES. (a) A property owner who prevails in an appeal to the court under this chapter of a determination of a motion under Chapter 25 or of a protest under Chapter 41 [ Section 42.25 or 42.26, in an appeal to the court of a determination of an appraisal review board on a motion filed under Section 25.25, or in an appeal to the court of a determination of an appraisal review board of a protest of the denial in whole or in part of an exemption under Section 11.17, 11.22, 11.23, 11.231, or 11.24 ] may be awarded reasonable attorney's fees. Except as provided by Subsection (c) and subject to Subsection (b) , the [ The ] amount of the award may not exceed the greater of: (1) $25,000 [ $15,000 ]; or (2) 50 [ 20 ] percent of the total amount by which the property owner's tax liability is reduced as a result of the appeal. (b) Except as provided by [ Notwithstanding ] Subsection (c) [ (a) ], the amount of an award of attorney's fees to the prevailing property owner may not exceed [ the lesser of: [ (1) $100,000; or [ (2) ] the total amount by which the property owner's tax liability is reduced as a result of the appeal. (c) The amount of an award of attorney's fees to the prevailing property owner is not subject to a limitation imposed by this section if: (1) the property owner prevails in an appeal under Section 42.25 or 42.26; and (2) the property owner qualifies the property as the owner's residence homestead. SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to an appeal filed under Chapter 42, Tax Code, on or after the effective date of this Act. An appeal filed under Chapter 42, Tax Code, before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when the appeal was filed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
