HB 1524

No Certificate Of Occupancy? Bell Bill Drops Fair Housing Cover

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Rep. Cecil Bell Jr.RHouse 3

Why it's charged

The hole

THE TEXT

…“by one or more families and has received a certificate of occupancy”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The new condition removes any home that lacks a certificate of occupancy from the Act's definition of dwelling. That takes those homes out of the Act's protections. The caption says only "certain definitions" and does not flag that coverage shrinks.

The hole

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

Caption

relating to certain definitions applicable to the Texas Fair Housing Act.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Caption: “certain definitions.” Bill: no certificate of occupancy, no dwelling, no housing discrimination rules.

The bill changes two definitions in the Texas Fair Housing Act. It adds a definition of a "bona fide offer" as a good-faith, legally binding offer, including a lump sum offer or earnest money deposit, and it narrows "dwelling" to structures that have received a certificate of occupancy. Buildings without a certificate of occupancy would no longer count as dwellings under the Act, so its housing discrimination rules would not reach them, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Dec 5, 2024 and referred to the House Trade, Workforce & Economic Development committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1524 · 2024-12-05

SOLD BY

Rep. Cecil Bell Jr.RHouse 3

ITEM

relating to certain definitions applicable to the Texas Fair Housing Act.

WHAT IT DOES

Caption: “certain definitions.” Bill: no certificate of occupancy, no dwelling, no housing discrimination rules.

CHARGES

[x] THE HOLEanalysis confidence 45%

THE TEXT

…“by one or more families and has received a certificate of occupancy”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Dec 5, 2024Filed
Mar 12, 2025Read first time
Mar 12, 2025Referred to Trade, Workforce & Economic Development

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Cecil Bell Jr.

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$303K DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN$84K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$84K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Aug 30, 2024 to Apr 2, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$303,416.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$303,416.00

Cash: $77,500.00
Paid by others: $225,916.00
Total: $303,416.00

mail $151,916.00advertising $57,250.00polling $16,750.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 14, 2024 to Mar 3, 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: 101012348, 101016762, 101032999, 101036177, 101041213, 101061435.

DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN$84,000.00

DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN

$84,000.00

Cash: $75,000.00
Paid by others: $9,000.00
Total: $84,000.00

polling $9,000.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 29, 2025 to Jan 27, 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: 101032999, 101036177, 101041213.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$83,505.68

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$83,505.68

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $83,505.68
Total: $83,505.68

canvassing $50,000.00Other filed descriptions $24,666.67polling $7,750.00texting $1,089.01

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Feb 9, 2026 to Mar 3, 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: 101041213, 101061435.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$303,416.00

Cash: $77,500.00
Paid by others: $225,916.00
Total: $303,416.00

mail $151,916.00advertising $57,250.00polling $16,750.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 14, 2024 to Mar 3, 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: 101012348, 101016762, 101032999, 101036177, 101041213, 101061435.

DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN

$84,000.00

Cash: $75,000.00
Paid by others: $9,000.00
Total: $84,000.00

polling $9,000.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 29, 2025 to Jan 27, 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: 101032999, 101036177, 101041213.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$83,505.68

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $83,505.68
Total: $83,505.68

canvassing $50,000.00Other filed descriptions $24,666.67polling $7,750.00texting $1,089.01

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Feb 9, 2026 to Mar 3, 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: 101041213, 101061435.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Dec 5, 2024

03/12/2025 H Referred to Trade, Workforce & Economic Development: Mar 12 2025 11:15AM

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 · Trade, Workforce & Economic Development · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Housing--General

Property Interests--Real Property

Text

The text as introduced · 166 words

89R5316 JG-D

By: Bell of Montgomery
H.B. No. 1524

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to certain definitions applicable to the Texas Fair

Housing Act.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 301.003, Property Code, is amended by

adding Subdivision (1-a) and amending Subdivision (8) to read as

follows:

(1-a) "Bona fide offer" means an offer made in good

faith without deceitful motives and that is legally binding on the

parties. The term includes a lump sum offer and an earnest money

deposit.

(8) "Dwelling" means any:

(A) structure or part of a structure that is

occupied as, or designed or intended for occupancy as, a residence

by one or more families and has received a certificate of occupancy ;

or

(B) vacant land that is offered for sale or lease

for the construction or location of a structure or part of a

structure described by Paragraph (A).

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.