Monitoring the Session

HB 1646

bill lets emergency district staff spend $50,000 without a vote

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. John LujanRHouse 118

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 the amount of an expenditure that may be paid by an emergency services district employee without board approval.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Up from $2,000, for bonded employees the board authorizes.

The bill raises the amount a bonded emergency services district employee can spend without a board vote from $2,000 to $50,000. It touches emergency services districts, their boards and the employees the board authorizes to sign checks. Starting September 1, 2025, district staff can pay bills up to $50,000 on their own signature, and only spending above that must go to the board for approval.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1646 · 2024-12-17

SOLD BY

Rep. John LujanRHouse 118 Rep. Will MetcalfRHouse 16

ITEM

relating to the amount of an expenditure that may be paid by an emergency services district employee without board approval.

WHAT IT DOES

Up from $2,000, for bonded employees the board authorizes.

The bill raises the amount a bonded emergency services district employee can spend without a board vote from $2,000 to $50,000. It touches emergency services districts, their boards and the employees the board authorizes to sign checks. Starting September 1, 2025, district staff can pay bills up to $50,000 on their own signature, and only spending above that must go to the board for approval.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 21, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to s/c on County & Regional Government by Speaker
  4. Scheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
  5. Considered by s/c in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
  7. Left pending in subcommittee
  8. Recalled from subcommittee
  9. Considered in formal meeting
  10. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  11. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  12. Committee report distributed
  13. Committee report sent to Calendars
  14. Considered in Calendars
  15. Placed on General State Calendar
  16. Read 2nd time
  17. Postponed 5/10/25 10:00 AM
  18. Laid out as postponed business
  19. Passed to engrossment
  20. Record vote RV#2079
  21. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  22. Read 3rd time
  23. Passed
  24. Record vote RV#2128
  25. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  26. Reported engrossed
  27. Received from the House
  28. Read first time
  29. Referred to Local Government
  30. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  31. No action taken in committee
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 106 yea · 31 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 12, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

John Lujan

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$305KGreg Abbott Campaign$92KDealon, LLC$25K

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 · Oct 28, 2024 to Jul 30, 2025. 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$305,300.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$305,300.00

Cash
$305,000.00
Paid by others
$300.00
Total
$305,300.00
fundraiser $300.00

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 · Oct 29, 2024 to Jun 27, 2025. 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: 100977051, 101012920.

Greg Abbott Campaign$91,570.37

Greg Abbott Campaign

$91,570.37

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$91,570.37
Total
$91,570.37
digital $42,596.82canvassing $41,351.50texting $7,403.50travel $218.55

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 29, 2024 to Sep 2, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Nov 13, 2024. 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: 100977051.

Dealon, LLC$25,000.00

Dealon, LLC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

Also funds 4 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 30, 2024. 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: 100977051.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$305,300.00

Cash
$305,000.00
Paid by others
$300.00
Total
$305,300.00
fundraiser $300.00

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 · Oct 29, 2024 to Jun 27, 2025. 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: 100977051, 101012920.

×

Greg Abbott Campaign

$91,570.37

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$91,570.37
Total
$91,570.37
digital $42,596.82canvassing $41,351.50texting $7,403.50travel $218.55

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 29, 2024 to Sep 2, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 29, 2024 to Nov 13, 2024. 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: 100977051.

×

Dealon, LLC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

Also funds 4 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 28, 2024 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 30, 2024. 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: 100977051.

Votes2

House May 12, 2025

Yea
106
Nay
31
Present, not voting
1
Absent
9
Excused
3
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 2128

HB 1646 was passed by (Record 2128): 106 Yeas, 31 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 106 (published)
  • Nay: 31 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 1 (published)
  • Absent: 9 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

House May 10, 2025

Yea
78
Nay
41
Present, not voting
3
Absent
2
Excused
26
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 2079

HB 1646 was passed to engrossment by (Record 2079): 78 Yeas, 41 Nays, 3 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 78 (published)
  • Nay: 41 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 3 (published)
  • Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 26 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses12
For
9
Against
3
On
0
Names

For

  • Bexar County Emergency Service District No. 21 registration
  • Self2 registrations
  • Self; Barnes Business1 registration
  • Self; Bexar County Emergency Services Distrists Association1 registration
  • Self; Lake Travis Fire Rescue / Travis Co ESD 61 registration
  • Texas Fire Chiefs Association1 registration
  • Texas State Association of Fire and Emergency Districts1 registration
  • Travis County Fire Rescue1 registration

Against

  • Conference of Urban Counties1 registration
  • County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas1 registration
  • Self1 registration
Sources

12 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 21, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

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 17, 2024

05/22/2025 S No action taken in committee

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Sponsors
Adam HinojosaRSenate 27

House committee · Intergovernmental Affairs · Committee vote 6 aye, 3 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Local Government · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 2778 by Hinojosa, Adam (identical)

Subjects

Health--Emergency Services & Personnel

Special Districts & Authorities--Miscellaneous

Text

The text as introduced · 191 words

89R4154 MCF-D

By: Lujan
H.B. No. 1646

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the amount of an expenditure that may be paid by an

emergency services district employee without board approval.

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

SECTION 1. Section 775.073(b), Health and Safety Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(b) The board by resolution may allow a district employee

who has executed a bond in an amount equal to the amount required

for the district treasurer to sign an instrument to disburse

district funds. An expenditure of more than $50,000 [ $2,000 ] may

not be paid unless the expenditure is presented to the board and the

board approves the expenditure.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to a purchase made on or after the effective date of this Act. A

purchase made before the effective date of this Act is governed by

the law as it existed immediately before the effective date of this

Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.