Monitoring the SessionHB 228
Died in committee
The deposit duty first applies to the budget cycle starting September 1, 2027. The first required deposit comes 90 days after that cycle ends in 2029, well after the November 2026 election and more than two years after the session.
Delayed startInitial 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 allocation and deposit of certain surplus state revenue to the property tax relief fund for use in reducing school district maintenance and operations ad valorem taxes.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Half of any surplus over the estimate cuts school taxes. Well after the November 2026 election.
The bill orders the comptroller to move half of any extra state general revenue, above what the comptroller's two-year revenue estimate predicted, into the property tax relief fund after each budget cycle ends. That money can only go to the Texas Education Agency to lower the state compression percentage, which cuts school district maintenance and operations property taxes for homeowners and businesses. The rule starts with the budget cycle beginning September 1, 2027, so the first deposit would not happen until late 2029, and only if there is a surplus.
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 379 (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 379 (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 12, 2024 and referred to the House Appropriations committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
89R-HB228 · 2024-11-12
relating to the allocation and deposit of certain surplus state revenue to the property tax relief fund for use in reducing school district maintenance and operations ad valorem taxes.
Half of any surplus over the estimate cuts school taxes. Well after the November 2026 election.
The bill orders the comptroller to move half of any extra state general revenue, above what the comptroller's two-year revenue estimate predicted, into the property tax relief fund after each budget cycle ends. That money can only go to the Texas Education Agency to lower the state compression percentage, which cuts school district maintenance and operations property taxes for homeowners and businesses. The rule starts with the budget cycle beginning September 1, 2027, so the first deposit would not happen until late 2029, and only if there is a surplus.
[x] DELAYED STARTanalysis confidence 75%
The deposit duty first applies to the budget cycle starting September 1, 2027. The first required deposit comes 90 days after that cycle ends in 2029, well after the November 2026 election and more than two years after the session.
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
No verified beat found.
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 · 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.
$303,416.00
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.
TeamDerived 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.
$84,000.00
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.
TeamDerived 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.
$83,505.68
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.
TeamDerived 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.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
$303,416.00
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.
TeamDerived 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.
$84,000.00
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.
TeamDerived 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.
$83,505.68
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.
TeamDerived 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.
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. Cecil Bell, same lead author · Died in committee · same text
Introduced textLast action, Feb 23, 2023: Referred to Appropriations
Relating to the allocation and deposit of certain surplus state revenue to the property tax relief fund for use in reducing school district maintenance and operations ad valorem taxes.
Caption, 88R bill history
Texas House · Filed Nov 12, 2024
02/27/2025 H Referred to Appropriations: Feb 27 2025 11:13AM
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 · Appropriations · Final status: Died in committee
Education--Primary & Secondary--Finance
State Finances--Management & Control
Taxation--Property-Assessment & Collection
Taxation--School District
COMPTROLLER OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS
EDUCATION AGENCY, TEXAS
The text as introduced · 218 words
89R1249 KJE-D By: Bell of Montgomery H.B. No. 228 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the allocation and deposit of certain surplus state revenue to the property tax relief fund for use in reducing school district maintenance and operations ad valorem taxes. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 403.109, Government Code, is amended by adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows: (e) Not later than the 90th day after the last day of each state fiscal biennium, the comptroller shall deposit to the credit of the fund general revenue in an amount equal to one-half of the amount by which the total available general revenue for that biennium at the end of the biennium exceeds the amount of total available general revenue stated in the comptroller's biennial revenue estimate for that biennium. (f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, money deposited to the credit of the fund under Subsection (e) may be appropriated only to the Texas Education Agency for use in providing property tax relief through reduction of the state compression percentage, as defined by Section 48.255, Education Code. SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2027. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.