Monitoring the Session

HB 2372

bill letting water districts pay peace officers from O&M taxes

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Jared PattersonRHouse 106

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 authority of certain special districts to use operation and maintenance ad valorem tax funds to pay the costs of contracting for or employing peace officers.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Peace officer costs join the operation and maintenance list.

The bill adds peace officer costs to the list of things a water district may pay for out of its operation and maintenance property tax. It touches special districts governed by Chapter 49 of the Water Code, such as utility districts, and the people who pay taxes to them. On the ground, these districts could use their maintenance tax money to contract for or hire police officers.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 3, 2025 and referred to the House Natural Resources committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2372 · 2025-02-03

SOLD BY

Rep. Jared PattersonRHouse 106

ITEM

relating to the authority of certain special districts to use operation and maintenance ad valorem tax funds to pay the costs of contracting for or employing peace officers.

WHAT IT DOES

Peace officer costs join the operation and maintenance list.

The bill adds peace officer costs to the list of things a water district may pay for out of its operation and maintenance property tax. It touches special districts governed by Chapter 49 of the Water Code, such as utility districts, and the people who pay taxes to them. On the ground, these districts could use their maintenance tax money to contract for or hire police officers.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 7, 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 Natural Resources
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. No action taken in committee
FILED UNDER

DEBT AND SPECIAL DISTRICTS

THE TEXT

…“and costs of contracting for or employing peace officers”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill widens what special districts may spend their maintenance property tax on to include contracting for or employing peace officers.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Jared Patterson

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$133KTexas Sands PAC$85KTexas Conservative Majority PAC$58K

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 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$132,750.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$132,750.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$32,750.00
Total
$132,750.00
polling $32,750.00

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 · Jun 25, 2025 to Oct 7, 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: 100996442, 101018590, 101035748, 101067950, 101072483.

Texas Sands PAC$84,800.00

Texas Sands PAC

$84,800.00

Cash
$68,000.00
Paid by others
$16,800.00
Total
$84,800.00
polling $16,800.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 4, 2024 to Oct 15, 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: 100976997, 101018590, 101035748, 101072483.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$57,950.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$57,950.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$57,950.00
Total
$57,950.00
canvassing $35,000.00polling $22,950.00

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 12, 2026 to Sep 22, 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: 101035748, 101067950.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$132,750.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$32,750.00
Total
$132,750.00
polling $32,750.00

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 · Jun 25, 2025 to Oct 7, 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: 100996442, 101018590, 101035748, 101067950, 101072483.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$84,800.00

Cash
$68,000.00
Paid by others
$16,800.00
Total
$84,800.00
polling $16,800.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 4, 2024 to Oct 15, 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: 100976997, 101018590, 101035748, 101072483.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$57,950.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$57,950.00
Total
$57,950.00
canvassing $35,000.00polling $22,950.00

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 12, 2026 to Sep 22, 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: 101035748, 101067950.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 7, 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 Feb 3, 2025

04/09/2025 H No action taken in committee

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

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

House committee · Natural Resources · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 1599 by Hagenbuch (identical)

Subjects

Fire Fighters & Police--General

Law Enforcement

Special Districts & Authorities--Water & Utility

PEACE OFFICERS

Text

The text as introduced · 181 words

89R3834 MP-D

By: Patterson
H.B. No. 2372

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of certain special districts to use

operation and maintenance ad valorem tax funds to pay the costs of

contracting for or employing peace officers.

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

SECTION 1. Section 49.107(a), Water Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) A district may levy and collect a tax for operation and

maintenance purposes, including funds for planning, constructing,

acquiring, maintaining, repairing, and operating all necessary

land, plants, works, facilities, improvements, appliances, and

equipment of the district and for paying costs of proper services,

engineering and legal fees, [ and ] organization and administrative

expenses , and costs of contracting for or employing peace officers .

SECTION 2. 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.