Monitoring the SessionHB 274
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 establishment of the District of Austin as the seat of state government.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Same boundaries as of January 1, 2025. Same debts, too.
The bill turns the City of Austin into a new legal entity called the District of Austin, named as the seat of state government, and keeps the city's boundaries as of January 1, 2025, along with its charter, ordinances, home-rule powers, money, property, contracts, lawsuits and debts. It touches Austin's city government and residents, and it adds one new duty: the district's governing body must send the lieutenant governor and the speaker notice of every charter change or ordinance it adopts or amends. On the ground, little changes day to day except the name and the notice rule, and it all depends on voters approving a separate constitutional amendment; it would take effect January 1, 2026.
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 714 by Rep. Patterson (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 714 by Rep. Patterson (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.
89R-HB274 · 2024-11-12
relating to the establishment of the District of Austin as the seat of state government.
Same boundaries as of January 1, 2025. Same debts, too.
The bill turns the City of Austin into a new legal entity called the District of Austin, named as the seat of state government, and keeps the city's boundaries as of January 1, 2025, along with its charter, ordinances, home-rule powers, money, property, contracts, lawsuits and debts. It touches Austin's city government and residents, and it adds one new duty: the district's governing body must send the lieutenant governor and the speaker notice of every charter change or ordinance it adopts or amends. On the ground, little changes day to day except the name and the notice rule, and it all depends on voters approving a separate constitutional amendment; it would take effect January 1, 2026.
[ ] NONE FOUND
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source
Fiscal note · version I · March 18, 2025
No first-year general revenue figure available here.
LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.
Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
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 · Oct 28, 2024 to May 28, 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.
$5,000.00
Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · on Jul 3, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Derived itemized flow · on Jul 3, 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: 101033926.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
$5,000.00
Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · on Jul 3, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Derived itemized flow · on Jul 3, 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: 101033926.
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source
Fiscal note · version I · March 18, 2025
No first-year general revenue figure available here.
LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.
Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
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. Patterson, different lead author · Died in committee · same text
Introduced textLast action, Feb 28, 2023: Referred to State Affairs
Relating to the establishment of the District of Austin as the seat of state government.
Caption, 88R bill history
Texas House · Filed Nov 12, 2024
03/26/2025 H Failed to receive affirmative vote in comm.
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 · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee
Enabling legislation for HJR 86.
DISTRICT OF AUSTIN (DK1LM)
AUSTIN, CITY OF
Constitutional Revision
Legislature
The text as introduced · 468 words
By: Cain H.B. No. 274 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the establishment of the District of Austin as the seat of state government. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Title 1, Local Government Code, is amended by adding Chapter 2 to read as follows: CHAPTER 2. DISTRICT OF AUSTIN Sec. 2.001. DISTRICT ESTABLISHED. (a) The District of Austin is created from the City of Austin in Travis County as the seat of state government. (b) In this chapter, "district" means the District of Austin. (c) A reference in law to the City of Austin means the district. Sec. 2.002. DISTRICT TERRITORY. (a) The territory of the district is initially composed of the territory in the boundaries of the City of Austin as those boundaries existed on January 1, 2025. (b) The boundaries of the district may be modified by the governing body of the district in the manner provided by law for a home-rule municipality. Sec. 2.003. GOVERNANCE AND POWERS. (a) The charter of the City of Austin and all ordinances adopted by the city and in effect as of January 1, 2026, are adopted as the initial laws of the district. (b) The district has the powers of a home-rule municipality. The district charter has the same force and effect and shall be treated the same in all respects as the charter of a home-rule municipality. Sec. 2.004. TRANSFERS AND ASSUMPTIONS. (a) Any action or proceeding before the City of Austin as of January 1, 2026, is transferred without change in status to the district, and the district assumes, without a change in status, the position of the city in any action or proceeding to which the city is a party. (b) All money, contracts, leases, and rights of the City of Austin held as of January 1, 2026, are transferred to the district. (c) All property, including records, in the custody of the City of Austin as of January 1, 2026, becomes the property of the district. (d) The district assumes all outstanding debts of the City of Austin as of January 1, 2026. Sec. 2.005. LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT. The governing body of the district shall submit to the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of representatives notice of each action taken by the governing body that adopts or amends the district's charter or an ordinance of the district. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026, but only if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, allowing the legislature to establish from all or part of Travis County the District of Austin to be the seat of state government is approved by the voters. If that amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act has no effect.