HB 2889
bill making governments fund bond opponents
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
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 requiring political subdivisions to provide funding for communications from opponents of bond measures of the political subdivision.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Spend on a bond mailer, give opponents an equal amount on request.
When a city, county, school district or other local government spends public money on a factual communication about one of its bond measures, it must give an equal amount of money, on request, to a person who opposes the bond. The opponent may use that money only for a communication that factually describes the bond's purposes, under the same state rules that bar local officials from using public money for political advertising. Bond opponents gain access to matching public money starting September 1, 2025, but they cannot use it to campaign against the bond.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 14, 2025 and referred to the House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB2889 · 2025-02-14
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to requiring political subdivisions to provide funding for communications from opponents of bond measures of the political subdivision.
WHAT IT DOES
Spend on a bond mailer, give opponents an equal amount on request.
When a city, county, school district or other local government spends public money on a factual communication about one of its bond measures, it must give an equal amount of money, on request, to a person who opposes the bond. The opponent may use that money only for a communication that factually describes the bond's purposes, under the same state rules that bar local officials from using public money for political advertising. Bond opponents gain access to matching public money starting September 1, 2025, but they cannot use it to campaign against the bond.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Services
- Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
FILED UNDER
THE TEXT
…“shall provide upon request an equal amount of money to a person who opposes the adoption of the bond measure”…
Bill text, introduced version (I)
The bill changes how local bond elections are funded by requiring matching public money for bond opponents' communications.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
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 29, 2024 to Oct 24, 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.
American Fireworks$26,000.00
American Fireworks
$26,000.00
- Cash
- $0.00
- Paid by others
- $26,000.00
- Total
- $26,000.00
Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 4, 2025 to Jul 3, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · Jul 4, 2025 to Jul 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: 101062888, 101069223.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$20,083.33
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$20,083.33
- Cash
- $20,000.00
- Paid by others
- $83.33
- Total
- $20,083.33
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 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: 101011492, 101062888, 101070788.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
American Fireworks
$26,000.00
- Cash
- $0.00
- Paid by others
- $26,000.00
- Total
- $26,000.00
Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 4, 2025 to Jul 3, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · Jul 4, 2025 to Jul 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: 101062888, 101069223.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$20,083.33
- Cash
- $20,000.00
- Paid by others
- $83.33
- Total
- $20,083.33
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 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: 101011492, 101062888, 101070788.
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 Feb 14, 2025
05/05/2025 H Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
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 · Pensions, Investments & Financial Services · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
City Government--General
County Government--General
Education--School Districts
Elections--General
BONDS
Text
The text as introduced · 194 words
89R8690 DRS-D By: Isaac H.B. No. 2889 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to requiring political subdivisions to provide funding for communications from opponents of bond measures of the political subdivision. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 140, Local Government Code, is amended by adding Section 140.014 to read as follows: Sec. 140.014. EQUAL FUNDING TO BOND MEASURE OPPONENTS. (a) To support the state purpose of ensuring fair and honest elections, a political subdivision that spends or authorizes the spending of public money for a communication that factually describes the purposes of a bond measure shall provide upon request an equal amount of money to a person who opposes the adoption of the bond measure to fund a communication that factually describes the purposes of the bond measure. (b) Money provided under this section continues to be public money and the use of money received under this section is governed by Sections 255.003(a), (b), and (b-1), Election Code, as if the person who receives the money were an officer or employee of a political subdivision. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.