Monitoring the Session

HB 3093

Villalobos Tax Bill Covers Only Gulf Counties Under 500,000

Became law

Verdict: Smells

SmellsNeeds review
Rep. Denise VillalobosRHouse 34
Why it's charged
Bracket bill

THE TEXT

“(A) has a population of less than 500,000; and”…

Bill text, engrossed version (E)

The new rate rule reaches only taxing units in counties under 500,000 people that sit on the Gulf of Mexico. The caption says only "certain" tax rates and does not mention the coastal limit, but the bracket still covers a group of counties rather than one place.

Bracket bill

Needs review · Nov 1, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the calculation of certain ad valorem tax rates of a taxing unit for a year in which a property owner provides notice that the owner intends to appeal an order of an appraisal review board determining a protest by the owner regarding the appraisal of the owner's property.

Caption from analyzed text · version E.

Summary

Big court appeal by a top-20 owner? The disputed value comes off the rate math.

The bill lets certain local taxing units leave out the disputed part of a big property's value when they calculate their no-new-revenue and voter-approval tax rates for the year. It applies only to taxing units in Gulf Coast counties with fewer than 500,000 people, and it touches owners of the 20 highest-valued properties in an appraisal district who plan a large court appeal of their value. Those owners must tell the taxing unit how much value they do not dispute and promise to pay tax on it, and the taxing unit can then set its rates as if the contested value were not on the roll, with the paperwork posted online.

Labels

Labels: NO AUTOGRAPH. Became law without the governor's signature on May 24, 2025.INSTANT LAW. Took effect immediately, on May 24, 2025. 833 of the 1,185 graded 89R laws took effect Sep 1, 2025 (derived from the bill histories, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).CROSS-PARTY HANDOFF. Lead author Denise Villalobos (R) in the House. Lead sponsor Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa (D) in the Senate. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3093 · 2025-02-20

SOLD BY

+ 2 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the calculation of certain ad valorem tax rates of a taxing unit for a year in which a property owner provides notice that the owner intends to appeal an order of an appraisal review board determining a protest by the owner regarding the appraisal of the owner's property.

WHAT IT DOES

Big court appeal by a top-20 owner? The disputed value comes off the rate math.

The bill lets certain local taxing units leave out the disputed part of a big property's value when they calculate their no-new-revenue and voter-approval tax rates for the year. It applies only to taxing units in Gulf Coast counties with fewer than 500,000 people, and it touches owners of the 20 highest-valued properties in an appraisal district who plan a large court appeal of their value. Those owners must tell the taxing unit how much value they do not dispute and promise to pay tax on it, and the taxing unit can then set its rates as if the contested value were not on the roll, with the paperwork posted online.

CHARGES

[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

“(A) has a population of less than 500,000; and”…

Bill text, engrossed version (E)

The new rate rule reaches only taxing units in counties under 500,000 people that sit on the Gulf of Mexico. The caption says only "certain" tax rates and does not mention the coastal limit, but the bracket still covers a group of counties rather than one place.

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 1, 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 Ways & Means
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Committee substitute considered in committee
  7. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  8. Left pending in committee
  9. Considered in formal meeting
  10. Committee substitute considered in committee
  11. Reported favorably as substituted
  12. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  13. Committee report distributed
  14. Committee report sent to Calendars
  15. Considered in Calendars
  16. Placed on General State Calendar
  17. Read 2nd time
  18. Passed to engrossment
  19. Record vote RV#294
  20. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  21. Read 3rd time
  22. Passed
  23. Record vote RV#312
  24. Reported engrossed
  25. Received from the House
  26. Read first time
  27. Referred to Local Government
  28. Considered in public hearing
  29. Vote taken in committee
  30. Reported favorably w/o amendments
  31. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
  32. Committee report printed and distributed
  33. Placed on local & uncontested calendar
  34. Laid before the Senate
  35. Read 2nd time & passed to 3rd reading
  36. Vote recorded in Journal
  37. Three day rule suspended
  38. Record vote
  39. Read 3rd time
  40. Passed
  41. Record vote
  42. Senate passage reported
  43. Reported enrolled
  44. Signed in the House
  45. Signed in the Senate
  46. Sent to the Governor
  47. Filed without the Governor's signature
  48. Effective immediately
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 145 yea · 1 nay

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · Apr 17, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · May 9, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

Smells

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 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$554,928.87

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$554,928.87

Cash
$35,000.00
Paid by others
$519,928.87
Total
$554,928.87
advertising $422,488.50mail $75,707.02polling $21,210.35fundraiser $523.00

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 23, 2025 to Oct 19, 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: 101011167, 101031617, 101061183, 101069345, 101071979.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$455,570.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$455,570.00

Cash
$150,000.00
Paid by others
$305,570.00
Total
$455,570.00
canvassing $190,000.00advertising $98,870.00polling $16,700.00

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 · Aug 21, 2026 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.

Report IDs: 101069345, 101071979.

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$326,800.00

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$326,800.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$326,800.00
Total
$326,800.00
television $225,050.00radio $44,200.00mailer $22,600.00polling $16,700.00Other filed descriptions $10,750.00digital $7,500.00

Also funds 20 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · May 4, 2026 to Oct 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: 101061183, 101069345, 101071979.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$554,928.87

Cash
$35,000.00
Paid by others
$519,928.87
Total
$554,928.87
advertising $422,488.50mail $75,707.02polling $21,210.35fundraiser $523.00

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 23, 2025 to Oct 19, 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: 101011167, 101031617, 101061183, 101069345, 101071979.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$455,570.00

Cash
$150,000.00
Paid by others
$305,570.00
Total
$455,570.00
canvassing $190,000.00advertising $98,870.00polling $16,700.00

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 · Aug 21, 2026 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.

Report IDs: 101069345, 101071979.

×

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$326,800.00

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$326,800.00
Total
$326,800.00
television $225,050.00radio $44,200.00mailer $22,600.00polling $16,700.00Other filed descriptions $10,750.00digital $7,500.00

Also funds 20 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · May 4, 2026 to Oct 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: 101061183, 101069345, 101071979.

Votes5

Senate May 9, 2025

Final passage

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to third reading, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records final passage. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Sources

HB 3093 (J. Hinojosa) Relating to the calculation of certain ad valorem tax rates of a taxing unit for a year in which a property owner provides notice that the owner intends to appeal an order of an appraisal review board determining a protest by the owner regarding the appraisal of the owner's property. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate May 9, 2025

Suspension of the three-day rule

Yea
31
Nay
0
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to third reading, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records suspension of the three-day rule. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Sources

HB 3093 (J. Hinojosa) Relating to the calculation of certain ad valorem tax rates of a taxing unit for a year in which a property owner provides notice that the owner intends to appeal an order of an appraisal review board determining a protest by the owner regarding the appraisal of the owner's property. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)

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

  • Yea: 31 (published)
  • Nay: 0 (published)
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

Senate May 9, 2025

Passage to third reading

Yea
Not printed
Nay
Not printed
Present, not voting
Not printed
Absent
Not printed
Excused
Not printed
Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to third reading, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records passage to third reading. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

HB 3093 (J. Hinojosa) Relating to the calculation of certain ad valorem tax rates of a taxing unit for a year in which a property owner provides notice that the owner intends to appeal an order of an appraisal review board determining a protest by the owner regarding the appraisal of the owner's property. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)

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

  • Yea: Not printed
  • Nay: Not printed
  • Present, not voting: Not printed
  • Absent: Not printed
  • Excused: Not printed

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

House Apr 17, 2025

Yea
145
Nay
1
Present, not voting
1
Absent
1
Excused
2
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 312

HB 3093 was passed by (Record 312): 145 Yeas, 1 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 145 (published)
  • Nay: 1 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 1 (published)
  • Absent: 1 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 2 (derived from named list)

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

House Apr 17, 2025

Yea
143
Nay
1
Present, not voting
1
Absent
5
Excused
0
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 294

CSHB 3093 was passed to engrossment by (Record 294): 143 Yeas, 1 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 143 (published)
  • Nay: 1 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 1 (published)
  • Absent: 5 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 0 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses7
For
7
Against
0
On
0
Names

For

  • City of Corpus Christi1 registration
  • Del Mar College1 registration
  • Nueces County & Del Mar College1 registration
  • Self; County of Nueces, Tax Assessor Collectors Association of Texas, Kevin Kieschnick, Nueces County Tax Assessor Collector1 registration
  • Self; Nueces County1 registration
  • Texas association of appraisal districts1 registration
  • Valero energy1 registration
Sources

7 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 significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 1, 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 E by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 20, 2025

05/24/2025 E Effective immediately

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed · Senate Committee Report · Enrolled

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 1:48 PM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors
Sponsors

House committee · Ways & Means · Committee vote 13 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Senate committee · Local Government · Committee vote 5 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Companion

SB 1052 by Hinojosa, Juan "Chuy" (identical)

Subjects

Taxation--Property-Appeal of Tax Decisions

Taxation--Property-Appraisals & Appraisal Districts

Taxation--Property-Assessment & Collection

Taxation--Property-Tax Rate

Text

The text as introduced · 1,739 words

89R2850 RDS-F

By: Villalobos
H.B. No. 3093

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the calculation of certain ad valorem tax rates of a

taxing unit for a year in which a property owner provides notice

that the owner intends to appeal an order of an appraisal review

board determining a protest by the owner regarding the appraisal of

the owner's property.

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

SECTION 1. Section 5.07(g), Tax Code, is amended to read as

follows:

(g) The forms described by Subsection (f) must be in an

electronic format and:

(1) have blanks that can be filled in electronically;

(2) be capable of being certified by the designated

officer or employee after completion as accurately calculating the

applicable tax rates and using values that are the same as the

values shown in, as applicable:

(A) the taxing unit's certified appraisal roll;

or

(B) the certified estimate of taxable value of

property in the taxing unit prepared under Section 26.01(a-1);

[ and ]

(3) be capable of being electronically incorporated

into the property tax database maintained by each appraisal

district under Section 26.17 and submitted electronically to the

county assessor-collector of each county in which all or part of the

territory of the taxing unit is located ; and

(4) be capable of including the addendum to the forms

required by Section 26.04(d-3), if applicable .

SECTION 2. Section 26.012, Tax Code, is amended by adding

Subdivisions (1-a), (1-b), (1-c), (2-a), and (20) to read as

follows:

(1-a) "Affected taxing unit" means a taxing unit that

is wholly or partly located in a county that:

(A) has a population of less than 500,000; and

(B) is located on the Gulf of Mexico.

(1-b) "Anticipated substantial litigation" means one

or more appeals filed or intended to be filed under Chapter 42 for a

tax year by a single property owner or by one or more associated

business entities of a single property owner of one or more orders

of an appraisal review board determining one or more protests by the

owner or entities of the taxable value of one or more parcels of

property located in an affected taxing unit, if any of the

properties had a taxable value in the preceding tax year that was

one of the 10 highest in the affected taxing unit.

(1-c) "Associated business entity" means a subsidiary

or other associated business entity of a property owner.

(2-a) "Contested taxable value" means for a tax year

the difference between:

(A) the taxable value of a property stated in or

determined from:

(i) an order issued by the appraisal review

board hearing a protest pertaining to the property for the tax year

under Chapter 41; or

(ii) if the appraisal review board has not

issued an order determining the protest, the notice of appraised

value for the property delivered under Section 25.19 for the most

recent tax year; and

(B) the:

(i) taxable value of the property asserted

by the owner of the property in an appeal of the appraisal review

board order under Chapter 42; or

(ii) if the owner has not filed an appeal, a

good faith determination of the taxable value the owner will assert

in the appeal.

(20) "Uncontested taxable value" means the portion of

the taxable value of a property that is not contested taxable value.

SECTION 3. Section 26.012(6), Tax Code, is amended to read

as follows:

(6) "Current total value" means the total taxable

value of property listed on the appraisal roll for the current year,

including all appraisal roll supplements and corrections as of the

date of the calculation, less the taxable value of property

exempted for the current tax year for the first time under Section

11.31 or 11.315, except that:

(A) the current total value for a school district

excludes:

(i) the total value of homesteads that

qualify for a tax limitation as provided by Section 11.26;

(ii) new property value of property that is

subject to an agreement entered into under former Subchapter B or C,

Chapter 313; and

(iii) new property value of property that

is subject to an agreement entered into under Subchapter T, Chapter

403, Government Code; [ and ]

(B) the current total value for a county,

municipality, or junior college district excludes the total value

of homesteads that qualify for a tax limitation provided by Section

11.261 ; and

(C) the current total value for an affected

taxing unit excludes the portion of the aggregate taxable value of

all of the property located in the taxing unit that is included as

part of anticipated substantial litigation that consists of

contested taxable value .

SECTION 4. Section 26.04(d-3), Tax Code, is amended to read

as follows:

(d-3) As soon as practicable after the designated officer or

employee calculates the no-new-revenue tax rate and the

voter-approval tax rate of the taxing unit, the designated officer

or employee shall submit the tax rate calculation forms used in

calculating the rates to the county assessor-collector for each

county in which all or part of the territory of the taxing unit is

located. If an amount described by Section 26.012(6)(C) is

excluded from the current total value of an affected taxing unit for

a tax year, the designated officer or employee for the taxing unit

shall include as an addendum to the tax rate calculation forms for

that tax year:

(1) documentation that supports the exclusion; and

(2) each statement submitted to the designated officer

or employee under Section 41.48(c)(2) for that tax year.

SECTION 5. Section 26.16(d-1), Tax Code, is amended to read

as follows:

(d-1) In addition to posting the information described by

Subsection (a), the county assessor-collector shall post on the

Internet website of the county for each taxing unit all or part of

the territory of which is located in the county:

(1) the tax rate calculation forms used by the

designated officer or employee of each taxing unit to calculate the

no-new-revenue and voter-approval tax rates of the taxing unit for

the most recent five tax years beginning with the 2020 tax year, as

certified by the designated officer or employee under Section

26.04(d-2) , along with the addendum to those forms required by

Section 26.04(d-3), if applicable ; and

(2) the name and official contact information for each

member of the governing body of the taxing unit.

SECTION 6. Sections 26.17(e) and (f), Tax Code, are amended

to read as follows:

(e) The officer or employee designated by the governing body

of each taxing unit in which the property is located to calculate

the no-new-revenue tax rate and the voter-approval tax rate for the

taxing unit must electronically incorporate into the database:

(1) the information described by Subsections (b)(5),

(6), (7), (12), and (13), as applicable, as the information becomes

available; and

(2) the tax rate calculation forms prepared under

Section 26.04(d-1) , along with the addendum to those forms required

by Section 26.04(d-3), if applicable, at the same time the

designated officer or employee submits the tax rates to the

governing body of the taxing unit under Section 26.04(e).

(f) The chief appraiser shall make the information

described by Subsection (e)(1) and the tax rate calculation forms ,

along with the addendum to those forms required by Section

26.04(d-3), if applicable, described by Subsection (e)(2)

available to the public not later than the third business day after

the date the information and forms are incorporated into the

database.

SECTION 7. Subchapter C, Chapter 41, Tax Code, is amended by

adding Section 41.48 to read as follows:

Sec. 41.48. NOTICE OF CERTAIN APPEALS; SUBMISSIONS BY

PROPERTY OWNER. (a) In this section, "affected taxing unit,"

"anticipated substantial litigation," "associated business

entity," and "uncontested taxable value" have the meanings assigned

by Section 26.012.

(b) Not later than July 1, the officer or employee

designated by the governing body of each affected taxing unit under

Section 26.04(c) shall notify each property owner in the taxing

unit who owns a property that had a taxable value in the preceding

tax year that was one of the 10 highest in the taxing unit that the

owner may have to comply with the requirements of this section.

(c) A property owner or associated business entity of the

owner that intends to file an appeal under Chapter 42 that is part

of anticipated substantial litigation shall submit to the officer

or employee described by Subsection (b) of each affected taxing

unit in which the property included in the litigation is located:

(1) the total amount of uncontested taxable value of

all property located in the taxing unit that may be the subject of

an appeal by the property owner or entity and that is part of the

litigation; and

(2) a written statement providing that the property

owner or entity intends to pay the tax due on the amount of the

uncontested taxable value.

(d) A property owner or associated business entity of the

property owner must submit the information required to be submitted

under this section not later than the earlier of August 7 or the

21st day after the date the first hearing regarding a protest of the

value of any property included in the anticipated substantial

litigation is conducted under this chapter.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section,

the amount of uncontested taxable value submitted to a designated

officer or employee under this section may be used by the designated

officer or employee only for the purpose of calculating a tax rate

under Section 26.04 and may not be construed as an amount of value

of a property that is not in dispute for purposes of a proceeding

under Chapter 42.

SECTION 8. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this

section, the changes in law made by this Act apply to an ad valorem

tax year that begins on or after January 1, 2026.

(b) If this Act receives the vote necessary to have

immediate effect, the changes in law made by this Act apply to an ad

valorem tax year that begins on or after January 1, 2025.

SECTION 9. 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.