HB 3561

bill letting counties require fire safety for dense plots

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

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 emergency services requirements for certain plots or tracts of land in the unincorporated area of certain counties.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Four homes per acre or 50 homes, outside city limits.

The bill lets a county commissioners court, by order, require extra fire-safety features for dense housing plots outside city limits. It applies to plots with at least four homes per acre or at least 50 homes in counties of 400,000 people or fewer, including manufactured home communities. Where a county adopts such an order, developers must provide enough fire hydrants, at least two ways in and out for emergency vehicles and evacuations, and a location within 10 miles of an emergency services district.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Feb 28, 2025 and referred to the House Intergovernmental Affairs subcommittee on County & Regional Government. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3561 · 2025-02-28

SOLD BY

Rep. Jeff BarryRHouse 29

ITEM

relating to emergency services requirements for certain plots or tracts of land in the unincorporated area of certain counties.

WHAT IT DOES

Four homes per acre or 50 homes, outside city limits.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Feb 28, 2025Filed
Mar 25, 2025Read first time
Mar 25, 2025Referred to s/c on County & Regional Government by Speaker

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Jeff Barry

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$100K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$59K Texas Sands PAC$33K

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$100,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$100,000.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $100,000.00

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 Sep 18, 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: 101008627, 101031921, 101068499.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$58,800.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$58,800.00

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $23,800.00
Total: $58,800.00

polling $17,500.00canvassing $6,300.00

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 · Sep 9, 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: 101068499, 101070140.

Texas Sands PAC$33,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$33,000.00

Cash: $33,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $33,000.00

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 · Jun 9, 2026 to Sep 25, 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: 101039992, 101070140.

Money

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

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$100,000.00

Cash: $100,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $100,000.00

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 Sep 18, 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: 101008627, 101031921, 101068499.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$58,800.00

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $23,800.00
Total: $58,800.00

polling $17,500.00canvassing $6,300.00

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 · Sep 9, 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: 101068499, 101070140.

Texas Sands PAC

$33,000.00

Cash: $33,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $33,000.00

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 · Jun 9, 2026 to Sep 25, 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: 101039992, 101070140.

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 28, 2025

03/25/2025 H Referred to s/c on County & Regional Government by Speaker: Mar 25 2025 3:26PM

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 · Intergovernmental Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

County Government--Land Use & Zoning

Disaster Preparedness & Relief

Health--Emergency Services & Personnel

FIRE SAFETY & PREVENTION

Text

The text as introduced · 290 words

By: Barry
H.B. No. 3561

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to emergency services requirements for certain plots or

tracts of land in the unincorporated area of certain counties.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 232, Local Government

Code, is amended by adding Section 232.0035 to read as follows:

Sec. 232.0035. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: EMERGENCY SERVICES

FOR CERTAIN AREAS IN CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) This section applies

only to a plot or tract of land with at least four residential

dwelling units per acre or at least 50 dwelling units that is wholly

located in the unincorporated area of a county with a population of

400,000 or less.

(b) Notwithstanding Section 232.007, this section applies

to a plot or tract of land subject to this section located in a

manufactured home community.

(c) In addition to any other requirement under law, the

commissioners court of a county may by order require that a plot or

tract of land subject to this section:

(1) contain a number of fire hydrants sufficient to

protect the dwellings in the plot or tract from fire;

(2) have at least two means of both ingress and egress

to provide for sufficient routes of travel for use by emergency

vehicles and for use during evacuations resulting from fire or

other natural disasters; and

(3) be located not more than 10 miles from an emergency

services district.

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.