HB 3620

Plesa Tax Bill Targets Cities Over 285,000 In Two Counties

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Rep. Mihaela PlesaDHouse 70

Why it's charged

Bracket bill

THE TEXT

“a municipality with a population of more than 285,000 that is wholly located in two counties, each with a population of more than 900,000”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

This stacked population bracket points the tax-revenue authority at what is likely one city or a tiny handful of cities. A general-looking Tax Code change ends up serving a single place.

Bracket bill

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 municipalities to use certain tax revenue for certain qualified projects.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Caption: “certain,” “certain,” “certain.” Bill: a city over 285,000, wholly in two counties over 900,000 each.

The bill adds a new type of city to the list of places that can use certain tax money for "qualified projects" under Section 351.1015 of the Tax Code. The new category is a city of more than 285,000 people that sits wholly in two counties, each with more than 900,000 people, which describes a very small number of places. The bill also cleans up the list's numbering and takes effect September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 3, 2025 and referred to the House Ways & Means committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3620 · 2025-03-03

SOLD BY

Rep. Mihaela PlesaDHouse 70

ITEM

relating to the authority of certain municipalities to use certain tax revenue for certain qualified projects.

WHAT IT DOES

Caption: “certain,” “certain,” “certain.” Bill: a city over 285,000, wholly in two counties over 900,000 each.

CHARGES

[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 80%

THE TEXT

“a municipality with a population of more than 285,000 that is wholly located in two counties, each with a population of more than 900,000”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

This stacked population bracket points the tax-revenue authority at what is likely one city or a tiny handful of cities. A general-looking Tax Code change ends up serving a single place.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Mar 3, 2025Filed
Mar 25, 2025Read first time
Mar 25, 2025Referred to Ways & Means

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Mihaela Plesa

Donors

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$79K Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$55K TexBlue Media 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 27, 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.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$79,480.35

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$79,480.35

Cash: $37,500.00
Paid by others: $41,980.35
Total: $79,480.35

mail $33,992.76digital $4,945.63text $2,016.96advertising $525.00fundraiser $500.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 20, 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: 101012300, 101032600, 101059513, 101069108, 101072533.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$55,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$55,000.00

Cash: $55,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $55,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 to Sep 21, 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: 101012300, 101032600, 101059513, 101069108.

TexBlue Media PAC$32,511.00

TexBlue Media PAC

$32,511.00

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $32,511.00
Total: $32,511.00

advertising $32,511.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 25, 2026 to Sep 27, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 25, 2026 to Sep 27, 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: 101072533.

Money

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

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$79,480.35

Cash: $37,500.00
Paid by others: $41,980.35
Total: $79,480.35

mail $33,992.76digital $4,945.63text $2,016.96advertising $525.00fundraiser $500.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 20, 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: 101012300, 101032600, 101059513, 101069108, 101072533.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$55,000.00

Cash: $55,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $55,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 11, 2024 to Sep 21, 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: 101012300, 101032600, 101059513, 101069108.

TexBlue Media PAC

$32,511.00

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $32,511.00
Total: $32,511.00

advertising $32,511.00

Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 25, 2026 to Sep 27, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 25, 2026 to Sep 27, 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: 101072533.

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 Mar 3, 2025

03/25/2025 H Referred to Ways & Means: Mar 25 2025 3:26PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 6:51 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Ways & Means · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 1958 by Hagenbuch (identical)

Subjects

City Government--Finance

Taxation--Hotel, Motel Occupancy

Text

The text as introduced · 245 words

89R14908 CJD-F

By: Plesa
H.B. No. 3620

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of certain municipalities to use certain

tax revenue for certain qualified projects.

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

SECTION 1. Section 351.1015(b), Tax Code, as amended by

Chapters 644 (H.B. 4559), 779 (H.B. 5012), 927 (S.B. 2220), and 1110

(S.B. 1057), Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular Session, 2023,

is reenacted and amended to read as follows:

(b) This section applies only to a qualified project located

in:

(1) a municipality with a population of at least

700,000 but less than 950,000 according to the most recent federal

decennial census; [ or ]

(2) a municipality that contains more than 70 percent

of the population of a county with a population of 1.5 million or

more ;

(3) [ (2) ] a municipality described by Section

351.001(7)(B);

(4) [ or

[ (3) ] a municipality described by Section

351.152(61) ;

(5) [ (2) ] a municipality with a population of at least

two million ; or

(6) a municipality with a population of more than

285,000 that is wholly located in two counties, each with a

population of more than 900,000 .

SECTION 2. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails

over another Act of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025,

relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted

codes.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.