Monitoring the Session

HB 3641

bill letting counties set noise limits in residential areas

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Cecil Bell Jr.RHouse 3

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 counties to regulate noise levels in residential areas; creating a criminal offense.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Outside city limits. Fireworks excluded.

The bill lets a county commissioners court pass an order limiting how loud noise from a home can be in residential areas outside city limits. It touches people living in unincorporated county neighborhoods, and it excludes fireworks from what counties can regulate. A person who breaks a county noise order two or more times commits a Class C misdemeanor offense, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: CREATES AN OFFENSE. The caption of the graded version (introduced) reads: “relating to the authority of counties to regulate noise levels in residential areas; creating a criminal offense.”ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 3 Republicans, 1 Democrat. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 15, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the Local Government committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3641 · 2025-03-03

SOLD BY

Rep. Cecil Bell Jr.RHouse 3 Rep. Armando WalleDHouse 140 Rep. Briscoe CainRHouse 128

+ 1 more author

ITEM

relating to the authority of counties to regulate noise levels in residential areas; creating a criminal offense.

WHAT IT DOES

Outside city limits. Fireworks excluded.

The bill lets a county commissioners court pass an order limiting how loud noise from a home can be in residential areas outside city limits. It touches people living in unincorporated county neighborhoods, and it excludes fireworks from what counties can regulate. A person who breaks a county noise order two or more times commits a Class C misdemeanor offense, starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 29, 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 s/c on County & Regional Government by Speaker
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Recalled from subcommittee
  6. Considered in public hearing
  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. Amended 1-C. Bell
  19. Passed to engrossment as amended
  20. Record vote RV#2538
  21. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  22. Read 3rd time
  23. Passed
  24. Record vote RV#2650
  25. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  26. Reported engrossed
  27. Received from the House
  28. Read first time
  29. Referred to Local Government
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 111 yea · 28 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 15, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Cecil Bell Jr.

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$303KDUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN$84KTexas Conservative Majority PAC$84K

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 · Aug 30, 2024 to Apr 2, 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$303,416.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$303,416.00

Cash
$77,500.00
Paid by others
$225,916.00
Total
$303,416.00
mail $151,916.00advertising $57,250.00polling $16,750.00

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 · Nov 14, 2024 to Mar 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: 101012348, 101016762, 101032999, 101036177, 101041213, 101061435.

DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN$84,000.00

DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN

$84,000.00

Cash
$75,000.00
Paid by others
$9,000.00
Total
$84,000.00
polling $9,000.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 29, 2025 to Jan 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: 101032999, 101036177, 101041213.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$83,505.68

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$83,505.68

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$83,505.68
Total
$83,505.68
canvassing $50,000.00Other filed descriptions $24,666.67polling $7,750.00texting $1,089.01

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 · Feb 9, 2026 to Mar 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: 101041213, 101061435.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$303,416.00

Cash
$77,500.00
Paid by others
$225,916.00
Total
$303,416.00
mail $151,916.00advertising $57,250.00polling $16,750.00

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 · Nov 14, 2024 to Mar 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: 101012348, 101016762, 101032999, 101036177, 101041213, 101061435.

×

DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN

$84,000.00

Cash
$75,000.00
Paid by others
$9,000.00
Total
$84,000.00
polling $9,000.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 29, 2025 to Jan 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: 101032999, 101036177, 101041213.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$83,505.68

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$83,505.68
Total
$83,505.68
canvassing $50,000.00Other filed descriptions $24,666.67polling $7,750.00texting $1,089.01

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 · Feb 9, 2026 to Mar 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: 101041213, 101061435.

Votes2

House May 15, 2025

Yea
111
Nay
28
Present, not voting
2
Absent
6
Excused
3
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2650

HB 3641 was passed by (Record 2650): 111 Yeas, 28 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 111 (published)
  • Nay: 28 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 6 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 3 (derived from named list)

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

House May 14, 2025

Yea
103
Nay
25
Present, not voting
2
Absent
10
Excused
10
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2538

CSHB 3641, as amended, was passed to engrossment by (Record 2538): 103 Yeas, 25 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 103 (published)
  • Nay: 25 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 10 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 10 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses10
For
10
Against
0
On
0
Names

For

  • Bexar County Commissioners Court1 registration
  • City of Houston1 registration
  • Conference of Urban Counties1 registration
  • Dallas County1 registration
  • El Paso County1 registration
  • Harris County Commissioners Court1 registration
  • Harris County Deputies' Organization FOP #391 registration
  • Self; Houston Police Officers’ Union1 registration
  • Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA)1 registration
  • Travis County Commissioners Court1 registration
Sources

10 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 H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 29, 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 I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 3, 2025

05/16/2025 S Referred to Local Government

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Intergovernmental Affairs · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay · Out of committee

Senate committee · Local Government · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

County Government--General

Crimes--Miscellaneous

Criminal Procedure--General

Environment--Noise

Law Enforcement

Safety--Fireworks

Text

The text as introduced · 174 words

89R12179 JCG-D

By: Bell of Montgomery
H.B. No. 3641

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of counties to regulate noise levels in

residential areas; creating a criminal offense.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 240, Local Government Code, is amended

by adding Subchapter D to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER D. COUNTY REGULATION OF NOISE LEVELS

Sec. 240.061. AUTHORITY TO REGULATE. (a) To promote public

health, safety, and welfare, the commissioners court of a county by

order may regulate the level of noise emanating from a residence

located in a residential area in the unincorporated area of the

county.

(b) This section does not authorize the commissioners court

of a county to regulate the use of fireworks.

Sec. 240.062. CRIMINAL PENALTY. (a) A person commits an

offense if the person on two or more occasions violates an order

adopted under this subchapter.

(b) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.