HB 3851

bill giving public workers paid leave to protest appraisals

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 leave for certain public employees to protest certain property tax actions before an appraisal review board.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

At least eight paid hours a year to fight your appraisal.

The bill requires state agencies and local governments to give their employees at least eight hours of paid leave each fiscal year to protest their property tax appraisals before an appraisal review board. It covers state agency workers and employees of cities, counties, school districts, water districts and other special districts who are entitled to file a protest. Those employees can attend their protest without losing pay or using up vacation, sick or other paid leave, starting September 1, 2025, with local governments covered from their next fiscal year.

Labels

Labels: PENDING FOREVER. Heard by the House Ways & Means subcommittee on Property Tax Appraisals on Apr 17, 2025 and left pending. Never voted out. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3851 · 2025-03-05

SOLD BY

Rep. Terry CanalesDHouse 40

ITEM

relating to leave for certain public employees to protest certain property tax actions before an appraisal review board.

WHAT IT DOES

At least eight paid hours a year to fight your appraisal.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 16, 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

Mar 5, 2025Filed
Mar 27, 2025Read first time
Mar 27, 2025Referred to s/c on Property Tax Appraisals by Speaker
Apr 17, 2025Scheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
Apr 17, 2025Considered by s/c in public hearing
Apr 17, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
Apr 17, 2025Left pending in subcommittee
Apr 24, 2025Considered by s/c in formal meeting
Apr 24, 2025Reported from s/c favorably w/o amendment(s)

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Terry Canales

Donors

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC$65K Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$35KCurtis E. Ford$30,605

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 9, 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.

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC$65,000.00

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC

$65,000.00

Cash: $65,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $65,000.00

Also funds 120 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 19, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 6, 2024 to Oct 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: 100986692, 101072185.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$35,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$35,000.00

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $35,000.00

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 · Aug 9, 2024 to Sep 29, 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: 100986692, 101030306, 101068017, 101072185.

Curtis E. Ford$30,605.00

Money

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

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC

$65,000.00

Cash: $65,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $65,000.00

Also funds 120 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 19, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 6, 2024 to Oct 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: 100986692, 101072185.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$35,000.00

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $35,000.00

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 · Aug 9, 2024 to Sep 29, 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: 100986692, 101030306, 101068017, 101072185.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 16, 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 5, 2025

04/24/2025 H Reported from s/c favorably w/o amendment(s)

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 · Ways & Means · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

City Government--Employees/Officers

County Government--Employees/Officers

Labor--General

State Employees

Taxation--Property-Appeal of Tax Decisions

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS & LEAVE

Text

The text as introduced · 273 words

89R3448 JCG-D

By: Canales
H.B. No. 3851

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to leave for certain public employees to protest certain

property tax actions before an appraisal review board.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 661, Government Code, is

amended by adding Section 661.925 to read as follows:

Sec. 661.925. LEAVE TO PROTEST PROPERTY TAX ACTIONS. A

state agency shall grant each employee of the agency who is entitled

to pursue a protest under Subchapter C, Chapter 41, Tax Code, at

least eight hours of leave each fiscal year without a deduction in

salary or a loss of other forms of leave to pursue the protest under

that subchapter.

SECTION 2. Chapter 180, Local Government Code, is amended

by adding Section 180.0095 to read as follows:

Sec. 180.0095. LEAVE TO PROTEST PROPERTY TAX ACTIONS. (a)

In this section, "political subdivision" includes a municipality,

county, school district, water district, or any other special

purpose district or authority.

(b) The governing body of a political subdivision shall

grant each employee of the political subdivision who is entitled to

pursue a protest under Subchapter C, Chapter 41, Tax Code, at least

eight hours of leave each fiscal year without a deduction in salary

or loss of vacation leave, sick leave, or other paid leave to pursue

the protest under that subchapter.

SECTION 3. Section 180.0095, Local Government Code, as

added by this Act, applies only to the fiscal year of a political

subdivision that begins on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.