Monitoring the Session

HB 3897

bill letting emergency districts block city takeovers

Did not pass

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Cecil Bell Jr.RHouse 3

Initial review · graded Oct 19, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to territory in an emergency services district that is annexed by a municipality.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Match or beat the district’s service, or no handoff.

When a city annexes land inside an emergency services district and wants to take over fire and ambulance service, this bill lets the district's board block the handoff if the city's planned service will not match or beat the district's current service. It touches cities that annex land, emergency services district boards, and residents in the annexed area. The land stays in the district until the board approves the move by resolution, and if the board stays silent for 30 days after getting the city's notice, the move counts as approved.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3897 · 2025-03-06

SOLD BY

Rep. Cecil Bell Jr.RHouse 3 Rep. Jared PattersonRHouse 106

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to territory in an emergency services district that is annexed by a municipality.

WHAT IT DOES

Match or beat the district’s service, or no handoff.

When a city annexes land inside an emergency services district and wants to take over fire and ambulance service, this bill lets the district's board block the handoff if the city's planned service will not match or beat the district's current service. It touches cities that annex land, emergency services district boards, and residents in the annexed area. The land stays in the district until the board approves the move by resolution, and if the board stays silent for 30 days after getting the city's notice, the move counts as approved.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 15, 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 Land & Resource Management
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  7. Left pending in committee
  8. Considered in formal meeting
  9. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  10. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  11. Committee report distributed
  12. Committee report sent to Calendars
  13. Considered in Calendars
  14. Placed on General State Calendar
FILED UNDER

Beats not yet reviewed.

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.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Witnesses19
For
14
Against
5
On
0
Names

For

  • Bexar County Commissioners Court1 registration
  • Bexar County ESD No. 21 registration
  • Earl & Associates LLC1 registration
  • Harris County Emergency Services District #7; Harris Co. Emergency Services District #16; Emergency Services District #46 - Harris County1 registration
  • SAFE-D, the Texas State Association of Fire and Emergency Districts1 registration
  • Self; Bexar County Emergency Services Districts Association2 registrations
  • Self; Montgomery co emergency service district 61 registration
  • Self; Montgomery County ESD #32 registrations
  • Self; Montgomery County ESD11 registration
  • Self; Parker County Emergency Services District No. 1, and Texas Fire Chief's Association1 registration
  • Self; Texas State Association of Firefighters1 registration
  • Self; Travis County ESD#2, Pflugerville Fire Dept.1 registration

Against

  • American Planning Association Texas Chapter1 registration
  • City of Corpus Christi1 registration
  • City of Georgetown1 registration
  • City of mcKinney1 registration
  • Texas Municipal League1 registration
Sources

19 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 fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 15, 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 19, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 6, 2025

05/15/2025 H Placed on General State Calendar

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report

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

Coauthors
Will MetcalfRHouse 16

House committee · Land & Resource Management · Committee vote 5 aye, 0 nay, 4 absent · Out of committee

Companion

SB 2965 by Creighton (identical)

Subjects

City Government--Annexation

Health--Emergency Services & Personnel

Special Districts & Authorities--Miscellaneous

Text

The text as introduced · 493 words

89R10443 MCF-F

By: Bell of Montgomery
H.B. No. 3897

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to territory in an emergency services district that is

annexed by a municipality.

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

SECTION 1. Section 775.022, Health and Safety Code, is

amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to

read as follows:

(a) If a municipality completes all other procedures

necessary to annex territory in a district , including the

preparation of a service plan if required by Section 43.056, Local

Government Code, [ and if ] the municipality intends to remove the

territory from the district , and the municipality is capable at the

time of the removal of being [ be ] the sole provider of emergency

services to the territory by the use of municipal personnel or by

some method other than by use of the district, the municipality

shall send written notice of those facts , and the completed service

plan, if applicable, to the board not later than the 30th day after

completing the necessary procedures . The municipality must send

the notice to the secretary of the board by certified mail, return

receipt requested. The territory remains part of the district and

does not become part of the municipality until the secretary of the

board receives the notice and the board by resolution disannexes

the territory from the district . If the board determines that the

municipal services planned to be provided in the territory will not

meet or exceed the level of service provided by the district in the

territory, the board shall adopt that determination in a resolution

and may not by resolution disannex the territory from the district.

If the board determines that municipal services planned to be

provided in the territory will meet or exceed the level of service

provided by the district in the territory at the time of

disannexation [ On receipt of the notice ], the board shall by

resolution disannex the territory from the district, notify the

appraisal district to [ immediately ] change its records to show that

the territory has been disannexed from the district , and [ shall ]

cease to provide further services to the residents of that

territory. This subsection does not require a municipality to

remove from a district territory the municipality has annexed. For

the purposes of this subsection, "level of service" for fire and

emergency medical protection means the location, deployment, and

response time of fire suppression or medical resources originally

dispatched to a structural or wildland fire or emergency medical

incident.

(a-1) A board is considered to have approved a disannexation

of territory under Subsection (a) if the board fails to provide to

the municipality a resolution disapproving or approving the

disannexation before the 30th day after the date the board receives

the notice under Subsection (a) from the municipality.

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