Monitoring the Session

HB 4105

Harless Bill Lets Counties Over 3.3M Skip The Lowest Bid

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Rep. Sam HarlessRHouse 126
Why it's charged
Bracket bill

THE TEXT

“This section applies only to a county with a population of more than 3.3 million.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The population floor limits this local-bidder preference to only the very largest county or counties in the state. The caption's word "certain" hints at this but does not say how few places it reaches.

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 counties to consider a prospective contractor's principal place of business when awarding certain contracts.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Local bids within 3 percent of the lowest can win. The caption just says “certain counties.”

The bill lets a county with more than 3.3 million people award a services or construction contract to a bidder based in that county or a neighboring county, even if the bid is not the lowest. The local bidder's price must be within three percent of the lowest outside bid, and the commissioners court must find in writing that the local bid is the best mix of price, ability to do the work, and local jobs and tax revenue. The preference cannot be used if an approving official is related to the bidder or has financial ties to the bidder, and it does not cover professional services contracts.

Labels

Labels: GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 13, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the Local Government committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4105 · 2025-03-07

SOLD BY

Rep. Sam HarlessRHouse 126

ITEM

relating to the authority of certain counties to consider a prospective contractor's principal place of business when awarding certain contracts.

WHAT IT DOES

Local bids within 3 percent of the lowest can win. The caption just says “certain counties.”

The bill lets a county with more than 3.3 million people award a services or construction contract to a bidder based in that county or a neighboring county, even if the bid is not the lowest. The local bidder's price must be within three percent of the lowest outside bid, and the commissioners court must find in writing that the local bid is the best mix of price, ability to do the work, and local jobs and tax revenue. The preference cannot be used if an approving official is related to the bidder or has financial ties to the bidder, and it does not cover professional services contracts.

CHARGES

[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 75%

THE TEXT

“This section applies only to a county with a population of more than 3.3 million.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The population floor limits this local-bidder preference to only the very largest county or counties in the state. The caption's word "certain" hints at this but does not say how few places it reaches.

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 17, 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 in s/c on . . .
  5. Considered by s/c in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
  7. Left pending in subcommittee
  8. Recalled from subcommittee
  9. Considered in formal meeting
  10. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  11. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  12. Committee report distributed
  13. Committee report sent to Calendars
  14. Considered in Calendars
  15. Placed on General State Calendar
  16. Read 2nd time
  17. Passed to engrossment
  18. Record vote RV#2190
  19. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  20. Read 3rd time
  21. Passed
  22. Record vote RV#2262
  23. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  24. Reported engrossed
  25. Received from the House
  26. Read first time
  27. Referred to Local Government
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 106 yea · 34 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 13, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Sam Harless

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$28KTexas REALTORS Political Action Committee$15KFRANK STILLEY$10,000

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 · Jul 2, 2024 to Aug 19, 2025. 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$27,500.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$27,500.00

Cash
$27,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$27,500.00

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 · Sep 12, 2024 to Jun 23, 2025. 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: 100982685, 101007085.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$15,000.00

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$15,000.00

Cash
$15,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$15,000.00

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 · Jul 2, 2024 to Jun 23, 2025. 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: 100982685, 101007085.

FRANK STILLEY$10,000.00
Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$27,500.00

Cash
$27,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$27,500.00

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 · Sep 12, 2024 to Jun 23, 2025. 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: 100982685, 101007085.

×

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$15,000.00

Cash
$15,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$15,000.00

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 · Jul 2, 2024 to Jun 23, 2025. 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: 100982685, 101007085.

Votes2

House May 13, 2025

Yea
106
Nay
34
Present, not voting
2
Absent
4
Excused
4
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2262

HB 4105 was passed by (Record 2262): 106 Yeas, 34 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 106 (published)
  • Nay: 34 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 4 (derived from named list)

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

House May 12, 2025

Yea
99
Nay
39
Present, not voting
2
Absent
6
Excused
4
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2190

HB 4105 was passed to engrossment by (Record 2190): 99 Yeas, 39 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 99 (published)
  • Nay: 39 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 6 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 4 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses5
For
4
Against
1
On
0
Names

For

  • Conference of Urban Counties1 registration
  • El Paso County1 registration
  • Harris County Commissioners Court1 registration
  • Self1 registration

Against

  • AGC of Texas1 registration
Sources

5 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 17, 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 7, 2025

05/19/2025 S Referred to Local Government

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Intergovernmental Affairs · Committee vote 10 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

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

Subjects

County Government--Finance

Purchasing--Local

COMPETITIVE BIDDING

CONTRACTORS & SUBCONTRACTORS

Text

The text as introduced · 395 words

89R3202 CS-D

By: Harless
H.B. No. 4105

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of certain counties to consider a

prospective contractor's principal place of business when awarding

certain contracts.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 271, Local Government

Code, is amended by adding Section 271.909 to read as follows:

Sec. 271.909. CONSIDERATION OF LOCATION OF BIDDER'S

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS FOR AWARDING CERTAIN COUNTY CONTRACTS.

(a) This section applies only to a county with a population of more

than 3.3 million.

(b) A county may award a contract for services or for the

construction, repair, or renovation of a structure, road, highway,

or other improvement or addition to real property to a bidder whose

principal place of business is in the county or in a contiguous

county if:

(1) the bid or proposed price submitted by the bidder

is within three percent of the lowest bid or proposed price received

by the county from a bidder with the ability to perform the contract

that does not have a principal place of business in the county or in

a contiguous county; and

(2) the commissioners court determines, in writing,

that the bid or proposal of the bidder offers the county the best

combination of contract price, ability to perform the contract,

and additional economic development opportunities for the county

created by the contract award, including the employment of

residents of the county and increased tax revenues to the county.

(c) A county may not award a contract to a bidder under this

section if a person that would approve the contract:

(1) is related to the bidder within the third degree by

consanguinity or within the second degree by affinity, as described

by Subchapter B, Chapter 573, Government Code; or

(2) has financial ties to the bidder.

(d) This section does not prohibit a county from rejecting

all bids.

(e) This section does not apply to a contract for

professional services governed by Subchapter A, Chapter 2254,

Government Code.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to a contract for which a county first advertises or otherwise

solicits bids, proposals, offers, or qualifications or makes a

similar solicitation on or after the effective date of this Act.

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