HB 4271: bill on public meetings for composting facilities

Caption

relating to public meetings held by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on requests for authorization to operate a composting facility.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

A local legislator asks, the agency holds a meeting in that county.

The bill requires the state environmental agency's executive director to hold a public meeting about a composting facility when a state legislator who represents that area asks for one. The meeting must be held in the county where the facility sits or is proposed, and it covers composting facilities that need a permit, registration, or notification under agency rules. Neighbors get a local public meeting on composting operations whenever their legislator requests it, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: QUICK READ: 135 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 135 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 15, 2025. Died in the Senate: left pending in the Natural Resources committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4271 · 2025-03-10

SOLD BY

Rep. Stan GerdesRHouse 17

ITEM

relating to public meetings held by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on requests for authorization to operate a composting facility.

WHAT IT DOES

A local legislator asks, the agency holds a meeting in that county.

The bill requires the state environmental agency's executive director to hold a public meeting about a composting facility when a state legislator who represents that area asks for one. The meeting must be held in the county where the facility sits or is proposed, and it covers composting facilities that need a permit, registration, or notification under agency rules. Neighbors get a local public meeting on composting operations whenever their legislator requests it, starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 19, 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 10, 2025Filed
Apr 1, 2025Read first time
Apr 1, 2025Referred to Environmental Regulation
Apr 24, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 24, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 24, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 24, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 24, 2025Left pending in committee
May 1, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 1, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
May 1, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
May 7, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 8, 2025Committee report distributed
May 8, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 9, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 11, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 14, 2025Read 2nd time
May 14, 2025Passed to engrossment
May 14, 2025Record vote RV#2571
May 14, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 15, 2025Read 3rd time
May 15, 2025Passed
May 15, 2025Record vote RV#2678
May 15, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 15, 2025Reported engrossed
May 15, 2025Received from the House
May 16, 2025Read first time
May 16, 2025Referred to Natural Resources
May 21, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
May 21, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 21, 2025Testimony taken in committee
May 21, 2025Left pending in committee

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 142 yea · 1 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

Stan Gerdes

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$316K Dustin Burrows Campaign$89K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$68K

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 30, 2024 to Oct 23, 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$316,248.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$316,248.00

Cash: $220,000.00
Paid by others: $96,248.00
Total: $316,248.00

advertising $74,698.00polling $21,550.00

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 · Jun 25, 2025 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: 101010282, 101029052, 101035831, 101036569, 101070133.

Dustin Burrows Campaign$88,800.00

Dustin Burrows Campaign

$88,800.00

Cash: $75,000.00
Paid by others: $13,800.00
Total: $88,800.00

polling $13,800.00

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 26, 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: 101029052, 101035831, 101036569.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$67,750.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$67,750.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $42,750.00
Total: $67,750.00

canvassing $35,000.00polling $7,750.00

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 13, 2026 to Feb 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: 101036569.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$316,248.00

Cash: $220,000.00
Paid by others: $96,248.00
Total: $316,248.00

advertising $74,698.00polling $21,550.00

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 · Jun 25, 2025 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: 101010282, 101029052, 101035831, 101036569, 101070133.

×

Dustin Burrows Campaign

$88,800.00

Cash: $75,000.00
Paid by others: $13,800.00
Total: $88,800.00

polling $13,800.00

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 26, 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: 101029052, 101035831, 101036569.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$67,750.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $42,750.00
Total: $67,750.00

canvassing $35,000.00polling $7,750.00

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 13, 2026 to Feb 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: 101036569.

Votes2

House May 15, 2025

Yea: 142
Nay: 1
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 0
Excused: 5

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2678

HB 4271 was passed by (Record 2678): 142 Yeas, 1 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 142 (published)
Nay: 1 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 5 (derived from named list)

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

House May 14, 2025

Yea: 137
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 5
Excused: 6

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2571

CSHB 4271 was passed to engrossment by (Record 2571): 137 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 137 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 5 (derived from named list)
Excused: 6 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses17

For: 9
Against: 7
On: 1

Names

For

City of Houston1 registration
Lee County1 registration
Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club1 registration
Public Citizen1 registration
Self3 registrations
Self; Giddings economic development corporation1 registration
Self; Lee County Conservatives1 registration

Against

Austin Wood Recycling1 registration
Self1 registration
Self; Back to nature1 registration
Self; Living Earth and Texas Nursery & Landscape Association1 registration
Self; Texas chapter US Green Building Council1 registration
Texas Composting Council1 registration
Texas Nursery and Landscape Association1 registration

On

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality1 registration

Sources

17 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 E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 19, 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 10, 2025

05/21/2025 S Left pending in committee

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.

Companion

SB 2240 by Kolkhorst (identical)

Subjects

Environment--Solid Waste

Open Meetings

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY, TEXAS COMMISSION ON

Text

The text as introduced · 135 words

89R10462 DRS-D

By: Gerdes
H.B. No. 4271

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to public meetings held by the Texas Commission on

Environmental Quality on requests for authorization to operate a

composting facility.

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

SECTION 1. Section 361.428, Health and Safety Code, is

amended by adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:

(f) The executive director shall hold a public meeting in

the county in which a composting facility is located or proposed to

be located and for which a permit, registration, or notification is

required by commission rule on the request of a member of the

legislature who represents the general area in which the facility

is located or proposed to be located.

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

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Dustin Burrows Campaign

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Dustin Burrows Campaign

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

House May 15, 2025

House May 14, 2025

For

Against

On

Companion