HB 4313

bill barring local fees for climate projects

Did not pass

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 the authority of a political subdivision to impose a fee to fund a climate or environmental project.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

No fee anywhere can fund a climate or environmental project.

The bill bars cities, counties, and other local governments from charging any fee to pay for a climate or environmental project. It touches every political subdivision in Texas and anyone who pays local fees for permits, licenses, services, or filings. Local governments can no longer fund projects that cut greenhouse gases, adapt to climate change, reduce pollution, or raise public awareness of those issues with fee money, though basic sanitation and waste disposal services are left out of the ban.

Labels

Labels: STALLED AFTER COMMITTEE. Voted out of the House Intergovernmental Affairs committee 8-2 on Apr 28, 2025. Never placed on a calendar. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4313 · 2025-03-11

SOLD BY

Rep. Cecil Bell Jr.RHouse 3

ITEM

relating to the authority of a political subdivision to impose a fee to fund a climate or environmental project.

WHAT IT DOES

No fee anywhere can fund a climate or environmental project.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 30, 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 11, 2025Filed
Apr 1, 2025Read first time
Apr 1, 2025Referred to Intergovernmental Affairs
Apr 8, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 8, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 8, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 8, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 8, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 28, 2025Considered in formal meeting
Apr 28, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 28, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
May 1, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 2, 2025Committee report distributed
May 2, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Cecil Bell Jr.

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$303K DUSTIN BURROWS CAMPAIGN$84K Texas 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.

Witnesses14

For: 7
Against: 6
On: 1

Names

For

Self2 registrations
Self; Greater Houston Builders Association1 registration
Self; Home builders association of greater austin1 registration
Texas Association of Builders1 registration
Texas Chemistry Council1 registration
Texas Public Policy Foundation1 registration

Against

City of Austin1 registration
City of Dallas1 registration
Environmental Defense Fund1 registration
Lone Star Chapter Sierra Club1 registration
Self1 registration
Self; Environment Texas1 registration

On

City of Georgetown1 registration

Sources

14 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 H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 30, 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 11, 2025

05/02/2025 H Committee report sent to Calendars

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.

House committee · Intergovernmental Affairs · Committee vote 8 aye, 2 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Companion

SB 2235 by Bettencourt (identical)

Subjects

Environment--General

Fees & Other Nontax Revenue--Local

Political Subdivisions

Text

The text as introduced · 198 words

89R8374 JBD-D

By: Bell of Montgomery
H.B. No. 4313

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the authority of a political subdivision to impose a fee

to fund a climate or environmental project.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 140, Local Government Code, is amended

by adding Section 140.014 to read as follows:

Sec. 140.014. FEE FOR CLIMATE OR ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT

PROHIBITED. (a) In this section:

(1) "Climate or environmental project" means a project

undertaken by a political subdivision to reduce greenhouse gas

emissions, mitigate the impacts of climate change, adapt to the

effects of climate change, reduce the amount of pollutants reaching

the environment, or contribute to public awareness of related

matters. The term does not include basic sanitation or waste

disposal services provided by a political subdivision.

(2) "Fee" includes any fee, charge, assessment, or

similar payment required by a political subdivision for a

privilege, service, authorization, permit, license, registration,

certification, filing, or other action or approval by the political

subdivision.

(b) A political subdivision may not impose a fee to fund a

climate or environmental project.

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